Joseph Holbrook, CDPE(Dulles Area 703-651-9169)

Hello, I just cant seem to avoid this subject. Get this question all the time and yes I certainly understand the horror stories and for that matter the possible liability with the wrong pets. Fact is there are folks that are not responsible but there are folks that clearly can document they are very responsible and they routinely respect rules and other people.

HPE: So " Yes Sir" "Pets in your rental, whats my opinion?".. Yes, sir we recommend that you "CONSIDER pets in your rental but does not mean you have to accept anyone with a pet".

Prospect: "We really hate cats and dogs", birds, armidillos, (yes seriously in VA??).(Guy was from Texas)..

HPE: You of course should consider this because. ..........LA LA LA.. "Without pets you could be looking a longer time on market.(Aka:Vacancy, no income, etc) and in some situations attract the tenants you may not want!

Prospect: "Well I really need tenants in two weeks!"

HPE" I understand sir, would you like us to rule out prospects that have pets? That means that your house will be shown less without accepting pets"

Prospect: "Well, I need to talk to the wife about this, she had a friend that had her carpets destroyed by tenants"

HPE: "I understand and we are very sorry to hear that, was that property professionally managed?"

Prospect: "No, they managed it"

HPE: "Ok, understand. So lets........Conversation goes on!

Basically, our average calls per rental, lets say in a premium zip code like Reston, 20194 will usually garner about 8 -14 calls per week if it is priced correctly and the timing. Out of those calls approximately 6-9 would like to know if "pets are acceptable". Even Realtors will call when it is very clearly stated in MRIS and ask.. No exageration, just plain observation. Here in the Reston area and that matter DC Metro pets are really a form of friends and for that matter in some case probably their only friend.. Sad but true but you have to let your friend move in with you when you move..

OK, enough sarcasm here... Move on to Business..

When you rent your property you should consider Pets on a Case by Case basis, not a fact, just my opinion. "Case by Case" means simple you will consider each applicant differently, be open minded, look at different angles, etc... So if you have an applicant for a $1600 per month condo that has the following going for them:

1. Makes $97K a year

2. Has a TS Security Clearance

3. Has a 740 credit score with a superior DIR(Debt to Income Ratio),

4. Has money in the bank (yes, ive seem more than a few renters that have signifcantly clear assets)

5. Has a home back in Kansas or wherever and its clearly documented on their credit report.

6. Has a 30K car paid off

7. Has not had a speeding ticket since they were 16 or has no criminal record at all...

8. Not on the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)

9 Not on the Megans List (sexual offendor list). (Good thing, yes)

Maybe you should consider letting him/her move in with a poodle or boxer or even un "gato".

Why, well because of several reasons.

1. Responsible people typically act RESPONSIBLE!

2. Responsible people typically act RESPONSIBLE!

3. Responsible people typically act RESPONSIBLE!

So in a nutshell, Responsible people will be responsible, act respectful to you, your property, your associations by laws, etc.

A FULLY refundable pet deposit is clearly in order. Generally a pet deposit of $300 to $700 is acceptable depending on some variables.

However, there are clear exceptions when there are dangerous and insurance blacklisted dogs.

Insurance Companies Blacklist Dangerous Dog Breeds

Due to the high cost of dog bite liability claims, some insurance companies have blacklisted certain breeds. In this case, "blacklisting" means that insurance providers refuse to cover to homeowners and renters who live with dogs of a specific breed

(this attorney did a great job with this link below!)

http://www.edgarsnyder.com/dog-bite/dangerous-dogs.html

So here are some items to consider.

a. Contact your home owners insurance agent and find out about what pets may not

be allowed under your policy.

b. Ensure you have a pet security deposit. In Virginia you can have up to two

months total deposits(security, pet, keys,etc)

c. Non Refundable pet fee can also be considered.

d. We do not recommend dangerous dogs like pit bulls and several other breeds due

to obvious liability reasons.

e. Have the tenants provide a photo of all pets in your property before move in and verify during property inspections.

f. Have the tenants provide a written request for any new pets.

g. Ensure tenants read all association docs regarding pets.

h. Provide tenants with local contacts for dog licenses, etc.

