Do Property Managers Add Value for Flippers?

Question

This might be a bit unconventional, but I’ve been wondering — do property managers have a role in fix & flip projects?

For example, handling short-term rentals during rehab phases, or managing tenants in properties held temporarily before resale.

Has anyone here used property management as part of a flip strategy? Curious if this adds value or just complicates things.

Gamal Harding · Answer

Great question — and you’re right, it’s a bit unconventional because property managers usually focus on long-term rentals, not fix & flips. That said, I’ve found there are situations where a property manager can add real value in a flip strategy:

1. Tenant Management During Longer Holds
If you’re planning to hold for 6–18 months (waiting on appreciation, permits, or financing seasoning), a property manager can place and manage tenants so you’re not bleeding carrying costs. The key is aligning lease terms with your exit.

2. Short-Term Rentals as a Bridge
I’ve seen investors cover expenses with short-term rentals (Airbnb, etc.) while waiting for the right time to sell. It only works if you have a manager who can handle guest turnover, compliance, and operations — otherwise, it’s too much to juggle during a renovation.

3. Rehab Coordination / Turnovers
Some PM companies (ours included in Columbus, Ohio) also run construction and turnover teams. That hybrid setup is useful if you’re out of state and need eyes on vendors, during the flip process.

4. Protecting the Asset Pre-Sale
Vacant properties attract problems — theft, leaks, frozen pipes. Having a PM do periodic inspections and keep utilities running can save a lot of headaches.

The bottom line though, is If it’s a quick lipstick flip, you probably don’t need a property manager. But if your strategy involves any kind of hold, rental income bridge, or asset protection, the right PM can offset risk and carrying costs.

In our case at 10X, we work with some investors who are flippers and just need short-term management, inspections, or construction support to keep their projects moving. It’s not the majority of our work, but it does add value in certain situations.

Kerlous Tadres · Answer

I’ve seen property managers come into play with flips, but usually only if the project turns into a hold. Most flippers just get in, rehab, and sell; no need for management. But if you’re renting it out for a year or running it as a short-term rental to cover holding costs, a PM can add value by handling tenants and maintenance. Just make sure you budget for the fees since they’ll eat into margins. In markets with strong rental demand, having that backup plan can be smart.

Jeff Minia · Answer

As a property manager, I can tell you we have a role in fix-and-flip projects, but it's not the traditional one. The real question is whether the flipper actually needs a PM.

Honestly, in our experience, most flippers don't. But for those who do, leveraging a PM can add serious value. We can help by managing any existing tenants so you can focus 100% on the rehab, running short-term rentals on parts of the property to generate income while you're flipping, and coordinating the final cleaning and touch-ups to get the property show-ready for buyers.

It's not about complicating the process—it's about bringing in a specialist to take some weight off your shoulders and boost your bottom line. It's not for every deal, but for the right one, it can be a game-changer.

James Wise · Answer

Why would one try to rent out their house on a short term basis during a flip rehab?

Colleen F. · Answer

@Kelly Schroeder be wary of any case where the PM is actually the contractor and make sure you have references for people who have used this rehab service specifically. Cases where they may add value is areas where you have seasonal demand and they can dovetail smaller rehabs with their vendors perhaps a bathroom redo with local demand. I have had friends do this so they don't lose bookings.

Clare Pitcher · Answer

Most property managers have great vendor networks and may be willing to help facilitate the flip. Then if you're wanting to hold any of the flips and rent them out they obviously would be great for the leasing/ management side of things. If uou are out of state, I think they could add a lot of value and check in on your contractors/ add thoughts on what might be value adds if you are selling the property to an investor vs a home buyer.

Drew Sygit · Answer

Some actually do renovations, so might bring some value.

They could bring more specific value if you target flipping to landlords. - They can help you do renovations inline with the neighborhood AND targeting tenants.

There's a big difference between the rehab quality for tenants vs owner-occupants.

David Spurlock · Answer

A PM probably is going to hinder the process and won't add significant value. If you are looking to make an extra $100 or so, here's a creative idea for you @Kelly Schroeder: Target your flips to investors. Create an agreement with a property manager to pay YOU for your business.A property manager would benefit from the opportunity to stay on long-term. They will also get some quick cash from leasing out the property (Usually the first month's rent at no cost to you). They can pay you a small fee for choosing them. Their opportunity is that the new owners/investors will keep them on long-term since they are already in place. It may be more effort than it's worth if you are not doing high scale. Just an idea

Do Property Managers Add Value for Flippers?

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