Will Nesbitt, Principal Broker
Searching for a home is becoming easier every day with more access to web sites across the country Realtor.com is the king of real estate listings. There are real estate company sites such as nesbittrealty.com where you can access the local affiliates and all their listings in Northern Virginia. Or a little back door play is to go to the state board of realtors where they list all the local realtor boards and the local MLS sites.
1.nesbittrealty.com – The number 1 real estate web site. Has easy access to its real estate listings around the world. The “maps” "coverage areas" "find your perfect home" "just listed" "featured properties" website allows you to enter in your criteria and will notify you of any updates or new listing you can select to have the emails sent daily or weekly. Nesbitt Realty's system is state of the art in high tech features when you request information on any of their listings your request goes one stop and then directly to the agent’s phone who listed the home. During normal business hours you should get a return call within minutes with all the up to date information directly from the listing agent. No other real estate company or lead source has anything that approaches this system.Continue reading
Julie Nesbitt manages property in Northern VA. Her landlords value her attention to detail.
Property management is a business in and of itself. If you want to invest in real estate, but you don't want to be a property manager, the solution is really quite simple: employ the services of Nesbitt Realty. Our family-run business is experienced with managing the day-to-day operations of properties just like yours. We manage residential properties including homes, condos and townhouses.
A big value-add provided by your Nesbitt Realty property manager is "separation". This to say, your Nesbitt Realty property manager maintains a level of separation between the landlord and the tenants and the property. As you may already know, it's important to invest in real estate without emotionally investing in tenants or property. Your Nesbitt Realty property manager helps ensure that you always make the best decision for your family, rather than making the best decision for the tenant's family.
Nesbitt Realty currently manages properties in Carlyle Towers, the Jamieson and across Northern VA.
So, your Nesbitt Realty rental property manager serves as a buffer between the owner and his tenants. Nesbitt Realty can help you find tenants, handling repair projects and maintenance, oversee improvements, collect rent, and even pay some expenses and taxes. The specific tasks we handle vary based upon upon the needs and wishes of the property owner. Additionally, a competent Nesbitt Realty property manager gives you protection from certain liabilities.
Nesbitt Realty usually charges a percentage of the rents collected. Every aspect of Nesbitt Realty property manager's responsibilities will be outlined in a contract signed by both Nesbitt Realty and the landlord. This agreement details financial responsibilities and specifies the types of financial reports the landlord can expect.
Your Nesbitt Realty property manager will stay current on new laws and condo regulations which may be relevant to your situation. Nesbitt Realty Property Management takes a lot of the burden off of owning rental real estate.
Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
Home owners who can’t or don’t want to sell their homes in today’s market but must move should consider renting out the property.
Nesbitt Realty manages rental homes, townhouses and condos for landlords in Northern Virginia. We are a family business that strives for excellence in what we do. Our goal is to strictly administer the lease while adhering to the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act. We try to avoid "judgement calls" and we prefer to just do exactly what the lease, law and regulations require.
We serve most of Northern Virginia and have offices across the area. We manage single-family homes, townhouses and condominiums.
Property Management BasicsWhy not collaborate with a small, neighborhood company that values your needs?
Obtaining a professional property manager is a good first step. Professional property managers charge 7 percent to 10 percent of the monthly rent in many areas. Nesbitt Realty is often cheaper than our competitors.
Current rents may not be high enough to cover carrying charges, including mortgage, taxes, and insurance. Nevertheless, renting out the property may still make sense if property values rise in the next few years.
Offering a 12-month lease that converts to month-to-month is a good idea, if the owners are considering selling eventually. Include language in the lease that allows a real estate professional to show the home to potential buyers with 24 hours’ notice to tenants.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.
This week I helped keep an eye contractors as Nesbitt Realty managed improvements on a four bedroom three and a half bath property at Raceway Farms. I watched as contractors installed new floorboard then mortar then tile. Meanwhile, landscapers worked outside to improve curb appeal.
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Suburban residential detached properties in Hollin Hills can cost <$800,000. Properties in this neighborhood seem landscaped with natural foliage. Hollin Hills is near Hollin Hall shopping center, not to mention served by Hollin Meadows Elementary School, Sandburg Middle School, and West Potomac High School. Can not forget, Hollin Hills is sort of close to Belle View and Richmond Highway, also known as Route 1. Contact Nesbitt Realty on Hollin Hills Real Estate sales, renting, and property management (703) 765 0300
Landlord Eddie Shiew says “I found they had turned a three-bedroom into a 10-bedroom apartment.” Shiew says that the tenants used sheetrock and divided each of the three bedrooms into three smaller bedrooms! The tenants were hoping to cash in on leasing out the extra rooms on airnb.com.