I. Do require the tenants need to have the carpets professional cleaned and "de Ticked"

For more info on Property Management and Renting your home..

http://www.hpepropertymanagement.com/documentationinfo.html

Have a great day!

"We REALLY do appreciate all your referrals"

Joseph Holbrook
HPE Properties @ Keller Williams Realty Reston
http://www.restonhomepage.com www.hpepropertymanagement.com

http://activerain.com/blogs/holbrookjp
Phone (703) 651-9169
Fax: (703) 651-9170

North Point Villas Condominiums www.northpointvillasreston.com are located in wonderful Reston, VA specifically in Northpoint zip code 20194. This outstanding Condo development is located on the corner of Reston Parkway and Lake Newport in Restons North Point area.

North Point Villas has also been featured in the Washington Post's "Where We Live" section back in Oct 2010. Article Link here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/08/AR2010100803459.html

North Point Villas Condominiums(Built 1999), a development of 100 units between eight buildings which comprises of North Point Drive of which is right next to the convenient shopping center and Summer Ridge Condos www.summerridge.com

The convenience of this location and the 1100 + sq foot living areas provide for quick resale and low days on market.

This community is as previously stated located next to the North Point Village Center northpointvillage.com which has a Giant food store as its anchor store. There is also several stores, banks and restaurants like a Blockbuster, Mama Lucias, Burger King, Radio Shack, The Wine Cabinet, a Sunoco gas station and a BBT bank.

Reston is known for its great walking and running trails, community pools and tennis courts. The popular W&OD Rail Trail is also just a short walk/bike away. http://www.wodfriends.org/map1.html Access to these are easy from this community. From a commuters standpoint it is close to RT 7, within a few miles of the Wiehle Ave commuter bus stop(Future Wiehle Ave Metro Station in 2013 and Reston Town Center Station around 2017), Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Airport www.metwashairports.com/dulles/dulles.htm

Schools are also close by and are as follows as of Feb 05, 2011. Buzz Aldrin Elementary School, Herndon Middle School & Herndon High School. However you should the Fairfax County School Systems School Boundry tool http://boundary.fcps.edu/boundary/

Please find the Condo page http://www.northpointvillasreston.com/index.html

There have been 3 recent transactions with an average of $300,000 sales price with a very healthy 58 days on market! Rentals at North Point Villas have rented for an average of $1616 per month with a spectacular 17 days on market..

Some ammenities in the units and in the complex are:

Stainless steel GE appliance package, including an 18-cubic-foot top freezer refrigerator, gas range, microwave and dishwasher

Granite countertops

42" maple kitchen cabinets, per plan

Patios and balconies, per plan

9-foot ceilings, per plan

GE full-sized washer and dryer

Ceramic tile flooring in foyer, baths and kitchen

Ceramic tub and shower surrounds

Spacious walk-in closets with ventilated shelving

Fireplaces, in select homes

Private garages available

Floor Plans are here. http://www.northpointvillasreston.com/resources/assets/northpoint_floorplans.pdf

Community Map here: http://www.northpointvillasreston.com/resources/assets/community_map.pdf

(Info and Map Courtesy of North Point Villas Condo Association)

For more info on Reston Real Estate, North Point Villas Condos Reston VA or a free Market Analysis/consultation please feel free contact us below

"We REALLY do appreciate all your referrals"

Joseph Holbrook
Keller Williams Realty Reston
http://www.restonhomepage.com
Phone (703) 651-9169
Fax: (703) 651-9170

Please find below our Top Ten FAQS we recieve from prospective customers about renting their homes. I find 90% of the questions are from the following.. Once in a while we get some different ones and for that matter entertaining ones..

TOP TEN FAQ's FROM LANDLORDS

1. How do you screen prospective tenants?

We screen all tenants in accordance with all applicable local, state and Federal laws. First, let it be known that we can not screen based on Color, Race, Sexuality, Religion, Handicap or challenged, Elderliness or Familial status.

