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User Stats

57
Posts
22
Votes
John Voychick
Pro Member
  • San Diego
22
Votes |
57
Posts

Do not use Suncoast Property Management in Jacksonville

John Voychick
Pro Member
  • San Diego
Posted

I've towed the line on posting this for almost a year. At this point, I just want fellow investors to hear my experience and find another property manager.

I signed a 24 month exclusive contracts with them in 2019 which was a complete rookie move. 

Facepalm: the act of literally hitting yourself in the face with your palm out of frustration


1 property is doing ok.

1 property had a suncoast employee rent it and stopped paying after 1 month. They got evicted and caused $4,000 in damages over a 5 week span.

The 3rd property had a tenant stay for 15 months. He also trashed the place and cause $6,000 in damages. I had to sell so I replaced the HVAC and a day later it was stolen by what neighbors described as the previous tenant. Eventually it was sold at a loss.


Anyway. At this point I am 3 months away from ending my 24 month agreement on the house that was robbed. Today, Suncoast made sure to charge me $925 for ending my contract early.

When I spoke to their staff, they laughed with me over the absurdity of this charge and sent me up the chain to have it waived with the supervisor Leanord Gurney.


He said a contract is a contract.  Which is true. And I cant fault him for that. This is the end of my story.

Basically,  if you are thinking of using them as your property manager, interview others and ask them how they would react to my exact situation.

Anyway, onward and upward.

User Stats

108
Posts
68
Votes
Joshua Adlam
  • Property Manager
68
Votes |
108
Posts
Joshua Adlam
  • Property Manager
Replied

@John Voychick

So sorry to hear about this bro! I feel for you as a fellow landlord! Please next time you need property management services reach out, we can refer you someone in your area

User Stats

1,361
Posts
2,193
Votes
Mark Fries
  • Contractor
  • Jacksonville, FL
2,193
Votes |
1,361
Posts
Mark Fries
  • Contractor
  • Jacksonville, FL
Replied

@John Voychick

I have been preaching this for years!!! Stay away...any other investors should take notice of this story.

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User Stats

83
Posts
44
Votes
Carrick Young
  • Rental Property Investor
  • San Jose, CA
44
Votes |
83
Posts
Carrick Young
  • Rental Property Investor
  • San Jose, CA
Replied

@John Voychick thanks for sharing! Not sure if you have another property manager lined up but check out Rental Guys Property Management. I have used them for several years and have had a great experience. Good luck!

User Stats

7,884
Posts
3,392
Votes
Basit Siddiqi
Pro Member
  • Accountant
  • New York, NY
3,392
Votes |
7,884
Posts
Basit Siddiqi
Pro Member
  • Accountant
  • New York, NY
Replied

@John Voychick

I am sorry to hear about your experience. Property management companies and contractors are the people in your business who make or break you.

I will send you a private message to refer you to a property management company that is doing good for me.

Don't let the bad experience sway you away from real estate. This is a learning experience and you will come out better on the other side.

Companies can be very slimy also. 
If a company is performing poorly, they should allow to break up for the release.
Failure to do these kind of things...results in bad publicity for the company like this post does.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

User Stats

36
Posts
10
Votes
Kaylane Davis
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Georgia
10
Votes |
36
Posts
Kaylane Davis
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Georgia
Replied

@John Voychick I'm so sorry to hear about your experience, it really pains me to hear about people getting subpar treatment and customer service I always listen to people's experiences to make sure that I can prevent these kinds of things from happening to my clients. I know sometimes no matter what everything just isn't for everyone however if you stick to quality service you'll hit the goal more times than not.

User Stats

43
Posts
18
Votes
Patrik Kusek
Pro Member
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Fairfield, CA
18
Votes |
43
Posts
Patrik Kusek
Pro Member
  • Flipper/Rehabber
  • Fairfield, CA
Replied

I used SunCoast for a couple of my properties. My experience was the same as others. Terrible. SunCoast has a corporate culture of lip service and excuses. I would stay away from theses guys. 

User Stats

1,361
Posts
2,193
Votes
Mark Fries
  • Contractor
  • Jacksonville, FL
2,193
Votes |
1,361
Posts
Mark Fries
  • Contractor
  • Jacksonville, FL
Replied

@Patrik Kusek

You hit the nail on the head...

