Blog Post Title One

The Friendly, No‑Drama Guide to Choosing a Property Manager

I’ve invested for ~20 years, self‑managed in Texas and the Midwest, and scaled/sold a tech‑forward property management company that housed ~10,000 residents. I’m hiring a PM for my grandma’s home, and this is the calm playbook I’m using—plain English, light tone, no busywork for managers.

TL;DR

• Use hypothetical questions to see the real process without putting anyone on the defensive.

• Get their standard in writing; operate inside it; hold both sides to it.

• Know—and accept—their repair escalation number (emergency dollar limit).

• Speed over quotes for emergencies; save multi‑quotes for big, non‑urgent work.

• Ask for in‑house maintenance rates and compare to bonded, insured locals (a 10–20% markup is reasonable).

• Do a quick live listing audit to test photos, showings, and response time.

• Read the contract: exit, fees (owner + tenant), vendor rules, tail clauses, amendments.

• California has extra rules (AB 1482, AB 12, local ordinances)—verify locally.

What a Property Manager Actually Does (and what we’ll vet)

• Leasing & Marketing – Great photos, clear listing, wide syndication, safe showings, fast follow‑up.
  We’ll vet: media quality, listing clarity, showing system, response speed.

• Screening & Lease Paperwork – Income, rental history, ID checks; fair‑housing‑consistent approvals.
  We’ll vet: written criteria, how they verify, how denials are handled.

• Rent Strategy & Renewals – Start price, reduction pace, and renewal steps that follow local law.
  We’ll vet: pricing tools and cadence; practical compliance.

• Maintenance & Emergencies – Triage, dispatch, spend up to the repair escalation number to stabilize, document.
  We’ll vet: thresholds, rate transparency, photo + invoice proof.

• Vendors – Deep bench in plumbing/electrical/roofing with emergency coverage.
  We’ll vet: counts by trade, licensing/insurance checks, typical response times.

• “Property turn” (preparing your property for a new tenant after move‑out — AKA make‑ready/property turn) – Clean, fix, paint as needed, and re‑list fast.
  We’ll vet: time from notice→listing and move‑out→rent‑ready; photos; deposit claim packet.

• Accounting & Owner Payments – Statements with invoice images and on‑time distributions.
  We’ll vet: fee grid (owner + tenant fees, who keeps each), ACH timing, reserves.

• Resident Relations & Rules – Friendly communication and safe, habitable homes.
  We’ll vet: response SLAs, simple escalation path.

• Evictions & Collections – Calm, step‑by‑step plan; protect the asset; practical recovery for money owed.
  We’ll vet: who handles filing, timelines, cash‑for‑keys, possession‑day steps, collections ladder.

Friendly rule of the road: Don’t request screenshots or custom reports. Ask great questions, then do a bit of your own research (secret‑shop a listing, sanity‑check maintenance rates). If you’re unsure, it’s fine to ask for a little extra hand‑holding—just keep it reasonable.

How Involved Should Owners Be?

My default: PMs are going to run their playbook - for all homes - so vet their standard process to ensure its a fit. If it is hold them to it. I approve big rent drops, unusual screening edge cases, and high‑ticket repairs. They handle the rest.

Hypotheticals to align decision rights

• Rent & pricing: “If traffic is light at day‑14, what changes do you make without waiting on me, and when do you pause for my approval?”

• Tenant selection: “If an applicant meets your written criteria but makes me nervous, how do you handle that fairly?”

• Maintenance & vendors: “If a $750 non‑urgent repair comes in at 4pm, what happens next under your thresholds?”

Do a 10‑Minute “Live Listing Audit”

Why: How they market and reply to an inquiry is how they’ll treat your most important moment—leasing.

What good looks like

• Photos: bright, wide, accurate (kitchen/baths/bedrooms/living/exterior/parking).

• Description: clear, friendly, top features up front; basics like pets, utilities, parking, deposit, date.

• Scheduling: simple “Schedule a Tour” flow (self‑guided or in‑person) with ID check.

• Response: instant auto‑reply and a human reply during business hours (ideally under an hour); tour options within 48–72 hours.

Paste‑ready inquiry (to test how quickly the PM responds to leasing candidate inqueries)
Subject: Showing Request – [Property Address]

Hi there — I’m interested in [Property Address]. Two quick questions: (1) soonest showing times, (2) must‑have qualifications (credit/income/pets)? Happy to verify ID. Thanks! — [First Name]

The 12 Best Hypothetical Questions (verbatim)

1) Owner frustrations (honesty test)
“What are the biggest frustrations your current owners have with your services or agreement?”
Vetting: self‑awareness and what they’ve improved.

