Frequently Asked Questions

We manage single family homes, townhomes and condos. We also manage apartment buildings.

We do not manage home owner associations, vacation rentals and mobile homes.

Our offices are in Bowie. We manage properties located in Prince George’s County, Anne Arundel County and Montgomery County.

Silver River has been operating under one ownership since 2002. It is incorporated in the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the Secretary of State. Dan Stein, the company president, is also licensed by the Maryland Real Estate Commission (lic. #833). Silver River also holds membership in the National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM), the American Apartment Owners Association (AAOA), the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors (GCAAR).

Perhaps the answer to this question is best said by quoting one of the owners using our services: ". . . excellence at a competitive price. Who could ask for more?" We at Silver River Property Management never forget that a big part of our success depends on the time and money we save the owners and investors who use our services. Our owners trust us to be able to quickly fill their vacancies with quality tenants and to maintain a vendor list of low-cost but capable handymen and other service providers. We adhere to the regular and timely disbursement of funds to owner accounts, with a clear and accurate monthly reporting system. Owners know they are saving with Silver River Property Management.


Many real estate companies offer property management as a side business to complement the primary focus of the company, namely real estate sales. However, Silver River Property Management exists with the primary focus to provide excellent, cost-effective property management services.

Various factors will determine the amount of rent you can get for your property: Location, condition, square footage, number of bedrooms and baths, and general curb appeal will contribute to determine the best rental rate for a property. It is part of our job to visit the property in order to make a good assessment and quote a fair rate. Arriving at the best rental rate is a formulaic process that takes specific factors into account. This is one of those areas where there is no substitute for experience, and Silver River Property Management has the knowledge to make the best decisions. Naturally, any rate we recommend is subject to the owner's approval.

Finding good tenants is one of our highest priorities. Even during vacancies, we know that owners still have mortgages, taxes and insurance to pay. During vacancies, the cost of utilities are also charged to the owner. There are often additional expenses -- for example, lawn care that would otherwise be the responsibility of the tenant now becomes an owner expense. If necessary, we will recommend cosmetic repairs to enhance the appeal of the property in order to better attract tenants and get a better rental rate.

Once a property becomes available, we immediately promote it on the Metropolitan Regional Information Systems (MRIS) MLS to alert the thousands of real estate agents helping tenants find a place to live. We also post on Craigslist, YouTube, zillow.com, trulia.com, realtor.com, hotpads.com, and numerous other active real estate sites targeting renters in Maryland. In the case of tenants who are moving out soon, we begin this process at least two weeks before they move out.

Once a property has been listed, owners will receive an email daily, with a detailed report on the number of showings their specific property is getting, including valuable feedback from agents and their customers.

We have found that there is a very high correlation between timely rent payments and good care of a property. Still, we recommend an inspection once a year. During our inspection we check to make sure that tenants are abiding by the lease and that there are no threats to the value of the property. We also check for such infractions as additional persons, unauthorized pets, maintenance problems, potential fire hazards or other potentially suspect conditions.

Special note: Every property we manage must comply with minimum standards for health and safety. We also strictly adhere to laws regarding fair housing.

We make sure our tenants know we represent a landlord who expects rent payments on time. We also make sure they know that we have a zero tolerance policy on late payments. Our leases clearly state that rent is due on the first day of the month. As a courtesy, we give them until the fifth day of the month to make their payment, without penalty. However, any rent not paid by the fifth incurs a 5% penalty. Payments not received by the tenth day will trigger court action. We do not hesitate to file a case with the District Court, and a judge will send out the sheriff to personally post a notice ordering tenants to appear in court on a specific date as ordered by the judge. Tenants who experience this once or twice usually get the message and change their behavior.

Worse case, if tenants still do not pay, we will show up on the court date as the owner's representative. If the tenants still do not pay, even though they were ordered to do so by the judge, we quickly advance the process leading to eviction. The best way to avoid all this is by choosing the right tenants from the beginning. Our track record of eviction occurrences on properties we manage is less than 1%.