The tenants were listing the rooms for rent. Two tourists, for example, reportedly were paying $35 per night for a room on the third floor. Once the landlord discovered what was going on, he brought in a construction crew to tear down the renovations and evicted the tenants. The two tenants, however -- Burak Firik and Dogan Kimilli who were renting the apartment for $2,500 a month – took Shiew to court!
“They went to court and got a court order against me, “ Shiew told FOX News. “They said I illegally locked them out.”
A judge ordered that Firik and Kimilli be allowed back inside the apartment. They have not done any more renovations but they are creating spaces to rent on airnb and using curtains as room dividers.
Shiew has hired an attorney and is trying to evict them. He claims the two men violated the terms of the lease, which does not allow any repairs or alterations on the premises without the consent of the landlord.
Firik denied to the media of doing any renovations to the apartment. He says he and Kimilli live in the apartment.
Tips for Landlords
The best way out of a situation like this is to avoid a situation like this. Very careful tenant screening minimizes the chances of this happening.
Have the right lease. If your lease isn't written with the right language you may find there is nothing you can do.
Have regular inspections of the property so you know about modifications before they are completed.
Installing storm doors and windows can increase energy efficiency by up to 45%. Sealing drafts and reducing air flow will save money on heat needed thru out your home. Storm windows can make a huge difference when cold drafts come in.
Insulating your pipes will save money on the energy needed to heat your hot water. This can also reduce the chances of pipes freezing and causing a big headache. Most hardware stores sell pre-slit pipe foam and is easy to install.
Replacing your filters will increase efficiency of your furnace. Typically filters are replaced every 3 to 4 months, but I recommend in the winter to replace every 4-6 weeks. 5-15% on your heating bill can be saved with clean filters and will ad up to a considerable amount over time.
Cleaning your gutters is vital when snow and hail come into town. Ice and snow will pool on your roof and in your gutters if not cleaned prior to winter, . Pooling snow and ice can cause potential water damage to the roof. Heating your home will cost more if your roof is covered in snow and ice.
A Christmas tree shines in the night in Old Town Alexandria
Troublesome tenants create a lot of work for us as property managers, but I am thankful for them because if there were never any problems there would never be a need for property managers. Tenants sometimes say and write things that can be terrifying to a landlord. Take a look this, an actual maintenance request from a tenant.
Our kitchen sink faucet has not been fully functional since May 2015 (sent August 2015). Two plumber visits later, there is still no viable solution. There are two settings on the faucet, normal and high powered spray. The faucet is stuck on the high powered spray function. Therefore, we cannot wash food or dishes without the water either spraying all over the kitchen floor and counter tops or we have to adjust the pressure so low, cooking and cleaning is horribly ineffective. Further, we have a newborn due on Monday and this is the only sink we can wash her in. We will not be able to bath our child using this sink faucet. This needs to be fixed immediately please. Thank you.
Now, as Paul Harvey used to say . . . the rest of the story. According the the landlord the property was in serviceable condition but had a few minor problems that could be upgraded. (The sink was not one of them.) The landlord agreed to rent the property at a below-market price if the tenant agreed to accept the condition of the property.
We weren't managing the property at the time of lease, so I don't know exactly what was discussed between the tenant and the landlord. What I do know is that the property is under-priced for it's choice location and I know that it's an older home. After the tenant moved in, the complaints began. It began as a small drip and then evolved into a steady flow of maintenance requests and demands for what the tenant alleges are necessary repairs.
After losing money for months, eventually the landlord gave up and handed the account to us. The first thing we did was go back the lease: the document that everyone signed and agreed to. If the lease does not allow for upgrades, we can not allow for upgrades. Of course, we will manage repairs when a system fails. For example, if (as the tenant complains above) the faucet stops working, then we will fix the faucet.
For this particular tenant, we sent a maintenance man over to look at several alleged problems. He determined that the faucet was perfectly functional and the issue was that the style of the faucet did not provide the functionality or look desired by the tenant. We had no choice but to deny this maintenance request. The tenant responded:
In regard to the faulty kitchen faucet, I disagree and believe he is evading the obligation of a landlord according to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Conditions of the faucet have worsened. There are now three separate streams that spray horizontally onto the counter. Aside from making a huge mess, it poses an electric risk to any sockets or appliances plugged in around the sink. The water is simply not going where it is supposed to go, in the sink. According to 55-248.13. Section A, 4, The landlord shall maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating…..This plumbing issue is clearly not safe or in acceptable working order. Most manufacturers offer lifetime warranty. I don't understand why they cannot send a replacement head as part of the warranty. Whether it's Danny or the manufacturer, this should be addressed from a Legal perspective. Do you disagree?
