Distance from Rental Property

[Sara Ellison]

How far, is too far, to self manage a SFH as a rental property? 2, 3, 4 hours?

[Alecia Loveless]

@Sara Ellison Honestly I’ve got 2 properties with 10 units that are 30 minutes away from me. They’re much more difficult and time consuming to visit than my units that are less than 15 minutes away. During the winter months when we get lots of snow and ice it’s even worse.

I’ve had to get different contractors and workers for many of the projects at these two buildings because the ones I usually use have plenty of business in the towns closer in to where I live and don’t want an hour of drive time on most projects.

The plow company I use for these two properties is not the same one for the other properties and often when I receive the invoice I’m left thinking that many of the days I’m being billed for plowing there was no snow but given that 30 minutes can make a difference in weather patterns I have no way of knowing.

No matter what you decide go into it with the knowledge that a property that is 2-6 hours away will not get visited as often as a local one and that you’re going to be essentially at these two buildings mercy of tradesmen and contractors.