Property Manager · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2026 · 32 posts · 12 votes
Curious how many investors here with properties in Greater Cleveland or Akron are still self-managing versus using a property management company?
I work in property management here locally, and I talk with owners every day about leasing, tenant issues, maintenance, and all the day-to-day headaches that come with rentals.
For those who self-manage — what’s been the biggest challenge for you?
Always interested in connecting with other investors and hearing what’s working (or not working) for everyone.
I self-manage and rent by the bedroom in another market, so take this for what it is. The hardest part for me isn't any one task. It's the things that need a decision from me on a day I didn't plan for: a late rent, a repair call, a shared bill that has to be split.
What took most of that away: rent due on the same day for everyone, with the late fee written in the lease and charged on schedule, so I'm never deciding whether to be the bad guy. And one place for repair requests with a photo attached, instead of a text thread I have to dig back through.
After that it comes down to one handyman who picks up the phone. That matters more than any app.
I self-manage and rent by the bedroom in another market, so take this for what it is. The hardest part for me isn't any one task. It's the things that need a decision from me on a day I didn't plan for: a late rent, a repair call, a shared bill that has to be split.
What took most of that away: rent due on the same day for everyone, with the late fee written in the lease and charged on schedule, so I'm never deciding whether to be the bad guy. And one place for repair requests with a photo attached, instead of a text thread I have to dig back through.
After that it comes down to one handyman who picks up the phone. That matters more than any app.
@Harrison C. I really like your approach here. You identified what was consuming most of your time and implemented systems to make your business more efficient. I think that's one of the biggest lessons in property management. It's not always about working harder, but creating better processes that save time, eliminate unnecessary decisions, and allow you to focus on growing your portfolio.
For owners who self-manage, the biggest challenge I see isn't the repairs, it's the paperwork around them: requests that arrive by text, call and email and never get logged, receipts that pile up, and no single record of who was told what. Whether you self-manage or hire someone, one request log and one folder per unit fixes most of that. Out of state, a property manager's value is mostly that they keep that system running.
@Richard (Ryszard) Cieplechowicz Absolutely agree! That’s why having a centralized system like a CRM or property management software is so important. My team uses AppFolio to keep maintenance requests, communication, documents, and financial records organized under one roof. But just as important as the software is having a reliable team in place to oversee everything and make sure nothing falls through the cracks, especially for out-of-state investors.
Roman, what does your first month with a previously self-managed property look like? I’m curious how you uncover unfinished jobs and tenant promises that don’t appear in a folder. Getting those straight seems like an important part of making the switch feel smoother for both the owner and tenant.