Owner FAQs
Everything you need to know about working with Homeward — from getting started to managing your investment day to day. Can’t find your answer? Call us at 469-649-7666.
Getting Started
Once you sign a management agreement with Homeward, we begin our comprehensive onboarding process immediately. We schedule a property walk-through to assess condition, document the baseline state of every room and system with photos, and pull current rental comps for your neighborhood. From that assessment we deliver an optimal rent pricing recommendation within 1–2 business days. Once you approve the pricing, we launch marketing immediately. Most properties are live and receiving applications within one week of onboarding.
Our management agreement defines the scope of services Homeward provides, the management fee structure, our maintenance authorization threshold, owner responsibilities, and the terms for ending the agreement. We walk every new owner through it before signing and answer any questions directly. Contact us at 469-649-7666 or office@homewarddfw.com for full agreement details specific to your situation.
Yes — this is a very common situation. We handle owner transitions smoothly with no disruption to the existing tenancy. We review the current lease, collect all property documentation, establish the tenant in our portal, and take over all owner-facing and tenant-facing responsibilities from the agreed transition date. We’ll assess the existing lease terms and tenant history during onboarding so we can advise you on renewal strategy well in advance of the lease expiration date.
We don’t require a specific condition at intake, but we will be direct with you about what needs to be addressed before the property is ready to market. Properties with deferred maintenance, safety issues, or condition problems that would hinder leasing need to be remediated first. Our onboarding assessment will identify any such items. We’ll give you an honest evaluation — not a sales pitch — about what the property needs and what’s truly necessary versus optional.
Switching is straightforward. First review your current management agreement for any notice requirements — most require 30 days written notice. Once you’ve issued that notice, contact Homeward and we’ll coordinate the transition timeline. We handle the full transition: obtaining all property files, documentation, and security deposit records from your previous manager, establishing records in our system, and communicating the change to your tenant professionally.
Yes! Homeward was founded by investors, for investors. We’re not just property managers, we’re real estate investors just like you and have been in the trenches building our portfolio for decades. This is one of the reasons we take our role so seriously, we’re clients as well! You can learn more about our founders, portfolio, and ventures here.
Marketing & Leasing
Our marketing begins approximately 30 days before the property is available. We start with professional photography then syndicate your listing simultaneously to hundreds of rental platforms including Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, Realtor.com, HotPads, Zumper, Facebook Marketplace, and our own 30-year DFW tenant referral network. We handle all inquiries, schedule and conduct all showings, and manage the full application pipeline. You won’t receive a single leasing call.
In the DFW market, a well-priced, well-presented property typically leases within 2–4 weeks. The single biggest variable is pricing — properties priced at or slightly below market rent consistently lease faster than those priced above it. Our rental pricing analysis uses current comps for your specific neighborhood to recommend a price that maximizes both velocity and revenue. We’ll advise you honestly if your pricing expectation is going to extend your vacancy window.
Every adult applicant goes through our comprehensive screening process. Income must exceed 3x the monthly rent, verified via pay stubs or tax returns. A full credit report is reviewed for payment history, collections, and derogatory marks. Two years of rental history is required — we contact previous landlords directly. A criminal background check is run on all adult applicants. All pets require management and owner approval. A security deposit equal to one month’s rent is due at lease signing. Renters insurance with minimum $100,000 liability coverage is required throughout the lease term.
We conduct a Comparable Market Analysis specific to your property address — pulling active listings, recently leased comps, and vacancy data for homes that match your property’s bedroom count, square footage, condition, and neighborhood. We present you with a recommended rent range and a specific listing price recommendation. You make the final decision — but we’ll give you our honest assessment of how pricing above that range will impact your days-on-market and total vacancy cost.
Ongoing Management
Once your property is leased, Homeward takes full ownership of the operational relationship with your tenant. That includes collecting rent on the 1st, enforcing all lease provisions, managing all maintenance requests, coordinating with your HOA if applicable, conducting scheduled inspections, and managing lease renewals. We personally contact any tenant whose rent has not been received by the 4th of the month. You are informed and consulted on significant decisions — but you are never the one fielding calls at 10pm about a leaky faucet.
