Professional Residential Property Management in Seattle WA - Services
Ballard Realty, Inc. Property Management
Ballard Realty, Inc. Property Management is a full service Seattle property management company. We provide the prompt, personal attention that only an independent firm can offer. We pride ourselves on our longstanding reputation in the community. We always conduct business ethically and with the utmost professionalism. It does not matter whether you are across town or across the country, you can feel confident that we will manage your property as if you were living next door.
We look forwarding to the opportunity to discuss your property management needs and how Ballard Realty, Inc. Property Management can assist you in effectively managing your property.
Please call (206) 784-4813 or email info@ballardrealtyinc.com to discuss our services in detail.
Our Professional Property Management Services
- Thorough tenant selection including credit checks, criminal background checks, rental references and employment verification
- Advertising vacant property using many different marketing tools including signage, flyers and websites
- Securing a lease agreement that is thorough and compliant with current housing laws
- Securely holding and accounting for all tenant deposits
- Disbursement of tenant security deposits
- Collection of rents and follow through if rent is not paid
- Providing annual inspection detailing property condition and maintenance needs
- Facilitating all maintenance and repairs in a timely manner
- Paying mortgages, taxes, insurance, utility bills, etc.
- Providing monthly owners statement and year-end cash flow statements
- Using cutting edge software for managing your properties efficiently and cost-effectively
- Providing direct deposits of owner funds
- Providing after hours emergency service
Leasing Services
- Advertising vacant property using many different marketing tools including signage, flyers and a variety of websites
- Showing property to prospective tenants
- Thorough tenant selection including credit checks, criminal background checks, rental references and employment verification
- Securing a lease agreement that is thorough and compliant with current housing laws
Please call (206) 784-4813 or email info@ballardrealtyinc.com to discuss our services in detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do you advertise my vacancy?
- How long will my property be vacant?
- What should I do to get my property ready for advertising?
- What are your qualifying standards?
- What do you take for a security deposit?
- What funds do you take from the tenant at move in?
- When do you take the management fee and rental fee?
- When will i receive my owner draw every month?
- What happens with utilities?
- What is the $500/$1000 reserve?
How do you advertise my vacancy?
Prior to advertising your property, we will come in and take pictures. We will then advertise the vacancy on our vacancy flyer at our office, on our website, Seattle Rentals, Craigslist and a number of other internet sites. If permitted, we will put a for rent sign up in front of the property. Seattle Rentals costs $49 for a four week advertisement. The rest of the marketing tools are including in our management fees. Back To Top
How long will my property be vacant?
There is no way to predict how long a property will remain on the market, even in the best market conditions. However, we do work diligently to rent the property as quickly as possible. The most important objective is to find a quality tenant as bad tenants will only create more expense and another unwanted vacancy. Waiting for the right tenant is worth the additional time it can take to rent the property. We do our best to find the best tenant possible in the quickest amount of time. Back To Top
What should I do to get my property ready for advertising?
Prior to a tenant moving in, and before advertising if possible, we require that the following turnover items are completed by our vendors; carpet cleaning, blind cleaning, general cleaning and touchup painting. This will ensure that your property is appealing to prospective tenants and move in ready. Additionally, we have these items completed during every vacancy. In the future when a tenant vacates the unit, we will charge the tenants security deposit for carpet, blind and general cleaning. You are responsible to pay for touchup painting and lock changes in between tenants. Back To Top
What are your qualifying standards?
Once a tenant completes an application, we will do a credit check, criminal background check, verify employment or source of income and get a current and previous rental reference. We have very strict qualifying standards and work diligently to find the best tenants possible. We cannot allow an owner to be involved in the approval or denial process due to the fact that we are governed by many local, state and federal laws when it comes to approving and denying applicants. Back To Top
What do you take for a security deposit?
We collect a security deposit equal to the rental amount when a tenant signs a lease. If you have approved pets for your property we take an additional pet deposit. We take $250 for a cat and $400 for a dog. If there is a combination, for example, a cat and a dog or two cats we typically take $600. We hold the security/pet deposit in a security trust account at our bank. Back To Top
What funds do you take from the tenants at move in?
