Do you know the difference between contingency reserves and operating funds?
Operating funds are monies that our property management and real estate business 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 Fair Lakes, 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 property owners.
Contingency reserve is a special type of escrow.
A contingency reserve account is money that is held in escrow 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 landlord. When 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.
Property owners 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.
Fair Lakes Property Management Resources
Basics
Elementary info about what rental managment in Fair Lakes.
Getting Started
Learn more about getting started with rental property management
Find A Tenant
Market your property to rent to find a great renter in Fair Lakes fast.
Accounting
How does Nesbitt Realty keep track of income and expenses for real estate investors?
Cost
A breakdown of fees associated with rental management services in Fair Lakes
Vetting
How Nesbitt Realty vets renters for property owners.
Reserves
What is a contingency reserve account?
Territory
Where does Nesbitt Realty manage rental investments?
Clients
Who uses Nesbitt Realty management services?
Do you want understand more about our area?
Nesbitt Realty's Guide to Real Estate is a free resource for everyone who hopes to review important real estate information about Fair Lakes and neighboring areas. The Guide to Real Estate compiles information regarding what has sold and what is currently listed, and a couple of surprising facts that you might not be aware of. In addition, our Guide spotlights some elements of living in Fair Lakes. Naturally, most of this is interesting for purchasers and sellers, but real estate investors and tenants will probably also find the facts to be very eye-opening.
Landlord Reference
a free reference for rental investors in Fair Lakes
- Before you rent out your rental in Fair Lakes
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the tenant
- During the lease term
- End of tenancy and what happens when a renter breaks the lease
- How does the property owner get paid?
- How your rental manager handles the association and your community
- How your management company handles utilities
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management finds tenants
- Insurance matters for property owners using our rental management
- How Nesbitt Realty & Management manage keys
- Fair Lakes rental investor responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your property in Fair Lakes
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental investment
- When landlords don't yet know their new address
- Vetting renters in Fair Lakes