FAQs for Davis Property Management

We are one of the leading property management companies for the Greater Puget Sound region. Our team has decades of experience managing local properties and we increase your revenue by ensuring your property is rented or leased for the highest prevailing rate.

Our experience provides you with competent guidance through an elite professional service model that saves you money, time, and convenience. We use dynamic technology for a simple and efficient rental or leasing experience that lower your maintenance costs.

We manage all different property types, inclusive of residential, industrial, retail, single-family homes, office, student housing, multi-use, senior housing, condominiums, and other types that may be relevant to you. Name your property type and we can help manage the property’s day-to-day operations; from finding tenants, screening them, to handling the repairs and maintenance.

You will see a Login Icon below on our website: 

Or you can directly log in through this direct link.

Having trouble logging in or setting up your account? Contact us.

You can expect your owner statement by the 15th of every month. This will enable you to keep track of your property cash flow and to confirm that your reconciliation, collections, and deductions have taken place. Here are our statement date range details depending on the type of property we are managing for you:

• Residential property owners: the statement date will range from the 11th of the last month to the 10th of the current month.
• Commercial property owners: as a commercial property owner, you will get your statement dates for the previous month, starting from the first to the last date of the month.

Here is a sample owner statement for a:

• Residential statement
• Commercial statement

You will see a “reserve” amount on your owner statement report. A reserve is the minimum account balance that we establish for your property for any unforeseen costs or to ensure vendors, utilities, and bills are paid in a timely manner against rent collection. At the start of your account, we will establish this reserve at first rent collection and each rent collection month thereafter, the minimum account balance is brought whole again if anything has been drawn to cover costs.

The reserve amount varies by property:

• Single-family residences are generally $300-$400
• multi-family (apartments, duplexes) and other commercial properties is a higher amount and will depend on property cashflow. We also take into consideration the quality and age of the property.

If you are owning property for the first time, it is common to have questions about the property management process. Always reach out to your Property Manager with any questions you may have for timely responses. You can expect most answers around 2 business days. In case that Property Manager is unable to answer your questions and further inquiry is required, someone from our executive, legal, or administrative team will address your concerns.

If you have an urgent inquiry, please contact your Property Manager via phone, text or email for a faster response. If there is no immediate response, you can also contact our office at 425-658-7471 for further assistance.

According to the law, a landlord should provide safe and habitable premises for tenants and ensure rental units are in good shape. The landlord should also arrange frequent waste removal, supply sufficient heating, and hot water, and provide adequate security, locks, and keys. It is also the role of the landlord to have a reasonable program in place to control and combat an infestation of pests, insects, and rodents.

We address any tenant concerns or inquiries in a timely manner (as determined by Washington state Landlord Tenant Laws), by answering all of their questions and tending to their maintenance requests.

Additionally, we provide monthly owner statements and the yearly tax documents from the monthly bookkeeping of your property. This is all automated through our software and audited regularly to ensure clean books and on-time receivables and payments.

At DPM, we help manage all types of properties. Our residential portfolio varies from houses to townhomes, condominiums to ADU’s.

For commercial property types, we have experience managing retail spaces, offices, mixed-use premises, industrial property, storage, and multi-family units. We also offer commercial owner-occupied property management in addition to secondary homes that may be vacant for long periods of time to take the worry and hassle of management off the owner’s shoulders.

DPM helps manage property in Great Seattle and the Eastside areas. Here is our service map for more accurate locations where we operate:

Would you like a hassle-free management analysis? Get in touch with us today.

We collect rent from tenants’ bank accounts using DPM’s proprietary software through an online portal. In our leases, tenants legally agree to pay through our portal, which ensures timely rent payments beneficial to the tenant, landlord, and our managers. You don’t have to worry about inconveniences or delayed payment from “lost” checks in the mail.

As Property Managers, we deal with difficult and unruly tenants, who may fall behind on rent or want to get away with not paying rent. We allow genuine reviews from our tenants, even if both negative and positive versus deleting the negative ones to get clients to sign up with us.

Statistically, 63% of people are more likely to share negative experiences than positive experiences. Any negative reviews online do not reflect the quality of our service. It doesn’t mean we are poor at our job. Instead, it means we are devoting ourselves to prioritizing your financial interests in addition to following the law. Our main obligation is to you as the property owner, and we take our role seriously to protect you and enforce our lease terms.

