Five Simple Steps. One Dedicated Property Manager. Your Rental Running the Way it Should.
Here's exactly what happens after you get in touch with Home Forward
Getting started with Home Forward is straightforward. We handle the setup — you just need to take the first step.
Onboarding
What does 'onboarding' actually mean?
Onboarding is the process of getting your property set up under our management, the paperwork, the systems, the inspection, and the introduction to the person who will be managing your home. It only happens once, and we handle most of it.
Home Forward was founded in 2009 with just 7 properties. We've grown to over 1,000 through partnerships with property owners who trust us with something that matters, and that growth has never changed our commitment to keeping things personal. We are successful when you are successful. That's not a tagline. It's the reason we built the company the way we did.
What makes our onboarding different from most property management companies is when you meet your property manager. We don't assign someone after you've signed a contract. You meet them at the inspection, before you've committed to anything. That means by the time you sign, you already have a name, a face, and a real relationship with the person who will be your long-term partner at Home Forward.
Find out why we’ve got 100+ Google reviews, averaging 4.2 stars.
Our team personally responds to most inquiries within one business day!
Our 5-Step Onboarding Process
Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think
From your very first call, we're moving. Our goal is to have your property actively marketed within one business week of signing.
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Step 1: Reach out and jump on a quick screening call
Everything starts with a simple conversation, by phone, form, or email. We'll schedule a short call to learn about your property, understand your goals, and make sure we're the right fit. No commitment, no paperwork, no pressure. If it feels like a good fit, we schedule your rent readiness inspection.
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Step 2: Meet your property manager at the rent readiness inspection
Before we sign anything, we visit your property in person, and we bring the property manager who will be managing it. You don't meet your PM after you've signed. You meet them at the inspection, before you've committed to anything.
Your dedicated property manager is a local agent actively working in the Central Kentucky market. They'll walk the property with you, assess its condition, recommend a rent price based on current market data, and flag anything that should be addressed before leasing. You'll receive a full rent readiness report, and nothing moves forward without your approval. -
Step 3: Sign your agreement — and you're off and running
By the time you sign, you already know your property manager. You've walked the property together. There's no handoff to a stranger, you're already working with the person who will be your long-term partner at Home Forward.
We started this company in 2009 with 7 properties and have grown to over 1,000 through partnerships with great owners, because we believe one thing: we are successful when you are successful.
From this point forward, your property manager is your single point of contact. One local person. One direct line. Your concierge for everything rental-related. -
Step 4: Complete your onboarding checklist — we handle the rest
Right after signing, your property manager sends your onboarding checklist and adds you to a shared Google Drive for easy document sharing. Most owners pull everything together in a day or two. Once we have what we need, we set your property up in our management software and Rentvine owner portal — and your property manager walks you through it personally.
Download Your Onboarding Checklist -
Step 5: We launch — and you start getting paid
With setup complete, your property manager takes the wheel, marketing your property, placing a qualified tenant, or managing a smooth handoff if it's already occupied. If you're switching from another PM company, we coordinate the entire transition. Your only job is to give notice.
Once under active management: rent is collected, maintenance is handled, and statements go out automatically. You receive your first Property Owner Report on your confirmed date, followed by an EFT of available funds. From there, income is deposited on the first of each month for the prior month's collections.
One conversation started it. One person handles it. Your rental runs the way it should.
Switching From Another Property Management Company
Already working with a property manager? Here's how we handle the switch.
Switching property management companies sounds more complicated than it actually is. We've done it many times, and your property manager handles the entire transition so you don't have to coordinate between your old and new company.
Here's what we take care of on your behalf:
- All communication with your previous property management company
- Collecting lease documents, tenant information, and historical financial records
- Coordinating the transfer of the security deposit
- Introducing your property manager to your tenant professionally and reassuringly
- Handling any vendor relationships — keeping what works, replacing what doesn't
- Managing utility account transitions if needed
Your only job is to give notice to your current manager. Everything else is on us.
