Good Property managers around Birmingham area

Birmingham, Alabama
Managing Your Property
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Good Property managers around Birmingham area

Cinto Sunny
Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 2 votes

Hello everyone,

I am looking to invest in the Birmingham area. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good property manager in the Birmingham area? I want someone who is pretty responsive throughout the home buying process also.

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Parker Grissom
Lender · Tuscaloosa, AL · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 11 votes
4y

Hey Cinto, 

I would recommend Watts Realty. They are an accredited management organization with IREM. They manage several of my properties and I am very pleased with them.  

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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y

    Go to NETWORK at the top of your screen and you can search for professionals, investors and investment groups in your area. You can also check meetup.com or search facebook for real estate investment groups, clubs, or meetings in your area to try and get local recommendations.

    Remember: cheaper doesn't mean you'll make more money.

    Start by going to www.narpm.org to search their directory of managers. These are professionals with additional training and a stricter code of ethics. It's no guarantee but it's a good place to start. You can also search Google and read reviews. Regardless of how you find them, try to interview at least three managers.

    1. Ask how many units they manage and how much experience they have. If it's a larger organization, feel free to inquire about their staff qualifications.

    2. Review their management agreement. Make sure it explicitly explains the process for termination if you are unhappy with their services, but especially if they violate the terms of your agreement.

    3. Understand the fees involved and calculate the total cost for an entire year of management so you can compare the different managers. It may sound nice to pay a 6% management fee but the extra fees can add up to be more than the other company that charges 10% with no additional fees. Fees should be clearly stated in writing, easy to understand, and justifiable. Common fees will include a set-up fee, leasing fee for each turnover or a lease renewal fee, marking up maintenance, retaining late fees, and more. If you ask the manager to justify a fee and he starts hemming and hawing, move on or require them to remove the fee. Don't be afraid to negotiate, particularly if you have a lot of rentals.

    4. Review their lease agreement and addenda. Think of all the things that could go wrong and see if the lease addresses them: unauthorized pets or tenants, early termination, security deposit, lease violations, late rent, eviction, lawn maintenance, parking, etc.

    5. Don't just read the lease! Ask the manager to explain their process for dealing with maintenance, late rent, evictions, turnover, etc. If they are professional, they can explain this quickly and easily. If they are VERY professional, they will have their processes in writing as verification that policies are enforced equally and fairly by their entire staff.

    6. Ask to speak with some of their current owners and current/former tenants. You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp. Just remember: most negative reviews are written by problematic tenants. The fact that a tenant is complaining online might be an indication the property manager dealt with them properly so be sure to ask the manager for their side of the story.

    7. Look at their marketing strategy. Are they doing everything they can to expose properties to the widest possible market? Are their listings detailed with good quality photos? Can they prove how long it takes to rent a vacant property?

    This isn't inclusive but should give you a good start. If you have specific questions about property management, I'll be happy to help!

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
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    2Reply
  • Ryan Dostart
    Sacramento, CA · Member since 2022 · 6 posts · 5 votes
    4y

    I’ve been using Evernest for the past year and haven’t been impressed.  I’ve heard Signal Property Management is good and have been thinking about making the switch.

    3Reply
    • Chan Lo
      Member since 2026 · 1 post · 0 votes
      1mo
      Quote from @Ryan Dostart:

      I’ve been using Evernest for the past year and haven’t been impressed.  I’ve heard Signal Property Management is good and have been thinking about making the switch.


       Sup Ryan! Any luck with actually finding a good PM in Birmingham?

      0Reply
  • Cinto Sunny
    OP
    Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 2 votes
    4y

    @Ryan Dostart: Thanks for the reply. Glad to meet you. Are you an out-of-state investor in Birmingham? 

    If I may ask, what was your problem with Evernest? 

    1Reply
  • Alicia C.
    MS · Member since 2020 · 37 posts · 19 votes
    4y

    @Ryan Dostart I'm also using Evernest and not loving them so far... in my case they are killing me with maintenance costs.  What about you?

    0Reply
  • Ryan Dostart
    Sacramento, CA · Member since 2022 · 6 posts · 5 votes
    4y

    I am. I really like the Birmingham area and currently own 3 single family properties.  I’m hoping to pick up several more over the next few months.

    My primary issue with Evernest has been around responsiveness.  They have a pretty big outfit. My guess is that if you have more properties, you might get a better response.  There was also an issue with a turn on one of the properties.

    0Reply
  • Axel MeierhoeferPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Escondido, CA · Member since 2017 · 679 posts · 550 votes
    4y

    @Cinto Sunny  I have been working with Spartan Invest for many years. https://spartaninvest.com/our-... Yes, they are a turnkey provider in AL and TN but a large part of the operation is property management. If I were in your situation I would reach out to them and ask if they would be willing to manage your properties as long s you're willing to follow their system.