We conduct inspections at three key points in every tenancy: move-in with full condition documentation, mid-tenancy approximately 75 days before the lease anniversary, and move-out with full condition documentation for security deposit assessment. Each inspection is photographed and documented in a full report shared with you through your owner portal. All inspections are included in your monthly management fee — no additional charge.
We begin the renewal process 90 days before lease expiration. We assess the tenant’s payment history, property care, and current market rent levels, then present you with a renewal recommendation and proposed rent adjustment. If renewal is in your best interest, we initiate a renewal offer to the tenant at 60 days out, targeting a decision confirmation by 30 days out. If the tenant is not renewing, we begin marketing immediately — often before the tenant vacates — to minimize your vacancy window.
We take a proactive approach to delinquency. Rent is due on the 1st and late by the 3rd. On the 4th we personally contact any tenant who hasn’t paid. We issue required notices in compliance with Texas Property Code and pursue all collection remedies before initiating formal eviction proceedings. When eviction becomes necessary, Homeward manages the entire process — filing, serving notice, attending court hearings on your behalf, and coordinating the final writ of possession. Our rigorous upfront screening is specifically designed to minimize the likelihood of ever reaching this point.
We coordinate directly with your HOA on your behalf. This includes ensuring tenants are informed of and comply with all HOA rules and regulations, responding to HOA violation notices, and attending to any HOA-related communications. HOA rules are incorporated into the lease terms so tenants are bound by them from day one. You’ll want to provide us with your HOA’s contact information and CC&R documents during onboarding.
Maintenance & Repairs
Tenants submit non-emergency maintenance requests through their resident portal or by email. For emergencies, our maintenance line is available 24/7. All requests are logged, triaged, and assigned to an appropriate vendor from our network of licensed, insured professionals. You will never receive a late-night call from a tenant about a maintenance issue. You’ll be informed of significant repairs through your owner portal and monthly statement — and for any job above your pre-set authorization threshold, we contact you for approval before scheduling work.
Never. Homeward does not mark up contractor invoices. You are billed exactly what the vendor charges — nothing more. We maintain relationships with a vetted network of licensed, insured professionals who provide quality work at fair market rates. We make our money from the management fee, not from repair markups.
Yes — for anything above your pre-set maintenance authorization threshold. During onboarding we establish a threshold with you — typically $500. For any single repair job below that threshold, we authorize and coordinate the work directly to ensure prompt service for your tenant. For any job exceeding your threshold, we contact you before authorizing work. Exceptions apply to genuine emergencies where we act immediately and inform you right away.
In many cases yes — with some conditions. Any contractor working on your property must be licensed where applicable, carry current liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage, and be able to respond within our expected service timeframes. If your preferred vendor meets those requirements we’re happy to use them. We’ll need their license number, insurance certificates, and contact information for our files.
Financial & Fees
Homeward charges a single monthly percentage of collected rent — 10% for 1-2 properties, 9% for 3-4 properties, and 8% for 5 or more properties. That fee covers everything — onboarding, marketing, photography, tenant screening, lease execution, rent collection, maintenance coordination, inspections, monthly reporting, and lease renewals. Your rate adjusts automatically as your portfolio grows.
Owner disbursements are processed via ACH on the 10th of each month, or the first business day thereafter if the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday. You’ll receive your monthly owner statement through your portal at the same time, showing rent collected, any maintenance expenses, the management fee deduction, and your net distribution.
You have 24/7 access to your owner portal showing real-time rent status, recent maintenance activity, and your complete financial history. In addition you receive monthly owner statements with an itemized breakdown, a year-end financial summary for tax preparation, and 1099 documentation sent in January for the prior tax year.
No. Our fee is based on collected rent only. When the property is vacant, no management fee is charged. This directly aligns our incentives with yours — we are motivated to minimize your vacancy window because we don’t get paid until your property is leased and producing income.
Experience the Homeward Difference
Join the property owners across DFW who trust Homeward to protect their investment and maximize their returns.