The simple answer to this question: as informed as you want to be. Owners have the choice to be kept informed of all communications with their tenants. Once we receive rents, they are quickly disbursed to owners via direct deposit to their account or mailed to them. Owners can go online 24/7 to get real-time reports on their property via a password-protected login. At the request of owners, reports can also be mailed or emailed each month.

Maintenance costs are a reality in real estate. In selecting our vendors, cost is a very important criteria, but vendors must also be capable of providing excellent work without needing to be called back for repairs that were not done right. They must also be of reputable character and dependable to do the work when they say they will do it and complete the job in the timeframe originally promised. We maintain a vendor list where we track their performance and fees.

When we receive a maintenance request we notify owners if they opted to be kept informed on all matters. We contact vendors from our preferred vendor list regarding the maintenance item. Tenants appreciate how swift we are in getting things repaired. Part of our good track record of tenant lease renewals is related to our efforts to keep good tenant relations.

We like to hold $300 - $400 in our property escrow account to be able to quickly resolve any small issues as they may come up from time to time. Nevertheless, it is our policy to notify the owner of even small maintenance needs before proceeding to authorize any work.

Our management contract with you specifically spells out in writing that we must notify you as the owner before spending your money.

If you have a preferred plumber or handyman, we will be happy to call on that person. Thanks for the referral!

Yes. This takes a lot of the unpredictability out of maintenance costs. We've had the experience of working with different warranty programs. Naturally some are better than others. We will use your warranty company if you have one. We can also recommend some of the better performing, low-cost warranty programs if you like.

Pools create an additional liability. Nevertheless, pools can add value to a property if managed correctly. There are laws regarding proper fencing around pools, and these must be complied with. We strongly recommend a maintenance contract with a pool service that regularly cleans them, applies chemicals, and provides seasonal startup and closedown services. The cost of the service should be added to the tenants' rent.

Generally, within 48 hours of deposits clearing our accounts.

Yes, via direct deposit into your account. This is the fastest way for access to your funds, though we continue to offer to send a check via the mail for those who prefer.

You will receive a ledger each month that itemizes all rents received, expenses incurred if any, and the balance of funds in the account. In those months where money was spent on any repairs, a copy of the receipt will also be attached. Additionally, we are happy to answer any questions you may have at any time. Simply call or send us an email.

o 7% of gross monthly income (Management page says 8%)
o Never more than $175.00 in the case of higher priced rentals (Management page says $199.00)
o No fee for the first month of management services (for a limited time)
o No long-term contracts
o No upfront fees
o No fees during periods of property vacancy
o No fees for the cost of advertising vacancies
o No add-on percentage or fees for owner-approved improvements/repairs
o Fast disbursement of funds to owner accounts
o 6% on properties with 4-20 units (Management page says 7%)
o 5% on properties with 21 or more units (Management page says 6%)

We charge 75% of one month's rent. This is a one-time fee.

We know that our property management services meet the highest standards and our fees are quite competitive. We are proud of the quality of services we provide our owners. We do not negotiate our fees.

Yes. We use the form recommended by the local board of realtors. This assures fairness to all parties, and owners don't have to worry unnecessarily about the 'small print.'

Security deposits are held by Silver River. Maryland law requires that security deposits be held in separate escrow savings accounts. The law is very strict on this, and severe penalties can apply to anyone who does not comply.

Our standard security deposit is equal to one month's rent. There are some circumstances under which we will require two month's rent, as in the case of tenants with borderline credit. It is against the law to hold security deposits totaling more than two month's rent.

We never give out your contact information. If tenants do research and somehow are able to contact you directly, simply refer them back to us.

Call us or send an email. We will be happy to hear from you and glad to discuss any concerns you may have.

Call us anytime. Feel free to be connected directly with our president, Dan Stein. Dial 301-352-0098 ext. 703. You can also contact us via email at support@SilverRiverPM.com.