Using multiple Property Managers

[Timothy Allen]

Hello BP, I'm a new investor here looking for your advice.

Ive just recently started the purchase process on not just one but two of my first investment properties! Two duplexes. 

The properties are 1 1/2 hours from me so property management is a must for me. I've done a lot of homework and have called and interviewed about half a dozen company's. Of  those, two of them really stuck out and made me feel confident. My idea and strategy is to use both of them one for each property. This will give me the chance to vet them and compare to see how they each work as I'm still learning the process myself. They are both agents as well and I see this as an opportunity to expand in the the future by opening my network. 

Here's where my hang up is. I have been completely open and honest with both of them that this is my strategy and plan to grow with both companys as long as everything goes well. Since communicating this one company had slowed their communications with me and I get the feeling that they didn't like that idea?  Im not under contract yet with either of them as I still have about a month until closing.

Do you think they take offence to this? Am I too new to use this strategy and maybe should just stick to one for now?

Thanks

[Theresa Harris]

They are in the business to get properties to manage, so yes they may not appreciate knowing you are splitting the properties.  Hindsight is good, but you should have kept it vague and simply said you had a duplex (not two and not that you were going to split them between PM).  There is being transparent (the fridge in this unit is likely to fail) and telling them stuff they don't need to know (you have $1M in the bank).