Your Onboarding Checklist
What we need from you — at a glance
Your property manager sends the full checklist right after signing and adds you to a shared Google Drive for easy document sharing. You can upload documents there digitally, email them, or drop off or mail paper copies, whatever works best for you. Here's what's on it:
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Property reserve funds — sent to Home Forward via check or through the Rentvine owner portal
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Security deposits — transferred to Home Forward if there's an existing tenant
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Future rent already paid by the resident — transferred to Home Forward
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Property insurance documentation
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Mortgage information — whether the property has a mortgage and if it's government-backed
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Rent roll and resident ledgers, if available
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Keys
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Current lease agreements
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Resident contact information
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Move-in walk-through inspections and photos, if available
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Utility information — companies, accounts, and responsibility (resident or owner)
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Mowing responsibility — resident or owner?
Most owners have everything ready within a day or two. The faster we have it, the faster your property is marketed.
What's in Place Once Onboarding is Complete
What you have from day one of active management
Here's a plain-language breakdown of every service we provide — and what each one actually means for you as an owner. Each section links to a dedicated page with more detail.
- A dedicated local property manager — one person, direct line, long-term relationship
- Your property fully set up in Rentvine management software and accounting system
- Residents notified of new management — all rent directed to Home Forward
- First Property Owner Report issued on your confirmed date, with EFT of available funds
- Ongoing rental income deposited on the first of each month for the prior month's collections
- 24/7 Rentvine owner portal access — rent status, maintenance history, financial statements
- Active marketing underway or active tenant management in place
- Maintenance handled start to finish — no calls to you
Common Onboarding Questions
Questions we hear from new owners
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At the rent readiness inspection — before you've signed anything. We bring your dedicated property manager to the property visit so you can meet them in person, walk the home together, and have a real conversation before making any commitment. By the time you sign, you already know who you're working with.
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Yes. Every property manager at Home Forward is a local agent actively working in the Central Kentucky market. They know the neighborhoods, the rental rates, and the local tenant pool — that local knowledge is what makes the difference in how your property is priced, marketed, and managed.
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It's a thorough in-person assessment of your property's condition that we conduct before signing a management agreement. Your property manager walks the home with you, documents its condition with photos and written notes, recommends a rent price based on current market data, and flags anything that should be addressed before a tenant moves in. You receive a full report, and nothing gets done without your approval.
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Our goal is to have your property actively marketed within one business week of signing — provided you're able to complete your onboarding checklist promptly. Most owners pull their documents together within a day or two. The inspection and system setup happen in parallel, so nothing waits longer than it needs to.
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Your property manager will flag any pre-lease repair items during the rent readiness inspection with cost estimates. You decide what to address and approve the scope before any work starts. We can coordinate repairs through our in-house team or your own contractors — whichever you prefer.
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No. Existing leases stay in place. Your property manager takes over management of the current lease and continues from there until renewal or natural expiration.
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Once your onboarding documents are received and residents have been notified of the change in management, you'll receive your first Property Owner Report on the date confirmed during setup — followed by an EFT of available funds. From there, rental income is deposited on the first day of each month for the previous month's collections. Your property manager walks you through exactly what to expect for your first payment cycle.
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As involved or uninvolved as you want to be. Your property manager reaches out when something genuinely needs your input — like a repair above your approved threshold or a lease renewal decision. Everything else is handled without pulling you in.
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Bring it up during the inspection or when you meet your property manager. If you have concerns about payment history or how the property is being cared for, they'll review what they're inheriting and advise on the best path forward before anything is signed.
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Our agreements include flexible cancellation terms. If something isn't working, reach out to your property manager directly and we'll have an honest conversation about it.
Areas We Serve
Where we work
We manage residential properties across Central Kentucky. Here are the markets we currently serve:
Don't see your area listed? Give us a call we may still be able to help.
(859) 687-9791
Let Us Help You Navigate the Next Steps for Your Rental
