Katie Poandl

Operations Manager

Katie Poandl joined CrestCore Property Management in 2020 as the Operations Manager in our Memphis office. Since starting at CrestCore, Katie has assisted with personnel reorganization, streamlining procedures, implementing customer satisfaction initiatives, and enforcing legal contract provisions to add $32,000 in revenue per year. Katie has responsibility of over 400 different Portfolios with annual rent payments over $16.5 million and containing more than 1,800 locations. She has made various process improvements in our office to better serve client needs. She has implemented department wide processes related to Leasing, Asset Management, Collections, Client Services, and Resident Services.

Katie brings with her a wide range of experience and skills. She has excellent customer service and communication skills. She is detail-oriented and conscientious, with extensive experience in development creative solutions to problems and finding optimal outcomes for concerned parties. She focuses her leadership, critical thinking, and analytic skills on CrestCore Property Management and its Clients and Residents.

Jennifer Whipple

Human Resources Manager

Jennifer serves as Human Resources Manager for CrestCore and CityLight. Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Business Administration at Baylor University and her Master of Business Administration at the University of Memphis. She brings over 13 years of prior HR experience, having worked both in-house and in Human Resources consulting. Jennifer is an active member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).

Jennifer enjoys working with people, and believes that great organizations start with great people. She has experience in process improvement, employee relations, performance management, and training and development.

In her personal time, Jennifer enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children at the lake, and volunteering in the community and at church.

Tenant Selection Criteria

CrestCore is providing the required Tenant Selection Criteria pursuant to all applicable federal and state laws. The following information outlines the basis upon which CrestCore will make its decision. Any rental application action will conform to all applicable federal and state laws. The following is a list of the required items and selection criteria by which tenant applications are reviewed:

Complete application online.
Pay application fee of $45 per adult application – all application fees are non-refundable.
If multiple applications are received for the same home, we will process all applications in the order they are received until we have an approved applicant.
All conditions of the application process must be met for applicant to receive an approval.
Applying for a home does not guarantee its availability.
A property is still considered available until it is removed from the CrestCore website.

Applications

Each occupant over 18 years of age must complete an application and show valid government issued ID or proof of legal residence status with a visa.

Providing false and /or misleading information are grounds for rejection of an application and loss of any application fee and a basis for termination of the lease if subsequently discovered.

Any co-signers must complete the application process and prove income 4x the monthly rent.

Identification

CrestCore requires a verification of identity for applicants over 18 years of age. The following are considered valid forms of identification:

US Drivers License
US Passport
US Government issued ID card
US Visa

Income Requirements

Applicants must provide proof of monthly net income equal to a minimum of 3 times the monthly rent. [EXCEPTION: On homes with monthly rent less than $500, applicants must provide proof of monthly net income equal to a minimum of 2 times the monthly rent.]

Income will be verified by one or more of the following as required by management:
Paystubs for a minimum of the last 30 days for each applicant.
Self-employed must submit prior years filed tax return and P/L statement.
Offer letter from new employer with contact information for verification.
Official records proving retirement, disability, social security, alimony, pension and or child support benefits etc.

Rental History Requirements

If negative rental history (including, but not limited to, evictions, late payments, current, or past outstanding debts to previous landlords, etc.) is found, then application may be denied, or subject to an increased security deposit, at the CrestCore’s sole discretion.

If CrestCore is unable to verify rental history, the security deposit requirement shall be equal to 2 months’ rent.

Criminal Background Checks

Criminal background checks will be performed on each applicant.

Credit History Requirements

Applicants with credit scores under 500 or applicants without established credit are subject to Crestcore’s sole discretion to determine if income and background are sufficient to approve the application.

CrestCore may require an increased security deposit for credit scores under 500.

Approval with Conditions

Applications may be approved with conditions if it is determined that income, credit or rental history requirements are not met. Applicants will be required to pay an additional security deposit.

Occupancy Standards

CrestCore abides by occupancy standards based on 2 persons per bedroom.

Pet Policy

All pets must be disclosed on the application and approved by CrestCore.
Maximum of 2 pets allowed in a property which accepts pets.
No pets over 65lbs or aggressive breeds.
A $250 non-refundable pet fee will be assessed per approved pet.

Form of Payment

Application fees may be paid online at the time of application or may be paid at the CrestCore leasing office. No application will be processed until fees are paid.

All deposits and first month’s rent must be made in the form of money order, certified funds and/or cashier’s check or a combination thereof.

PLEASE NOTE: We will not accept cash payments of any kind.

