Rental Property Management Forum

Property management software experience
Managing Your Property
Property management software experience

Hey BP community! I’m looking to get honest feedback from fellow landlords especially those managing small portfolios (1–20 units). I’d love to know: What property management software do you currently use? What do you like most about it? What do you wish it did better? Have you tried any others a...

Security Deposits and Escrow Accounts
Managing Your Property
Security Deposits and Escrow Accounts

As I read over my leasing agreement for my tenant, I notice the verbiage indicates opening an escrow account. Is that standard practice?

At what point does "I'll just deal with it when it breaks" stop working?
Managing Your Property
At what point does "I'll just deal with it when it breaks" stop working?

With one property, a lot of landlords can genuinely wing it, know the place well enough, handle things as they come. Curious where that stops working for people. Was it a specific number of units? A specific bad year? Managing remotely instead of locally? What was the moment you realized you need...

How to handle tenant lack of judgment, ruining dishwasher
Managing Your Property
Asheville, North Carolina
How to handle tenant lack of judgment, ruining dishwasher

I have a triplex with three wonderful young women who are renting a three bedroom. They work at very nonprofit nonprofits so they have no money and they are really fantastic. My challenge is that they used a dish rack on the counter right above the dishwasher, yet with no trey! At some point, the...

Does Operational Simplicity Matter More as Portfolios Grow?
Managing Your Property
Does Operational Simplicity Matter More as Portfolios Grow?

Are investors starting to prioritize: • fewer headaches • stronger systems • and cleaner operations more than aggressive expansion?

Using a Property Management LLC on the Lease Instead of Our Personal Names?
Managing Your Property
Dallas, Texas
Using a Property Management LLC on the Lease Instead of Our Personal Names?

My partner and I own a small rental property in our personal names, but we also have an LLC that we use to manage it. We run the LLC ourselves. We’re thinking about putting only the LLC on the lease as the landlord/property manager instead of our personal names. The main reason is privacy—we’d ra...

Former tenant keeps questioning the amount taken from his ecurity deposit
Managing Your Property
Former tenant keeps questioning the amount taken from his ecurity deposit

My tenant moved out. We did final walkthrough. All issue were pointed out during the walkthrough. He could not attend in person, so I had to do one via video. I told him how much I will remove from his security deposit (about $1500 for the repairs) Remaining money was sent to him. Copies of invoi...

One of the Most Overlooked Parts of Owning Property in NYC
Managing Your Property
New York, New York
One of the Most Overlooked Parts of Owning Property in NYC

Imagine you're getting ready to sell your property, refinance your mortgage, renovate, or pull a new NYC construction permit. Everything appears to be in order—until someone discovers an open NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) permit or permit application from years ago that nobody knew still exis...

Self-managing landlords in Florida: what's your biggest operational headache?
Managing Your Property
Orlando, Florida
Self-managing landlords in Florida: what's your biggest operational headache?

I manage a couple of properties in the Orlando area and have been fortunate that things have run pretty smoothly so far. But I talk to a lot of landlords and the challenges vary a lot depending on the market, property type, and how hands-on the owner wants to be. For those of you self-managing in...

Multifamily owners — has tech actually improved your margins, or just reduced stress?
Managing Your Property
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Multifamily owners — has tech actually improved your margins, or just reduced stress?

I’m the owner/operator of Atlis Property Management down here in South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward, Martin County). I’m in the weeds daily — not watching this from a spreadsheet in another state. I wanted to ask something honestly. Over the past couple years, costs here have crept up everywhere ...

Memphis Experience with James Wachob (Foundation Property Management / TurnkeyInvest)
Managing Your Property
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis Experience with James Wachob (Foundation Property Management / TurnkeyInvest)

I really wish I had seen a detailed review of Foundation Property Management (FPM) or TurnkeyInvest here on BiggerPockets before signing on with them several years ago. I ended up entrusting five properties to their management, and I know of two other out-of-state investors who used them as well....

Software / App That Handles Maintenance Requests
Managing Your Property
New York, New York
Software / App That Handles Maintenance Requests

BP, I've been on a long search for technology and applications that allow me to automate parts of the tenant journey (leads, apt tours, screening, rent collection...). I don't see any reliable apps that focus on handling maintenance requests for small multifamily owners (2-4 units). I have only s...

