Easley Property Management

Top 10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Property Manager

We understand how difficult it may seem when trying to decide on the right property manager. If you make the right choice, you will be happy, and your investment will prosper. If you make the wrong choice, you will be constantly frustrated, and you will likely lose quite a bit of money in the process. If you have taken the time to read the information on our website, you are off to the right start.

• How long have you been in business?+

  This question will help you understand this property manager’s level of experience. You don’t want a property manager who has only been in business for a few years. They will still be struggling to figure out how to effectively run their business. Look for someone who has been in business for at least 10 years, at this point they will know what they’re doing and will have gone through several real estate cycles.

  Marchant’s Answer: The owners of Marchant Property Management are lifelong residents of Greenville and our team has over 75 years of combined real estate experience. Our property management company was formed in 1995. Our Owner and President, Hunter Hughey, joined Marchant in 2005 and is responsible for growing our portfolio from 25 properties to over 500 properties through hard work and dedication to our clients. We have managed thousands of properties in the Greenville area over the past two plus decades.

• How many properties do you manage?+

  Too few rental units and they are either inexperienced or have lost clients due to poor service. In addition, typically smaller companies do not have the necessary systems in place to effectively manage property. Too many rental units and you will get lost in the shuffle as most larger companies are often understaffed. Look for a property manager with 200 to 600 rental units.

  Marchant’s Answer: As one of the largest property management companies in Greenville, we are currently managing more than 400 residential properties. We manage single family homes, condos, townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, and smaller apartment complexes. We are always looking to grow our portfolio with great owners and quality properties.

• What areas do you service?+

  This will help you answer two important questions. One, do they understand the area with your rental property? Two, is their office close enough to your property to allow for ease and convenience for property showings, tenants paying rent, and vendors servicing your property.

  Marchant’s Answer: Our office is conveniently located in downtown Greenville, which is the center of Greenville County and within a 30-minute drive to all our service areas. We currently serve the Greenville, Easley, Fountain Inn, Greer, Mauldin, Piedmont, Powdersville, Simpsonville, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Anderson, and Spartanburg areas of the upstate of South Carolina.

• Do you personally own rental property?+

  The company’s leadership should be investing in the real estate market themselves. Period. If they don’t invest in your market, then they lack the understanding they need to help you excel.

  Marchant’s Answer: We have personally bought and managed over 50 properties in the Greenville area over the past 20 plus years. All of our property managers own multiple rental properties. We believe that it is critical to work with someone that is also knowledgeable about investing in the Greenville market. As an investor, I have owned over 40 properties that were managed by other property management companies in the past. Work with someone that has knowledge and experience in all sides of property management.

• What are your fees?+

  Don’t be fooled by companies that are promising you low monthly fees or low flat fee pricing. It is imperative that you factor in ALL fees associated with hiring a property management company. Don’t be nickeled and dimed by various hidden fees that should be included in management.

  Marchant’s Answer: We offer three different management plans for you to choose from, depending on the level of service that you need. All our fees are clearly listed in the Pricing section of our website and fully disclosed in our management agreement.

• How much can my property rent for?+

  A property manager should be able to complete a comparable market analysis of all the other available listings near your property. They should use properties that just went off the market and properties that are currently on the market to determine the highest possible rent. They should also have the expertise and experience needed to factor in the unique aspects of your rental property, like an updated kitchen or a 3-car garage.

  Marchant’s Answer: We have a paid subscription to several rental comparison sites such as Rentometer, RentRange, and Zillow. We also use MLS to compile data for active and previously rented listings. We use these reports along with our professional expertise and years of experience in the local market to give you an expert rental price recommendation that will allow us to rent your property for the highest amount in the least amount of time. Be leery of the property manager that promises you above market rates just to get your business, as this will likely cost you thousands waiting on someone to pay above market rates. We can often cover the cost of hiring a property management company by simply increasing your rents to market rates.

• How will you market my property?+

  Your property manager should be advertising properties through a variety of channels. If they are still just placing newspaper ads and hoping for the best, then you should steer clear.

  Marchant’s Answer: We use powerful marketing tools to connect with local renters. We syndicate listings to all the top websites such as Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, Realtor.com, and more to get the most exposure possible. We also list our properties on MLS, Facebook, and other social media sites. We offer professional photography, video tours, and our branded and highly visible For Rent signs. Most importantly, we have a call center that answers all our leasing calls 14 hours a day, every day which gives us an incredible advantage in leasing homes faster than anyone else.

• How will you make sure I get a great tenant?+

  Every property manager should have a plan in place that strategically works to obtain the best tenants for you and your property. This should include marketing the property in a variety of ways, setting certain income requirements (usually 3x the monthly rent), and executing a background check that examines credit history, criminal history, and prior evictions.