Equal Housing Opportunity Statement

We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.

We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.

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Talk to a Human

Call us at (901) 641-0800 during business hours.

We guarantee that a team member will be on the other end to answer any questions you may have.

Brian Bouler

Director of IT

Brian Bouler is an Information Technology Specialist, who provides ways to improve efficiencies, lower costs, and reduce downtime from tech-related issues.

Brian has 24 years of retail management experience in which he learned the skills necessary to reduce costs, get more done with less, and meeting ever-changing deadlines. He knows how to engage and empower his team to achieve desired results as well as using system resources to be more efficient.

Prior to coming to CrestCore, Brian helped raise money for Red Nose Day, a charity organization that raises money for children living in poverty. His effort was awarded a chance to be part of the Red Nose Day special in Los Angeles, CA. Brian volunteers at the local Ronald McDonald house where he is able to extend his passion for helping children in need to helping families in need.

Brian holds a BS in Information Technology from Western Governor’s University and is working towards completing his Masters’ Degree in Information Technology Management.

How are my properties set up in the CrestCore management system?

You begin by signing our Management Agreement which contains a list of your property addresses. We will create an owner portal for you on the CrestCore website where you will receive all communication and documentation. A user guide will be uploaded immediately so you can begin to use the portal right away (click here to view the Owner Portal login screen).

Once my property is in the system what can I expect?

If your property is vacant, we will have our Maintenance department do an evaluation to determine its readiness for leasing. It is our policy, depending on the area, to pull the A/C condenser, cage the A/C unit or leave it as-is. We also board up the windows in vacant properties (at our discretion) to protect your investment. If repair work is required you will be notified and receive a quote for your approval prior to any work being done. If the property is occupied we will contact the tenant immediately to make arrangements to collect the rent.

For more information about vacant property policies and procedures, please see the “Maintenance” and “More About Vacant Properties” sections below.

Who do I contact if I have questions or concerns?

CrestCore has a dedicated Client Services department for your convenience. You may contact Client Services during normal business hours (9AM to 5PM CST Monday through Friday) via email at clientservices@crestcore.com, the Comment area in the Owner Portal, or by phone at 901-385-3119 ext 4.

How is the rent rate set?

Target rent is set using current market analysis and internal statistics. We have developed a proprietary tool that utilizes our 2,000+ property database to accurately assess market conditions. All target rents must be approved by the property owner.

How do you get a tenant for my property?

We maintain a large staff of full-time Leasing Agents along with a dedicated Leasing department to market our managed properties. In addition we advertise the property on the CrestCore website (click here to view the For Rent section of our website) as well as many others like the local MLS, Zillow, Trulia, Hot Pads, Craigslist, etc. A CrestCore For Rent sign will also be placed in the front yard.

When a prospective tenant completes an application to lease the property we put them through an extensive qualification process including, credit check, rental history check, criminal background check, income and identification verification. The time it takes to get the property leased will vary. You will receive weekly updates in your owner portal.

How long does the tenant stay in the property?

Typically, we write our leases for one 12-month period. However, we may write a longer lease with your permission. When a tenant wishes to renew at the end of their term, we will renew the lease for another 12-month period if they have performed according to the conditions of the original lease and you allow them to stay. Sometimes a tenant may remain in the property on a Month-to-Month basis. We require a 30-day notice for all move outs.

What happens if the tenant does not pay the rent?

You will receive monthly updates on rent payments received as well as late payments. Rent is due on the 1st of the month and considered late on the 6th day of the month. Late fees are retained by CrestCore to cover the cost of collections and court appearances.If the rent goes unpaid after the 17th day of the month in which it is due, our Payments & Collections department will send you notice of pending legal action (FED). Charges to cover the court cost and attorney fees start around $225. We only use professional eviction attorneys to handle all evictions. You will have the option to stop the proceedings if you wish by the 20th of the month. The eviction process usually takes 30-45 days plus some additional time to remove the tenant from the property. There may be additional charges related to your case as well as securing the vacant property.For more detail on the eviction process, please see the “More About the Legal Process” section below.

How often do properties go vacant?

According to current statistics vacancy rate is less than 5%. Once a vacant property is refurbished, properties are usually re-leased within 30 to 45 days. We will do a weekly check of all vacant properties at no charge.

What happens to the security deposit when a tenant moves out?

Security deposits are held in an escrow account at Triumph Bank in Memphis, TN.When a tenant moves out, the security deposit is returned to them unless any of the following conditions exist:-They are past due on the rent.-They have unpaid fees.-They have not given proper notice as required.-They have left the property in unsatisfactory condition.Security deposits that are not returned to the tenant will be paid to the property owner.