User Stats

26,856
Posts
39,578
Votes
Nathan Gesner
Agent
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Cody, WY
39,578
Votes |
26,856
Posts
Nathan Gesner
Agent
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Cody, WY
ModeratorReplied
Originally posted by @John Voychick:

I'm sorry for your experience. Yes, a contract is a contract, but it's a two-way contract. If they failed to perform, you should have been able to terminate early and/or end your contract without penalty. There are ways you could do this, but it sounds like you've already resigned yourself to the loss so I won't bother. I hope things go better for you in the future.

  • Property Manager Wyoming (#12599)

American West Realty & Management Logo

User Stats

41
Posts
7
Votes
Replied

So is there a way to get away with 24 month contract?.. Any ploy, tricks and legalities.

User Stats

111
Posts
47
Votes
Sastry Srini
  • Canton, MI
47
Votes |
111
Posts
Sastry Srini
  • Canton, MI
Replied

@John Voychick  thanks for sharing the info. Which property management co did you move to?  

User Stats

45
Posts
6
Votes
Marvin Song
  • Investor
  • Little Ferry, NJ
6
Votes |
45
Posts
Marvin Song
  • Investor
  • Little Ferry, NJ
Replied

@John Voychick As a fellow out-of-state investor, I feel your pain. I went through similar experience when I purchase rentals from a turnkey provider in Indianapolis. Thanks for sharing your experience. I recently listened to their interview with The Real Estate Guys Radio Show and it's great to have a forum like here where we can hear from people's own experiences. Hope you can find a better property manager soon.

User Stats

12
Posts
6
Votes
Kenny Ho
  • Miami, FL
6
Votes |
12
Posts
Kenny Ho
  • Miami, FL
Replied

@John Voychick Thanks for sharing your experience. Shopping around for turnkey and property managemtn companies myself.

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User Stats

10
Posts
15
Votes
Crystal Townley
  • Lender
  • United States
15
Votes |
10
Posts
Crystal Townley
  • Lender
  • United States
Replied

@John Voychick I had a horrible experience with SunCoast as an owner also.

Everyone please please please avoid SunCoast! There are so many other options!

User Stats

10
Posts
0
Votes
Maria Frant
  • Rental Property Investor
  • NJ
0
Votes |
10
Posts
Maria Frant
  • Rental Property Investor
  • NJ
Replied

Having a very negative experience with Suncoast at the moment. Did anyone here switch to another PM in Jacksonville that they are happy with? If you did - can you please share? Thanks!

User Stats

40
Posts
27
Votes
Virginia Houston
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Jacksonville, FL
27
Votes |
40
Posts
Virginia Houston
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Jacksonville, FL
Replied
Originally posted by @Maria Frant:

Having a very negative experience with Suncoast at the moment. Did anyone here switch to another PM in Jacksonville that they are happy with? If you did - can you please share? Thanks!

 Hi Maria, 

I just checked through our database and my email and I don't see your name as one of our current or prospective investors. As the Investor Relations Manager, I would be happy to talk with you about any issues you're having if you'd like to reach out.

User Stats

16
Posts
6
Votes
Deepanshu Madan
  • Rental Property Investor
  • San Francisco, CA
6
Votes |
16
Posts
Deepanshu Madan
  • Rental Property Investor
  • San Francisco, CA
Replied

Similar experience, regretting it now, and kind of stuck with them until contract ends next year.

User Stats

19
Posts
6
Votes
Lori Buffington
  • Investor
  • north Idaho
6
Votes |
19
Posts
Lori Buffington
  • Investor
  • north Idaho
Replied

I had a terrible experience with Suncoast Property Management. I fired them last year.

I just opened my mail to find a notice from a COLLECTION AGENCY stating I owed them money. WTF?!

I have no idea what this is for - they sent me money when I terminated services and I haven't heard from them since.

STAY AWAY FROM SUNCOAST!

User Stats

7,924
Posts
4,472
Votes
Drew Sygit
Property Manager
Agent
#2 Classifieds Contributor
  • Property Manager
  • Royal Oak, MI
4,472
Votes |
7,924
Posts
Drew Sygit
Property Manager
Agent
#2 Classifieds Contributor
  • Property Manager
  • Royal Oak, MI
Replied

File a complaint with Board of Realtors and State AG.

