Just a few words about Birdy Properties: We're a family owned and family run company with hands on experience in selling homes and managing rental property for over 22 years in the San Antonio area. Our company was started by Barry Birdy (my dad) who is a retired CMSgt from Randolph AFB; we spent 26 years in the military and made 12 PCS moves - we have first hand knowledge of what our customers are going through. I am a veteran with 15 years in the Air Force and have spent half my life in San Antonio. We try to make the process as stress-free as possible.

List of Services

• We advertise the property for rent in the San Antonio Board of Realtors (SABOR) Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This computer data base reaches approximately 6,200 licensed Realtors who will assist us in renting your home. We also place a weekly ad in the San Antonio Express News, and list homes in www.rentclick.com, www.rentalhomesplus.com, www.renthouses.com, Automated Housing Referral Network www.ahrn.com (the official DOD rental home site that all military housing offices are using in San Antonio to assist incoming military find rental property), and our web site www.birdy.com.

• We have a sign and a lockbox on your property within 24 hour of signing our management contract. Your home is listed in MLS within 48 hours (usually the same day).

• All potential tenants fill out an Application for Rental and we run credit checks with all 3 of the main credit repositories: Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian. We are an on-line customer of the National Tenant Network (NTN), which gives us the capability to retrieve National Eviction Reports, Tenant Performance Reports, public records, and small claim judgements, sexual predator database, and collection referrals. Their turn around time to us is less than 5 minutes!!

• When required, we talk to the last Landlord and send a fax that has 5 basic questions: (1) have they given 30 days notice, (2) was their rent paid on time, (3) was the property maintained in good condition, (4) did you withhold any portion of their security deposit, and (5) would you rent to them again?

• When approved, we use the Texas Association of Realtors Residential Lease Agreement.

• The Inventory and Condition Form is a 6 page document that is their base-line on the condition of the property. It is to be completed within 72 hours of move-in and failure of the tenant to return this form will be deemed as Tenant's acceptance of the property in clean and good condition. During our final walk-thru, if we find a discrepancy that is not on the move-in form, it is the tenant's responsibility to correct it or we will have it done and deduct the expense from the security deposit (normal wear-and-tear accepted).

• We collect all rents for our clients and disburse the proceeds in a variety of ways. We make direct deposits to local banks and credit unions, we send checks to our owner's personal address, and we make the mortgage payments under certain conditions.

• Our tenants are advised in the special provisions portion of the lease that rent is due on the 1st of the month and late if it is not received by close of business on the 3rd. We inform all tenants that there is virtually no reason for rent to be late because we give them 3 options besides using the U.S. mail.

• We take care of all the repairs that are necessary on your property, both small and large. We have put together a team of maintenance companies over the past 22 years that are honest, reliable, and professional. If those personal traits change, we change companies. We generally handle the cost of the repairs during the month, deduct them from the rent proceeds, and forward the remainder. We encourage our tenants, who are capable; to make small, minor repairs themselves once they receive approval from us, save the receipts, and sent it with next month's rent, and we will reimburse them. That saves our owners a service call and labor charges. We want our tenants to call us when there is a problem, because deferred maintenance will defeat the long range goal of selling the home and making a profit for our clients.

• It is very rare that we have to evict someone, because if you've done your job correctly before you give them the keys, you shouldn't have problems. However, if we have to, we know all the local JP Judges and the Constables. We know how to issue a Quit and Vacate, a Forcible Entry and Detainer Suit, and finally a Writ of Possession.

• The document that gives us "Power of Attorney" to do all these things is contained in the Residential Property Leasing and Management Agreement, our "Contract". It is a 11 page document that spells out the duties and authority of the Broker. We sign a one year primary term that is automatically extended until either party gives 30 days written notice to terminate. I have some contracts that are over 15 years old, because they never have to be redone if we don't change the terms or fees.

• The Contract also has quite a few hidden agendas that the public is probably not aware of and most Real Estate Companies will not bring them to their attention. For example, we don't charge a fee unless we receive rent. Para 12a states: "Öa vacancy in the property or failure by a tenant to pay rent does not excuse payment of the 10% management fee". You'd be surprised how many people find this little known fact out when it's too late.

• When you realize our Contract is 11 pages long (and this is a Texas Association of Realtors form TAR-2201), you'll understand that most of your questions will be addressed in the document. Of course, it will also raise a few questions you haven't thought of yet. As far as the Tenant is concerned, we have a 3 page application, an 14 page Lease, a 6 page inventory and property condition form, a 2 page pet agreement, etc, etc; which is virtually over kill because of the 5% who went on before and didn't do what they were suppose to. We simply don't have problems, because we treat our Tenants with respect and courtesy and it comes back to us.