At DPM, we hold ourselves accountable to our core value of offering a premier service, which includes asking for feedback from both clients and tenants. Often, the negative reviews come from instances where we must play the ‘bad cop’ or ‘strict parent’ on behalf of our clients. Please see our testimonials for additional reviews from our happy customers.

You are not required to allow pets at your property. However, there are laws and regulations when it comes to pets. A service animal with proper documentation must be allowed by federal law. Additionally, according to the ADA or Americans with Disabilities Act, a pet that serves as an emotional support animal also must be allowed with proper documentation. It also depends on the city and/or county since, in some areas in Washington, you cannot have certain breeds of dogs. Check with the applicable laws to your property.

While you can self-manage your property, it can be a time consuming and costly experience. Tenant issues can be hectic and stressful in addition to the financial management of your property.

Unfortunately, most owners underestimate the work and time involved in managing property. Hiring us to help manage your property will save you time and give you peace of mind knowing your property is professionally managed. Furthermore, you can be sure we will help prioritize your financial interests and advocate and protect your property.

We are affordable and offer you value for your money. Think of our fee as an investment to prevent disputes with tenants, legal issues, maintenance upkeep, and other property management inconveniences.

Addressing a maintenance need correctly and in a cost-effective way, while under time constraints, is arguably one of the most difficult things about Property Management. This is where our preferred vendor relationships come in handy. Not only do we get preferred rates because of the volume of business we provide them, we are also first in line. Our vendors are a trusted component in our business so we know they’ll do the job right. And since we handle all property types, we are able to correctly address the scope of work and pair it to the preferred vendor for the job. All of this results in a low cost, quality repair in a timely manner to you.

Additionally, most of our vendors can manage different types of work, so fixing multiple problems in one site visit, without having to hire a specialist is an ideal situation for all involved.

Sample scenario: We receive a toilet and disposal request alongside a doorbell that isn’t working properly at the same property. Rather than sending an expensive plumber and a handyman to address the doorbell, our vendors can go work on both in one site visit. We only call in specialists like plumbers or electricians when the work required is above our general contractors abilities. This can put the maintenance savings at 50% for the property.

We can start immediately!!! After an initial consultation and property walk-through, reviewing your specific property information and goals, understanding our policies and processes, we will finalize our contract and get started!

Would you like to work with us? Fill out this form, and a DPM Property Manager will get back to you.

RRIO is an abbreviation for the Rental Registration & Inspection Ordinance, which the City Council of Seattle established after public review. RRIO was founded to ensure that rental housing in Seattle meets basic housing maintenance guidelines and that the houses are safe. A law since 2014, all rental property owners in the city are required to register their property. The inspectors will visit the rental units and ensure compliance every ten years.

As your property manager, we will handle the RRIO registration process and ensure the inspections are conducted when due. We will also address any recommended repairs and submissions by the RRIO on your behalf.

Fortunately, we will not need much from you. All you need to do is fill out our contract with factual property, banking, and contact information in addition to the necessary tax forms. After that, leave it to us.

Your Property Manager will devote their services to align to your property goals and determine the best and proper way forward for you. Let us handle all the property management tasks so you can handle other things in your life. Here is a copy of the rental management input sheet you will be asked to fill out.

An owner contribution is necessary when, unplanned expenses may cost more than the property reserve or ‘minimum balance’ amount. At DPM, we have a policy that requires us to pay all vendors within a maximum of 30 days after service or after receiving an invoice. Usually, we try our best to settle these expenses using normal cash flow. Sometimes, the vendor payment term is necessary to address, especially during marketing and turnover. Some vendors working on larger jobs, need a down payment to get the supplies to begin the work. In this case, an owner’s contribution is necessary.

Your Property Manager will send a request via your owner’s portal, notifying you that additional funds are needed. Payment is safe, easy, and fast, allowing there to be no delays in completing the necessary work.

We have the region’s most competitive rates, while guaranteeing true value for every penny. Our rates compare to, if not supersede prevailing market rates, and we always stand behind our values, service, and expertise. Unlike other property managers who think of you as a number, at DPM, we consider you a valued client and an incredible addition to our local family.

Location, neighborhood and surrounding amenities is a major determinant into your property’s rental experience. These things will determine the tenants your property will attract, their housing expectations, and their ability to pay rent. Unfortunately, you cannot change the location of your property. Our rental management and analysis consider your property type, location, market needs, and quality and meet the relevant demands.

