Renters Choice Homes Services
We specialize in long term rentals only. Staffed with highly trained and seasoned professionals, investors are finding it a breeze to rent and maintain their investments with Renters Choice Homes.
The most up to date tenant pre- screening methods are being used to ensure that the investor is given as much information as possible regarding a potential lessee. Choosing a renter has never been easier or safer.
The highest maintenance standards are kept within our managed homes. This is achieved by using the best trades people and regular inspections for quality control, ensuring all customers, be they landlord or tenant receive the best possible services.
Frequent Questions & Answers About Long Term Rentals
How Do You Find Suitable Tenants?
Finding suitable tenants in Central Florida is not a game of chance. You don't magically get a decent tenant or not. It's not the luck of the draw either. A well thought out advertising campaign for the home. The next step is a comprehensive screening process for the tenant including employment, criminal and background checks. We also require personal and family references. This usually ensures you end up with qualified tenants who will love your home and think of it as their own home.
How Long Does It Take To Find A Suitable Tenant
As long as your home shows well and is in great shape, it shouldn't take long at all. Typical time is between 2 days to 6 weeks.
How Do You Qualify Tenants?
There are official agencies we subscribe to where we can order official written reports on all potential applicants. Check out our on-line application and you'll see our detailed application. We call all the references personally and verify their income.
What About The Lease?
Our leases are drawn up each time by an attorney at no additional cost to the owner. We don't use the standard leases that you can buy from an office supply store. We don't use the FARBAR leases either even though we are realtors. We believe it's in your best interest to have your homes lease drawn up by an attorney who specializes in Florida leases for residential properties. Our attorney's have many years experience in Florida landlord and tenant laws.
Do We Get to Choose Our Tenants?
Absolutely, as the owners of a Kissimmee long term rental home. We ask for your permission before drawing up a lease on your behalf. We provide you details on each applicant. The decision is yours, we provide you with detailed information so you can make an informed decision.
How Do We Get Paid?
We pay our owners monthly- if you sign up for EFT- electronic funds transfer. We can pay you directly into your US bank account. You will recieve your rental income between 14th to 20th of the same calander month the rent is paid.
What Do You Charge
We charge 10% of all rents collected as a management fee. 100% of the first months rent as the leasing fee. Lease renewals are 50% of the 13th or 25th months rent etc.
I've Heard Tenants Damage Homes- Is This True?
Who are these people who think that tenants will damage your Kissimmee long term rental home? - Consider the source- what do they really know? Think about this for a moment? Have you ever rented a home, if so did you damage it? How many people do you know that would damage a home on purpose?
Can My STR Manager Do Long Term Rentals?
Vacation rentals and long term rentals are totally different businesses. A manager experienced in short term shouldn't attempt long term rentals without the state requirements licensing and legal requirements and years of experience.
What’s The Difference With Licensing Requirements?
Short term vacations management & rental companies are licensed under Fl statues 509. They do not need to take any courses in property management or have any required state mandated education. Your property manager is only required to have an occupational business tax licenses from the county and needs no experience to apply for and obtain licensing.
The state requires that long term rental homes are either managed by the owner or a licensed Real Estate Broker who is currently active with the state and licensed under Florida Statues chapt 475. Brokers undergo extensive state required courses and must pass the state exams and on going education every two years.
Will I Really Benefit From A Long Term Rental?
Most of our owners started out with their homes as vacation rentals. They were emotionally attached to their vacation home and it's wonderful furniture, pool and location. If you're unsure, about long term rentals. We recommend for the first year you store most of your furnishings. The cost of storage is approx $150 per month. On a 3/2 pool home your net returns after commission and expenses is approx $9,900 in year one. Some owners told us they were spending as much as $30,000 a year subsidizing their home and now they are
H-A-P-P-Y as they get rental checks monthly!
Vacant Homes
When your tenants move out- we arrange for any necessary repairs or deep cleaning. The tenant will cover costs out of their security deposit except for what is considered normal wear and tear.
