What style of rental properties do you manage?
We specialize in single-family homes, duplexes, 4plexes, and condos.

What areas do you serve?
Our Property Management service area includes but is not limited to Shelby County, Hancock County, and Decatur County.

How large is your staff?
Our team consists of two licensed Realtors that oversee the property management division.


Alicia Baughman, Realtor - Property Management, Leasing and Sales.

We believe our small office atmosphere and personal service will benefit you!

Why should I hire you as my Property Management company?
If you think we are the best match for your property management needs you should hire us.  However, we'd love the chance to earn your trust and manage your property.

How much will my house rent for?
When you hire us as your property manager, we will look at the rental market in your area, evaluate the competing homes, and make sure your home is priced so that it will be viewed favorably against the competition.

What will you do to rent my house?
We give it maximum exposure while it is for rent and we carefully scrutinize all interested parties.

FOR RENT SIGNS - Posted at the property.

MLS - Your rental property data is entered in the Multiple Listing Service.

INTERNET LISTINGS - Our available homes for rent in the area are posted on our website and updated regularly with photos, and complete details for the convenience of those searching for a new home.

WORD OF MOUTH-Current and past tenants, friends of our tenants, referrals from other agents that we network with. 

HOMES MAGAZINE-Our available homes for rent in the area may be found in the magazine under Home2Heart Real Estate.

PRICING - Even the most spectacular homes will not lease quickly if overpriced.  We make sure your rental home is priced according to current market conditions.

STAGING – Must be in top showing condition and have excellent curb appeal.  Part of our job as property managers is to make sure your rental home is presented in a clean and attractive condition so that it will attract a good tenant.

How do you qualify a tenant after they have applied to rent my house?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Application processing is done in office.  In general, we look at an applicant's past behavior and assume their future behavior will be the same. An applicant must demonstrate a history of being a responsible tenant or homeowner as well as meeting financial criteria.

LANDLORD REFERENCES - We will talk to past landlords and ask detailed, open-ended questions about the applicant's history.

CREDIT REPORT -  Our property manager and leasing agent has a direct connection with the Tenant Check credit reporting service. We obtain a credit report, which tells us the applicant's current and past performance toward meeting their financial obligations. It also tells us their monthly debt, credit score, and shows their previous addresses.  The applicant must meet established credit standards.

DRIVER LICENSE VERIFICATION - We will make a copy of the applicant's public driver’s license data upon application for verification.

EMPLOYMENT/INCOME - We contact the employer to verify length of employment, status, and income.  We will request a copy of the applicant’s check stub to verify income.

PETS - We don't permit animals/pets into managed properties unless you allow us to do so.

MISC. - Many of our managed properties are subject to Home Owner Association restrictions.

No pools/trampolines

How do you know if the tenant is taking good care of my home while renting?
If we need to enter the property due to maintenance issues, we will use the opportunity to do a walk through. If we don’t have any maintenance issues over a period of time, we will schedule a preventative maintenance walk-through to make sure that there are no unreported problems at the property.

What action do you take if they are not taking care of my property expected, or if you discover unauthorized pets?
We will give the tenant an opportunity to correct the situation and usually they will. If a problem persists, we will make a decision based on that specific situation.

What occurs if the tenant does not pay their rent?
About the 4th of each month, we send late notices to all tenants with unpaid rent. We will send an eviction notice on the 14th day of the month if payment is not received by then. Whether or not we eventually have to proceed with a formal eviction depends on the specific circumstances.  If the tenant has experienced a one-time event which is causing them a financial hardship, and we have had no previous problems with them, it is better for you and the tenant if we give them a chance to catch up - if there is reason to believe they can do so. If the tenant has demonstrated an ongoing pattern of late payments, broken promises about payments and/or evasiveness, we know that eviction is the best course of action. Landlord is responsible for all legal proceedings.

How informed will I be with what takes place regarding my property?
Without any special considerations unique to you or your property, our rule of thumb is this: If something may cause a potential interruption in your regular cash flow (loss of tenant or non-emergency repair in excess of $300), we will let you know about it right away.  Non emergency items will be communicated along with your monthly statements and, of course, we encourage you to contact the property manager anytime you have a question or wish to discuss something.

