Unsure if a property manager can benefit you? Find your answers here!
Looking for a reliable Orange County property management company? These landlord FAQs cover property management fees, tenant screening, rent collection, and how our landlord services help you earn more and stress less.
Don’t see the FAQ you’re looking for?
Onboarding and Getting Started
How soon can you start managing my property?
The property management paperwork is simple, and integration takes only a couple days, so time is not a constraint.
What documents do you need from me to manage my property?
To begin managing your rental property, we’ll need a copy of your current lease (if applicable), tenant contact information, HOA documents (if any), keys and access codes, and proof of property insurance. We’ll also collect basic banking details for rental income deposits and a signed property management agreement.
Can I transfer management from another property manager?
Yes. We regularly help landlords transition from other Orange County property management companies. We’ll handle communication with your current manager and ensure all documents, deposits, and rental home keys are securely transferred. This switch is simple, and we’ll work to make sure there is no disruption for your tenants or rental income.
Property Types and Services
Do you manage all types of properties?
We manage all property types such as residential, multi-family, office, industrial, and retail, big and small. Our goal is proper asset management utilizing industry and company-created best practices, such as:
- Ongoing consultations with the owner to gain a full understanding of expectations for the commercial properties
- Maintain frequent contact with the owner to ensure efficient and accurate management of the property to achieve their goals
- Preparation of detailed annual budgets and monthly comparisons
- Income/Expense statements (month-to-date and year-to-date)
- And so much more…
Can you manage my home if it’s in an HOA or planned community?
Yes. While we don’t manage HOA communities themselves, we do manage properties located in HOAs and planned communities. We’re familiar with CC&R compliance, community rules, and vendor coordination. Our property managers ensure your rental home stays in compliance with all requirements.
Can you handle properties with multiple units under one lease?
Yes. We manage a variety of residential property types, including multi-unit rental properties, under a single lease agreement. In addition to single-family homes, we can support multi-family properties, apartment buildings, and more. We’ll help you structure the lease, manage rent collection, and oversee all property maintenance and repair requests.
What type of client services do you provide?
Here’s a partial list of Orange County property management services we provide all landlords:
- Quality tenant placement
- Rental agreement or lease preparation
- Rent collection
- Monthly disbursement
- Security deposit deposition
- Property inspections
- Property maintenance
- 24-hour emergency service
- Landlord/tenant relations
- Evictions and debt collection
- Market trend consultation
- Budget preparation
- Evaluating fair market rental rates
- In-depth screening of applicants
If you invest in real estate but prefer to be hands-off with your properties, our Orange County property management services can take over for you.
Do you do everything from A to Z?
Landlords hire property management services so their property investment can work for them with minimal effort on their end. With this in mind, we do our very best to ensure that everything you need on a day-to-day management basis is completely covered. That includes administration, educational resources, financial, and legal management.
Our Orange County property management company also uses the best property management software available. The software, called AppFolio, provides complete transparency to you as a landlord through the Owner Portal, along with performance and financial insights and fast access to all the important documents you need. Anything that we have, you’ll have.
Fees, Payments, and Guarantees
Are your fees really that simple?
Our property management fees are simple and upfront. We charge a flat rate that includes most day-to-day services like repair requests, statements, and showings. Unlike other Orange County property management companies, we don’t add hidden charges for small tasks. You get clear, predictable pricing with no surprises.
Base management services as a percentage of gross rent:
- 5% for commercial
- 6% for five or more doors
- 5% for two to four doors
- 7% for single-family properties
Annual fees:
- $200 inspection fee 90 days after tenant move-in and every 9 months thereafter per CA law
- $250 for lease or month-to-month renewal
Periodic fees:
- When vacant, a tenant placement fee of 35% of one month’s rent
- Repair coordination fee of 5% of project repair costs over $5,000, capped at $5,000
We clearly list all services and property management fees in our agreement, with no hidden or surprise charges. You can view our forms, reports, and statements at any time. When you compare us to other Orange County property management companies, the value and transparency stand out. A cheap property manager often ends up costing more in the long run.
What is your resident placement fee?
For residential properties, we charge 35% of one month’s rent to place a well-qualified tenant. This one-time fee is paid only when we have a signed lease with rent and security deposit in hand.
We are the first, and may be the only, Orange County management company that produces high-quality, dynamic virtual tours of all rental units to increase the desirability of your property. This placement fee also includes a thorough rent-ready property inspection, detailed repair estimates, advertising on more than 28 websites, and a full screening of all prospective residents and their application approved prior to opening the door for showings.
We do not charge a management fee when the property is vacant. If your resident has to move out before the end of the lease, they are responsible for repaying the placement fee to the landlord, and paying rent and utilities up to the day the new resident moves in.
What is your commercial property tenant placement fee?
We’re right in line with the market at 6% of the annual gross rent for the term of the lease with a 3-year minimum term. This placement fee is only charged after a lease is signed and the tenant has paid rent and the security deposit.
Just like we do for residential properties, we offer high-quality virtual property tours for commercial units to help attract tenants and reduce vacancy time. This placement fee also includes a thorough rent-ready property inspection, detailed estimate, coordination of repairs, and advertising on LoopNet, CoStar, and Crexi.
