Marketing Manager

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Editor in Chief

Frequently asked questions about your inspection report proposal.

Questions about your Inspection Report?

You can expect to receive your report, on average, in 2 days.

What does my post inspection proposal contain?

Your post inspection proposal contains two reports.

The Improvement Report - We will walk you through recommended and required repairs aimed to get your home ready to be loved by the most qualified Resident.

The Pricing Report - We will walk you through our pricing strategy to get your home loved at the highest price possible for the market. 

Can we list the home and complete the repairs after?

One of the reasons why Belong is able to find residents within an average of 18-21 days, is because all of our homes show perfectly. The key to this is completing all the repairs ahead of showing your home. We are equally as eager to get your home listed as soon as possible but listing a home prior to it being ready can hurt your chances of getting your home loved and can lead to a stale listing.

I've received the report, what are the next steps?

Once you have received the report, your onboarding associate will reach out to you. If you have any questions at all you can schedule a time to speak with them. If not, you can click through the report and approve the work all within your account. Once you have approved the work, our team will get started immediately and keep you updated every step of the way to listing your home! 

We separate items in the repair report into required and recommended categories based on how likely it is going to affect your residents' experience in the home. We are firmly of the mindset that if we treat your residents right, they will look after your home better and stay longer. A lot of this comes down to how residents feel in your home. 

There is a rekeying on my improvement report, why?

Whenever we welcome a new home into our community or when a resident moves out, one of the first things we do is to rekey or replace the locks. You can never be too careful about who has copies of your keys. Rekeying ensure that no parties have unauthorized access to your home and gives your residents that added piece of mind that they are the only ones with access to your home.

What's the difference between spot clean and deep clean?

The spot clean is a shorter clean that happens before we take photos to list the home. The deep clean is a thorough cleaning that happens 1-3 days before your residents move in. We do this to ensure that your residents have a stellar move-in experience (Who wants to move into a dirty home?). This also establishes a clear understanding of the state of the home upon move in which will help determine any future security deposit deductions. 

I just cleaned my home, do I need to clean again?

Typically, yes. We strongly believe that deep cleaning a home is one of the most important factors to getting a home loved quickly. In some cases we can work with you. Feel free to discuss with your onboarding associate.

We understand that cashflow can be tricky for some of our Homeowners and so we want to be as flexible as possible with any payments. Upon approval of the work, we require a 20% up front payment in order to purchase materials and get started. The remaining amount can be paid upon completion or financed from your monthly rent payments up to 12 months. These options are available to help achieve any financial goals you may have and allow you to have truly passive income while caring for your home.

If you've had your property inspected by Belong for the rental market and have further questions, read this FAQ about your home inspection report proposal.

FAQ: We Answers Common Questions About Your Inspection Report

Should you rent out or sell your home? Get advice from a CPA, asset manager, and realtors to help you understand the pros and cons of this important decision.

Renting vs. Selling 101: The Homeowner’s Guide

Choosing whether to rent out or sell your home is an important decision with lasting impacts on your wealth. This eBook includes advice from a CPA, asset manager, and realtors to help you understand the pros and cons of all your options.

Financial decisions can be intimidating in the best of circumstances, but they are especially so when it comes to real estate. Whether you’re actively trying to grow your investment portfolio, moving out of your first home and sad to leave it behind, or have inherited a property — deciding the best path forward may seem daunting.

That’s why we’ve interviewed some of the brightest and most experienced real estate and financial planning experts to bring you this no-nonsense, easy-to-understand and quick-to-read guide to renting vs selling your home.

You can access a copy of “Renting vs. Selling 101: The Homeowner’s Guide” anytime at this link. Read it online, print it, or share it as you like. Inside, you’ll find practical advice and a list of questions to consider to help you better understand your options.

We cover the “must-knows” of several topic areas in this guide, including: 

Why you should consider both options before taking action

A rent vs. sell cheat sheet with specific pros and cons to consider

Detailed benefits and drawbacks of renting your property

Specific benefits and drawbacks of selling your property

Reflection questions about your unique financial decision to help you make the best long-term choice

Need One-on-One Help? Schedule a Complimentary Session

Belong is not a property management company. We’re the world’s first residential network, and we exist to combine rental home management with asset management, building wealth for our homeowners while taking great care of their residents.

As a service to current and potential Belong homeowners, we offer access to an asset manager’s advice for free. So if you’d rather not read our guide (or you just have more questions!), schedule some time to chat with us here and we’ll get you connected for a complimentary session with our asset manager. 

A highlight of Belong reviews by our community members when asked why do they love renting with Belong.

Discover a Love-Filled Post-Property Management World

Renting out your home as a homeowner can be challenging, both in terms of time and emotional strain. Choosing the right people to manage your valuable asset can be overwhelming. Belong offers a unique service that eliminates the traditional landlord-tenant dynamic, making renting a more pleasant experience for both homeowners and residents. We are dedicated to creating a magical renting experience.

We do so by constantly innovating on your behalf, resulting in industry-leading services such as:

Guaranteed rent (regardless of whether or not it’s paid by residents, aligning our incentives).

Financial innovations such as our ‘Split It’ program enable you, the homeowner, to finance any expense and manage cash flow on your terms.

Protection against evictions with up to $15,000 of coverage against legal fees.

