OTHER ITEMS OF SERVICE:

House Cleans

We will schedule all cleans in your home and bill you on a monthly basis (retrospectively). The cost of each clean is $65 for a 3 bed/2 bath and $70 for a 4 bed/2 bath. A further $5 will apply for each bedroom, bathroom or family room. As an option, you may wish to take advantage of the Spring Clean Service. The charge for this will be $100 - $120. This service is ideal for those who may not visit their home as regularly as others or who want to just relax when they are on holiday. We recommend a Spring Clean every 3-4 months.

Minor Repairs / Maintenance

Minor repairs and maintenance will be scheduled only after your approval. The basic charge for jobs not requiring professional tradesmen will be $35 per hour plus parts at cost only. The exception to this rule is in the case of a real emergency – if your home requires immediate attention (eg, broken window, burst pipe, etc.) the Manager will arrange sufficient repair to overcome the problem. This may be without your prior approval if the situation needs urgent action or if the cost is not over $50.

Pest Control and Extended Lawn Care

Although optional, we strongly recommend this service which costs $20 per month – it will save you a fortune in the long run. It does not include termite protection; this can be arranged for you separately. Similarly, the extended weed, feed and yard pest service costing just $15 per month is well worth it.

Start Up Service

New homeowners will be unfamiliar with many of the legal requirements and local customs. It is essential that your home is set up correctly right from the beginning, otherwise small problems can get ‘blown’ out of proportion. We will provide a start up service at a cost of $100. For this we will assist you to be properly licensed, registered for tax, connected to all utilities and bills deducted directly from your bank account. We will also ensure that the telephone is connected to a credit card payment scheme for your clients. Finally, we will connect you to cable TV. Please note that this fee does not include any additional items/services that may be required (e.g., fire extinguisher, dead-bolts, key lock boxes, electronic thermostat, utility deposits, etc.), however, you will be advised of any additional cost before it is incurred. We try to take the worry away from you so that you can enjoy your holiday.

Renter Options

As well as the comprehensive service we have already outlined, we are able to provide a number of other services for people renting your home at additional cost, these include:

• Airport meets and greets service
• Cots, high chairs, lay-away beds
• Welcome packs
• Pool heating switched on or off ($10 per time)
• Weddings / blessing arranged

Partnerships are the Key to Our Success

We look upon our relationship with you as a working partnership. As homeowners ourselves, we know how important it is to have confidence in your management company. Another key ‘Partnership’ is our relationship with the statutory authorities. We comply with the State of Florida’s new standards and ethics for management companies — this is completely voluntary but we believe it proves our commitment to you, the homeowner. What does this mean for you? Quite simply, we are the best. We will be honest with you and apply ethics to the way we work. Furthermore, our records are there for you to examine at any time. Finally, although we are growing because of our good reputation, we promise that we will not get too large so that we lose that personal touch. Please remember our promise to you is to remain focused on your needs and aspirations.

Answers to Your Three Main Concerns

How do I keep in touch with what is happening in my home when I am 100s or 1,000s of miles away? New Horizons is based both in Florida and in the United Kingdom – you can contact your Property Supervisor either through email or directly by telephone. Your Property Supervisor is your “eyes and ears” and will report back to you regularly. Likewise, he/she is on hand to deal with any queries or problems your clients may have. Also, our new Property Plus computer system allows us to keep in touch with you through the Internet. You can view your latest account information, receive inspection reports, and maintain your bookings calendar at the touch of a few buttons.

Will I get enough bookings to cover my costs?
How you fair will depend on several things: how much work you put into it, whether the home you are buying is covered by the Rental Program, where you have purchased your home, how much time you wish to spend there and whether you intend taking up all the ‘peak season’ times. However, these are the things we do to help make this decision a dream of a lifetime as well as a sound investment:
• We include you in our rental program and offer additional support over the first few months
• We issue you with a FREE booklet full of facts and information on how to rent your home
• We provide you with a ‘starter pack’ so that you can start advertising / networking immediately

How do I keep control of the expenditure on my property when I am so far away?
As mentioned previously, you can keep tabs on things through the Internet and unlike many others; we do not ask you to open an Escrow Account with us. New Horizons will not have control of your funds – you will! We will not spend any of your money without your prior approval – no unexpected bills for services you are not sure have been carried out, only minor or emergency work is done without permission if we cannot get hold of you.

How are we different from most other Home Management Companies?
Our Company was set up by Florida Home Owners for Florida Home Owners. Having owned homes in the Sunshine State since the early nineties, we realized some companies were more concerned about making money than taking care of the properties. For this reason we set about establishing our own property management company. The information that follows will hopefully satisfy your concerns; however, if you should have any other questions relating to the management of your home please do not hesitate to contact us.

What Services Will We Provide?
Our home management service will charge a monthly fee of $275 which includes:

• Weekly pool cleaning service, including filter, decking, patio furniture and chemical balance
  
• Lawn care including borders, trees and flower beds (pest control, weed & feed are extra)
  
• 24 hour emergency cover for your clients, call out fees will be charged separately
  
• Contacting your guests during their stay (when possible) to ensure they are have no problems
  
• Inspect your home and report back any problems
  
• Arrange repairs and maintenance (seeking your permission before work is carried out)
  
• Clear garbage found on your property following a rental (excessive garbage may be charged)
  Schedule all cleans of the property
  
• Identify licensing and tax issues
  
• Monitor the performance of contractors, e.g., cleaners, pool and lawn care
  
• Provide a lock box service for your arriving clients
  
• Place your home in the property rental program
  
• Replace light bulbs from owners supply when required
  
• Check fire extinguishers comply with the law (re-tagging and recharging at additional cost)
  
• Check smoke detectors on a regular basis
  
• Notify you of any renter damage as soon as we discover it
  
• Provide you with a step-by-step guide to paying Florida State and the County taxes
  
• Internet access to your records is available (a small monthly maintenance fee of $5 is payable)
  
• Pool heating payment is collected and the heater switched on or off for a fee of $10 each time