How do you handle maintenance requests?
Tenants may fax, mail, or fill out an online form from our website.  After we receive a repair request, we may contact the tenant and ask them questions which will help us determine the exact nature of the problem before sending a contractor.  We also verify that it is not something the tenant can fix themselves (ex: reset button on the disposal, tripped breaker) before your money is spent on a service call. After determining that it is a legitimate problem, we will send the appropriate service vendor to make the repair.

We tell our tenants that we are able to handle most repair requests within 1 to 3 working days. Comfort items such as air conditioning, no hot water or heat, receive highest priority and are usually attended to the same or next business day.

Do you use the cheapest maintenance people you can find?
No. Our people are middle of the road in price and are competent and reliable. It also means that if we are called out on a dishwasher repair, we are going to be checking the a/c filter, sink drains, smoke alarms and general condition of the property.

As property managers, if the repair is minor and less than $300 we would like to have first option to do the repair ourselves.  If it is over $300 we will submit a bid along with one other bid and it will be at the Landlord’s discretion.  If the repair is over $750, we will collect three bids including ours.  The landlord will once again be contacted.

Do you hold some of my money for repairs? How much?
Upon signing the property management agreement, we ask for $300 per property or $1,000 if there are more than three properties.  This money will remain in our escrow account unless needed for repairs only.

How do I know you won’t spend my money on large repairs without my approval?
We promise in writing not to do that. For ordinary maintenance and repairs of less than $300, we take care of it without notifying you. You will find out when you receive your monthly statement. If we think a repair might exceed $300, we will call you and let you know what is happening, what we think should be done, and what the estimated cost might be.

Sometimes expenses such as a replacing a bad water heater, a roof leak that needs patching or repair, or emergency A/C and furnace repairs are unavoidable. In those cases where 1) the health or safety of a tenant is an issue, or 2) in instances where there is only one option to consider or 3) the property will incur damage if immediate action is not taken, the property manager will initiate the repair work, even if it is higher that the $300 limit, and then let you know of the situation and what we are doing about it. Mainly, we don't think important repairs should be delayed while we try to contact you for permission to do the obvious.

What if I want you to use my plumber, A/C company, etc.?
This must be in writing on the property management agreement, with a list of each contractor and their contact information.

Do you accept homes with pools?
We do not accept properties with pools.  If your home has a spa, we will set it up to be maintained and serviced by a professional spa company, not the tenant, and it must have a hard-surface cover that can be latched down. The other option is to winterize it and shut it down, therefore not including it with the use of the home while rented.

When do you mail the owner's checks and statements?
Owners’ checks are mailed out on or after the 10th of each month but no later than the 15th for that month's activity.  If a renter defaults in a particular month, monies will not be dispersed regarding that particular property.

What will I receive with my monthly statement?
The monthly statement showing all income and expenses for the accounting period and the original receipts for any repairs. We don't mark up repair invoices and we send you the original copy so you'll see what was done.

How much is your monthly property management fee?
Our property management fee is 10 percent of the monthly rent, with a $75 per month minimum. If your home rents for less than $750 per month, or is vacant for a period of time, you will be charged a flat $75 per month.  If your property is vacant for 2 consecutive months, the $75 fee will be reinstated for the third month thereafter.

How much is the leasing fee?
The leasing commission is 100 percent of the first full month's rent. A renewal fee of $100 is charged for retaining current residents and executing a lease renewal. All classified advertising costs are passed through to owners, and we absorb all other costs of leasing the property including MLS fees, internet marketing, for rent signs, lockboxes, etc.

Are there administrative fees or other service charges up and above the property management and leasing fees?
There are no administrative fees or start-up costs. We don't mark up maintenance costs either. The only other expenses you could incur would be for services, which fall outside the normal scope of our property management agreement (such as contracting a major renovation or room addition, assisting in sales efforts for which we are not otherwise being paid). These scenarios are outlined in the Property Management agreement but rarely come about.

Who holds the tenant's security deposit?
All security deposits must be held in our deposit trust account.

How much security deposit do you charge the tenant?
The equivalent of one month’s rent.

How soon can you start managing my home?
We can start the process immediately. We will start by obtaining some information about you and your property and helping you decide if we are a good fit for your needs. You may contact us online at www.home2heart.com