Operations Guide
SECTION 1. PROPERTY OPERATIONS & PROCEDURES
A. Communication/Activity Schedule
B. Daily Property Inspection
C. Marketing
D. Prospecting
E. Application Process
F. Resident Screening
G. Approve Make Readies
H. Resident Move In Process
I. Revenue Collection Process
J. Lease Renewal
K. Eviction Policy
L. Dealing with Difficult Tenants
M. Maintenance Process - General
N. Maintenance Process - Punch
O. What Qualifies as an Emergency
P. Preventative Maintenance
Q. Ordering Supplies
R. Call Scripts
SECTION 2. APPFOLIO OPERATIONS PROCEDURES
A. Guest Cards
B. Managing a New Guest Card (Respond within 24 Hrs)
C. Managing a New Applicant
D. Move Ins
E. Lease Renewals
F. Move Outs
SECTION 3. APPFOLIO TRAINING GUIDE
A. Posting Financial Transactions
B. Marketing Vacant Units
C. Reserving a Unit
D. Tenant Move Out
E. Tenant Portal Activation
F. Tenant Notices via AppFolio
Section 1. Property Operations
A. Communications/Activity Schedule
B. Daily Property Inspection
Each morning, the Leasing Manager (LM) should either walk of ride through the property and assess it from the perspective of both the owner and a potential resident:
Potential Resident’s Perspective
Trash of grounds or around dumpster
Cleanliness of common areas (hallways, laundry facilities)
Groups of people congregating or loitering
Non-uniformed units (sheets in windows, inappropriate signs
Unsightly balconies and/or patios (excessive debris/clutter)
Owner’s Perspective
Damage to the property (running water on pavement, missing foundation vents, broken windows, full gutters, etc)
Blown light bulbs in common area fixtures
Safety/liability issues (i.e ice or snow, large pot holes, junk vehicles)
Stray or unsafe animals
Specifically, the following items must be inspected each day for each property. Any items needing attention must be entered as a maintenance task and addressed within 24 hours by the maintenance staff or the applicable resident.
Broken windows
Abandoned/vandalized cars (cars with no tags or flat tires)
Unsightly balconies
Trash/Litter
Stray animals
Cleanliness of common areas (hallways, laundry facilities)
Blown light bulbs in common area fixtures
C. Marketing
The Property Manager is responsible for developing the overall marketing campaigns that will be implemented at each property. The Leasing Manager is responsible for executing the local marketing campaigns for each property. In addition, the Leasing Manager is responsible for:
Updating the ongoing marketing campaigns
Suggesting new marketing options
Producing and distributing marketing material in the community
Staying current with social media outreach and connection
There are 5 broad based marketing channels available to all properties. Each Leasing Manager is responsible for establishing and updating these channels:
Appfolio Marketing
www.charlotte.com (pay site)
D. Prospecting
Prospecting is HIGHLY IMPORTANT in our rental business and is the Leasing Manager’s highest priority. Prospecting requires the Leasing Manager to consistently capture required information about each prospect as well as record the outcome of each interaction with the prospect until that individual becomes a tenant, is declined or decides not to rent. All initial calls will come to the property office where the staff will ask a series of questions to prequalify the prospect and work to schedule them for an appointment. It is the LM’s job to follow up on their ENTIRE list of prospects each day.
Prospecting Procedures
For each prospect, the Leasing Manager should either:
Call the prospect to verify an existing appointment or set up a showing appointment
Email the prospect verify an existing appointment or set up a showing appointment
Email Follow Up: The following email template should be used to respond to guest cards/prospects in effort to (1) schedule a tour and (2) collect information about the rental needs of the prospect. Copy and paste the subject into to the subject line then copy and paste the message into the message field. Make sure to edit the Property Name, provide two (2) appointment date/time and your name.
EMAIL TEMPLATE FOR GUEST CARD RESPONSE
{Subject}
Thank you for your interest in PROPERTY NAME!