However, tp help protect the owner and us we use the NTN www.ntnonline.com to screen all applicants for several reasons. They are able to provide the most concise report for the most reasonable cost plus they have a scoring system that accepts or rejects applicants based on the criteria entered. There system auto generates a rejection letter in accordance with the FCRA.

Now the applicant is required to pay $50.00 for the application fee and you as the owner do not need to cover this. The tenants need to pay since this helps screen serious applicants.

We require the following before we can assess the eligibility of the prospective tenant.

- Completed application, credit reporting documents, etc.

- Application fee of $50.00 (Covers credit, OFAC, tenant skip trace, national criminal check, SSN Validation and address

verification)

- First months rent in the form of a Certified Bank funds or Cashiers Check.

- Documentation of income such as Paystub, military LES, Job offer, etc.

- Verification of identity such as copy of one for each applicant. (license, military ID, passport)

We will ensure that you able to screen every applicant and be able to make a sound decision on your new prospective tenants. We will also provide you a "quality grade" on your prospective tenant based on our experience but of course the decision is the owners.

2. What are your fees for property management?

We will work on a custom fee structure. In generally we can charge from 8% to 10% depending on how much we need to do.

a. What services you need us to provide?

b. Condition of your property?

c. Location of your property?

d. Have you referred business to us?

e. Are you a repeat and loyal customer?

3. Do we need to provide appliances for tenants?

We recommend that you ensure that you have all the required kitchen appliances in your rental property. Not to mention in a very appealing condition also. Most renters in the DC/Northern VA are working professionals and seem to have very detailed viewing capacity. Basically, if your house has old equipment this will turn off most prospective tenants and keep your home on the market longer.

However, we recommend that you not provide a washer or dryer unless if your property is a condo or townhome. If you have a single family we have found most prospective tenants do not need a washer or dryer. This you may need to consider on a case by case basis.

4. Do we need to change our " home owners policy"?

Ensure that your insurance agent is aware that your property is a rental policy. Also, we at HPE will require you name HPE on the policy as "additional insured" and or under a "property management endorsement". Most experienced insurance agents understand this.

If your property is newly vacant then you need to ensure that your policy is upgraded to cover vandalism and other potential losses.

5. Can we require the tenants to have a "renters policy"

Yes, we will require before move that the new tenants will have a copy of the "renters policy" that covers your property paid in full for the year.

6. What about allowing pets in our rental property?

Well, this is certainly a tough call. This depends on your tolerance for risk and your ability to allow your property to be vacant longer. In the NOVA area a property that allows pets certainly appears to fill quicker.

Here are some items to consider.

a. Contact your home owners insurance agent and find out about what pets may not be allowed under your policy.

b. Ensure you have a pet security deposit. In Virginia you can have up to two months total deposits(security, pet, keys,etc)

c. Non Refundable pet fee can also be considered.

d. We do not recommend dangerous dogs like pit bulls and several other breeds due to obvious liability reasons.

e. Have the tenants provide a photo of all pets in your property.

f. Have the tenants provide a written request for any new pets.

g. Ensure tenants read all association docs regarding pets.

h. Provide tenants with local contacts for dog licenses, etc.

7. Do the tenants need to have the carpets professional cleaned?

Yes, we will require tenants have your carpets cleaned by one of our screened cleaners.

The tenants will sign this acknowledgement twice since we will "withhold or deduct" the amount to clean the carpet if the tenants do provide a receipt from an approved company. This carpet cleaning needs to be even if they do not have pets, smoke or have children.

8. What are the typically rental prices we can fetch and will it cover our mortgage?

This is the magic question in the NOVA area. We have many customer owners that are backwards, underwater, negative equity, etc on their properties for whatever reason. So if you are backwards (Meaning that your monthly PITI (payment, interest, taxes, insurance) are higher than the market rents you can get.) we recommend that you seriously review your financial situation. Not only will your tenant be sending us a rent check but we will require you maintain the difference of your payment to us quarterly if we pay your motgage from your rent proceeds.

We can do a rental CMA on your property for you over the phone to provide you a "rent range". However, to accurately provide you the more detailed analysis we would need to view your property for the condition, safety and amenities.