  Marchant’s Answer: First, we require anyone 18 years or older to safely apply online and we require driver’s license copies and proof of income documentation. We have an extensive screening process that includes employment and income verification as well as a Nationwide credit, criminal, sex offender, and eviction check by a 3rd party vendor. Most importantly, we also verify at least three years of rental history to make sure that they gave proper notice to vacate, paid rent on time, were never evicted, did not cause any damage to the property, didn’t have any lease violations, and did not leave owing a balance to a landlord. We also check social media accounts for any suspicious activity or undisclosed pets and more. We require tenants to have income of at least 3 times the monthly rent.

• How do you handle maintenance?+

  There should be a clear and effective way to handle maintenance requests. In addition, it is critical to keep owners informed on all maintenance activity, so they are not blindsided with high repair bills. Also, you will want to work with someone that is not using maintenance as a profit center for the company.

  Marchant’s Answer: First, we always attempt to troubleshoot issues over the phone with tenants, which significantly reduces the amount of work orders and saves our owners money. Whenever we receive a maintenance request, it gets logged into our software system where we can assign a vendor and fully track the progress from start to finish. In addition, when a work order is created, our system automatically emails a copy of the work order to the owner and the owner has the option to approve the work order, reject the work order, or simply ignore and let us handle for them. We consistently follow up with both tenants and vendors to make sure that the repairs are addressed as timely as possible. Tenants also have access to our 24/7 emergency repair hotline. We typically save our owners around 40% because of the trusted relationships that we have built with our vendors. Again, we do not mark up or profit from repairs and maintenance in any way.

• How often will you inspect my property?+

  I am sure that you have heard nightmare stories where tenants have completely trashed the property and caused thousands of dollars in damages. Don’t make this mistake with your tenants. Your property is at risk if your property manager doesn’t conduct inspections. This should require a small fee and it will be one of the best investments you can make. It ensures you catch problems before they spiral out of control.

  Marchant’s Answer: We provide move in and move out inspections free of charge. We also highly recommend optional routine inspections to be conducted every 6 months while a tenant is living in the property. The inspections are performed by an independent 3rd party vendor and owners will receive a copy of the report along with any recommendations from your property manager. These detailed inspection reports typically contain between 50 – 200 color photos that document the condition of the property and point out any recommended maintenance items.

Take Comfort in Our Guarantees

We offer four guarantees to ensure that we are providing the highest quality of property management service possible.

25 Reasons Why Marchant Property Management Is Truly Different

• 1. Experience

  Founded in 1995. 75 years of combined experience. Thousands of properties managed.

• 2. Owner That Is Active in Daily Operations

  Responsible for growing the company from 25 properties to over 500 properties. Owner is actively managing the day to day operations.

• 3. We Are Investors

  We have bought and managed over 50 properties in the Easley area over the last 20 plus years. All Property Managers on staff own multiple rental properties.

• 4. Communication

  We answer all calls, text, emails, portal conversations, and return voicemails the same day, usually within the hour.

• 5. Call Center

  Our calls are answered by a live person 14 hours a day, 365 days a year. We answer leasing calls 98 hours a week, which is nearly two and a half times that of most property management companies.

• 6. Technology

  Cloud-based property management software for marketing, rent collection, maintenance tracking, accounting, and more. We also have software for lead tracking, rental price analysis, process management, utility connections, and much more.

• 7. Showings Seven Days a Week

  Rently electronic lockboxes allow prospects to view vacant properties 12 hours a day, seven days a week with a verified driver’s license and credit card. Has reduced our days on market by 50%. We also have agents available to show occupied properties.

• 8. We Offer 3 Different Pricing Options

  We have a suitable property management plan for any owner, depending on your individual needs. Our pricing is extremely competitive, and our service is second to none.

• 9. Attorney In-House

  Offers comprehensive in-house legal solutions to our property owners. This provides our staff and owners with immediate legal guidance to ensure our practices and documents meet the proper legal requirements.

• 10. No Maintenance Reserve Account Required

  We do not require owners to leave their money sitting in our account. We use rental proceeds to pay any repair invoices.

• 11. Tenant Placement Only Option

  We can find you a qualified tenant if you would prefer to manage the property yourself. You can also easily upgrade to full service property management at any time.

• 12. Professional Mobile Friendly Website with Live Chat

  Created in 2018 after a year of planning and research. Utilizes the latest technology available. Relevant and useful content for owners and tenants. Safely allows prospects to apply online and pay rent online.

• 13. 24/7 Emergency Repair Hotline

  We have dedicated vendors to address all after hours and weekend repairs in a timely manner.

