Rental Property Owner Frequently Asked Questions

As with any investment, real estate performs better when it’s professionally managed. By working with Gifford Properties & Management, Inc., you stand to get most out of your investment. Here’s 9 reasons why you should consider hiring us.

Absolutely not! We aim to listen to our clients’ instructions at all times. Our managers take the time to understand your short and long-term investment goals and tailor a plan that fits your needs. Likewise, we’ll keep you up-to-date on all aspects involving your investment.

Yes, we do! Our goal is to rent to qualified tenants. That is, tenants who pay their rent on time, care for the property, and rent long-term.

For this reason, we go to great lengths to screen all potential tenants. We check their credit, rental, and criminal backgrounds, as well as verify their income and employment.

Before keys can be exchanged, we require that tenants pay the first month’s rent and security deposit(s) in full.

All prospective tenants must pay a rental application fee. This fee helps facilitate the screening process. The funds provided are used to conduct background and credit checks on all applicants.

Yes, Gifford Properties & Management, Inc. can help you with setting rent for your property. We have the tools to perform a complete market analysis and rent comparison, to help determine a fair rent price for your property.

By conducting a thorough rental market analysis, we can estimate the price of your rental based on the prices of similar properties in the area. Once we compile and analyze the data, we can then come up with a competitive rental amount.

We begin marketing your property from the moment you hire us (or when a tenant issues a 30-day notice). Thanks to our years of experience professionally managing properties, we have an arsenal of marketing tactics.

Your property will be listed online on over a hundred rental listing sites, including our own. We’ll ensure your property receives as much exposure as possible by taking the time to create a detailed and captivating listing. With our help you’ll be attracting high-quality tenants.

Having a vacancy at a rental property is a stressful experience. The bills keep piling up even if no rent income is coming in.

At Gifford Properties & Management, Inc., we strive to fill a vacancy in the least amount of time as possible. We organize showings and optimize your property’s listing to pique the interest of potential renters. This is only one of the many benefits of hiring us for your Jacksonville and Fleming Island property management needs.

At Gifford Properties & Management, Inc., our relationship with our tenants is guided by the lease or rental agreement. If the tenant stops paying rent, our first course of action is to find out why. Sometimes, it can be a case of forgetfulness. Other times, though, it can be a case of malicious intent. In such a case, we’ll charge them a late fee once the grace period is over.

If they still don’t act, we’ll then send them a “Pay or Quit” notice. This informs them that they have X number of days to either pay due rent or move out.

If the issue persists, we’ll be left with no other option than to proceed with an eviction. If it comes to this, we have a reliable and professional team that can help ensure the eviction process is successful.

Whether it is an emergency or a non-emergency, our office is always ready to handle it. Residents can message us online with any issues and we will promptly respond to their requests. If there is an emergency, we recommend them to call us at 888-870-5070.

At the time of management initiation, we require owners to have the utilities in their name c/o Gifford Properties & Management, Inc. Afterward, we’ll transfer the tenant utilities to the resident’s name.

You don’t have to allow pets on your property. However, we suggest you leave this option negotiable. Why? If there is one thing you can put money on, is that Americans love their pets.

If you decide to have a “no pets’ policy”, you could potentially be locking out a huge portion of the renting population.

If you decide for it, Gifford Properties & Management, Inc., has a foolproof pet policy that can help safeguard your property against pet damage. Aside from charging an additional pet deposit fee, we’ll also set guidelines on which pets to allow.

Smoking inside any of the properties we manage is a no, unless specified otherwise. If we catch a resident smoking, we’ll hold them accountable for any damage resulting from their actions.

Should a maintenance issue arise, we’ll notify you immediately? We understand that regular maintenance is key to tenant retention and property sustainability. So, with your permission, we’ll begin the repair and maintenance process.

Being in the business for so long, we have a list of professional vendors and contractors that will handle the problem in a timely manner.

You don’t need to. However, we advise our clients to carry sufficient insurance for all their property needs. Aside from requiring a copy of the proof on our records, we also require that you name us as additionally insured on your policy.

Moreover, we also advise tenants buy insurance too. A renters’ insurance can help them cover their liabilities should tragedy strike.