Listing Your Home for Rent: We will provide you with the necessary paperwork for you to fill in and return to us. This information is essential in order to make an accurate representation of your property to prospective tenants.

Karen M. Overtoom Real Estate Responsibilities: Our rental department will handle all the advertising, show your property, and confirm availability. We will also process the necessary lease paperwork and collect all payments and deposits.

A deposit equal to one-half the total rent is due from your tenants with the return of the lease agreements. The deposit, less our full commission, will be mailed to you upon receipt. The balance of the rent, plus security deposit, is due 60 days prior to the commencement of the lease. If a reservation is made less than 30 days in advance, full payment will be required and the full rental payment, less our full commission, will be mailed to you.

Security Deposit: Karen M. Overtoom Real Estate will collect a security deposit of at least 15% of the rental fee, unless otherwise agreed upon with you prior to the signing of the lease agreement. Karen M. Overtoom will not always inspect your home after each tenant. Unless we are notified of a problem by the person responsible for checking your home on change-over days, security deposits need to be returned to tenants within 60 days of departure. If there has been damage done to the property or if it has been left in poor condition, we need to be notified right away. It may be helpful to state any issues in writing, as well as to have representative photographs.

Cleaning Services: Hire a professional to thoroughly clean your home at the start of the rental season. Kitchen cabinets, carpets, window sills, and windows should be included in the cleaning. Arrange to have a cleaning service come in to clean between tenants. The rental department can supply you with a list of names and phone numbers of housekeepers and cleaning companies. We will need to know whether the cleaning fee is included in the rental fee or paid in addition to it.

Helpful Instructions on Your Rental Home: You should provide a complete list of instructions for your tenants on such things as rubbish removal. Pick-up should be explained and pick-up days indicated. Rubbish stickers should be left for the tenants use.

You should also provide a list of instructions for you tenants on how appliances operate, alarm codes if applicable, how to reach your caretaker, and any other pertinent information regarding your home.

It is also a thoughtful addition to leave a notebook or letter for your tenants welcoming them to your home and telling them about your favorite activities, points of interest, restaurants and beaches - the things that, for you, make your time on the Vineyard special and unique. Leaving a bulletin board or guestbook where each tenant can leave you and your subsequent tenants notes back is also a successful technique. It helps to connect you and the tenant more personally and can invest them more in your home and in being careful to leave it as they find it.

Pets and Smoking: Because of the adverse effect on allergy sufferers, it is best not to allow renters to bring their pets. Our lease does stipulate a “no smoking” restriction.

Once again, thank you so much for choosing to rent your home through Karen M. Overtoom Real Estate. Rest assured that we we will do everything possible to insure a smooth rental season for you and for your tenants.