2) Clean exit
“If I wanted to quit tomorrow and switch to another PM, what would it look like? Would I owe anything? Any fee if I sell months later?”
Vetting: termination, any “tail” fee, and funds‑release timing.

3) Sunday‑night leak
“If a leak starts at 10pm Sunday, what happens in the next 60 minutes?”
Vetting: repair escalation number, dispatch steps, proof afterward.

4) Day‑14 light traffic
“If the home is listed for 14 days with light traffic, what do you change without waiting on me?”
Vetting: pricing cadence and media refresh.

5) Edge‑case applicant
“If income checks out but credit history is messy, what’s your move?”
Vetting: written criteria + real verification + fair‑housing‑friendly process.

6) $950 non‑urgent repair
“If an electrician quotes $950, what happens next?”
Vetting: thresholds for one vs. two quotes; speed vs. delay.

7) Notice to move‑out
“If a resident gives notice today, what happens on day 0, day 7, day 14, move‑out day, and the day after?”
Vetting: pre‑leasing, scheduling, and property turn speed.

8) Late rent cadence
“If rent is late on the 5th, what happens on the 6th and the 15th?”
Vetting: friendly reminders → formal notices → next steps.

9) In‑house maintenance prices
“If your in‑house team can do a job, how do you price it vs. bonded, insured locals?”
Vetting: rate card clarity. (I’ll sanity‑check against local rates; a 10–20% markup can be reasonable for coordination/overhead.)

10) Software & resilience
“If your main software went down for a day, how do owner payments and maintenance requests keep moving—and which platform do you use?”
Vetting: simple backup plan. (Name only is fine. I prefer AppFolio (most advanced), then Buildium (solid), then Rent Manager (most customizable, less widely used).)

11) Eviction pivot
“If we’re 10 days from a court date and the situation is getting tense, when do you switch to cash‑for‑keys, and how do you document possession?”
Vetting: pragmatism; photos/keys/signed agreement.

12) The worst story
“What’s the toughest eviction you’ve handled—what went wrong, how much did it cost, and how did it finally end? What changed in your process afterward?”
Vetting: calm execution and real lessons learned.

Evictions & Collections (Plain English, not legal advice)

Goal: regain possession fast, protect the property, and document money owed so you can decide how (or if) to pursue it.

What good PMs do

• Before filing: polite reminders → formal notices; keep messages factual.

• Smart exits: offer cash‑for‑keys when it beats court time/cost; get proof of possession (keys, photos, signed agreement).

• Possession day (first 4 hours): re‑key immediately; photos/video; check water/electrical; tarp/board if needed; schedule cleaning/repairs; launch the property turn.

• Money trail: final account statement; apply deposit per law; then payment plan window → collections agency (share of recovery) → small claims/civil if worthwhile → or sell the debt (pennies, but done).

Hypotheticals to ask

• “If rent misses the grace date, what happens next business day—and each week after?”

• “Who handles legal: a trusted local attorney or a national service—and why?”

• “Best‑case and average timelines for the next 30–60 days after filing?”

• “Which collection agency do you use; typical recovery rate/fee?”

• “On possession day, what exactly happens hour‑by‑hour to prevent damage and speed re‑renting?”

Owner tip: Don’t spend $2,000 to chase $800. Ask for a rough expected recovery and choose the path with the best time‑to‑value.

Quotes vs Speed (simple rubric you can adopt)

• Emergencies / habitability: Speed first. Stabilize now with the preferred vendor; photos + invoice after.

• Middle‑cost, not urgent: One quote + photos if scope is clear and vendor is trusted; second quote only if the scope is fuzzy or timing allows.

• High‑cost: Two quotes (three if you’re flexible) when doing so won’t extend vacancy or risk.

Plug‑in thresholds (use their SOP numbers):
Emergency unilateral up to $_____ → Auto‑approve non‑emergency $_____ → Owner approval $–$ → Multi‑quote above $_____ (except emergencies).

Callout: Accept the Repair Escalation Number

Set the dollar limit they can spend immediately to stop emergencies. Don’t ask for one‑off exceptions; they slow teams and confuse vendors. Ask for photos and the invoice afterward.