{Message}
We are excited that you are interested in making PROPERTY NAME your new home! Our community offers many spacious floor plans to accommodate your needs! We have availability to schedule a tour of our community on:
Available date option 1 @ available time option 1
Or
Available date option 2 @ available time option 2
Please let us know which time works best for your schedule.
In order for our property management team to prepare for your, please provide the following information about your desired leasing needs:
Apartment size (number of bedrooms and bathrooms)
Move-in date • Lease term (annual or month-to-month)
Rent amount range
Features for home and community (laundry facility, park, etc.)
Also, please let us know:
Do you have any pets?
What is the best contact number?
We look forward to meeting with you soon!
PROPERTY NAME
Leasing Consultant Name
Leasing Consultant Title
AppFolio Prospect Documentation / Guest Cards:
Prospect information should be entered into the prospects database in AppFolio for each property using the Guest Card function. Guest Cards enable you to collect information about prospective interested tenants and track your interactions with them. Any new potential resident should be entered into the system using a guest card.
The prospect(s) should be pre-qualified before they are entered into the prospect database. The Leasing Manager should attempt to reach every prospect a minimum of two (2) times. Information about the prospect engagement should be documented in Appfolio as follows:
| Action | AppFolio Notation for Prospect Guest Cards |
|---|---|
| Called prospect, but unable to reach them by phone | Enter the date and "Called" in the Comment field
|
| Called and reached the prospect, but did not set up showing appointment | Enter the date and “Confirmed” in the Comment field along with a brief description of the exchange/reasons for not proceeding with the prospect |
| Called and reached the prospect, scheduled a showing appointment with the prospect |
|
| Called prospect, but unable to reach them by phone or email after two (2) separate attempts (one attempt should be made per day) | Select “Decline” in the Status field. This will permanently remove the prospect record from view. (The prospect’s record can still be accessed however by clicking View Declines. |
| Prospect does not appear for showing appointment |
|
| Prospect appear for showing appointment | Notate the results of the showing appointment, reactions from the prospect (i.e. liked the overall floor plan, interested in a unit with private patio) in the comments field |
E. Application Process
Gather the completed application
Provide prospect with application and ensure all sections are completed or marked N/A (not applicable). Also, the application should include the following:
The application fee
Proof of income using one (1) of the following
Paystubs covering 1 and a half months of income, i.e. 3 paystubs if paid bi-monthly and 6 paystubs if paid weekly
Offer letter stating the SALARY that the prospect earns. Must be a SALARY position as oppose to an hourly position. Must be an Offer letter for employment in the near future not a letter from an employer stating how much the prospect currently makes.
Government awards letters
Section 8 voucher
2 months of bank statements showing deposits'
Government Issued photo ID
Review the application
Review the application and interview the applicant to determine if they meet the criteria:
Will they be a detriment to this community? – No
Have they had an eviction filed within the past 2 years? – No
Do they have any Felonies? – No
Have they had continuous, full-time employment for at least the past 6 months? – Yes
Do they have the income level required for the property – Yes
If the applicant fails the initial review, decline the application and return the application fee.
Complete Tenant Screening
Once the review is complete and the manager verifies the prospect qualifies for leasing approval, you may THEN submit the prospect’s information into the tenant screening application. The purpose of the tenant screening application is to verify the application information and to determine the admin fee that should be charged.
Inform the Prospect of the Application Decision
If the prospect is declined, inform the prospect as soon as possible and go to the prospects database and change the Status field to “declined.” If the prospect is approved:
Inform the prospect and schedule a time for them to pay their security deposit either in person or on the HomeTrustee website.
Once the security deposit is paid (and only after the deposit is paid) assign the prospect a unit and move-in date. Update this information in Appfolio
Have the prospect sign the Hold Deposit form either in person or electronically via email.
F. Resident Screening
Screening must be completed for all individuals that submit an application for leasing. All of the following criteria MUST be met for applicant to be approved for a lease at any property:
No Evictions in last 2 years
Income must be 3 times rent
No Felonies
Six months on current job
Favorable previous rental history
G. Approve Make Readies
Each day, the LM should check to see which vacant units have been marked as “Ready” by the maintenance staff.
