Do you know the difference between contingency reserves and operating funds?
Operating funds are monies that our real estate brokerage uses to pay for our business. Operating funds are our money. But, escrow funds are different. Escrow funds are monies that Nesbitt Realty is holding on behalf of tenants, landlords, buyers and sellers. Escrow funds are not our money, but they are monies that we are trusted to safeguard. At any given time, Nesbitt Realty has hundreds of thousands of dollars in escrow accounts.
In Great Falls, the Commonwealth of Virginia requires that all real estate licensees manage escrow funds in a particular manner. Most importantly the Commonwealth requires that escrow funds are properly accounted for at all times. In additional all escrow funds must be kept separate from operating funds. The biggest portion of our escrow funds are tenant security deposits, but also hold deposits for purchasers (and sometimes sellers) as we'll as contingency reserve funds for real estate investors.
Contingency reserve is a special type of escrow.
A contingency reserve account is money that is held in savings to pay for repairs and other incidentals that occur during property management. Although the money is in our escrow account, the money belongs to the property owner. If the property management ends, that money is promptly returned to the real estate investor.
When a repair bill arises we use money in the contingency reserve account to pay that bill. When bills are paid in this manner the account is depleted. When the account is missing funds, at the end of the month when new rents are paid, Nesbitt Realty replenishes the count with money withheld from this rent. As property managers, Nesbitt Realty prepares a statement each month to show if/when money is depleted and how/when money is replenished into the contingency reserve account.
Landlords do not pay us money to set up the contingency reserve account. Instead, Nesbitt Realty withholds money from the first month of rent in order to set up the account.
Great Falls Rental Management Resources
Basics
Elementary information regarding management services in Great Falls.
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with property management
Find A Tenant
Market your property to rent to find a great tenant in Great Falls fast.
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for property owners?
Cost
A breakdown of fees associated with rental management in Great Falls
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty vets tenants for our clients.
Reserves
What is a contingency reserve account?
Territory
Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rentals?
Clients
Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?
Do you need know more about our local real estate market?
Nesbitt Realty's Guide to Real Estate is a handy resource for everyone who needs to learn more about Great Falls and surrounding communities. The Guide to Real Estate includes information regarding what has sold and what is on the market, as well as a couple of compelling facts that you may not know. And, our Guide highlights some assets of residing in Great Falls. Of course, all of this is helpful for purchasers and sellers, but rental investors and renters will probably also find these resources to be somewhat useful.
Landlord Reference
a useful reference for rental investors in Great Falls
- Before you rent out your investment in Great Falls
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the renter
- During the lease term
- End of tenancy and what happens when a tenant breaks the lease
- How does the property owner get paid?
- How your rental manager handles the association and your community
- How your property manager handles utilities
- How Nesbitt finds tenants
- Insurance matters for property owners using our rental management
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management manage keys
- Great Falls property owner responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your rental investment in Great Falls
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental property
- When owners don't yet know their new address
- Vetting tenants in Great Falls