You can get a fairly good estimate of your property rental value here.

http://www.rentometer.com/us

9. What can we do if a tenant wants to buy our rental property?

Well lets see here are a few options.

a. Have your tenant obtain a mortgage.

b. Have you provide "owner financing" to your tenant if you can.

c. Work on a Lease Option Contract with your tenant. (HPE can help)

10. What about Security deposits and what do we need to do with these?

First, lets say that the courts take these very seriously. We maintain an Escrow account and follow all applicable local and state laws. If we manage your property we will worry about this and not you.

Please consult your attorney or even please view the Fairfax County Handbook here

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/tenant/tl_handbook.pdf

PDF available here. http://www.hpepropertymanagement.com/documentationinfo.html

HPE Property Management, LLC provides comprehensive property management services for residential property owners. We provide superior service to our military, diplomatic services personnel, government contractors, professional investors as well as the landlord by default owners.

HPE Property Management has established itself as a leading provider of property management services in Northern Virgnia by delivering the service, expertise and experience discriminating property owners and investors require.

There are a variety of factors that determine true success in real estate investments. Marketing your property correctly, qualifying and retaining the best tenants, maintaining your property in top condition - these are all crucial elements that determine your ultimate return on investment. Choosing a seasoned property manager is the single most important decision you can make in protecting your real estate investment and maximizing cash flow.

If you must shop around for a property management company, please contact us last!

We believe we can win your business and provide you a level of trust.

Please call (703) 651-9169 for additional information or view our website pages for more info.

HPE Property Management, LLC @ Keller Williams Realty Reston

11700 Plaza America Drive, Suite 150
Reston, VA 20190
Phone: (703) 651-9169 E-mail: joe at hpepropertymanagement.com

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Disclosure; licensed agent with Keller Williams Realty in Reston, VA

The Edgewater Condominiums at Reston Town Center http://edgewater-reston.org are located in wonderful Reston, VA, 20190. www.reston.org

This outstanding low rise development was built in 1995 and is located on the corner of Towne Center Parkway and Edgemere Circle. Just steps away is the very popular Reston Town Center shopping, restaurants and activities are just a few blocks over. This community also is unique since it also has its own private pool, fitness center and club house.

The convenience of this superior location, the plentiful parking, the convenience of having a library, an outstanding medical center like Reston Hospital http://restonhospital.com/ and a Fairfax County substation next door all help the Edgewater Condos quick resale and steady rental values.

The Edgewater Condos Reston VA community is located within walking to the numerous shopping areas both in Reston Town Center http://www.restontowncenter.com and the Spectrum Center http://thespectrumatrtc.com such as Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, Office Depot, Ann Taylor, Bebe, Chico's, Anthropologie, and even a Harris Teaters. Some great restaurants nearby are Jackson's Mighty Fine Food and Lucky Lounge, Big Bowl, Morton's, M & S and Ill Fornaio, Paolos, Moni Gabi in Reston Town Center. For those folks that are looking to work nearby some large employers within walking distance are Accenture, Sallie Mae, Google Federal, Federal Home Loan Bank, L3, Appian, Microsoft, Northup Grumman, Reston Hospital, and the Reston Hyatt Hotel.

Reston is known for its great walking and running trails, community pools and tennis courts. The popular W&OD Rail Trail is also just a short walk/bike away. http://www.wodfriends.org/map1.html Access to these are easy from this community. From a commuters standpoint it is close to RT 7, within a few miles of the Wiehle Ave commuter bus stop(Future Wiehle Ave Metro Station in 2013 and Reston Town Center Station around 2017), Dulles Toll Road and Dulles Airport www.metwashairports.com/dulles/dulles.htm

The Fairfax County Public Schools are also close by and as of February 5th, 2011 are Lake Anne Elementary, Hughes Middle and South Lakes High School. However you should consult the Fairfax County School Systems School Boundry tool before your move http://boundary.fcps.edu/boundary/

There have been 3 recent transactions for 2 bedroom / 2 bath units with an average of $305,500 sales price with a very healthy average of 17 days on market! Rentals for a 2 Bedroom run around $1650.00 per month.