The Small Maintenance Problem That Cost One Investor $4,200
Managing Your Property
Baltimore, Maryland
The Small Maintenance Problem That Cost One Investor $4,200

A few years ago, I learned an expensive lesson about deferred maintenance. A property had a minor plumbing leak that seemed insignificant. The tenant reported it, but the repair was delayed because it wasn't considered urgent. Three months later: Water damage behind the wall Mold remediation Dryw...

Section 8 owners: how do you reconcile split rent?
Managing Your Property
Section 8 owners: how do you reconcile split rent?

For owners running Section 8, how are you reconciling the HAP payment and the tenant portion when they hit on different days? I have seen the monthly statement look clean while one side of the rent is still short or late. The trap is treating the approved contract rent as received rent before bot...

Average delinquency rates in South Shore
Managing Your Property
Chicago, Illinois
Average delinquency rates in South Shore

I have a lot of delinquent tenants in my building this month. I'm wondering how quickly the average delinquency gets resolved in South Shore. My tenants are by and large only 30-60 days delinquent. what are some strategies you'd use to reduce delinquencies in your properties? Is a 10-day notice e...

Phoenix property management recommendations
Managing Your Property
Phoenix property management recommendations

Hello - Do any of you with properties in Phoenix like your management company? If so would you pass along their contact info? Need to move away from a Lazy and difficult to contact PM. Thanks!

What one system do you wish you had when you first started self-managing rentals?
Managing Your Property
What one system do you wish you had when you first started self-managing rentals?

Quick question for the landlords in this group — I'm doing some research and would love your honest answer. If you could only keep ONE thing that makes managing your rentals bearable, what would it be? And what is the one thing you wish someone would just hand you a solution for? No pitch here — ...

Landlords of 5–50 units - how do you actually keep track of everything?
Managing Your Property
Landlords of 5–50 units - how do you actually keep track of everything?

Hey everyone - quick question for landlords managing properties without property managers: How do you keep up with rent collection, late fees, lease expirations and renewals, maintenance requests and follow-ups, tenant info and docs and turnover planning? I’ve got a few units and it feels like a ...

Why Some Value-Add Deals Underperform
Managing Your Property
Why Some Value-Add Deals Underperform

One thing I’ve learned after nearly 20 years in commercial real estate: Most value isn’t lost during underwriting. It’s lost after closing. Delayed vendor transitions. No clear operating procedures. Deferred maintenance without a plan. Inconsistent communication. Teams constantly reacting instead...

The 10% That Changes Everything
Managing Your Property
The 10% That Changes Everything

A 10% spread on a roof replacement is not a one-time event. It is money you will leave on the table, project after project. Just this week, I received bids for concrete leveling work at a single-family rental in Illinois. The range was from $5,000 to $6,430. Same scope. Same materials. Same outco...

Best tech stack for managing STR and Mid-Term Portfolio and automating work flows?
Managing Your Property
Best tech stack for managing STR and Mid-Term Portfolio and automating work flows?

Hi everyone — I currently manage a small-to-medium sized rental portfolio that includes both short-term and long-term units, and I’m looking to optimize my tech stack. I am especially interested in any AI backed systems that are working well for you. Right now I’m using: • Airbnb (listings & book...

Property management software suggestions for the self-managed duplex
Managing Your Property
Property management software suggestions for the self-managed duplex

Hey all, I'm looking into low cost (or free) software that will let me keep track of rental income and expenses for a duplex I just bought. It's our first property, so it doesn't have to be robust. I use QBO for an event rental company I own, but I think that's overkill. Short of building a sprea...

Can I Screen The Staff I acquired in commercial purchase
Managing Your Property
Denver, Colorado
Can I Screen The Staff I acquired in commercial purchase

Hey, so I just acquired my first boutique hotel. Its a 14 door lodge in the CO Rockies. Its a full turn around project and we've been seeing some great traction. I have a question that I can't seem to get answered online. We inherited a property manager who lives in one of the 14 rooms. They are ...

Property Inspections Docs/Checklist
Managing Your Property
St. Louis, Missouri
Property Inspections Docs/Checklist

I am looking for annual property inspection documents. Does anyone have documents you are willing to share?

Landlords Beware: Entrusted Intempus with 6 Properties and Ended Up Deeply in the Red
Managing Your Property
Cleveland, Ohio
Landlords Beware: Entrusted Intempus with 6 Properties and Ended Up Deeply in the Red

I want to start by saying that I am genuinely not the type of person who writes long online reviews. In fact, under normal circumstances, I almost never leave public reviews for businesses at all. But after what I experienced over the course of an entire year managing my portfolio with Intempus, ...