Update 3/29/2020:

Real estate brokers can now meet clients at properties in the capacity of a "residential sales broker" if absolutely necessary, as long as no more than two people (including the broker) meet inside the property at one time. There is not yet any allowance for property managers to perform any other services outside of their homes except for the purpose of maintaining and securing properties under their oversight.

From 3/27/2020:

Please view the video above for information regarding tenant rights and options to pay rent during the Covid-19 Coronavirus crisis.

Take Stock of Something More Than Toilet Paper. Watch the video below...

Covid to FPU

 

Covid-19 Tenant Update:

Hello, I'm Matthew Plummer, CEO of MVP Realty Group. I hope this message finds you healthy and safe in your homes. Here at MVP Realty Group we are all working hard to stay on top of the ever changing situation we all find ourselves together but distanced in.

As a real estate firm the Governor has declared that we are NOT an essential business and so we, like many of you, are struggling to find ways to continue operating our business while adhering to the order to stay home. This means no meeting with clients and no showing homes, which as I'm sure you can imagine places a virtual halt on our business and revenue. Some of you might be experiencing challenges with your work and income as well and we empathize. We are still working online and over the phone, and we are allowed by law to visit the property in the case of an emergency and the keep the property secure and maintained for you.

There is a lot of misinformation out there right now, and so I hope to serve as a factual source of information to you as this Covid-19 situation evolves. On March 18th Governor Inslee signed an emergency order that prohibits eviction actions specifically for non-payment of rent, but only until April 17, 2020. Nothing in the order relieves tenants from their obligation to pay rent and applicable late fees. As of the recording of this message, there have been no updates to this order and, though The U.S. Senate passed a $2 trillion COVID-19 economic relief package that is said to include a one-time payment of $1,200 to most adults and $500 per child, there is no telling if and when that will actually arrive.

Please understand that, as your property manager, we have concern for everyone we serve, you our tenants and the owners of the homes you live in. It's important too that you know that we don't serve any large corporate property holding companies. The home you live in is owned by another real person who is likely struggling the same you might be and relies upon your rent to not only keep the property maintained but to also pay the property taxes and in almost every case, a mortgage payment. And, so far, there is no relief in sight for them either.

So, as we like to say here at MVP, let's get on the solution side to this. Almost all of our tenants pay their rent online from their bank accounts through their resident portals. We now have the capability of accepting credit cards for payment and, though the credit card processing company charges a fee, it is less than a third of what the late fee would be if rent is not paid by the end of the grace period in your lease. We have already had a few tenants ask us if we might be able to arrange some kind of payment plan for the rent in the case they cannot pay, and using your credit card to make your payment is going to be a much better and more manageable payment plan than any of our rental owners could possibly offer, so use your credit card if you have to. If for some reason you haven't yet setup or used the ePay option in your resident portal, please don't wait to the last minute to contact us if you need any help setting it up.

There may be other sources of financial assistance available to you, such as your church or the United Way. Communication during this time is key. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and we will do our best to update you as new information comes available. In every challenge there is something to learn, and I invite you to follow this link to discover more about what we can do to better prepare for the next crisis that comes our way.

Stay home, stay safe and God bless.