Management Services FAQs
Zona Properties’ seasoned certified property manager and team are equipped to handle all of your commercial and residential property management concerns. Based out of Monroe County, we specialize in managing 1-100 unit buildings, single-family homes, and small office buildings.
Read below for the most frequently asked questions to learn more.
Company Background
How long have you been in business?
30 consecutive years. The company was founded in 1993.
How many properties and tenants do you manage?
140 properties with 367 tenants
How many clients do you have?
111 Owners
Do you own any properties yourself?
Not at the present time but the company owner, Richard Zona, did own quite a few multi-family properties.
What types of properties do you manage?
We manage all types of residential properties from single family homes, 2 family, multi-family (3 or more units each) up to small complexes (40, 50 or 60 unit properties) and light commercial properties (storefronts) in all areas of the City of Rochester and surrounding towns.
What licenses/designations do you have?
Richard Zona is a NYS licensed Real Estate broker (30 years)
He also holds the ARM designation (Accredited Real Estate Manager) from the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the CAM designation (Certified Apartment Manager) From the National Apartment Association (NAA).
Syrtraina Gause is a NYS licensed Real Estate broker and has worked at Zona Properties for 17 years
Systems and Process
Do you manage both short-term and long-term rentals?
Our main vehicle is long term management with possible shorter periods depending on the circumstances.
How is your team made up?
We have four people in the office handling all aspects of management including collections, maintenance and accounting. We also have several independent contractors in the field handling all maintenance issues as well as several rental agents filling vacant apartments.
What software program do you use? Does it provide owner and tenant portals?
We use Appfolio and it does provide owner and tenant portals for access.
Owner Communication
Who would be my primary contact?
Syrtraina Gause is our operations manager but you would have access to every member of the staff, even maintenance contractors by phone (M-F 9-4:30 EST), by email (24/7) and through your portal (24/7).
When do I get paid?
We process our first run of owner’s checks on the 10th of the month. If we receive more money on your property after the 10th we repeat the process on subsequent Fridays in that month so you could receive multiple checks and statements throughout the month. We can pay you by check or by direct deposit and send your statements by mail or email.
What do you expect of me as an owner?
What we expect from you is honesty in what you want in a property manager. Quick/immediate reimbursement to Zona Properties of any funds that are expended by us on your behalf if your property balance goes below our agreed upon limits.
Fee Structure
What are your management fees?
This depends on the number of units (not buildings) that we are managing for an individual owner. If an owner has a property or properties with a total of 1-8 units the management fee is 10%. If the number in one or multiple properties total 9-15 units the fee is 9%. If an owner has over 15 units, the fee would be 8%. For owners that have a larger number of units (30 or more) the fee may be negotiated even lower.)
What do your management fees cover?
Everything except maintenance charges. This includes rent collection, tenant relations, accounting, maintenance supervision, city/town inspections and everything else related to day-to-day operations of the property.
Do you charge to rent a vacant unit?
Yes we charge a flat fee of $425 no matter what the amount of rent is for the unit. This covers advertising, showing the apartment, screening the applicant, executing the lease and moving the applicant into the unit.
Do you charge a management fee if the property is vacant or there are no rents collected? If so, why?
Yes. There is a minimum monthly management fee of $50 for single family properties or $75 for multifamily properties.
While the property is vacant or tenants are not paying rent we, as a management company are still responsible for caring for the property, the tenants, communicating with the owner, dealing with the city, overseeing a possible eviction and responding to emergencies.
Do you charge for renewing a tenant's lease?
No.
What is your late fee policy?
We charge a tenant $50 if the rent is not paid by the 7th of the month. All collected late fees are paid to the owner when collected.
Leasing Procedures
How long does it take to fill a vacancy?
This varies depending on the time of year, price of the rental, condition of the apartment, etc. Usually, 30 days is a fair estimate.
How do you screen prospective tenants?
Every applicant fills out a rental application. We call all references, landlords (present & past), employment, and personal. We check for any past arrests or evictions and also pull a credit report to verify information from the rental application.
Do you put tenants on a year or month-to-month term?
All tenants are put on a written lease with spells out not only the terms of rent payments but also how they are to take care of the apartment. Depending on the owners wishes the term is sometime month to month or for one year.
Do you accept a tenant/landlord agreement for tenants that receive social service assistance in lieu of a cash security deposit?
No. Every tenant is required to pay a cash security deposit equal to one month’s rent before they move in. All security deposits are held by the property management company in escrow.
Maintenance Procedures
What is the best way for tenants to reach you if they have a maintenance issue?
Tenants can call the office during normal business hours Monday through Friday, fill out a maintenance request on our website or through their portal or if it is an emergency after hours, call our 24/7 emergency phone number.
Is there an extra charge for emergency maintenance calls?
Yes, if the emergency call is after normal business hours there is an additional charge of $45 added to the bill for the repair.
What if the issue is called by the tenant?
If it is determined that the issue is caused by the tenant’s negligence, we still have to charge the owner for the repair as the owner, by law, is always responsible for maintaining the property but the office informs the tenant of the maintenance persons determination and that the tenant will be charged for the repair. When the tenant pays for what is owed the funds are given to the owner to reimburse him for the repair.
Who do use for maintenance?
We have several independent contractors that have dedicated the majority of their business to Zona Properties. They have worked with the company for many years. We designate them as handymen but if we need a licensed electrician or plumber etc., we have several on call that charge lower rates for any work they do for us. All work done by the handymen and licensed technicians is checked or verified by Zona Properties for completeness and quality.
What is your definition of an emergency?
We consider a maintenance call an emergency if it puts the building or the tenant in a situation that endangers either the property or the tenant. If the call is considered an emergency, we send out a maintenance technician immediately. If the tenant’s call is not considered an emergency we try first to talk the tenant through the repair. Otherwise we set up an appointment with our technician to have the repair handled (usually within 24 hours).
Phone/Email
Phone: (585) 506-9430
Fax: (585) 506-9432
Email: dick.zona@zonaproperties.com
Mailing Address
Zona Properties, Inc.
P.O. Box 17937
Rochester, New York 14617
Office Address
251 Joseph Ave./Wilson Commencement Park
Rochester, NY 14605