    0Reply
  • Ryan Dostart
    Sacramento, CA · Member since 2022 · 6 posts · 5 votes
    4y

     @Alicia C. Yes.  Very interesting to hear about your experience with maintenance costs.  I’ve been hit with some pretty high turnover costs and requested to see actual invoices.  I’m only paying 8%, but would willingly pay 10% and not get dinged on the maintenance.

    0Reply
  • Parker Grissom
    Lender · Tuscaloosa, AL · Member since 2017 · 15 posts · 11 votes
    4y

    Hey Cinto, 

    I would recommend Watts Realty. They are an accredited management organization with IREM. They manage several of my properties and I am very pleased with them.  

    3Reply
  • Eric Gadus
    birmingham, AL · Member since 2017 · 6 posts · 3 votes
    4y

    Stefan Dietrich, Merica Properties. No further questions. Timely and down to earth. Smaller then most big companies and will give you places extra attention. 

    0Reply
  • Vinith Kumar Sridhar
    Member since 2019 · 3 posts · 0 votes
    2y

    +1 - Evernest used to be called as GK houses. They managed a property of mine and I was hit with very high repair costs without any invoices each month and never could reach anyone for clarifications. Eventually sold the property  after being fed up with the management. 

    0Reply
  • Michael Fabbrini
    Folsom, CA · Member since 2014 · 2 posts · 3 votes
    2y

    I use Decas Group. I have 6 properties with them. Experience has been hit and miss, primarily around responsiveness. If I'm not getting a response after reaching out a couple times, it makes me wonder what the response is for my tenants. 

    I don't have any comparison though as i've used Decas since buying my first SFR rental.

    0Reply
  • Austin Willingham
    Member since 2023 · 10 posts · 0 votes
    2y
    Quote from @Cinto Sunny:

    Hello everyone,

    I am looking to invest in the Birmingham area. Does anyone have a recommendation for a good property manager in the Birmingham area? I want someone who is pretty responsive throughout the home buying process also.


    I worked with a property manager for the full state of Alabama in my previous real estate experience of 4+ years. America's Rental Managers is a fantastic vendor for your property management needs. They were founded in 2008 and currently have 2,000+ doors in the Alabama market as a full-service property manager. ARM separates itself from the competition in many ways but a few examples is how responsive they are as a company which is a widespread issue when working with property managers. They have a conservative fee structure and do not charge a mark up on turn properties or maintenance repairs. Reach out if you'd like me to put you in touch.

    0Reply
  • Michael Eskenasy
    Investor · Pacific Northwest · Member since 2026 · 536 posts · 300 votes
    4w

    Since this thread is four years old, I’d be careful treating any company name here as a current recommendation.

    Property management is one of those businesses where the logo can stay the same while the actual experience changes completely — new ownership, new staff, more doors, different maintenance vendors, different processes.

    What’s interesting is that the complaints in this thread are pretty consistent: responsiveness, maintenance costs, turnover costs, and not being able to see what you’re actually paying for.

    So if I were choosing a Birmingham PM today, I’d interview the current operators rather than rely heavily on a 2022 recommendation.

    I’d ask each one to show me:

    • A real owner statement.

    • A sample maintenance invoice.

    • Their approval threshold before they can spend my money without calling me.

    • Their process when a tenant reports a repair.

    • Average vacancy/turn time.

    • Exactly what they charge during a turnover — including markups.

    • Who actually answers when I have a problem.

    • And how I get my properties back if I decide to leave.

    Then I’d ask for two or three current owners with portfolios similar to mine and actually call them.

    One other test I like: send the PM a few questions before you hire them and watch what happens.

    If communication is slow while they’re trying to win your business, I wouldn’t assume it gets faster after they have your keys.

    I’d happily pay 10% to a great operator before paying 8% to someone who quietly gives the difference back to me in bad turns, unnecessary repairs, vacancy and headaches.

    The management percentage is one of the least interesting numbers in the agreement. The operating system behind it is what I’d be buying.

    0Reply
  • Danny Gonzalez
    Real Estate Broker · Member since 2024 · 129 posts · 60 votes
    2w

    @Chan Lo Most of the names in this thread are years old, so treat them as history not current truth. PM quality in Birmingham changes with staff and door count. Interview 2–3 operators, ask for a real owner statement + sample maintenance invoice + spend limit before they approve work without calling you, and call their current owners. If communication is slow while they're pitching you, it doesn't get faster after they have the keys. What door count and areas are you trying to cover?

    0Reply
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