Portfolio Assessment

We show you where you stand.

The Meritas Portfolio Assessment is a one-time, independent review of a Southern California real estate portfolio: the numbers, the buildings, your obligations and your management terms. Owners receive a report and a 90-day plan within 30 days, theirs to keep whatever they decide next.

Request a one-on-one See a sample report

Timing
By Day 30 for up to five properties; 45 to 60 days for larger portfolios
You receive
The Portfolio Assessment report and a 90-day action plan
Your part
A short questionnaire, two meetings and access to your manager’s records

Best for Owners who want a clear, independent baseline before deciding anything else: what is leaking, what is at risk and what to fix first.

How it runs

The first 30 days.

Timing shown for up to five properties, counted from receipt of the core records (rent roll, 12 months of income and expenses, and the management agreement).

Day 0
Sign and send
Engagement letter, owner questionnaire and a Letter of Direction for your manager.
Week 1
Kickoff
A kickoff call within five business days. We request records and schedule the site visits.
About Day 14
Alignment Meeting
About an hour: first observations, your priorities and our open questions.
Day 30
Findings Review
Up to two hours, in person when practical: the report and the 90-day plan.
After
Continue with credit
Sign a 6- or 12-month plan within 30 days and your Assessment fee is credited toward it. Limitations apply.

What you get

Property by property, then the whole portfolio.

Every building is reviewed and walked, then rolled up so you see the portfolio as one picture.

For each property, we

Review the rent roll, a sample of leases, and rents against the market, within the rules that appear to apply
Review 12 months of income and expenses, service contracts and vendor pricing
Walk the property: common areas, exteriors and vacant units
Note observable condition, apparent safety concerns and curb appeal
List the compliance requirements and deadlines we identify, for your manager and counsel to confirm
Write a property snapshot with items ranked by urgency

For the whole portfolio, we

Identify margin leaks by estimating the five numbers in dollars a year: operating costs, vacancy, rents below market, service contracts and repair drain
Review your management agreement and fees: terms, expirations, markups and staffing
Prepare curb-appeal concepts for visible improvements
Build a prioritized 90-day action plan
Hold the Alignment Meeting and the Findings Review with you

See a sample report

Portfolio Assessment

Contents

What we foundThe issues that matter most, in order of urgency.
The five numbersWhere margin is leaking, estimated in dollars a year.
Property snapshotsA page per property: condition, rents, costs and items ranked by urgency, with photos.
Compliance itemsRequirements and deadlines we identified, for your manager and counsel to confirm.
Management baselineAgreement terms, fees and gaps.
The 90-day planQuick wins first, then the bigger items, each with an owner and a date.

What we need from you

Little of your time. Records from your manager.

A short owner questionnaire
A signed Letter of Direction, so your manager can share records
To start: the rent roll, 12 months of income and expenses, and the management agreement
Access to each property for the site visit
About three hours of your time across the two meetings

What’s not included

So there are no surprises.

Ongoing monitoring, a graded manager scorecard, a five-year capital plan, and debt, reserve and hold-or-sell analysis come with ongoing service.

Property management: leasing, collections, maintenance, accounting, notices and filings stay with your manager
Legal, tax and insurance advice: these come from your attorney, CPA and insurance broker
Licensed inspections and engineering: we note observable condition and tell you when an inspection is worth ordering
Construction work and obtaining bids; we give ballpark cost ranges for planning
Sales, purchases, refinancing and large capital projects: quoted separately

From $2,750one time

Fixed fee, calculated for your portfolio. Every ongoing plan starts with a Portfolio Assessment.

Upgrade anytime. Continue into Active Oversight or Full Advisory on a 6- or 12-month term, and your Assessment fee is credited toward your plan. Limitations apply.

Questions

About Portfolio Assessment

How long does a Portfolio Assessment take?

30 days for up to five properties, and 45 to 60 days for larger portfolios. The clock starts when the core records arrive: the rent roll, 12 months of income and expenses, and the management agreement.

What happens after the Findings Review?

The report and the 90-day plan are yours, whether or not you continue with us. About two weeks later we check in with a short call. If you sign a 6- or 12-month plan within 30 days of the Findings Review, your Assessment fee is credited toward it. Limitations apply.

Who does the work?

Greg De Rubeis leads every Assessment himself. We aim to answer questions within one business day.

Is this a property inspection?

No. We record observable condition, meaning what can be seen safely from accessible areas. We do not test or evaluate building systems. When a licensed inspection is warranted, we tell you what kind and when.

What if you see a safety concern?

If we see an apparent safety concern during a site visit, we tell you and your manager the same day. Meritas is not an emergency service: for fire, flood, gas or any threat to safety, call 911 and your manager’s emergency line first.

Can I start an ongoing plan instead?

Yes. Active Oversight and Full Advisory both begin with the Portfolio Assessment, delivered in the first 30 days.