Additionally, since we are a local company and not some massive chain, we are savvy to all the nuances of city and county laws, which can vary from state or federal laws. This provides your property’s protection.

To determine how much your property will rent for, we do a rental analysis against similar properties in your location and compare the rent rates and amenities. As a local company, we understand the Greater Puget Sound best and boast a solid basis of knowledge for the area. We can help you achieve the highest rent for your property, determined on the current market.

We use the best marketing tools (listed on over 83 websites) which reach a large amount of people. Our turnover process is fast and efficient alleviating unnecessary downtime.

Are you looking to rent your property but unsure how much to rent? Email us for a free property rental analysis.

Upgrades are a great way to get a higher rental rate. However, not all upgrades make sense. At DPM, our focus is on the return on investment for any upgrades you want to make. We will consider your long-term goals as an owner and your goals for the property to determine what upgrades are best for you.

For example, if you plan to move in eventually, getting upgrades like better and energy efficient appliances or nicer fixtures is a great move. However, if you intend to rent the property indefinitely, consider minor upgrades for a small margin in rental increase. We also consider the expected life of the upgrade because renters often create more ‘wear and tear’ than owners. Our rapport with our vendor teams have proven over the years that we know exactly what upgrade to recommend.

There is a lot to consider. Your Property Managers will walk you through all these factors and give you their professional recommendations while ensuring your tenants remain happy.

There is no requirement mandating you to avail your property to Section 8 tenants.

If a Section 8 tenant applies, you cannot deny them tenancy based on their source of income. As a landlord, you should accept all income sources, whether from a non-profit organization or the government. This includes veterans’ benefits, Section 8 housing vouchers, social security, and any public assistance funds. Any rent subsidy provided by the applicant, will be subtracted if you require an income threshold before determining if the potential tenant meets the required income threshold.

It is recommended to at least have a 1-year lease for residential property as it offers both the owner and the tenant flexibility, especially with the everyday changes and challenges. In case the lease is more than a year, you and your tenant will need a notary signature to enforce the lease.

You can arrange longer-term contracts if you have a great owner-and-tenant relationship. If are considering longer-term contracts, we recommend including percentage rent bumps and having routine inspections of your property.

After entrusting us with your property, we make it our mission to rent to high-quality tenants who will keep up with their payments and save you trouble. To ensure this, we conduct criminal background checks and credit checks, depending on the state and city laws.

For example, in the City of Seattle, we can only run sex offender background checks as criminal checks are prohibited. We also run credit score checks to determine the payment history and do previous landlord reference calls. We also verify information prospective tenants give on their employment history. DPM bears this cost, so you don’t have to worry about it while having the peace of mind that your property will be inhibited with the best fit tenant!

Another important criteria we uphold is ensuring our prospective tenants meet a 3:1 ratio of income to housing expenses. As you can see based on the graph below this ensures we know your new tenant can afford the home they are seeking based on American trends on spending.

We market rental units to more than 83 sites, including top rental websites like Craiglist, Realtor.com, Apartments.com, Redfin, Trulia, RadPad, and PadMapper. With years of experience managing properties, we understand the need to bring a pool of qualified and prospective renters.

To do this, we need to identify and analyze the target demographic to find a suitable marketing strategy. Our marketing strategies have always achieved amazing results, proving we fill vacancies in a week without demanding extra charges from the property owner.

For a market-ready property rightly priced at the prevailing market rates, it will take five to ten days to secure a tenant. On the other hand, if your property is not market-ready or is wrongly priced, it might take longer to get the proper tenant under contract.

Our experts will advise you accordingly after they evaluate the market, compare your property with other similar properties, and make recommendations on what you can do to acquire tenants. Sometimes it could take longer to get tenants due to the season in the year (spring/summer is peak), market variations or property deficiencies (construction, weird layout, schools).

At the end of the day having the correct rental rate based on the market will move a tenant contract more efficiently.

We charge a minimal leasing fee and focus on offering value through service and experience. Contact us to get a free quote!

We handle all marketing expenses once you sign the contract.

Some additional marketing charges will be billed to the property for 3rd party sites like Zillow, who charge to market any property. Some sites have featured property charges or premium membership charges, which we are willing to explore for our clients at owner expense. Your Property Manager will advise you on what the best route is to market your property at the minimum cost to you!

Yes, but not directly. DPM is a Property Management firm that strictly offers leases and other property-related documents, which meet or exceed all industry standards. While we are not able to provide legal advice, we work closely with legal professionals who can advise you and represent you in all situations.