• 14. Advanced Marketing

  Our listings are published to all major rental sites for maximum exposure. One of the only companies to post listings on MLS, Facebook and more, which allows us to keep a waiting list of prospects.

• 15. Professional Photography and Video Tours

  Has greatly reduced days on market. Professional photos make our listings stand out. Video tours allow prospects to do a virtual walk through. No other property management company around is offering this.

• 16. Peer Network Group

  Active member of a property management entrepreneurial group with over 1,000 members. Daily communication with industry leaders across the country for sharing best practices and problem solving.

• 17. Active on Social Media and Blog

  As industry leaders, we believe in sharing our expert knowledge by constantly sharing useful content about property management on our blog and social media accounts. We also use social media to post all our rental listings.

• 18. Inspections

  We constantly monitor the condition of your property with move in, move out, and routine inspections. We inspect properties every 6 months. We provide detailed inspection reports with 50-200 pictures documenting condition and recommended repairs.

• 19. Professional Office Building That Is Centrally Located

  We don’t work out of our basement or a run-down strip center. We have a professional office building located in beautiful downtown Greenville.

• 20. Key Performance Indicators

  400 Properties Under Management. Vacancy Rate of 2%. Eviction Rate of 1%. Lease Renewal Rate of 69% (Industry Average is 50%). Rent Collection Rate of 99%. Average Days on Market is 29 Days.

• 21. Low Turnover/Vacancy Costs

  We proactively renew leases with rent increases approximately 90 days from lease end. We immediately list and show properties when tenant gives notice. Some companies wait to list so they don’t have to show.

• 22. Single Owner Point of Contact

  You will be assigned a highly qualified and licensed Property Manager that will be your point of contact. When you have questions or concerns about your property, you will always be talking with the person that is most knowledgeable about your property.

• 23. Fee Structure

  We charge a % of rent collected which motivates us to maximum rent amount as opposed to flat fee pricing that’s charged while property is vacant. No set up or marketing fee. No fees while vacant. No mark up on maintenance. No hidden fees ever.

• 24. All in One Solution

  We have a sister company that specializes in residential sales. We can partner with the 35+ Marchant agents to help fill our vacancies faster. We can help you sell your property or purchase more investment properties.

• 25. We Love Property Management

  We have a great staff of dedicated, passionate, and hardworking employees that always bring a positive attitude to any situation. Property Management is a difficult job and we have great people and systems in place to effectively manage your property.

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Marchant Property Management

Click below to learn more about what we do as your Easley Property Manager

Rental Analysis

Are you losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year because your rental price is too low?...

Alternatively, some owners price their homes too high and lose money while waiting for that person that is willing to pay more than the market rate. Most owners do not have the resources to adequately assess the everchanging Easley rental market. We have a paid subscription to several rental comparison sites such as Rentometer, RentRange, and Zillow. We also use MLS to compile data for active rental listings as well as previously rented properties. We use these reports along with our professional expertise and years of experience in the local market to give you an expert rental price recommendation. We will give you an expert recommendation on pricing that will allow us to rent your property for the highest amount in the least amount of time. Most owners can absorb the cost of a property management company by simply increasing the rental price to market rates.

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Tenant Screening

Accepting a bad tenant can cost you thousands of dollars in lost rent and damages...

At Marchant, we conduct extensive screening on all prospective tenants. First, we require anyone 18 years or older to apply safely online and we require driver’s license copies and proof of income documentation. We have an extensive screening process that includes employment and income verification as well as a Nationwide credit, criminal, sex offender, and eviction check by a 3rd party vendor. Most importantly, we also verify at least three years of rental history to make sure that they gave proper notice to vacate, paid rent on time, were never evicted, did not cause any damage to the property, didn’t have any lease violations, and did not leave owing a balance to a landlord. We also check social media accounts to check for any suspicious activity or undisclosed pets and more. We require tenants to have income of at least 3 times the monthly rent. Tenant screening is, without a doubt, the most critical aspect of property management. Do yourself a favor and leave this to the experts.

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Rent Collection

Tired of chasing after rent payments every month? Collecting rent from tenants onsite can be time consuming...

and very dangerous. We make sure you get paid on time, every time. We make it easy for tenants to pay rent in a timely manner by accepting online rent payments, which most of our tenants utilize. In addition to accepting rent payments at our office, we also have a drop box that allows for after hours collections. We enforce rent collection deadlines with stiff late fee penalties and we have a program to follow up with any past due tenants on a daily basis.

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Property Inspections

Do you know if your tenant is taking good care of your property?...

