Property Management Tips & Education for Landlords and Owners

Why should I rent from The Equity Group?

We are a professional, knowledgeable, and courteous property management company. We work very hard to provide the highest quality resident services you’ll ever experience.We answer the phone Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and are happy to answer any questions you have.We comply with all federal, state, and local laws and will provide services without regard to the race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin of applicant/resident.When your home needs service, we use professional vendors (painters, handymen, plumbers, carpet cleaners, etc) not some guy down the street.We give you day before notice before coming into your home.We are available 24 hours a day to handle emergency maintenance repairs.We provide detailed move-in forms for proper documentation of the condition of your rental. We also give you a week from moving in to report any additional notes to the condition.We accept credit cards.All deposits are kept in a FDIC insured bank.When you sign your lease, you have a meeting with one of our leasing agents to go over all parts of the lease to help ensure that everyone is aware of their responsibilities under the lease.

What is your screening process?

We verify income with copies of pay stubs and verification from your employer. We check court records for any judgments and criminal activity. We also contact your previous landlords directly for a referral. We will verify that the person we call is actually your landlord.

How do I know if a property is still available?

If the property is listed on our website, it is still available. Since we receive applications 24 hours a day via fax and email, we never know when a new application may come in. When you send in your application, we will email or call you within one business day to let you know the status of your application. If another application is ahead of you, you may choose to wait or receive a refund of any fees paid. Once we begin processing your application you will either get offered the property or be rejected. If someone ahead of you is approved and takes the property, your application is still good for any other property we manage.

Can I see a property?

Just call our office or email us to set up a showing. We will gladly work around your schedule. Sorry, for the safety of our staff, no showings will be made after dark.

Do you take Section 8?

Yes, and we treat Section 8 applicants like anyone else. The applicant must still qualify under the guidelines outlined above.We will consider Section 8 and add it to income. Some properties may take co-signers to qualify for lack of income in addition to lack of credit and rental references.

How long will it take to process my application?

We process applications as quickly as possible. Often, we have to wait for return phone calls from landlords and employers.We must verify your employment, rental history, and credit. We need the last two years of history from your landlord(s) and this can be the most difficult part of your application to verify. We will call you if we are having trouble obtaining any information. If we cannot verify information quickly, we have to move on to another application. If we already are processing someone else’s application on the property you apply for, your application may have to wait for that application to be completed. Make sure the name of your landlord is the owner of the property or the property management company. Providing daytime phone numbers can shorten the turnaround time when messages have to be left.

How do I apply for a rental?

An application is required for each person over the age of 18 that will be living on the property you wish to rent. Click here to download the application. There is a $30 per person application fee to cover the cost of the background check. (Only one application fee per lifetime) is required to The Equity Group while you live in our rentals. Only completed, signed, and fee paid applications will be processed.It is critical that we have complete and accurate information from you to process the application. If we do not receive information back within one business day from first inquiry to your current/previous landlord or current/previous employer, it delays approval. It is our company policy to move to the next application if we are unable to verify your tenancy and employment references within one business day of application if there are other applications pending.

What are your qualifications to rent?

When you turn in an application, we will:Call your previous landlord references. Be sure to provide the names and telephone numbers (home & work preferred) of at least the previous two years’ worth of rental history from individuals not related to you.Be sure to include your move-in and move-out dates and the exact apartment number. If you had a roommate on the lease contract, their name would be helpful as a point of reference, as well.Verify your income source and level:Your legal and verifiable monthly income should be at least 2.5 to 3 times the rental amount. If you are self-employed please provide your latest tax returns as well as 3 months worth of bank statements. Please contact of your references so they know we will be calling. If your employer is a large company that does not provide verifications, please provide at least one month’s pay stubs.Pull a credit report for each applicant:We use the credit report to tell us if you have a history of honoring contractual agreements and paying bills on time. If you have open collections to a previous landlord, your application will be automatically denied. If you have a low credit score (below 500) you will likely need to pay a higher security deposit or have a co-signer.Check the courts for prior criminal and civil actions:We check court records to see if you have any felony convictions or drug (even misdemeanor) convictions. If there is a felony, drug conviction, or eviction within the past 5 years, the application will be automatically denied.

What if I need help to qualify? Will you allow me to have someone co-sign?

Some properties will accept a co-signer if you lack either credit or rental references. If that is the case we will accept a co-signer that has verifiable income sufficient to qualify for both their living situation and for the property they are co-signing, and the co-signer must have a greater than 700 credit score. The co-signer must fully complete our application and pay the application fee, which is non-refundable.

Does The Equity Group allow pets?

Due to insurance costs and limitations, EGPM does not allow the following types of dogs in any of our properties: 1. Pit Bulls, 2. Rottweilers, 3. Chow Chows, 4. Doberman Pinchers, 5. German Shepherds, 6. American Stafforshire Terriers, 7. Wild dogs such as coyotes, wolves, and dingos, 8. Mastiffs, 9. Akita, 10. Bullmastiffs, 11. Presa Canario, 12. Malamutes, 13. Boxers, 14. Any dog that has any of the above breeds in their lineage.As a general rule, pets will not be allowed in multi-family dwellings. If the property allows a pet, the applicant will pay an additional pet deposit and a pet-charge of $25 per pet will be assessed each month, due with that month’s rental payment.Pets must be spayed or neutered, and all pets must be properly vaccinated. The pet owner must keep the animal from causing damage or disruption and cared for in a safe and healthy manner. Service animals as described in the Americans with Disabilities Act are exempt from these fees but must still be cared for as listed above.

Is the lease term flexible?

The length of a lease may vary. Discuss this question with a leasing agent.

What do I need to bring to the lease signing?