A mobile app designed for homeowners and residents to manage their entire renting experience.

Real-time rental market data and interest signals from potential residents to help minimize vacancy and maximize rental value.

Don’t take our word for it, below you will find testimonials from members of our community who love renting with Belong. These stories embody the essence of the care and love that we strive to embody in our work.

See what people have to say about Belong on Zillow, Thumbtack, and on our google profiles in San Mateo, San Francisco, Miami Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, and Oakland!

Belong is building a network; connecting people who own much-loved homes with those who want a place to belong. Together, we can put people first and change what it means to rent homes, leaving a lasting positive impact for generations to come.

You too can play a crucial role in our mission. If you know of homeowners who would love to have their homes managed by Belong, refer them to us and receive $1,000 for each successful referral*. Help us spread the love and be rewarded for your support. This is our heartfelt thank you to those who choose to share Belong with their network.

Join us in shaping the future of renting! We've created an affiliate program for individuals and groups who share our passion for a better rental experience. By spreading the word about Belong, you can help bring homeowners and renters together in a post-property management world that puts people first. Find out more about how you can get involved and make a positive impact in the industry.

Celebrating Belong Reviews in a Post Property Management World

Discover 3 ways to reduce rental vacancies and how Belong finds residents 66% faster than average.

3 Ways To Reduce Rental Property Vacancies

Long-term rental home vacancies can be a costly problem for homeowners and property investors. A vacant rental means lost income, and often homeowners are unsure why they are unable to find great residents for their home. In this article, we will explore three practical strategies for minimizing long-term rental home vacancies and maximizing your rental income.

Happy residents are more likely to renew their leases, which can help reduce vacancies. If you’re self-managing a rental property, their experience will be entirely up to how you respond to them and how you deal with any issues that arise. To keep your residents happy and ensure they feel at home, you’ll need to have solid communication skills and be contactable at all times to respond to resident’s needs and concerns. 

If you have the help of a property manager, make sure they have measures in place for residents to get in touch with them easily and that you approve decisions quickly to keep the home habitable and well-maintained. 

Great residents offer security with predictable income and cost you less in the long run by reporting maintenance issues on time and not creating headaches or damage to your property. If you have great residents in place, you may want to consider offering a multi-year lease or an incentive for renewing their lease to encourage them to stay. 

For example, homeowners that work with Belong can take advantage of a unique incentive for renewals, because Belong allows residents to earn credits towards purchasing their own home for every on-time rental payment they make. It’s one of the many reasons why Belong residents are happy to stay put. Coupled with fantastic service and 24/7 concierge support, 71% of Belong residents renew their one-year leases. 

Rental homes are just as affected by supply and demand as any other part of our economy. Pricing your rental too high compared to similar, nearby rental options will cause residents to simply look elsewhere. But pricing strategically can be difficult, especially for newer rental home owners. 

It is important to research your rental market by looking at comparable rental properties in your area. Consider the size of the property, location, and amenities (in-home laundry, backyard, etc). If you’re having a hard time conducting market research, consider working directly with a partner like Belong. 

Belong homeowners enjoy access to our data-driven pricing analysis, and have a team of professionals to help them price their home for maximum profit, with minimal vacancies. Belong homes find the perfect residents within 19 days, on average. That’s 66% faster than average! 

Your home may still be vacant simply because renters don’t know it is available! This is the simplest yet most time-consuming part of the rental process. If you’d rather not go through the steps to market your home, consider working with a partner like Belong that does all of this (and lots more) on your behalf.

First, you’ll need to have excellent photos and even video of the home. Homes with professional photos are said to sell 50x faster than homes without, and this holds true for rentals as well. This is why Belong believes that professional photos and video tours of homes are essential to the rental process and are included at no extra cost to all Belong homeowners. 

Once you’ve taken excellent photos of your home, you’ll want to advertise effectively. Most people look to popular online platforms such as Zillow, Craigslist, and Rentals.com, so they are good places to start (and remember to check your inbox regularly for applicants and inquiries!). Social media, local publications, and even simple “For Rent” signs are also great ideas. 

If you list your home with Belong, you’ll automatically be featured on all the top sites with our direct integrations with places like Zillow and Zumper. This reduces vacancies because it means you'll get 30-50% more views for your home as well as a direct feed of applicants from these sites into the Belong system. This enables Belong to contact potential residents quickly and find the best applicant much faster than going it alone or using a traditional property management company.

It’s another way that Belong reduces vacancy times and costs for homeowners, attracting an average of 29 qualified applications for every home listed. 

With first class marketing, 24/7 support, and never-before-seen incentives for renters, Belong homeowners don’t stress about vacancies. 

Belong also keeps residents happier for longer, by ditching the outdated property management model, turning the rental experience into a world-class hospitality service for both you and your residents.  Our services currently extend to homes in the Bay Area, the LA area, Orange County, Seattle, Miami, Orlando, and Tampa (with many more to come!). See if your home is located in our network, here. 

Rental vacancies are expensive for landlords. Discover 3 ways to reduce rental vacancies and how Belong finds tenants 66% faster than the industry average.

Belong

Jane Allison Gunn

Melanie Kershaw

Eric Vandekerkhove

Lauren Slagter

Adam Hanft

Jane Allison Gunn

Melanie Kershaw

Eric Vandekerkhove

Lauren Slagter

Adam Hanft