The Preferred Client Effect (how to be easy to help)

• Approve quickly inside thresholds (same business day).

• Keep one decision‑maker.

• Work inside their process (reply windows, distribution dates, reporting cadence).

• Save multi‑quote requests for big, non‑urgent jobs.

• Review statements monthly and ask specific questions.

• Escalate only if they miss their own process or stop communicating.

Fees, Rates & a Quick Sanity Check

• Ask for the in‑house maintenance rate card (by trade; visit minimum, after‑hours rate, warranty).

• Ask the external vendor markup % or flat coordination fee and when it applies.

• Quietly compare to bonded, insured local pros. A 10–20% markup for in‑house/coordination is normal. Wildly above market isn’t.

Contract Clauses to Read (2‑Minute Check)

Look for: clear exit (notice and any tail fees), vendor control, approval thresholds, self‑tour disclaimers, who keeps tenant‑paid fees, and whether the manager can amend terms with notice. Example clauses I’ve seen in real agreements include: 30‑day termination with a short funds hold to clear invoices; tenant‑purchase tail fees if you sell to a resident they placed; approved‑vendors‑only during tenancy; lockbox/self‑access showings with disclaimers; manager‑set rent and tenant choice; and 60‑day unilateral amendments by the manager (you can always walk if you dislike a change).

Email Templates (copy/paste)

Leasing Day‑14 Nudge
Subject: [Property Address] – Day 14 Leasing Update & Next Steps
Hi [PM Name] — per your standard practice, it’s Day 14. Please send: (1) traffic & feedback, (2) price recommendation, (3) media/ads changes. I’ll reply same day. Thanks, [Your Name]

Emergency Authorization
Subject: [Property Address] – Emergency Authorization
Hi [PM Name] — for emergencies (leaks/electrical/roof), please proceed immediately with your preferred vendor to stabilize per your policy. Send photos and the work order afterward. Thanks, [Your Name]

Eviction / Exit Playbook Request
Subject: Eviction & Resident Exit Process – Summary Request
Hi [PM], Please send your standard eviction/exit workflow: (1) local attorney or national service (name), (2) notice/filing/service steps & typical timelines, (3) cash‑for‑keys policy/ranges (redacted example OK), (4) how you protect the property and hand off to the turn. Thanks, [Your Name]

Go/No‑Go to File vs Cash‑for‑Keys
Subject: [Property Address] – Next Step on Nonpayment
Hi [PM Name] — if we don’t have full payment by [date], please proceed with [file / cash‑for‑keys up to $___], per your standard process. Keep me posted on possession timing and send photos once secured. — [Your Name]

Collections Authorization
Subject: [Property Address] – Final Account & Collections
Hi [PM Name] — once the final account statement is issued and the deposit applied, please [offer a payment plan through [date] / assign to collections with your preferred agency]. Share the reference number so I can track it. Thanks! — [Your Name]

Quick California Notes (not legal advice — verify locally)

• AB 1482: many homes fall under just‑cause and annual rent‑increase caps.

• AB 12: most security deposits capped at one month’s rent (check exemptions).

• Local overlays: some cities/counties add stricter notice/relocation steps.
  Your ask: “Assuming these apply, what are your exact steps for renewals, deposits, notices, and proof of possession?”

FAQ

Q: How involved should I be?
Ap once; let the PM run. Approve big rent moves, unusual screening edge cases, and high‑ticket repairs. Answer fast.

Q: Are maintenance markups bad?
Not if they’re clear. Coordination costs time. Publish the % or fee and pair with photos + invoices. I sanity‑check against local, bonded, insured rates.

Q: What software is best?
Name only is fine. My ranking: AppFolio (most advanced), Buildium (solid), Rent Manager (customizable, less widely used).

Q: Quotes vs speed—how do I choose?
Speed for emergencies. One quote for clear, mid‑cost jobs. Two quotes for high‑cost work if timing allows. Tie it to their written thresholds.

Q: What’s a fair contract?
Clean exit, clear fee grid (owner + tenant fees and who keeps them), published thresholds, and transparency on vendor rules and any tail fees.

Closing

Pay fairly. Ask simple, hypothetical questions. Accept the repair escalation number. Do a quick live listing audit. Sanity‑check in‑house rates against bonded, insured locals (10–20% markup is reasonable). Hold everyone to the agreed process. Calm and clear wins—everywhere in the U.S.