Do I need to pay any costs upfront?
We don’t require landlords to pay any upfront costs, such as new client setup fees, document preparation, marketing, or lease placement fees. We only require payment once we have a rent check and deposit submitted by a tenant.
How and when do I receive my rental income?
Rental income is disbursed monthly, typically around the 10th of each month. Funds are deposited directly into your account via ACH. You can track all income and expenses through your Owner Portal and receive a detailed monthly statement.
How do late rent payments from tenants affect my income?
If a tenant pays late, your rental income may be delayed. However, we have clear rent collection procedures and follow up promptly. We also offer rent loss protection to reduce risk. This plan reimburses you when a tenant stops paying, providing peace of mind.
How does the 100% money-back guarantee work?
We feel it’s important that if you choose us from your options of potential property managers, you choose peace of mind. So, if you are not completely satisfied with our services during the first 60 days, you can walk away and we’ll refund 100% of any fees you paid. We are the only property manager in Orange County that has a money-back guarantee. We always have your best interest in mind.
Tenant Screening and Placement
How do you find quality tenants?
We believe it’s better to wait for the right tenant than risk placing the wrong one. That’s why we run a detailed background check, including income verification, credit, eviction, and criminal reports, along with bank statements, paystubs, and landlord references.
This resident screening process helps ensure only qualified tenants who will care for your investment property and pay on time are approved.
What tenant requirements do you impose for properties you manage?
Our tenant requirements are designed to ensure we attract quality tenants to your property. This ensures a happy outcome for tenants and landlords alike. Our application criteria and rental screening services are posted at the top of our vacancy page so applicants can read and understand them before submitting an application.
The criteria include net income at three times the rent amount, a credit score of 650 or higher, a lease start date 15 days after the application is approved, standard number of occupants, and strict adherence to the pet policy.
Do you market vacant properties to attract quality tenants?
Yes. Our rental management process includes aggressive marketing to attract tenants. We advertise every rental home on over 28 websites, including Zillow and Apartments.com, and use professional listings to reach qualified tenant prospects fast.
Do you provide professional photography or virtual tours?
Yes. We use high-quality photography and create dynamic virtual property tours for every vacant rental unit. This helps attract tenants faster and gives your rental home a competitive edge in the Orange County property management market.
Lease Management and Rent
Can I set my own lease terms or rent amount?
We’ll guide you using local data and our experience as a property manager in Orange County, but you have the final say on lease length and rental rate. Our team will offer insights on market conditions to help you attract tenants and reduce vacancy time.
How do you manage lease renewals or rent increases?
Our Orange County property management experts handle lease renewals by reviewing tenant performance, local rental rate trends, and property condition. If appropriate, we’ll propose a rent increase in line with market value and notify the tenant in compliance with California law. All documents are tracked in your Owner Portal.
Maintenance and Repairs
How do you handle repairs and maintenance requests?
Should any repairs or maintenance issues come up, residents can call our 24-hour maintenance call center or easily submit a repair request via their Tenant Portal using their computer or cell phone. All requests are logged and promptly directed to the appropriate vendor so your tenant’s issues can be addressed as quickly as possible.
Can I still use the service worker I already have (plumber, technician, etc.)?
Yes. If you already know a trusted tradesperson that has liability insurance and is licensed, then we’re happy to try and use them for repairs and maintenance on your property. If it is an urgent matter and they are not available, we’ll choose a professional from our trusted vendor list.
How quickly are maintenance requests addressed?
All maintenance requests are logged and prioritized. Urgent issues like water leaks or no heat are addressed immediately, while standard issues are typically resolved within 1 to 3 business days. We use a trusted vendor list to complete repairs quickly and professionally.
When appliance parts are backordered what can you do?
When parts for an air conditioner, heater, or refrigerator are backordered, we’re on it.
We have a space full of newer portable A/C units, heaters, and refrigerators of various sizes to lend, at a nominal cost to the owner, so the resident remains comfortable, and we meet our level of care and habitability standards.
Legal, Insurance, and Risk Protection
Are you a licensed property manager?
Yes. Genuine Property Management is a fully licensed and insured property management company. All activity complies with California’s property management regulations. You can trust our experienced team to manage your rental properties with care and professionalism.
What type of insurance will I need for my property?
Landlords need renters liability insurance with a minimum of $1M in liability coverage. Genuine Property Management must also be listed as an Additional Insured on the policy per the CA Department of Realtors—this is at no cost to the owner. Rental insurance policies are different from homeowner policies, so don’t forget to change it.
Do you provide rent loss, eviction coverage, and property damage protection?
We’ll keep this section short because you can find everything you need to know about our Landlord Protection plans on our SureVestor Landlord Protection page.
For example, we can provide:
- Guaranteed malicious damage coverage caused by tenant up to $35,000
- Guaranteed reimbursement of lost rental income, when tenant doesn’t pay rent
- Guaranteed coverage of eviction costs, legal defense, and sheriff fees
- And so much more
You can protect yourself for just over a dollar a day!