When a tenant signs their lease, we require a full month's rent and a deposit equal to the rent to be paid. The tenants next month's rent that is due will be prorated based on the days that they lived in the unit during their first month of tenancy. For example, if a tenant moves in on September 15th and their rent is $1000 they will pay $1000 for the first month rent and $1000 for their security deposit at lease signing. When rent is due on October 1st they will pay a prorated amount for the 16 days that they lived in the unit in September. You can expect your first owner draw to be lower than normal. You will also have to factor in our rental fee of half of one month's rent when determining your first owner draw. Back To Top
When do you take the management fee and rental fee?
We take our rental fee, which is half of one month's rent, from the tenant's move in costs when they sign their lease. We will begin charging our management fee from the date the tenant's move in and again every month going forward. Back To Top
When will I receive my owner draw every month?
Owner draws go out of our office on the 15th of every month via mail or electronic payment (ACH payment). If the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday, it will be sent or deposited on the next business day. If you have not received your owner draw within ten days of it being mailed, we will then issue a new check to you. Back To Top
What happens with the utilities?
Ballard Realty will switch all of the utilities into the tenant's name as of their move in date. The City requires that the owner call and authorize Ballard Realty on the account so that we may make changes for tenants move in and move outs. You will need to continue paying all utility bills until we have found a renter. You should then get a closing bill from the City. Back To Top
What is the $500/$1000 reserve?
When you sign the management agreement with us, we require a check in the amount of either $500 for a home, condo or townhome or $1000 for a multifamily property, which is your accounts reserve amount. We always keep your account at that amount throughout the month. This reserve will initially pay for advertising costs and turnover work completed. When we send your owner draw on the 15th of the month we will give you all of the money in your account at that time minus the reserve amount. The reserve is refunded to you when you no longer employ our services. Back To Top
Our Technology
Our Technology Puts Us One Step Ahead
Our investment in AppFolio's web-based property management software helps us run a more efficient and profitable business. Our top priority is to provide the most outstanding service to our owners and residents and we are excited to pass on these advantages to you:
We quickly respond to owners and resident service requests.
Because our solution is web-based, we can access all of our data from any location and at any time. This allows us to provide outstanding service for our customers. Sensitive information is housed in data centers with the same security levels used and trusted by major banking institutions.
Your monthly owner statement is delivered electronically.
Easy-to-read owner statements can be sent via email or can be accessed online using our convenient online Owners Portal, saving you time and paper.
Maintenance issues are addressed and resolved faster.
We can communicate with vendors and create electronic work orders to get things fixed quickly.
Your payments are sent electronically and securely.
We use online ACH (electronic payments) to securely deposit your payment into your bank account so you receive the money even faster.
Vacancies are filled faster with more online marketing channels.
With just a few clicks we can post professional vacancy ads to over 100 sites on the Internet, our website, and Craigslist. The ads were designed by a professional designer and stand out from the crowd.
Online applications are available for potential residents, making it easier to attract more prospects.
All vacancy postings include an option for the potential resident to apply online. We avoid all of the time consuming paperwork associated with traditional applications and can fill vacancies even faster.
Residents can securely and easily pay rent online.
Residents love the convenience of paying rent securely online and our team spends less time handling paper checks. Online rent payments are automatically entered into AppFolio and completely integrated with the accounting records.
Owner Statements Available Online
Did you know that you can now access your owner statements online?
Benefits:
- Concise statements covering the performance of your property for the previous month
- All data on your property is stored in a state-of-the-art data center
- Access information about your property 24/7
- Access information about your property from anywhere with an internet connection
How it works:
In order to keep your financials secure, we use a state of the art portal system which communicates with your email.
Each time you wish to view your reports, you must visit the portal and enter in your email address. You will be emailed a single-use link where you can view your statements. This link does not have a time limit, however, it will only work once.
