Owner FAQ

We will be ready within 1 business day after signing the contract.

Our goal is to find suitable tenants as soon as possible. In order to do this, we use professional photography (the same company as for our For Sale properties!) and advertise on the most widely used rental platforms. We use an industry leading smart scheduling system combined with our large staff to accommodate showing requests much faster than our competitors.

Additionally we offer a 24 Day Rental Guarantee - Read more about that here.

Yes, nearly 50% of all our new clients come to us with one or more (multi unit) tenants. It is very common for us to take over management of a property midway through a lease. We have a very smooth process for taking over management from other companies or owners that are currently self managing.

We manage most types of Residential Property. Our portfolio includes Single Family, ADUs, Condos, Townhouses, Duplex, Tri-plex, Four-plex and small apartments under 16 units.

Larger apartments are on a case by case basis.

Tenants need to pay the application fee. We use this fee to enable credit checks.

Each property is expertly evaluated based on its location, condition, amenities and researched to compare against known comparable properties while taking into account current market conditions. With hundreds of properties under management, our database of rentals to compare with is invaluable. Additionally we research competing properties on various websites, and use a proprietary RentMatch Comparison tool to make recommendations to owners about where to price their rental property.

We accept different payment methods: mail, office delivery, or online payments. Currently we are collecting approximately 96% of payments online.

Yes, we can agree to make direct deposits to your preferred bank account. This is a very popular and convenient method.

Yes, we screen all the prospective tenants while complying with California and Federal laws, including fair housing and non-discrimination laws and regulations.

If you currently have a Landlords policy in place, then yes. If this is your first time using the property as a rental you will need to have your insurance agent create a Landlords policy. Additionally there are many great additional coverages that can be added to your policy, including loss of rents caused by property damage (floods, etc.), be sure to ask your insurance agent about these options. If you need recommendations for reputable insurance agents we are happy to make introductions.

Additionally, because your insurance won't cover the tenants' personal belongings we require all tenants to have adequate renters insurance. This greatly helps to solve emergency issues and protects all parties.

Before renting your property, we will need to see proof of your insurance and will coordinate with you and your insurance agent to make sure the policy is appropriate.

First, your tenant needs to successfully get through the screening process. When that goes well and we have a signed lease they are required to pay the full security deposit and first month’s rent.

They will also need to become enrolled in our Residents Benefits Plan which will facilitate the utilities being transferred via an assigned concierge and ensure they have the required rental insurance policy.

Additionally if there are extra fees involved they need to settle all of these things when signing the agreement.

When we have received a notice from the tenant of the upcoming move out date we will schedule a pre-move out inspection with them to review the expectations for the condition and cleanliness of the home. We have found that by doing this extra step we are able to get homes back in better condition, reduce time between tenants, and have happier tenants with less disagreements about any charges against security deposits for condition related issues. Upon move out we will compare their move-in inspection with the move-out inspection and allocate any appropriate charges for excessive wear or damage. Our accounting department calculates any rental prorations and security deposit charges and will process the refunds within the state law 21-day requirements.

Prior to a renewal being offered to the tenant we will contact you to discuss plans for the property, if you would like to offer a lease renewal we will determine the current fair market rents and offer to the tenant a lease renewal at those terms. Please note that each property will have different limits on rent increases, that will be governed by both state and local rental laws, so we will work within those requirements.

We do detailed move-in and move-out inspections and generate professional reports for our records. We also do periodic inspections based on maintenance requests and other factors. Seasonally we schedule roof and gutter inspections as appropriate based on the property type.

Different types of properties will have different arrangements. Depending on the specifics of your property we will require the tenant to place in their name the appropriate utilities. For instance a Single Family home will have all of the utilities in the tenants names, but many multi-units and some HOAs will have bills that are owner paid. We even have some properties that utilities are split amongst tenants, we handle the calculations and billings to keep everything running smoothly.

We will coordinate all utility payments to ensure they are paid accordingly so you won’t have to worry about that. Of course if any of the utilities are owner paid responsibilities they will appear on your Owners Statement for your records.

Fortunately because of our very thorough screening process this is a very rare event. Our lease agreements contain strict rules about rent payment delays and failures. Late fees are enforced for late payments. When possible we work with the tenants to cure late payments and to prevent any future issues. In the extremely uncommon circumstance of continued non payment we work with our company’s attorney to provide proper legal notices and removal proceedings. Our track record on these matters is exemplary so we treat this as a be prepared for the worst, but plan for the best situation. We have great tenants and as such we have great results for our Owners.

For ongoing or preventative maintenance we have established a $500 limit for each of our owners. If we can address them for $500 or less we will do so and update you on your monthly statement, if the items are more extensive we will coordinate with you for approvals of the work.

Sometimes the damages are caused by misuse by the tenants, in these instances we will bill the tenant for the repair. A common type of bill that would be charged to the tenant is a plumbing blockage caused by misuse.

Emergency repairs are handled differently. These are ones that are critical to the upkeep of the property, habitability and immediate safety of the tenants. Examples of these types of items are leaking gas lines, shorting electrical, flooding caused by plumbing or roof failures, etc. When dealing with emergency repairs we will work to stop further damage ASAP and will update you after or during the issue. Because of the emergency nature of issues such as this we must act quickly and we use our judgment and experience to get the situation under control. Often these
issues happen at the most inconvenient times and as such we won’t be calling you at 3am, we will be working to solve the problem and will report back to you during an appropriate time.

All maintenance and unexpected repairs are done using high-quality vendors at their best price.

You are able to access a multitude of reports when using our owner portal. These reports include your regular monthly statements for income and expenses (including copies of bills and receipts). Additionally we also include your Year End Summary for tax and accounting records, Copies of Lease and Management Agreements, Move-in & Move-out inspections and more!

Yes, absolutely! When it comes to pets, you should keep in mind that being too strict could cost you a considerable amount of prospects. We have found that we get more loyal tenants that stay longer when we accept their additional family members! We have partnered with Petscreening.com to qualify all prospective pets (including Service and ESA).

For no extra charge to Owners, we Guarantee your home will not be damaged by any approved pet with our $3,000 pet guarantee. Action Properties will pay for damages exceeding the security deposit caused by approved pets up to $3,000 per pet.

For a small charge of $9.95 per month, you can be included in our Additional Pet Protection Package which extends the protection to a total of $6,000 total for the property.

For more details about his program please see our Pet Guarantee Page.

We believe it is very important to make the process for maintenance requests be quick, easy and thorough! This is a win-win. It’s important as a property owner to maintain your home in good condition to prevent excess damage. Addressing a small issue often prevents very big issues later. Knowing this we have set up a 24 hour maintenance center that allows tenants to place requests via phone calls, text messages and their own online portal where they can even upload photos of the issue. We also help troubleshoot issues to determine if they can be solved without sending a technician out to the property - this saves time, money and results in a happier tenant. All maintenance requests are tracked by Work Order so no items fall through the cracks.

No, but it does allow you to focus on other things and live a more enjoyable and reduced stress lifestyle. Property management with Action Properties means that you have a team of experts at your service helping with all aspects. We work closely with you regarding leasing, renewals, suggestions for improvements and more. It’s your property so you still have a say in the decisions that are important to you.