As soon as possible, the LM should inspect the unit using the Move-In Inspection Form. If the LM approves the unit, then the form should be saved and attached to the application and lease of the new resident.
If the unit is not approved, the LM should give the failed Move-In Inspection Form to the Maintenance Manager and should go into Appfolio and changed the unit status to “Not Ready.
H. Resident Move In Process
I. Revenue Collection Process
Rental Payment Policy:
Rent is due on or before the first of the month.
It is considered late and subject to a 5% fee after the 5th
Third party checks are not accepted at any time.
Evictions are filed on the Monday after the 2nd Friday of each month. An additional fee of $190 for court costs and attorney fees is added to the resident’s account.
There is a $35 fee for a check that is returned NSF
Late fees are incurred on checks returned NSF after the 5th
Rental Payment Types:
Rent must be in the form of a money order or personal check (if needed). We do not accept any cash payments.
Rent Payment Submission:
We offer three (3) options for submitting rent payments.
Office drop box or mail
Payments received either via the drop box or mail should be remote deposited using the desktop scanner each day.
LM will be required to enter the pertinent information for each payment into the scanner application but will not be required to enter the payment into the Appfolio.
The Home Office will then record these payments into Appfolio
Automatic draft from a checking account
Resident must sign an Automatic Draft Authorization form in the office
Authorization form should be scanned, emailed to Accounting and saved with the unit via Appfolio
ACH payments must be scheduled to occur before the 5th of each month iv. The Home Office will record these payments into Appfolio
Payment on the Property website
Resident will go to property website, click “Pay Rent”
J. Lease Renewal Policy
K. Eviction Policy
L. Dealing with Difficult Tenants
Units with difficult tenants can quickly bring down a complex. They are challenging problems to address because rarely will you have definitive evidence of a problem before substantial damage has been done. Therefore, it is essential that we have a process in place that allows us to gather the information needed to make a fair business decision about a particular resident even in the absent of a definitive violation. While this form makes an attempt at organizing the relevant facts, it cannot take the place of judgment on behalf of management.
The form starts with the initial complaint. The complaint can come from anyone, i.e. resident, police, staff, etc. After the initial complaint, management should confidentially interview the other relevant stakeholders to get fair view of what’s going on at the unit. Management should not simple seek to record any negative information about the resident in question. If for example, if some stakeholders report that they have not 18 noticed the activity in question, then that should be recorded as readily as if they had observed the behavior in question.
This form is not met to be an exercise in documentation. It is simply a tool to help management gather the information needed to make a decision in what is usually a “grey area.”
If, after completing this exercise it is determined that the resident in question is a “net determent” to the community, the ideal way to get rid of the tenant is to stop taking payments after the 10th of the month. Also, off duty officers should be instructed to:
Observe the identified units on each patrol
Conduct regular “knock and talks”
Include their observations in the patrol report.
Also, residents in the area should be told to keep an eye out and to call 911 at the first sign of troublesome activity.
If there is a violation of any of the lease terms, then the Problem Tenant report is not necessary. Simply evict on the bases of the lease violation. The Problem Tenant report is designed to help the manager begin to address a problem BEFORE it festers into an incident/lease violation. Maintenance Procedures
M. Maintenance Process - General
Before Community Manger leaves put items in the outgoing box
Service Technician to pick up work orders when they arrive in the morning
Service Technician to leave door tag on front door when working in occupied unit without resident
Service Technician to write resolution on ticket, with start time, end time, date and signature.
Community Manger closes all completed work orders before leaving for the day.
N. Maintenance Process - Punch
Community Manger enters work orders for all punches in Appfolio and post on tracking board with date needed
Service Technician inspects unit, if unit is not a routine punch, alert Senior Service Manager
Service Technician completes punch sheet as unit is turned
When complete Service Technician staples punch sheet with complete work order
Community Manger closes all work order before leaving for the day and marks apartment as ready for occupancy on the tracking board
Note: Service Technician MUST turn off electricity when leaving vacant units.