For more info on Reston Real Estate, Edgewater Condos Reston VA or a free Market Analysis/consultation please feel free contact us below.

"We REALLY do appreciate all your referrals"

Joseph & Haydee Holbrook
HPE Properties @Keller Williams Realty Reston
http://www.restonhomepage.com
Phone (703) 651-9169
Fax: (703) 651-9170

We recieve a significant amount of calls from folks wanting to know about property management fees. Pretty much it is only about the fees and not about the A la Carte top notch service, long term relationships we establish with the owner or the tenants or even the 24/7 property managers provide.

As with most businesses there are costs to spending a significant amount of time on this with prospects that just are not interested but about how low can you go and what free info can you give me. Property management is only profitable when you can streamline the business, choose the right customers, select the right properties to manage and ensure you provide your customer with the best tenants even if you have to drive to that overpriced rental house 20 times to show it. It really is a multi-dimential approach to manage properties successfully. There are benefits and we pretty much have a steady stream of business and strong referral base.

Here is an example of what we provide clearly on our website www.hpepropertymanagement.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT FEE OVERVIEW

Basically, there are three phases of fees in Property Management.

Tenant Search - PHASE 1
Monthly Management - PHASE 2
Lease renewal - PHASE 3

---

PHASE 1

TENANT SEARCH AND PLACEMENT


If you require us to perform a "Tenant Search" to help you place tenants in your property you can expect to pay.

75% of 1 months gross direct or 1 months gross rent non - direct

(If your rent is marketed at $1800.00 monthly, your fee is $1800.00) - Non-Direct
(If your rent is marketed at $1800.00 monthly, your fee is $1350.00) - Direct
Note that we do not normally recieve all this fee and that we must pay commisions to the tenants Realtor for bringing the tenant to your property if the tenant is accepted.)

PHASE 2

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (MONTHLY FEES)

Once the tenant is placed in your property we will recieve our monthly service fee of 8% to 10%.
This fee includes the maintenance calls, rent collection, rent payments, inspections, reports, photos and video.

Please select here for details on our plans. http://www.hpepropertymanagement.com/images/Property_Management_Fees__rev9_May_2009.pdf

PHASE 3

LEASE RENEWAL

We charge 25% - 35% for lease renewals.
This is a very common fee in the business and is required for our time we spend on maintaining the property, keeping the tenants in your property, negotiating with you and the tenants and lastly for maintaining your cash flow in the property. If your tenants move out this will cost you significantly more in vacancy time, real estate fees for tenant search, updates to your property you may not have to have done and loss of income.

Thank you

About Us.

HPE Property Management, LLC provides comprehensive property management services for residential property owners. We provide superior service to our military, diplomatic services personnel, government contractors, professional investors as well as the landlord by default owners.

HPE Property Management has established itself as a leading provider of property management services in Northern Virgnia by delivering the service, expertise and experience discriminating property owners and investors require.

There are a variety of factors that determine true success in real estate investments. Marketing your property correctly, qualifying and retaining the best tenants, maintaining your property in top condition - these are all crucial elements that determine your ultimate return on investment. Choosing a seasoned property manager is the single most important decision you can make in protecting your real estate investment and maximizing cash flow.

If you must shop around for a property management company, please contact us last!

We believe we can win your business and provide you a level of trust.

Please call (703) 651-9169 for additional information or view our website pages for more info.

HPE Property Management, LLC Copyright 2011 To contact us, please use the information below. Keller Williams Realty 11700 Plaza America Drive, Suite 150 Reston, VA 20190 Phone: (703) 651-9169 E-mail: joe at hpepropertymanagement.com EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY Disclosure; licensed agent with Keller Williams Realty in Reston, VA

Reston, Fairfax, Herndon, Sterling, Great Falls, Oak Hill, Ashburn, Ashburn Farm, Lowes Island,Vienna, McClean, Tysons, Dulles Airport, Brambleton, Fairfax, Centreville, South Riding