Our reply was brief and business-like:
The agent and the plumber inspected the faucet at your home and determined that it was working exactly as it should at that time. It is possible that you have damaged the faucet and if so you will be responsible for the cost of fixing the faucet. In the unlikely event that the faucet was defective and suddenly ceased operations without cause, then the landlord will pay for the cost of repairing / replacing the faucet. Whether the landlord exercises his options under a warranty or not is not your concern.
The tenant responded as follows:
I will be brief as I am caring for my one week old child. Your information is incorrect. The plumber visited twice and stated that it was not working properly, attempted to order a replacement part and on his second visit, stated that it should be replaced under the warranty. My landlord and I have his email recommendations if you need further evidence. Your agent may have disagreed, however, inspected two months ago, prior to the further decay. For you to suggest that I damaged the faucet is libel and inappropriate for you to say. This is an old home with many old appliances that are in poor shape. I attempted to clean the sprayer with a brush, thinking that the hard water had caused a blockage, but it did not help. It's not an unlikely event and I would appreciate it if you could get the facts first, help support and provide us with some kind of resolution rather than retaliate during these challenging times. Newborn babies are a lot of work and going back and forth on this is not the best use of my time.
This tenant is the perfect example of why a landlord needs a property manager. The tenant uses scary terms like "legal obligation" and "Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act" and "newborn babies" and "libel". All those words and others he uses are real hot-buttons for people. Fortunately, those words do not motivate someone who is experienced in property management as we already know and wish to adhere to all of our requirements under the law and under the lease.
We're not going to lose our business over a faucet. But our business is about fighting for landlord's pennies. An experienced property manager knows to adhere to all the terms of the lease and knows to keep the property in top working order. The property manager knows the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act better than any tenant, and it is our commitment to exceed the requirements of the VRLTA.
At the same time, a property manager will not be bullied by tenants who throw around legal terms and claims without basis or in an improper fashion. It is our job to remain cool, detached and businesslike.
DeckNesbitt Realty has managed many of our accounts for years and through several rental cycles and leases. Two months before the lease ends we will send a notice to the tenant to determine if the tenant wants to stay or move. When a lease ends, there are two possible outcomes:
The tenant moves out.
The tenant stays.
Tenant Moves Out
Our default position is to keep a rental property in production. That is to say, we try to keep our rental properties producing the maximum possible income for the landlord.
Sometimes a landlord decides not to rent again. For example, sometimes the landlord moves back into the property. At other times, the landlord decides to sell the property. (We often help our landlords sell and buy real estate in Northern Virginia.) No matter what the reason if the landlord decides to take the property out of production, we promptly close out the account returning any reserves or funds to the landlord along with a final statement.
More often, and most commonly, the tenant gives notice to move out and Nesbitt Realty immediately lists the property for rent. Our goal is to get the new tenant in with the minimum amount of vacancy and thereby maximize the rent for the landlord. When this happens, the landlord is responsible for the cost of the commission expense to find new tenants.
Most rarely, tenants break the lease. Because the tenant is breaching the contract, the tenant is responsible for the cost the commissions and is responsible for the cost of the vacancy.
Tenant Stays Renews
When a tenant opts to stay in the property we generally give the tenant two options:
Go to a month-to-month lease with a very significant rental increase
Sign a new lease for another year with a small increase.
The reason Nesbitt Realty offers a landlord's property at a much higher rate when the tenant stays on month-to-month is because of the uncertainty this situation gives to the landlord. The reason we offer the lease with a increase is because every year taxes and association fees and expenses go up. The amount of the increase is in part a reflection of the experience we've had with the tenant. Tenants who take good care of a property and who make timely rent payments will be offered smaller increases.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Nesbitt Realty at (703)765-0300.
Nesbitt Realty's website has one of the largest Internet footprints of any real estate site in Northern Virginia. In addition our agents are skilled at leveraging MLS exposure, Internet articles, local print media and more. By using professional photography, videos updates, maps, and more we can make sure that buyers and renters have the information that they need to make an informed decision about your property.
Julie and Will Nesbitt pause from property management to take a quick picture.
Daily Landlord Responsibilities
Nesbitt Realty provides and maintains a level of separation between the landlord and tenant so that we ensure that business matters are always handled in a business-like fashion. Nesbitt Realty has systems in place to handle emergency repairs and can find the right provider at the right price to keep your investment in top shape.
Property Upkeep
Nesbitt Realty has a list of vendors that have proven to be reliable and reasonably price to handle problems when they arise. We are also willing to work with contractors, handymen and other providers that the landlord recommends. Property maintenance is never a profit center for us.
Communication
We always pick up the phone. We respond to all emails, in a timely fashion.
Rent Collection Service
We expect tenants to pay on time and we hold them accountable for late payments. We process rents quickly so that landlords get paid quickly. If needed, we serve late payment notices, eviction notices, etc. to maintain orderly and regular rental income.
