Owner FAQs

Our property management fees are 8% of the monthly rent for single family homes and town homes. We charge 10% per month of the rent for most condos. If someone offers you a lower rate, for the same level of service, please give us the opportunity to match it!

Unlike many property management companies, we have a VERY short list of miscellaneous fees. We charge a small fee for negotiating and renewing a lease. We have a per-event charge for major insurance claim coordination, or if we have to make a court appearance on your behalf. That’s about it! If you ask us to forward your mail, there’s a nominal charge.

Not a problem – about 50% of our clients are living outside the US. Because our system is web-based, you’ll have a unique and secure log-on portal that allows you to see your account, when rent was paid, any outstanding invoices, copies of documents, work orders – at any time. We respond to emails early in the morning and late at night, as needed, to accommodate our overseas clients.

Because our standards are high, we will not manage a property unless we first review the tenant or applicant, as well as the property, and agree that we are willing to take on the risk. In most cases this is not a problem. However, we do ask to process the application and if approved, prepare the lease. If the tenant’s already in place, we’ll make a decision after a review of your property and in consultation with you.

Because our application review process is very strict, we have a great track record of placing tenants who have paid rent on time and treated their homes with respect. We have never had to evict a tenant! We have had to negotiate early lease ends, in rare instances, where a tenant clearly could no longer afford to pay the rent. When we are able to do this, we can avoid hostile situations where your property may be tied up with no income for a few months. However, we have excellent attorney resources should the need arise, to conduct swift and relatively inexpensive evictions.

In most cases, yes. If your property shows well, is clean and neat, and looks “move in” ready, we should have no problem listing it for rent about 6 to 8 weeks before your move. If you’re busy packing, have lots of repairs or repainting to do, it’s almost always best to wait until you’re out and the place is ready, before listing for rent. We’ll be happy to visit the home with you and discuss strategies and planning.

We will process any qualified application we receive and present to you, with our recommendations. You make the final decision! However, please know that we obey all Fair Housing laws and follow the Realtor code of ethics. We are not allowed to discuss or make decisions based on the applicants’ race, color, nationality, age, marital status, presence of children, disability, or gender. We can discuss any pets they have, their employment, their credit and credit history, rental history, any criminal record they may have, and anything else that will help you make a fair, unbiased decision about whether you’d like them as your tenants.

Easy! Please see the OWNER PORTAL button to the right on this page, and also a blue link at the very top of this website. If you don’t know your password, please let us know and we’ll be happy to assist!

Most tenants pay rent electronically and we receive rents between the 1st and 5th of the month. Any rent paid after the 5th is considered late.

When rent is received, we deduct the monthly management fee, and any repair or incidental expenses that you owe. We make every effort to notify you in advance if there will be a deduction from rent other than routine monthly fees.

Owners are paid electronically between the 7th and 10th of the month. Statements are posted to owner accounts around the 10th of the month.

If your bank deposit information has changed, please log into the Owner Portal and update – or let us know and we’ll make the needed changes for you.

We respond quickly to all tenant repair requests. In most cases we will troubleshoot the problem with the tenant, before placing a repair order with a contractor. We will attempt to notify you promptly if we expect the repair to cost more than about $350, or if we feel it’s best to get your opinion or explicit approval.

If it’s an emergency, we first respond to ensure steps are taken to protect your tenant and your property. Then we will notify you. If you decide to place an insurance claim for damage, we will coordinate with your insurer to facilitate estimates, quotes, and to make sure all repairs are made promptly with as little inconvenience to the tenant as possible.

Once we are satisfied the job has been completed, and we receive the contractor’s invoice, we will upload the invoice to your account on the Owner Portal. You can view the invoice any time. In most cases the invoice will be paid and deducted out of the following month’s rent.

If you prefer to mail us a check or pay by credit card, please let us know.

Should you need our assistance in any way, do not hesitate to let us know.

• Visits by appraisers for refinancing
• Special projects to maintain or upgrade your home
• Pick up mail for forwarding (a small fee may be charged)
• Pay HOA or Condo dues from rent, or pay Mortgage from rent – FREE!

Landlord Insurance coverage is important and mandatory. It protects you against injury and other claims a tenant might make against you. Please consult with your insurer to see what level of coverage is best for you and your home.

Please contact your condo association or HOA and have them add Key Home Sales and Management as an additional point of contact. Provide them with any necessary permissions or paperwork to allow the association to contact us directly in emergencies or to report violations. Complete any pool pass and/or parking pass paperwork and ensure it gets to us so tenants will be able to use the facilities and park without being towed. Our staff will diligently follow up with the condo association or HOA to ensure the tenant is able to register their vehicle and obtain any needed fobs, passes, or keys.

Some jurisdictions (such as Fairfax City) do require a landlord to obtain a license. Most jurisdictions in Northern Virginia do not. It’s a good idea to check with your city or county website, or call your government office and confirm.

Rest assured our phones are monitored 24/7. Please call and leave a message, or email us. We answer emails early in the morning and late at night. We understand many of our owners are in very different time-zones and do our best to be available when you are able and need to talk.