Great Homes Realty: King Belinda

I have been renting from Great Homes Realty for 2 years as of the end of next month, and I have had a wonderful experience with this company. Maintenance has always been prompt; the Property Managers and Office Staff are courteous and kind; and they have had only minor rent increases each year. I have recommended the company to several of my friends.

Their policy for breaking your lease early is pretty strict (60 day notice, $300 fee, and you must pay one month's lost rent). Regardless, I would pick them if I had to do it all over again.

I lived in our two bedroom apartment for a year and a half. Overall, they weren't bad. Maintenance requests were handled promptly, for the most part. The only time it didn't was when our AC unit went out and we didn't have AC for a week when I was pregnant, but we managed. I had a pipe burst the first month I moved in, none to my fault obviously, and they did their best to absolve this in a timely fashion. Make sure you have a good renters policy who can put you up, though, because they won't help you (I couldn't live there during the repairs with my daughter because we had no access to the fridge or appliances). If you have issues, talk to Belinda and not the other person in the office - she was a lot nicer, easy to talk to, and made me feel heard and worked out solutions with me that I felt like was fair.

Be prepared you have the front the cost of A LOT of things I would deem as normal wear and tear and upkeep of a rental unit. You have to pay for the rekeying & locks, new keys for your mailbox at the post office, cleaning, painting, repairing holes, etc. I don't know the laws for rental properties, but it seems like a lot.

We broke our lease early because we bought a home and they were pretty accommodating on that. We moved out during the summer (peak season) and our lease renewed in the winter (non-peak season), so I think that is why they were willing to work something out with me. To break the lease it is a $300 fine. As I said before, a lot of what I would deem as normal wear a tear, I got fined for. There was dust on the blinds, and they charged me to clean those and other places in the apartment where dust settled. Either you pay a cleaning company to come in ( again, I think this is on them to do) or they charge you to have someone to come in.

The owner was supposed to transfer the utilities into his name, but never did. I had to call the utility companies and just shut them off a week after our "move out" date, which the new tenants should have already moved in at that point. They worked with me on that to reimburse me (I just have to send in the bills).

Overall, not terrible. Just speak to Belinda, shes WAY nicer and not rude. I paid on time, every month and was a good tenant - which is why I think I was able to work out accommodations with them when things came up.

They deserve zero stars. This place will screw you over and completely out of your security deposit. Judging by the other reviews before mine this should WARN YOU to NOT deal with them. During the time I had to deal with them they were extremely rude, didn't respond to maintenance requests. I left the place in better shape than it was given to me in. When I moved in they had not cleaned the place, it was missing keys, window locks, etc. I repaired and replaced these due to the fact it took the maintenance weeks to show up. Come the day you go to move out. They will charge you for everything and send your pictures of stuff that was not there when you moved out. I had professional cleaners come through and even provided the receipt and pictures of the entire house before moving out and they still charged for cleaning and many other "miscellaneous charges" that were complete lies. STAY AWAY FROM these crooks.

1 star because it would not let me leave less than 1 star. They are currently trying to steal our security deposit even though we returned the house to them in much better condition than we received it but we forgot some paper towels and paper plates in the kitchen. If you rent from them document everything with pictures when you move in or they will steal you security deposit!

These people are crooks. Place was left in better condition than front side of lease. They steal your deposit with over priced house cleaning, carpet clinging, lock changes, repairs and any other charges they can think off. Snap your fingers and $1500 gone. Amazing how miserable some people can be. Low life's!