Owner FAQs

When you hire VerraTerra Property Management, we handle every operational, financial, and administrative task tied to your rental home. We take care of marketing, screening, leasing, inspections, rent collection, maintenance coordination, emergency response, tenant communication, and monthly accounting.

You receive your rental income every month without the headaches!

We manage homes throughout South Snohomish County and most of King County, including Bellevue, Bothell, Brier, Clyde Hill, Duvall, Edmonds, Everett, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Lake Forest Park, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood, Marysville, Medina, Mercer Island, Mill Creek, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Newcastle, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Seattle, Shoreline, Snohomish, Tukwila, and Woodinville.

If you’re unsure whether your property is within our coverage area, reach out today!

VerraTerra Property Management uses a simple flat-fee structure instead of percentage-based pricing.

Leasing Fee: We charge a flat tenant-placement fee (that’s never more than one month’s rent) to market your property, show it, screen applicants, collect deposits, complete move-in documentation, and sign the lease.

Contact us for detailed pricing.

The tenant placement service covers everything required to secure a qualified tenant, including professional photos and property marketing, scheduling and conducting showings, comprehensive tenant screening, lease drafting and execution, move-in inspection reports with photos/video, collecting deposits and the first month’s rent, and more!

Plus, you only pay when a tenant is placed. There is no upfront cost!

We use a multi-step, fair, consistent screening process that includes credit checks, criminal background checks, employment and income verification, rental history, landlord references, and more. This reduces turnover and creates longer, more stable tenancies.

You pay the lease fee after a tenant is successfully placed. These fees are deducted from move-in funds for convenience. If you cancel after we begin marketing, an $800 cancellation fee applies to cover our preparation and advertising costs.

You will only pay a leasing fee when a new tenant is placed. If your tenant stays, you don’t pay again.

We generally recommend at least a one-year lease, but most of our tenants stay for multiple years, reducing turnover-related expenses.

Once paperwork is completed and professional photos are taken, most homes are listed within 24-48 hours.

Most properties rent within 30-45 days when priced competitively. Demand varies based on location, condition, market trends, and seasonality. We’ll provide expert pricing guidance to minimize vacancy while maximizing income.

In most single-family homes, tenants pay all utility charges. For condos and townhomes, tenants pay for all utilities not covered by the HOA.

Owners generally handle major or infrequent tasks such as furnace servicing, roof and gutter cleaning, large landscaping needs, appliance replacement, and structural or large system repairs. Tenants, on the other hand, are responsible for routine upkeep including lawn mowing, basic weeding, changing filters, replacing bulbs or batteries, and any issues they directly cause.

We set expectations with you before management begins. Some owners prefer to do their own repairs, while others want everything handled by licensed professionals.

Tenants submit maintenance requests through our online system, and we dispatch work according to your preferences while ensuring legal habitability requirements are met.

If the tenant is already living there, we can assume management after reviewing their rental performance. For vacant properties, we must screen any new tenant to ensure consistent standards and risk management. This would also involve an onboarding fee.

Yes. Many owners choose a tenant-placement-only service. Contact us for more details.

We go beyond standard written forms. We take detailed, timestamped photos and/or videos of every room, surface, and fixture. This protects both owners and tenants and removes ambiguity when evaluating damage at move-out.

Your pet policy is entirely up to you. You can allow all pets, restrict to certain types, or prohibit pets altogether. Allowing pets typically broadens your applicant pool, but we always collect an additional pet deposit to cover potential damage. Any necessary repairs at move-out are deducted from the deposit.

Disclaimer: this does not apply to ESA and service animals. These animals under state law need to be accepted with no ability to collect deposits.

Rent is due by the 5th of each month. After allowing time for payments to clear, we process owner disbursements so funds typically arrive by the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a weekend or bank holiday, deposits arrive the next business day.

We conduct at least one inspection for lease renewal purposes to ensure the property is being maintained properly and to identify minor issues before they become expensive problems before discussing a renewal option with the tenant. We can do more frequent inspections (up to quarterly). Please reference the Property Management Agreement for conditions and costs.

We immediately follow all legal procedures, including notices, communication attempts, repayment options when appropriate, and court filings if necessary. That said, thanks to our thorough screening, nonpayment is uncommon.

If you decide to sell, we can connect you with experienced real estate professionals who specialize in investment properties to ensure a smooth transition. However, it is important to note that Seattle has specific municipal requirements regarding tenant notification when a property is being sold.

For a Single-Family Residence (SFR), you are generally required to provide the tenant with a 90-day notice if you intend to evict for the purpose of a sale. For other property types, such as multi-family units, local regulations may prohibit evicting a tenant simply because the property is being sold.

Please keep in mind that these rules are subject to specific conditions and secondary requirements. We recommend consulting with us directly to discuss the current legal landscape and any additional notification protocols required for your specific property type.

You can reach our team by phone at 206-408-8077, by email at owners@verraterra.com, or through the online owner portal.