FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

• Property Managers, Real Estate Investors, and Real Estate Brokers.

• Schedule a call, send an email, or a quick chat message.  New clients typically speak with their Account Manager once or twice a week during the first couple of weeks/months for training purposes, after which, we can manage everything unless there is a unique situation that needs to be discussed.
• Overall, we recommend you speak with your  Account Manager at least once a month just to check-in.

• Our Team works with any property management and/or accounting software that our Client uses.  If we don’t know the software, we can learn it. If you don’t have one yet, we can recommend one!  That being said, we are familiar with Buildium, AppFolio, Rent Manager, Propertyware, Tenant Cloud, Rentec Direct, Yardi, Quickbooks, Xero, WaveApps, and more.

• Of course! We leverage best practices from our client base as well as our time in the Big 4 to ensure you have scalable systems and processes in place. 
• When you grow, we’ll further build out your Team to manage the increased workflow.

• Virtual Meeting (Zoom, Google Meeting, etc.), Phone, Email, or Chat Message.

• Our onboarding includes basic property management training (tenant coordination, leasing, work order management) and training on the client’s designated property management software (Appfolio, Buildium, Yardi, etc.).Clients are expected to train their VAs on their systems, processes, and software outside of property management software. In cases where the client would like us to help them set up standard operating procedures and/or manage their VA, we can do so at the rate of $20/hr.

• Our VAs are already paid very well. Our past experience has shown that if you start offering bonuses for just doing their job, then it becomes an expectation that causes issues in the future.Eg: If you cancel and we want to transfer the VA to another client that doesn’t offer said bonuses.We appreciate the gesture but we don’t work with commissions or bonuses, just the one flat monthly fee.

Assigned Team Members abide by OptimalBooks PTO and Vacation Time Policies which allow for 2 weeks of PTO and 6 Paid Holidays.

We ask that clients be flexible so that your VA can rest and continue to be a great Team Member.

• In the unlikely scenario that a VA quits, we will recruit and assign another candidate with the highest priority, at no cost.Honestly speaking, we very rarely have this happen – treat them well, and they’ll stick around for a very long time.In preparation for this unlikely event, we encourage the VA to document the onboarding process and training they receive when first onboarded to ensure a smooth transition.

• Yes, this is encouraged.

• We ask that VAs provide 1 or 2 weeks notice prior to taking time off. However, as this is a human-powered service we can never guarantee unforeseen time-off requests.For unforeseen time-off requests, we may be able to provide clients with a basic level of support for the day/days the VA is away.

We recommend clients set up a weekly cadence with their VAs to discuss work completed and upcoming tasks/deliverables. We also monitor, track, and record login and logout times on the days your VA is allocated to work to ensure attendance.

• All of our Team Members are set up with their own OptimalBooks branded virtual phone numbers. However, we recommend you set up a company branded virtual phone number for each of your VAs so your tenants, vendors, and owners see them as part of your Team.

• Of course! Just let us know what your situation is (months or years behind) and we’ll get started bringing you back to current.

• Property Management Company Financial Statements including Income Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement.

• Property-level income statements and balance sheets.

• Owner Statements.
• Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable Reports.
• Custom Reporting as required by the client.

• An overview of your business’s systems and protocols, read-only access to your bank/credit card accounts, access to your accounting and/or property management software, and any other platforms that you would like us to work with.

• Yes, $20/hour with a $300/month minimum (roughly 3.5 hours per week).

• Yes, we can e-file both 1099s and tax returns in any state; Clients pay applicable filing fees.

• Given the seasonality of 1099 preparation (end of year only), it is paid separately from monthly bookkeeping.