Property Owner Frequently Asked Questions
Our approach to property management is very fair and systemic. We want to be fair to the tenant and protect the landlord (that’s you!) Please find the answers to common questions below, but you can always speak to a real, friendly, knowledgable human being by calling our office at (207) 262-0199.
What types of properties do you manage?
We focus on multifamily residential properties — typically 2-unit and above. We’re moving away from single-family homes, but will take them on for the right client. We do not actively manage commercial properties for outside owners. We can handle some industrial, but commercial office space (lawyers, therapists, etc.) has been more trouble than it’s worth for us.
How do you determine the rental price of a property?
We set rents based on what the local market is actually doing. We monitor competing listings to see where prices land and try to stay in a range that fills units fast. Our general strategy is speed over top dollar — if we can turn a vacancy in under 30 days, we avoid losing a full month of revenue. Chasing a higher rent that takes 45+ days to fill can take a full year to break even on the lost income. Once tenants are in, we move rents up over time as the market moves.
How do you market a property for rent?
We list on up to ten different apartment rental websites at once, and manage all incoming interest for showings/guest cards/etc. internally!
How long of a management commitment do I need to make?
Our preference is a one-year agreement. After that, some owners transition to a second-year renewal; others move to a month-to-month arrangement depending on the relationship.
Do you have a preferred lease expiration season?
Yes. We target April, May, and June (with some July) for lease expirations. That’s prime rental season in Maine — people move in warmer months, and it minimizes vacancy. If someone signs in winter, we may put them on a six-month lease to get them into that spring/summer cycle, then transition them to a full year or month-to-month from there. We won’t offer a six-month lease in summer because it would push the expiration into winter.
What fees do you charge owners?
The honest answer is: it depends. The rule of thumb is our management fee is 10% of monthly rent, but it’ll fluctuate based on how many units we can manage for you and overall complexity. Our management fee applies even when a unit is vacant, because we’re still advertising and managing the turnover process — there’s no separate leasing or tenant placement fee, ever.
Click here to view our Self Managing versus BHR calculator to see how the fees stack up.
Labor for maintenance, repairs, turnovers, etc. is billed at industry rates between $45 and $75 per hour depending on the complexity (a handyman is cheaper than an electrician, etc.)
Our property management agreement has a detailed fee schedule with more information.
Will you notify me before making repairs on my property?
When we onboard an owner, we establish a dollar threshold — some want to approve everything, others tell us to just handle it and send the bill. That threshold is documented in Appfolio so anyone on our team can check before proceeding. For work orders above your threshold, we submit a cost estimate through Appfolio and wait for your approval before starting.
What about emergency repairs?
Emergencies don’t wait for approval. If a water heater ruptures or the furnace dies in winter, we get someone there immediately. Maine law requires landlords to maintain a minimum of 68°F for heat (air conditioning is not required). We’ll still call you to let you know what happened and what it’s going to cost, but we won’t delay the repair
What repairs are landlords responsible for vs. tenants?
Landlords are responsible for most repairs. Tenants are responsible for things like light bulbs (in rooms with ceilings 96 inches or lower), smoke detector batteries, and thermostat batteries. If a tenant causes damage — say they hook up a washer incorrectly and flood the unit, or their pet turns on the stove and starts a fire — we do the repair but charge it to the tenant, either directly or through their renter’s insurance.
Do you require maintenance requests be submitted online?
We strongly prefer it. Appfolio has an online maintenance portal and we push tenants to use it. When someone calls or emails instead, we enter the request into the system ourselves. We do have a small number of long-term tenants (mostly older residents) who can’t use email, so we accommodate them, but online submission is the standard.
Are tenants required to maintain cleanliness?
Yes. The lease includes a cleanliness standard. If our maintenance team enters a unit for any reason and finds a cleanliness issue, they can write the tenant up. Tenants are also expected to keep shared spaces like laundry rooms and outdoor areas clean. At move-out, we expect a construction-level clean — anything less results in charges against their security deposit.
What if a tenant wants to make an improvement to a property?
They contact us. We approve or deny the request. If it requires a contractor, we usually do the work ourselves or hire it out through our own vendors. If the tenant wants to use an outside vendor, that vendor has to be approved before and after the work — we can’t have unlicensed friends doing plumbing that’s not up to code.
Do you allow pets in your properties?
That’s up to you. If you’d prefer not pets in your unit, we can certainly market it that way.
In our experience, but in general, allowing pets helps units rent faster and at better rates.
What's your smoking policy?
Blanket no-smoking policy across all properties. The lease language comes directly from the City of Bangor’s anti-smoking program — we’re one of the top participants. Enforcement is tough in practice (tenants clean up before inspections, and marijuana is the most common complaint), but we pursue it when we have evidence, and we ask tenants to document issues with photos.
Will you work with my preferred vendors?
Yes. So far, most of our outside owners have given us full discretion on vendor selection, and we have our own in-house maintenance team that handles most work (general maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, and up through electrical). But if you have a vendor you prefer, we’re happy to work with them.
Will you work with my home warranty company?
We’re willing to consider it, but it adds operational complexity, so there would be an additional fee for the time involved. Most property management companies won’t touch warranty companies at all. We’re more flexible because we have in-house maintenance staff, but we’d need to charge for the coordination time.
What about solar panels?
If you already have solar panels on your property, that’s no issue at all. We would not allow a tenant to install solar panels due to the roof penetrations involved.
I have another question!
No problem; we’d love to get it answered.
- If you’re a new client looking for BHR to manage your property, click here.
- If you’re an existing client, click here.
If it’s during our business hours, you’ll be able to speak with a real human being about your property management question!