Will I have to deal with complaints from tenants?

No, we attempt to satisfy tenants at the departmental level. When needed, we involve managers and the Principal Broker of CrestCore. Only after exhausting all avenues without resolution will we ask for your direct involvement.

What happens when work needs to be done on my property?

We handle all small repairs (under $500) as needed. You will be notified by email whenever a work order is opened for maintenance. If the repair is in excess of $500 we will notify you and ask for your permission to proceed. You will receive a written quote of the work to be done as well as itemized charges. CrestCore adds a 15% billing fee to the total of the approved invoice to cover management of the project and final inspection of the work. Once the work order is completed you will see the bill in your owner portal and you will receive a report for the closed work order. You do have the option to secure additional estimates from outside contractors on your own if you wish to do so.

What is the average cost of a repair?

About $125 on average.

Do I need to schedule lawn care if my property becomes vacant?

No, when properties become vacant we put them into our bi-weekly rotation for grass cutting. The charge for this service is around $46 per cut. As a property owner you are responsible to meet city code enforcement standards related to the condition of the lawn – charges from the City can be over $250 for violations.

What about air filters and yearly inspections?

We provide a bi-annual 22-point Inspection and Maintenance service. The following areas are covered.-HVAC system inspection and filter change-Roof inspection-Yard inspection-Exterior walls inspection-Interior inspection including cleanliness, electrical outlets, sink faucets, toilets, lights and fans, and signs of water damage to cabinets or ceilingsChange smoke detector batteries.The charge for this service is $80 per visit (Spring and Fall).Please watch our 3 Ways to Save Money on Maintenance video to learn more about reducing maintenance costs.

When do I receive my Owner Statements?

You will receive an email notice when your statement is available to view on your owner portal on the last business day of the month.

When do I receive my money?

You will receive an email notice that a payment to your account is pending. Checks are cut and direct deposits made on the last business day of the month (your bank may take 48-72hrs to post the direct deposit).On newly leased properties, there are two possible scenarios may apply.Month #1 there will be leasing expenses of 50% of the rents received and your monthly management fee. Your payment will be reduced by these amounts.Month #2 if the Tenant’s move in date was after the first of the month they will pay a prorated rent and this will affect the total payment you receive.You will be charged an on-going monthly management fee based on your Management Agreement.

What happens if my Statement shows a negative balance?

You may experience a month when expenses are greater than the income received. If this happens you can go to your owner portal and make a contribution to your account or mail a check to CrestCore to cover the negative balance. We do not accept credit card payments at this time.

More About the Legal Process

For 99% of our customers when a property becomes vacant, we rekey, board up the backside of the house, remove the AC (unless there is a cage), clean out the trash in the house and have the yard deep cleaned. These items all happen day 1-2. The only one not done this way is the trash-out and the yard cleaning but those usually happen within 72 hours.

Our goal is within 5 days we provide you with a scope of work and a quote. Most owners reply to the quote within 24 hours with either questions or approvals.

After approval, we schedule the work to be completed the following week. A work order will be created and the final quote along with pictures will be uploaded to your owner portal when the work is complete. For jobs under $3000, we inspect the job after the contractor has told us that he has completed the work.

For jobs over $3,000, we inspect the job 1-2 times during the rehab to ensure the contractors are following our scope of work and that the quality of work meets our standards.

After a job is complete, our Final Inspection Supervisor inspects the house, compares the work completed to what was scoped and then provides the contractor with a punch item list to complete. While at the house inspecting the property, the Final Inspection Supervisor takes Marketing Pictures and downloads them to DropBox. He also places a For Rent sign in the yard.

Once pictures are taken and the system is updated, our Marketing person uploads the pictures to the website and places the house for rent.

Once the house is published, the Licensed Real Estate Agents receive an automatic email that lets them know the house is on the market.

Agents show the house and have the applicant fill out an application online.

Our Leasing Coordinator receives an email every morning with all Applications ready for review and then runs a Background check which provides a credit score, criminal history, rental history and job history.

If Approved, the Applicant has 48 hours in order to pay a deposit otherwise the house goes to the next approved applicant. Once a deposit is paid, the applicant has 2 weeks in order to pay the rent and move in.

Once a tenant has signed a lease, we give ourselves 24 hours to remove the boards, install the AC unit, turn on the water, light the water heater and then check approximately 30 items in the house to ensure the tenant move-in experience is great.

More About Vacant Properties