The Myth: all property managers are pretty much the same.

1. The Biggest Decision in choosing a Property Manager.
   After managing rentals in Atlanta for 30 years, acquiring 12 other management companies, and training hundreds of property managers, I have observed a disturbing shift in property manager styles over the past few years. This shift is troubling and property owners need to be sure they understand these issues before they choose a manager for their rental. The consequences of selecting the wrong manager style may be more costly than you expect. Read more »
   
   
2. Crown is a direct member of the credit bureau (Equifax). Not many property managers can say this and it’s a big deal! Read Carefully and see why.Most property managers get their credit reports off the Internet from companies called “third party credit reporting services” like Tenant Tracker. These companies sell managers credit reports but do not give them the ability to report on the tenants rent payment history or report on any lingering debt the tenant owes after move-out. Few property managers have a system to report slow rent or unpaid balances to credit bureaus after move-out.
   
   Crown, on the other hand, is a direct member of Equifax, one of the nation’s largest credit reporting services. We have been a member for 25 years and this gives us power that other property managers only dream of.
   
   Here’s how this membership helps Crown and ultimately you:
   1. Every month Crown reports your tenant’s rent payment history to the credit bureau. This gives us power over the tenant, making it easier to get rent and other fees. Late payments are reported immediately, just like late mortgage payments, and credit is affected immediately if a tenant doesn’t pay on time.
   2. If the tenant leaves owing money, we report it to the credit bureau. Many tenants try to get the manager to apply the security deposit to cover the last month’s rent. This is a big problem, and most property managers have no way to stop it. Crown does! We report to the credit bureau within 30 days if the tenant fails to pay their final amounts due. This is a powerful tool to get tenants to pay. We can affect their credit immediately if they refuse to pay monies due.
   3. If a tenant skips out, we can find them anywhere in the country through Equifax’s nationwide skip-tracing system. The next time the tenant applies for a credit card, a job, buy a car, or obtain a driver’s license we are alerted and can locate them, and pursue them for their outstanding balance.
      
      Other managers do not have this power and just give up when tenants move out owing you money. If they can’t collect it, you don’t get it.
      
      
3. Partnership with the largest real estate law firm in Georgia.
   
   McCalla Raymer is the largest real estate law firm in the state of Georgia. We have been their client for 25 years. They are our ally in the business and provide us documentation and support that is second to none.
   
   Here are just some of the benefits to you:
   1. Every Crown lease is prepared by McCalla Raymer, and their name is on the top giving us tremendous influence with judges and tenant attorneys. For years our name was on the lease, and looked like every other property manager in town. Their name on the lease gives us lots of clout and the impression that it is a very tight lease; and it is.
   2. McCalla Raymer revises and perfects our lease regularly to adjust to the lessons we learn from tenants, their attorneys, court visits, and changes in the law.
   3. We have also developed a series of letters that are sent from McCalla Raymer to tenants addressing legally sensitive issues like unauthorized pets, mold, unauthorized re-keying, vulgar language issues, and refusal to allow property visits. These letters don’t come from Crown, they come from McCalla Raymer, and really get the tenants attention.
      
      
4. Crown’s available properties are marketed through Atlanta’s largest multiple listing system.
   
   Most local property managers do not list your properties in First Multiple Listing Service as it is expensive and a big hassle. FMLS has a fantastic rental listing section that not only gives us current rental listings to see what your competition is now, but a complete history of leased properties to see what has leased in your area in the past. Twelve thousand area agents list their rentals in this system, but most property managers cannot afford to, or choose not to. This information is critical to helping you set asking rents and expose your property to the army of real estate agents in the local area. 12,000 Atlanta area agents check this system first to find rental properties for their clients.
   
   Here is how this helps Crown lease your house:
   1. Area real estate agents lease Crown homes every month because they find them on FMLS.
   2. We pay better co-op fees to agents who lease our listings. Cooperating with area agents is very productive. Most area property managers do not invite cooperating and you suffer for it.
   3. We also get tenant referrals every day from other agents because they found us on FMLS.
   4. Most property managers don’t even let area agents show their listings. They don’t co-op with the real estate industry and you end up the loser.
      
      
5. Twenty Eight (28) Years of Experience
   
   Experience is a great teacher. Twenty-eight years, 6,000 tenants, hundreds of visits to eviction court, and many battles with tenant’s attorneys, have given us a lot of experience that guides our response to every situation. We have handled every situation you can imagine including 10 house fires (one with a body bag), one shooting, dog bites, tenants falling off roofs, burning themselves, reaching into garbage disposals, flooding from burst water pipes, tornados taking off roofs, and more. You pay Crown no more that you do other managers in the Atlanta area, but you get a lot more experience, and that means more protection for you.
   
   
6. Academic Credentials
   
   Crown’s staff has every academic credential offered by our trade associations in property management. Many property managers see this business as a sideline to some other profession. Some see it as a real profession and have taken the time to get the education and training to do it right. If your property manager has not taken this business seriously, you will be the one to suffer.
   1. We have two (2) Residential Management Professionals (RMP) on staff. This designation usually takes 3 to 4 years of study and hard work (there are less than 160 in the U.S.).
   2. We have one Master Property Manager (MPM) on staff. This designation takes 6 to 10 years to earn (there are 28 in the U.S.).
   3. We are one of 22 Certified Residential Management Companies (CRMC) in the U.S. This requires 7 to 10 years of study, company audits and an MPM on staff.
   4. Crown has two (2) Certified Property Managers (CPM) on staff. This designation takes 5 to 7 years to earn.
   5. The owner/broker of Crown also owns many rental properties, making the company sensitive to the issues investors are concerned about.
   6. Crown has bought out ten (10) other management companies in the past 15 years and we know how the other guy does it.
   7. As an accredited school with the Georgia Real Estate Commission, Crown teaches realtors, investors, and other property managers the art of leasing and managing rentals throughout Georgia.
      
      It’s one thing to say, “I manage rental property.” Lots of folks can say that. It’s quite another to have this list of credentialed professionals in one company, looking out for your property. This is what you get with Crown while you pay the same or more reasonable fees you pay other managers in Atlanta.
      
      
7. Insurance Coverage
   
   
• General Liability
  
• Worker's Comp
• E&O Insurance
• Discrimination Liability Insurance
• Employee Dispute Insurance
• Lockbox Liability Insurance
• Fidelity or Dishonesty Bond
• Pollutants, asbestos, radon or lead paint insurance
• Wrongful Eviction Coverage
  
  
See all about Crown's Insurance Coverage »

When you add all the insurance, the 30 years of experience, plus a great customer service attitude, you end up with a safe company to do business with.


8. We are “The Real Estate Investor’s Choice”
   
   We have trademarked this name because it aptly describes our passion and our mission. We own property just like you do so we know the issues. The owners of this company have bought over 250 houses personally and understand all the issues of owning rental properties. We focus on investor- owned property. We assist with buying and selling investment property. We offer Investor training and workshops. We offer Trust Services for privacy of ownership and asset protection. We partner with investors in buying and managing houses.

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