O. What Qualifies as an Emergency?
When temp is above 85 degrees and resident is without air conditioning
When temp is below 32 degrees and resident is without heat
No water when only one bathroom
Fire
Flood
Criminal Activity
P. Preventative Maintenance
Coordinated by Senior Service Technician on March 1st & Sept 1st of Each Year
Items:
Change Filter
Check Leaks
Clean Vent Fans
Change Battery for Smoke Detector & CO2
Change lights that are out in the common areas
Clean Coils
Q. Ordering Supplies
Senior Service Technician places supply orders on the 1st and 15th of each month
Service Technician maintains an ongoing list of item needed.
In case of emergency, Service Technician contacts Senior Service Technician
R. Call Scripts
Delinquent Calls /Voicemail Message
Hi this is __________ from Home Trustee Property Management. We just wanted to let you know that we show that you still owe a balance of “balance due” on your rent.
If there is an amount in the “Minimum payment by 2nd Friday column” say:
If we don’t receive “minimum payment required” by end of day Friday, we will be forced to file for eviction.
If the “Minimum payment by 2nd Friday” column just says “Pay ASAP” say:
Please pay this amount as soon as possible to avoid additional collection actions.
Listen patiently to Resident story then say – I understand and that is why we are only requiring “minimum payment required” be paid by Friday. If you can’t pay the required amount by Friday, you can still catch up but you will have to pay an additional $140 in court fees.
The only comment that needs to be reported is if the resident says s/he did pay and the amount due is not correct. In this case, pass this note to the manager and let the resident know that someone will get back to them.
Incoming Call Answer
All calls should be answered:
“Home Trustee Property Management, this is ___________ how may I help you?
There are usually three (3) types of calls: (1) Maintenance Request Calls (2) Rent Collection Inquiries and (3) Prospective Tenant Calls
Maintenance Request Call
When a resident calls to report a maintenance issue, simply record the issue under maintenance in Appfolio. Be sure to capture the property, unit, customer’s name and phone number and list the maintenance issue in the description box. No need to fill out any of the other blocks.
When the resident asks “when will someone be out” let them know that someone should contact them within 24 hours.
If there is an emergency, or if someone is calling back AFTER 24hrs and has not been addressed, follow up with the Senior Service Manager.
Rent Collection Inquiries
No more than ½ month delinquent by the 2nd Friday of each month and must be current by the last Friday of the month
Rent must be brought current to stop an eviction
Prospective Tenant Call
When prospects call, get basic information from the available units list. You can get detailed information from the property descriptions.
Pre-qualify the prospect
Schedule prospect for a showing in Appfolio
Try to schedule between 10 and 4 pm (earlier the better)
Double or triple bookings are fine
If 10 to 4 pm does not work, schedule a time that works for the prospect and the leasing agent will contact them
If a same day showing is requested, book it but then email it to the Leasing Agent
ALL APPOINTMENTS MUST START AT THE LEASING OFFICE
FAQs by Prospective Tenants
Q: What are your leasing requirements?
No criminal background (felonies or a series of serious misdemeanors such as larceny, or drug possession)
No evictions in the last 2 years (even if they are paying them off)
Meet the stated income requirement
Must bring paystubs that will substantiate their income
If they don’t have paystubs, we will accept bank statements from the past 2 months that show deposits that cover the income requirement
We will not accept letters from employers, or tax returns
Section. 2 Appfolio Operations Procedures
A. Guest Cards
Guest Cards enable you to collect information about prospective interested tenants and track your interactions with them. Any new potential resident should be entered into the system using a guest card.
How to enter a guest card:
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
In the Tasks pane, click New Guest Card
Fill out the blank guest card with the prospective tenants information
Click Save
How to view & edit a guest card:
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the Guest Card tab, scroll down to find the card you wish to view/edit, click the guest name
Click Edit at the top right of the page
Update any information such as contact information, preferences, notes, etc.