Some property management companies do not conduct regular inspections. We provide move in and move out inspections. We also highly recommend that you take advantage of an optional routine inspection to be conducted every 6 months while a tenant is living in the property. The inspections are performed by an independent 3rd party vendor and owners will receive a copy of the report along with any recommendations from your property manager. These detailed inspection reports typically contain between 50 – 200 color photos that document the condition of the property and point out any recommended maintenance items. By making sure the properties are being maintained and cared for, we can often drastically reduce the turnover costs when a tenant vacates.

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Eviction

I am sure you have heard horror stories about tenants living rent free for months...

because most owners don’t understand how the eviction process works. In the rare event that a tenant needs to be evicted, we will handle the entire eviction process for you. With our eviction oversight, we will get the job done quickly and legally, even if going to court is necessary. With our superior tenant screening, we have consistently maintained an eviction rate of less than 1%.

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Property Marketing

Don’t lose thousands of dollars while your home sits vacant. We use powerful marketing tools...

to connect with local renters. We list our properties on all the most popular rental websites including Zillow, Trulia, Hotpads, Rent.com, Homes.com, Zumper, Realtor.com, and many more. In addition, we also list our properties on MLS, Facebook, and other social media outlets. The MLS (Multiple Listing Service) of Greenville has over 3,500 real estate agents that are members and we are one of the few property management companies that list our properties in MLS. We rent properties faster with Rently electronic lockboxes that allow prospects to safely and conveniently view vacant properties on their schedules, including weekends. We are the only property management company that offers professional photography and video tours to make our listings stand out from the rest. Every property will also have a branded and highly visible For Rent sign. We have all the marketing channels in place, but most importantly we have a call center that answers our leasing calls 14 hours a day, every day.

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Lease and Move In

Do you use a lease that protects you and your property, or something you found on the internet...

that may or may not be legal in your state? We use an attorney drafted 22-page lease that protects you and ensures the property is taken care of. It is critical to ensure that the lease is compliant with the SC Landlord Tenant Laws. We offer easy and quick electronic signatures on our leases and renewals to eliminate prospects and tenants from continuing to shop for other properties. We collect a security deposit and ensure that the property is professionally cleaned and thoroughly inspected prior to move in. You will receive an inspection report with between 50-200 color pictures documenting the condition of your property.

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Maintenance

Do you want to receive maintenance calls in the middle of the night or spend your weekends...

handling maintenance projects? At Marchant, we coordinate and track all maintenance issues in a timely manner 24/7. Whenever we receive a maintenance request, it gets logged into our software system where we can assign a vendor and fully track the progress from start to finish. In addition, when a work order is created, our system automatically emails a copy of the work order to the owner and the owner has the option to approve the work order, reject the work order, or simply ignore and let us handle for them. We consistently follow up with both tenants and vendors to make sure that the repairs are addressed as timely as possible. Tenants also have access to our 24/7 emergency repair hotline. Again, we do not mark up or profit from repairs and maintenance in any way. Most importantly, we only use trusted and fully insured vendors that do quality work and offer discounted pricing. We typically save our owners approximately 40% on maintenance by the relationships that we have built with our vendors over many years of partnering.

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Financial Reporting

Do you have trouble keeping up with all receipts for your tax filing? With our detailed financial reporting...

tools, it's never been easier to keep tabs on your investment. Log into your owner portal at any time to view statements, reports, invoices, and documents to stay in tune with exactly how your investment is performing. For owners that would prefer not to login and view activity, we also email all owner statements monthly. In addition, you will receive a year end summary of all activity along with a 1099 that can be used for your tax reporting. We believe in keeping the accounting simple and our statements are easy to read and understand.

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Legal Guidance

There are a lot of legal and liability issues involved with owning rental property...

In addition, Landlord-Tenant relationships in SC are subject to very strict regulations. With the help of our attorney, we ensure that you stay compliant and provide recommendations as necessary. We have maintained a lengthy relationship with our attorney, who is available to give advice on avoiding and dealing with troublesome issues. Our attorney is very knowledgeable with the legalities associated with rental property management and is also a well respected instructor. We are constantly educating our staff on Fair Housing and other issues that are important to our industry.

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Just want us to find you a tenant? We can do that too.

Some owners would prefer to manage the property themselves, but they lack the time and resources necessary to show the property and properly screen tenants. We will secure a qualified tenant that you approve for a fee of one month’s rent for a 12 month lease. Here is what’s included in this service:

• Expert rental price analysis
• Online marketing on all major rental sites including MLS, Facebook, and more.
• Professional photography and video tour
• Prequalify, schedule, and show the property to prospective tenants
• Extensive tenant screening which includes employment and income verification, credit, criminal, eviction, sex offender, rental history, social media accounts and more
• Provide an attorney drafted custom lease agreement that can be signed electronically by the owner and tenants.
• Collect the security deposit from the tenants and forward to the owner.