AMERICAN REALTY & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
"Customers First"

Your guide to rentals and property mgt in Savannah and the coastal empire


STATEMENT OF RENTAL POLICY

TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT:  If you are serious about finding a new home you should be prepared to apply for that home once you find the right property.  Our leasing agents will want you to confirm that 1) you are prepared to pay the application fee by check, money order, or cash at the appointment, 2) you are able to pay the Rent Reservation Payment at the appointment by check or money order (NO CASH) and 3) you will have the specific address(es) of your previous residence for the last 3 years, the landlords name and phone numbers, and your employment information.  If you are self-employed, please be prepared to provide your last year's tax return.

AVAILABILITY:  Applications for homes will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, based on the receipt of the Rent Reservation Payment by an American Realty & Property representative and a fully completed application form!  An amount equal to one-half of a month's rent will be collected at time of application to reserve your position for the home you are applying for through the verification process.  If the application is approved, this reservation payment will be applied toward the first month's rent.  The Rent Reservation Payment will be refunded if the applicant withdraws the application prior to being approved and up to 24 hours after approval notification or if the application is denied.

TO APPLY:  Applications are to be completed by each applicant tht is 18 years of age or older.  An applicant must pay a non-refundable fee for verification of information.  the fee is $35 per individual and $50 for a married couple.  an omissions or falsifications may result in rejection of an application or termination of lease.  We are looking for generally positive information in the following four areas:

1.  Credit Check - an unsatisfactory credit report, which reflects current bad debts, unpaid bills, liens or judgments with resolution or recent bankruptcy information, may disqualify an applicant.  If rejected    for any of these reasons, you will be informed of the name and address of the credit-reporting agency from which the information was obtained.  The contents of the credit report will not be revealed, but you are encouraged to obtain a copy from the reporting agency to check for current or erroneous information.  An applicant may correct the information found in the credit report and re-submit the application, if so desired.  A re-submitted application will be subject to the availability of the property originally requested.

2.  Employment - Stabel employment records and income verification must be provided.  Applicant should have at least one-year employment history and meet designated income requirements.

3.  Income - Applicant should have a gross income (before taxes and deductions) of 3 times the rent amount with a reasonable debt to income ration.  Income received from sources other than a salary (i.e. alimony, child support) may be subject to verification if used as part of the total income picture.  If an applicant is self-employed, written verification of two previous year's income must be provided.

4.  Residence - Present and previous resident histories should show a record of prompt payment, notice given (if required) and nothing in default.  It should be noted that an inquiry into previous residen thistory might include questions about pet behavior or noice complaints in addition to rent payment.

An applicant with poor credit may try to overcome having an application denied by increasing the amount of the security deposit offered or by providing a co-signor for the lease.  If a co-signer is required, they must complete an application, submit the application fee and meet all income and qualifying criteria.  A co-signer will be fully responsible for the lease if the occupying resident defaults.

TO MOVE IN:  It is American Realty & Property Management's policy to collect one full month's rent at time of move-in, regardless of the actual date of occupancy. The previously mentioned reservation payment will be applied, and the remaining portion will be collected by the agent who performs the move-in.  Any pro-rated rent calculated will be due for the second month of the lease term.

The required security deposit is generally an amount equal to one month's rent and is payable in the form of certified check, cashier's check, or money orders.  NO PERSONAL CHECKS OR CASH WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR THE SECURITY DEPOSIT! The security deposit may be increased under certain circumstances such as pet ownership, marginal creditworthiness or limited resident history.  The security and pet deposits are due when the move-in inspection is performed.  $200.00 of the security deposit is a non-refundable administrative fee to help offset the costs of preparing the move-in package and conducting the "move-in" and "move-out" inspections.

Pet deposits are refundable.  Resident must have the property treated for fleas and ticks by a licensed pest control operator and have all carpeting cleaned and deodorized specifically for pet ordors by a professional carpet cleaning service upon termination of lease.  Resident shall provide Management with copies of receipts for the pest control and carpet cleaning services prior to the Security Deposit being returned.

The rent is due by the first day of each month.  We will only accept one rent check per household.  There will be a late charge assessed to all payments received after the fifth (5th) of the month for 10% of the rental rate.  A check used for payment, which is returned by the bank will incur a $35.00 service charge PLUS late fees, and must be replaced with a cashiers check or money order.

EQUAL HOUSING:  We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, handicap, famillal status or national origin.