Our team is partly constructed of lawyers who review our documents to ensure they are compliant with the laws and regulations at the local, state, and federal levels. You can trust that all our rental legal documents will safeguard you and your property.

Since a lease agreement is legally recognized, there are rules and procedures under the state, county, and city laws on what happens when a tenant does not pay the fees or rent as stipulated in the lease or rental agreement.

For example, in Washington, the landlord should give the tenant two weeks to make the payment or move out when a tenant fails to pay. They should issue a notice with the amount the tenant owes, the two-week duration to render outstanding payments, and include options on how the tenant can find legal resources or interpreters. If the tenant fails to pay within two weeks, the landlord can go to court and file for eviction. The entire process will be handled by management lawfully- through certified email and mail.

Please note: Tenant debt is one of the worst kinds of debt to recuperate which is the biggest risk when renting your property. That said, DPM has a high success rate of achieving payment through our network of debt collectors, lawyers and Property Managers. We bring this value to our services, so you and your property are not subject to long delays in payment.

If a tenant requests a repair at your property, they will log into our online portal and enter a service request which will be relayed to our technicians. Our technicians will review the request, determine what they need, and work on the repair swiftly and under the legal timelines. You will be notified about any expense exceeding the agreed-upon amount in your management contract.

When working with DPM, you can expect us to handle the maintenance and repairs promptly to meet tenants’ expectations. You can also be sure of the repair quality for the problem at a proper cost.

We aim to offer safe and pleasant communities for all our tenants. Our leases clearly dictate quiet hours relating to music, social events, tv, and other noises after certain hours. We also do not tolerate hate or harassment amongst tenants. We follow all noise laws depending on the location of your rental property and enforce them.

If a tenant is disturbing neighbors, your Property Manager will field the complaints and issue appropriate legal notices, warning tenants to rectify their behavior. Failure to do so may mean we move to evict them from the property.

Tenants are not responsible for normal damage and repairs, unless we can prove the cause of damage was the tenant either done intentionally, by accident, or by negligence. We closely inspect units before and after a tenancy is complete to document these items.

When a tenant moves out, our move-out report will contain any damages the unit has that were not initially there before renting it out. The damages are repaired with the tenant’s security deposit pursuant to RCW 59.18.260 which states that security deposit deduction can be used for unpaid rent or utilities, cost of damage beyond normal wear and tear, cleaning costs and failure to return keys or fobs.

Should the damages cost more than the deposit, the tenant will be liable for these expenses. Our management contract includes legal assistance, which comes in handy in cases like these.

For more information on Security Deposits see RCW 59.18.280

We require all our tenants to have an insurance policy and personal liability of at least $100,000. You can waive this requirement as the property owner, although we do not recommend it.

Our tenants are welcome to enroll in our insurance program for a low fee which is automatically added to their monthly rent roll or provide proof of their insurance policy prior to move-in.

There is no standard or monthly fee for our property maintenance services. The cost of maintenance will vary depending on the condition of the property and the maintenance required to secure a tenant safely.

We consider the property’s age, materials used during construction, and wear and tear from tenant occupancy when determining a course of action and communicate all associated costs. Maintenance is executed under the lease terms and impeding laws depending on your property’s area.

Yes, there is. We offer consulting and remodeling services! Our experienced Property Managers will recommend the best remodels during tenant transition to increase both the renter pool and property value. They will recommend the best remodels for your property depending on the goals you have for your property.

A lot can happen and sometimes a tenant might need to break their lease before the agreed-upon leasing duration. In this case, we will require the tenant to submit a Notice to Vacate at least 30 days ahead of the scheduled move-out date. The move-out date should be the last day of the month, and they will incur a cost for breaking the lease, usually a one-month fee. A tenant breaking a lease will be responsible for the rent until a new tenant moves-in (prorated) to fill the vacancy or their lease term end date.

A lease renewal will depend on the location of your property, the rent raise, and the lease term end date for any lease renewals. For example, the City of Seattle requires a 180-day notice for any rent raises and a 90-day notice for renewals. Usually, most cities demand a 60-day notice, but we do a 90-day notice to ensure adequate time to plan and market your property.