When done editing, click Save to save all changes
B. Managing a New Guest Card (Respond within 24 hours)
Determine your response based on the information provided
Email tenant a greeting along with property information
Follow up with a phone call
Record communication
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the Guest Card tab, scroll down to find the card you wish to view/edit, click the guest name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Record Communication
Select the Contact Type, Date, and enter any comments
Click Save to save all changes
Schedule a tour/showing
Schedule a tour with a prospective tenant
Record showing in Appfolio
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the Guest Card tab, scroll down to find the card you wish to view/edit, click the guest name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Record Showing
Select an available unit (will show model), date, time, and enter any comments
Click Save to save all changes
Update multiple guest cards at one time to inactive/waitlist
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the right hand side, check the box next to each guest card needing updated
At the top, use the drop down Bulk Actions to select the correct action
This can also be used to make inactive leads active again
** If at any point the property determines a perspective tenant is not qualified or dead lead, record as inactive and state the reason by going into the guest card and changing the status to inactive
C. Managing New Applicant
Rental Application: Send Rental Application via email to tenant if available, otherwise have the tenant fill out the application online while at the office
Send Email Application
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the Guest Card tab, scroll down to find the card you wish to view/edit, click the guest name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Email Rental Application
Select the Unit, confirm email address
Click Send Email and an email will be sent to the prospective tenant
Note: When the prospective tenant completes the application it will appear in the Rental Applications tab, not in Guest Cards, so you will pick up on the process with the now applicant in that location.
Fill out application online in the office
Click the Leasing tab, then the Guest Card sub-tab
On the Guest Card tab, scroll down to find the card you wish to view/edit, click the guest name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Enter Rental Application
They will walk through the steps of filling out the application
Once complete, collect the rental application fee
Click on the Leasing Tab, then the Rental Applications sub-tab
Find and click on the Applicants Name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Enter Application Fee
Enter the amount, date, and heck number
Click Save to complete the receipt
2. Record Application Decision
Click on the Leasing Tab, then the Rental Applications sub-tab
Find and click on the Applicants Name
In the Applicant Summary Section, click Edit
Click the Status drop down and select the appropriate status (Accepted/Denied)
Click Save to record the decision
Notify applicant of decision
D. Move-Ins
After an applicant has been approved, you will need to convert them to a new tenant to start the move-in process. Schedule a tenant move-in:
Convert an approved application
Click on the Leasing Tab, then the Rental Applications sub-tab
Find and click on the Applicants Name
In the right side Tasks pane, click Convert to Tenant
Select an available unit
Select Continue
Enter the lease details according the agreed on dates, rent amount, security deposit amount, and prorated rent amount for the second month
Select Continue/Save for later in the right side Tasks pane
Send new tenant the Welcome Home Letter & Move In instructions
On the day of Move-In
Go the Dashboard Home Page
Select the tenant moving in
Confirm the lease details
Select Continue
At Generate Lease, select Skip This Step
This tenant is ready for move-in
Move-In an tenant
Enter a task in Asana to move-in any tenant
Assign the task to Regional Property Manager or Controller to complete the move-in
Once the tenant has been moved in, Regional Property Manager or Controller will let you know to generate the lease
Generate a tenant lease
Search for the tenant in Appfolio
On the right side Tasks pane, select Send New Lease
In a new window, a lease will appear
Confirm all dates and amounts shown in the lease
If a tenant has an email address, select Send To Tenant in the top right hand corner
If a tenant does not have an email address, print the lease from letters
Click on the Reporting tab, then the Letters sub-tab
Select Lease: Home Trustee Lease
Enter the tenants name, uncheck the bow next to Amount Owed
Select Search
Uncheck the box under Email and check the box under Letter
Select Letters
A lease will be generated
Print the lease and have the tenant sign
Once signed, scan and attach the lease and application under the tenant
Search for the tenant
Scroll to the bottom of the page
Select Upload File
E. Lease Renewals
F. Move Outs
Section 3. Appfolio Training Guides
The following are included in the maintenance form folder link:
Pool Log
Blank Inventory Form
Maintenance Supplies
Vendor Directory
Make Ready Sheets
Pricing
Chemical Logs
Preventative Maintenance Documents
Interior Inspection Forms
Exterior Inspection Forms