After 30 years of investing in and managing real estate, Orta has a keen, well-balanced perspective in what can often be a demanding business. “I have clients, and I have customers,” he explains. “For the property owners, my clients, I must preserve their investment, and hopefully enhance its value, as well as provide a cash flow return. Then, I have my customers. These are the tenants who rent the property, and who deserve the quiet enjoyment of a clean, decent home with prompt maintenance service.”

Initially, he determines if the property is one that he is interested in representing. “I will not represent a property that I could not live in myself,” he says. Orta’s tenant screening process is a rigorous one. All prospective tenants complete an application and authorizations for Credit Bureau verification and a criminal background check. Landlord Services is the only property management company in North Georgia that carries out a criminal background check. “I select the best possible tenant,” Orta explains, “not the first tenant who expresses an interest.” His six-page lease agreement is as thorough as his application. The staff of Landlord Services conducts a property inspection prior to a tenant’s accepting the keys. This inspection is not only documented in writing, it is also videotaped to provide a visual record of the condition of the property before a tenant moves in.

Being a veteran real estate professional, Orta values the satisfaction of his customers. Every eight to 10 weeks, he makes a visit to each tenant to have what he calls a “lifestyle chat,” a time to sit down, have a cup of coffee, and find out if there are any problems. He also wants to ensure—for his client—that the stipulations of the lease agreement are being met. “I want to see my customers happy and my clients’ wishes being followed,” he says. Tenants will rarely, if ever, have a complaint regarding the response of Landlord Service’s maintenance staff. Requests for service are normally addressed within 30 minutes.

With Pickens County’s population growing at about 10 percent each year, there is now a significant shortage of housing available for rent. “The results of the last census show that there are approximately 450 apartments and rental homes in the county. New families are moving to the county at the rate of about 800 per year. In this area, about 30 percent of residents rent. It is easy to calculate the insufficient rental property base that we have,” Orta explains.

With more tenants that housing, the current shortage creates a win-win situation for all—for Landlord Services, it is the ability to select the best tenants, and for the property owner it means renting the property at the best possible rate.