We charge a nominal management fee of between $50-$100 per month depending on the size of your home. The utilities such as water & electric will be started in your name. This will enable us to ensure your home shows well to potential tenants. Water is needed for watering the lawns, cleaning the home, and topping up the pool ( if you have one). Electric is needed so your home shows in it's best light and feels comfortable and air conditioned to potential tenants. We will arrange for the lawn to be cut and the pool serviced etc.
Confidence in Our Management Services?
Somewhere mid through year one-when you realize that the rent checks come each and every month. You'll start to breathe a little more easily. Then you’ll realize that you don't have to come here on vacation. A family is actually living in your Orlando rental home. You are now free to see the world.
Financial Returns?
All your hard earned cash and savings aren't going to support your long term rental home in Florida. You have turned your Florida home into an investment, instead of a beautiful luxurious money pit. With the added savings you can stay in a different brand new home each time you come out to Orlando on vacation or you can now go on vacation anywhere. Think about a taking a cruise around the Caribbean you now have the freedom to make that choice again.
What Happens If The Tenants Don't Pay The Rent?
This rarely happens- but when it does. We serve them with a 3 day notice prepared by the attorney for them to deliver the rent or quit the premises. This usually gets the rent paid. Evictions for us are few and far between. Remember our careful screening process. We've only had to do two evictions in the last five years. Each one took around 6 weeks from start to finish and cost the owners less than $1,000. Remember the attorney that drew up the lease? Well he'll be the one handling the eviction at a lower rate than most attorneys. It's his leases and his guidelines we use- so he gives us a good discount on an eviction.
Property Taxes
These are the responsibility of the Florida homeowner and not the tenant unlike the UK or other Countries. You should receive your property tax bill in November every year. Failure to pay your property taxes for 3 years will result in the county foreclosing on your home to pay your back taxes. If you don't receive a property tax bill- you will need to contact the county where your home is located to verify your mailing address.
www.osceolataxcollector.com For Homes located in Osceola County which includes all addresses which include Kissimmee, St Cloud, parts of Poinciana, BVL, Remington, Celebration, neighborhoods off Formosa Gardens Blvd- such as Indian creek, Rolling Hills, parts of Champions Gate and Reunion and all along highway 192 to the end of the county line.
www.polktaxes.com Polk County 4 Corners area starts 1 mile before the end of 192 and goes south towards Haines City and includes Davenport, Loughman & Haines City.
www.laketax.com Lake County Tax collector deals with homes located north of highway 192 in Clermont. So, if you neighborhood is around Keagans Crossing, Woodridge or further north off highway 27.
Home Owners Association Fees
They are the responsibility of the homeowner under state law. If you don't know how to contact your homeowners association. You will need to find them as they can put a lien on your home for non-payment of fees. As of our Orlando area long term rental owners- if you don't know who they are- we'll help you locate them.
Insurance
Your premiums maybe reduced as much as $200 per year when switching to an Orlando long term rental home. You will still be insured as a rental home with public liability. As letting agents- we can assist you with the necessary paperwork that will help you reduce that premium.
Hotel License & Rental Taxes
Your home will no longer need to be licensed as a hotel and your sales and resort tax returns and licenses can be cancelled.
Utilities
These will be the responsibility of the tenant. The effective date of the lease is the day you can cancel the utilities in your name at the home. The tenant will establish services in their own name.
Furniture
Your home will need in most cases all appliances. Homes without furniture rent quicker, easier & for more money. Tenants usually have their own furniture. People who are just moving into the area and looking for employment may want to rent furnished homes. Without large deposits- this could end up causing you heartache. We can assist you with storage facilities, names and numbers etc. call us for more in-depth information on this topic.
Pool Service
If you home has a swimming pool- we strongly recommend you include the service in with your rent. We can arrange for a company to service your pool weekly.
Lawn Service
We recommend that the tenants are responsible for cutting the grass and taking of the bushes, trees and plants etc.
Call us and we will answer all of your questions regarding your home. We take homes on board in Kissimmee, St Cloud, Loughman, Davenport & Clermont. We will give you a free assessment of your current situation at no obligation to you to proceed any further. Your inquiry is kept strictly confidential. 407-933-2367