We also provide an additional $1M in liability protection and can bundle plans too!
Do you handle all legal issues and evictions?
Yes. We take a problem resolution approach to most tenant challenges. Calm and clear communications, along with common sense and fairness, are usually enough to resolve the issue. However, if a situation escalates, we have an experienced legal team on hand to manage all matters in a cost-effective and timely manner, so you can rest assured that the issue is being handled correctly and efficiently.
Does Genuine Property Management follow California landlord-tenant laws and regulations?
Yes. We strictly follow all state and local landlord-tenant laws, including fair housing rules, lease regulations, and eviction procedures. Our property managers stay current on legal changes to protect your investment property and minimize risk.
Do you handle rent control or local ordinance compliance?
Yes. Our team monitors all local rent control laws and city-specific rules across Orange County. We ensure your residential or commercial property stays compliant with all ordinances that may affect rental increases, lease terms, or tenant notices.
Accounting and Reporting
Do you provide monthly reports and year-end statements?
Yes. We can provide you with a variety of accounting reports depending on your preferences, all securely stored in your personal online Owner Portal through our property management software. You’ll also find copies of all invoices and other documentation available for you at any time.
If you prefer to work offline, we can also mail a monthly statement to you at no extra charge. Each year, you’ll receive a detailed cash flow statement and 1099 form that lists all your tax deductions, such as the management fee, maintenance and repairs, advertising, insurance, and legal fees.
How transparent is your accounting and fee reporting?
All financial reporting is available in your Owner Portal, including monthly statements, repair invoices, and lease documents. We break down all income, expenses, and property management fees so you always know what you’re being charged and why. Easy access to these and other landlord resources helps to keep you fully informed at all times.
Owner Access and Communication
Who is your property management team?
When it comes to rental management, our Orange County property management team has decades of knowledge and the best technology at our fingertips. We maintain a well-rounded team that is equipped to handle leasing, maintenance, finances, advertising, compliance, and communication. We also use advanced property management software and digital applications to provide efficient documentation and reporting for your real estate investment.
Do I have access to an owner portal to track my investment property’s performance?
Yes. Our property management software includes an Owner Portal that gives you full visibility into your rental income, tenant payments, maintenance requests, and more. You can view your monthly statement, financial reporting, and other documents any time.
Can I view tenant applications, payments, and maintenance requests online?
Yes. Through your Owner Portal, you can view all tenant applications, background check results, rent payment history, and active maintenance requests. This helps you stay informed and confident that your property manager is handling every detail.
Do I still have control over my property when you manage it?
The benefit of having a good property manager is that our level of experience vastly minimizes the work required by you as a landlord. We are happy to communicate with you in regards to repairs, rent, issues, and even good news. However, you are generally not allowed to contact the residents or perform any repairs yourself due to the risk of increased liability to us.
Additional Services
Can you help prepare my property to rent?
Part of what makes our property management services so superior is our ability to attract the best, most trustworthy tenants. To do this, we only market residential properties that are safe, functional, clean, and considered to be in hotel-room-ready condition. We’re committed to providing quality homes for tenants and quality tenants for our property owners.
If you would like to take steps to improve your property, we’re happy to help. We’ll make sure that your tenants are walking into a clean, safe, and operational home. From deep cleaning to ensuring all the mechanical components are working as designed, we’ll make sure your tenants are completely satisfied with their new home.
How does Genuine Property Management determine fair market rent?
We provide a free, detailed rental valuation report to our landlords. This allows you to compare your Orange County rental prices to other comparable properties. We also encourage landlords to spend a little more time providing a nice home at a fair price.
This helps your property rent faster to a quality tenant who is more likely to stay longer, meaning your property is vacant for far less time. The investment into maintaining a nice property is far less in the long term than a frequently vacant rental unit.
What forms do you use?
California Realtor forms tend to favor residents and lack a great number of specifics required to protect landlords and management companies to the fullest extent of the law. Thus, we prefer to build agreement forms that favor the landlord as much as the law allows. So, we retain California’s largest law firm that solely represents landlords as our partners.
Every year we spend thousands of dollars to update all our agreements, notifications, and notices on a quarterly basis. This ensures we’re always compliant with the most recent California rulings to minimize liability for you as a landlord and favor the landlord as much as possible.
What about emotional support animals?
We screen all assistance animals at no cost to you to ensure compliance with all state and federal laws in that regard. Three out of four renters today have a pet, so we encourage an open attitude towards allowing pets on your property. It allows us to rent your property faster and to a tenant who is more likely to stay long term.
Pet applicants must also pay a third-party service provider to independently review and verify the pet’s age, breed, and medical history.
Can you help me buy and sell properties?
Our parent company, Old Newport Realty, will get you the best deal whenever you buy or sell with us. Since you are already part of our Genuine Property Management family, you can bet that we’ll work hard to get you the absolute best deal when you buy. If we list your property for sale, we’ll save you money with just a 2% listing fee. Rest assured, you’ll be in good hands with our team.
What Our Happy Clients Have to Say
Contact Us to Get Started
Genuine Property Management
1922 Placentia Avenue, Unit 1, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
(949) 209-9494