As part of your property review, we will have your Property Manager assess the prevailing market price depending on the location. They will compare your property with other properties, sharing similar specifics to determine if a rent raise is the best move. We will also review the tenant’s profile concerning their habitation issues and payment history. Hiring us as your management company will ensure you are compliant with the law and are getting the best return on your investment, depending on the current market rate.

We handle inspections occur in 3 different ways:

• Annual inspections: Our regular inspections happen before signing a lease renewal, which is on month 10 of the yearly based lease.
• Major Violation: If a major violation occurs at your property, DPM gives the tenant 24-48 hour notice to inspect the property and determine the future course of action.
• Ongoing: Inspections occur anytime we are at your property for maintenance or monthly work orders. Your Property Manager will always be on the lookout for property damage, lease violations, and general neglect.

Tenancy termination depends on the lease terms and the property’s location, as city laws can vary. For example, you can terminate tenancy in the Puget Sound Area or fail to submit a renewal notice. On the other hand, in the City of Seattle, you can only terminate tenancy if it is among the 16 allowable reasons to terminate the tenancy.

Your Property Manager can walk you through the necessary steps to terminate a tenancy should that be the route you would like to take for your property.

In an emergency, the owner, tenants, and neighbors should contact emergency services by dialing 911 immediately. As Property Managers, we don’t have the same rights or abilities as the fire, medical department, or law enforcement. We encourage always contacting emergency services first.

Our Property Managers can provide advice on how to manage situations to avoid further escalation and will work hand in hand with emergency service providers in the Puget Sound Area. Additionally, we have a vast contact list of emergency service providers, who can help handle the situation from fire to HVAC, water to safety, for all necessary repairs.

“Wear and tear” is a normal property experience which depends on the duration of the tenancy and the life of the material that is worn out. Each appliance or fixture or material has its own general guidelines of their life expectancy (see question below for more detail). But if the tenant causes excessive damage compared to the move-in form, the Property Manager will assess the damage. We will consult a technician on the repair costs, fill the expenses in the move-our form, and submit the charges against the Tenant’s security deposit within 21 days (or extension for more time.)

All appliance and fixtures will someday be required to be replaced. Accounting has laws around this and so do Landlord Tenants laws. The age and expected life expectancy of the appliance or fixture is first taken into consideration when accessing if the replacement was due to “normal wear and tear” or “excessive damage from abuse or neglect”. To determine the Tenant cost, we take the age of the item at move in, then minus the tenancy duration to determine the remaining life expectancy. The replacement item cost is then multiplied against the percentage of total life expectancy taken away.

EXAMPLE: Carpet has a 5 year expected life expectancy (see chart). In this example- A Tenant moves in with 1 year old carpet. Tenant lives in unit for 2 years and the carpet has more than normal wear and tear. The carpets need to be replaced. To calculate the Tenant(s) charge for the carpet replacement: 2 years remaining of life that got stopped short due to Tenant(s) neglect, and therefore can charge Tenant’s security deposit 2/5ths of the carpet replacement cost (labor, materials, and tax). 3 years of carpet is considered normal wear and tear.

Landlords have a 21-day period to return the security deposit unless a legal extension letter is filed for unknown charges, which is handled by your Property Manager on your behalf after approval.

Normal “wear and tear” is light damage that happens over time and only affects the aesthetics of a home, not the use of any fixtures, appliances, or the home. For example, scratches on a wooden floor, loose railings, or wear spots on the carpet are normal wear and tear.

With the right property management firm, excessive damages should not occur. This is why we perform extensive background checks to ensure we only rent to good tenants. We also ensure clear expectations in the lease terms, as the lease is enforceable by law should they violate any terms. If the damages exceed the security deposit, you will be responsible for repair and vendor costs as an owner. Therefore, you should seek legal action against the tenant with our assistance.

Yes. If you have a team of contractors and vendors with whom you have been doing business, you are welcome to use their services. However, we have some basic policies to ensure they meet our standard of service before we can add them and make payments to them. They will need to submit their Business License, W9 form, copy of insurance coverage, mailing address for payments, and contact information.

It will depend on the property’s square footage, size, and extent of the damage. For straightforward turnovers, it can take between 5 and 10 days. The accurate timeline will be communicated both to you and your tenant by your Property Manager.

We handle tenant turnover by clearly communicating our expectations early in the process. This helps them understand what we expect from them as they move in and out of the unit. We also understand that tenants will always ask for their security deposit back. So, we do our best to work with owners to ensure an amicable contract ending. For example, through our tenant vacate checklist.