User Stats

12
Posts
7
Votes
Jenny Yu
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Berkeley, CA
7
Votes |
12
Posts
Jenny Yu
Pro Member
  • Investor
  • Berkeley, CA
Replied

Update on Suncoast PM...

I bought a property in Jacksonville from them, with the 24 month PM contract.  I got so lucky - the first 3 years, during the depths of the pandemic, I had a perfect tenant, no problems, even during the storms.  Forward to 2023, the tenant is unfortunately moving out.  I get a new tenant at a LOWER rent, ALWAYS late, and then ... the septic tank GOES TO HELL.  $7k damage.  Of course, no warranty.  I decide to sell.  

I use Suncoast to sell my property.  They don't do ****.  They sit on their *** for 2 months, not a single bite.  I drop them and use a competent local RE agent, who did a great job.   Then, after I sell the property in Aug 2024, after 5 months of vacancy with Suncoast - I get a call, saying I owe them a month's rent, because I didn't use them to sell my property.

WHAT ********!!!  So that means even many years down the line, after I've dropped them completely, and I decide to sell my property - they're going to come after me and charge me a months rent because they didn't sell my property.

WHAT SCUMBAGS!!!  They must be totally desperate!  I had severed ties with them for many months, and they expect me to use them to sell my property?!  I don't think so!!!

BUYER BEWARE!!!

User Stats

343
Posts
208
Votes
Chris Grenzig
  • Property Manager
  • Orlando, FL
208
Votes |
343
Posts
Chris Grenzig
  • Property Manager
  • Orlando, FL
Replied

@Jenny Yu sorry to hear about your experience, we own and operate 51 units we own and manage for other clients in Jacksonville and Orlando. Unfortunately, many of these companies that do property management and brokerage services include exclusivity clauses in their contracts which I don't think is right. However, saying that there are many companies that do both that are amazing and don't do things like this, so I'm not suggesting that doing both is inherently negative. I know we wouldn't include a clause like that if we did offer brokerage services because our Property management agreement has a 30-day notice to terminate at any time for any reason no penalty. 

The only thing I will say is Jacksonville has had rents drop in many areas, so you're not alone in having the same property rent for less today than it did in previous years. Jacksonville has been building at record levels and is/was one of the highest cities in the country delivering new housing units as a percentage of existing housing units. So Supply and demand have really shifted quickly. 

It sounds like you sold, but if we can ever help with anything in the future please don't hesitate to reach out, even if I can't help someone in my network probably can. Friendly reminder to anyone else reading to carefully review your PMA before you sign it and before you decide to change property management companies.  

Thanks for sharing your experience, I'm sure it will help someone else in the future, so at least hopefully something good will come from it. 

User Stats

85
Posts
25
Votes
Jeff Riber
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Jacksonville, FL
25
Votes |
85
Posts
Jeff Riber
  • Real Estate Broker
  • Jacksonville, FL
Replied
Quote from @Jenny Yu:

Update on Suncoast PM...

I bought a property in Jacksonville from them, with the 24 month PM contract.  I got so lucky - the first 3 years, during the depths of the pandemic, I had a perfect tenant, no problems, even during the storms.  Forward to 2023, the tenant is unfortunately moving out.  I get a new tenant at a LOWER rent, ALWAYS late, and then ... the septic tank GOES TO HELL.  $7k damage.  Of course, no warranty.  I decide to sell.  

I use Suncoast to sell my property.  They don't do ****.  They sit on their *** for 2 months, not a single bite.  I drop them and use a competent local RE agent, who did a great job.   Then, after I sell the property in Aug 2024, after 5 months of vacancy with Suncoast - I get a call, saying I owe them a month's rent, because I didn't use them to sell my property.

WHAT ********!!!  So that means even many years down the line, after I've dropped them completely, and I decide to sell my property - they're going to come after me and charge me a months rent because they didn't sell my property.

WHAT SCUMBAGS!!!  They must be totally desperate!  I had severed ties with them for many months, and they expect me to use them to sell my property?!  I don't think so!!!

BUYER BEWARE!!!

One note on this @Jenny Yu.  Just because they included that clause in their contract doesn't make it enforceable.  Might want to check with a local attorney to verify.  We have a property management company and real estate brokerage.  I remember years ago our attorney reviewing one such issue for a client that was coming over to us.  The previous company wanted to do something similar, but our attorney pointed out that this wasn't allowable under Florida law.