How I screen a property manager (when I do hire one)

Question

I manage 236 properties in Memphis, most of it in-house. So when I do hire a property manager, I am not looking for a sales pitch. I am looking for numbers.

First, I screen on my box, not theirs. Can they work single-family in the ZIPs I buy — 38109, 38111, 38112, 38114, 38116, 38117, 38118, 38122 and 38128? Do they understand BRRRR — buy under $100K, ARV $180K to $265K, and rent that has to clear the 1% rule?

Second, Section 8. For 3BR+ my rents run $1,395 to $1,950. I ask how they handle that work plainly: showings, paperwork, and getting a house ready to pass inspection the first time. If they talk rent in big numbers and go quiet on inspections, that tells me enough.

Third, rehabs and turns. A lot of my houses are conversions — 2/1 to 3/1, 3/1 to 4/2 or 3/2, often adding square feet from a carport or garage. I need a manager who sees that layout change as the rent driver it is, not as a problem.

Last, reporting. I want collected rent, vacancies, and open work orders in plain numbers, on a set rhythm. If I have to chase the numbers, I do not have a manager — I have another job.

What is the first question you ask a property manager before you hand them a house?

Josiah Fadugba · Answer

I'd ask, "What happens when a tenant calls with a maintenance issue at 9 PM on a Saturday?"

You can learn a lot about how a property manager operates from that one question. Who answers? How quickly does it get handled? Does the request actually get logged, or does someone have to follow up on Monday?

At 236 properties, I'd imagine the real headache isn't just managing maintenance. It's having to chase people to find out what's been handled and what hasn't.

A good PM should be taking work off your plate, not giving you another full-time job checking up on them. If they're using a property management AI assistant like Bevado, that's a green flag for me.

Leo Stein · Answer

Drew, Amit and Richard, thank you for adding to the list. Putting systems and procedures in writing, asking for a real owner report from last month, and asking how they told an owner about bad news all fit with the idea that documents and specifics show more than a sales conversation. Richard, the unit count and years of experience, plus whether the person handling your unit does management full time, are good filters too. James, which of these questions would you put at the top of your own list?

Richard F. · Answer

Your first questions should be, How many units do you manage for others, and for how many years? You also need to know if the PM that will be handling your unit(s) does PM full time, or if RE Sales is primary responsibility.

If they haven't had at least 50 units under management for at least 5 years, it is unlikely they have solid systems, and will be "learning" on your dime.

I've worked for companies that had a large number of their own units they worked right alongside Client units. One set up a separate division, with all of their own maintenance staff and management, while the Client side was run by a separate Broker, leasing agent, and maintenance staff. The only thing really shared was the office space and the reception area/admin assistant and main phone number. This was an ideal arrangement, and above reproach. The other company I worked for ran all the units under one maintenance, accounting, reception, and manager. They had solid accounting and did not "play favorites" with maintenance or showings. It worked well, but there was certainly opportunity for conflict of interest. Both of these companies had several hundred units, and most Clients they had managed for over 10 years. PM was their business, but the Brokers both handled sales for Clients, friends, and family as well. One had an additional full time sales person that was pretty independent, and had no part in PM.

Amit Patel · Answer

Great list, and as a manager I’d love it if every owner came in this prepared. Owners who screen on numbers are the easiest to work with.

If I could only ask one question, it would be: “Show me a real owner report from last month.” Blurred names are fine. You learn in 30 seconds whether they track collections, vacancies, and open work orders, or if they’ll be sending you a vague email once a month.

Close second, especially for Section 8: “What’s your first-time inspection pass rate?” Anyone doing this seriously knows that number. A failed inspection is a month of lost rent, and the managers who prep units right don’t have to guess.

I’d also add one that rarely gets asked: “Tell me about the last time something went wrong and how you told the owner.” How a manager handles bad news says more than anything in the pitch.

Drew Sygit · Answer

Ask them for their systems & procedures IN WRITING!

Verbal means nothing.

Leo Stein · Answer

James, my first question is how they handle the first 30 days after a vacancy. Reporting tells you what happened; the vacancy plan tells you how they think. I want to hear who walks the unit within 48 hours, how fast a scope and bids come back, who approves spend, and what day the listing goes live. A manager with a real process answers with days and names. A weak one answers with adjectives. Two follow-ups I'd add to your list. Ask for a sample owner statement and a sample move-out inspection with photos before you sign anything, because documents show habits better than conversation. And ask what happens when they have a bad month: who covers the phones, and how many doors does each person carry? Door count per staffer is the number that predicts whether your calls get returned. Coming from the RPM network, with about 40 years behind it, the owners who stay happy are the ones who set the reporting rhythm and approval limit in writing on day one. Happy to compare notes by message.

Rosina Persaud · Answer

Mine is: walk me through your last turnover, day by day.

I sit on the operator side of that conversation. At 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family, a manager who cannot explain a turn schedule in plain steps will improvise — and improvising is where vacant days pile up. Our rent-ready turnovers run on a 21-day scheduling system, same order every time, because turnover and vacancy cost more than repairs.

Next I would ask two things. How do you screen — for us it is verified, repeatable income and consistency between the story and the paperwork, not just a credit score. And how is rent collected — one payment method, written into the lease, same for every house. Vague answers on turns, screening or collections are the answer.

Ametria Chaney · Answer

My first question is simple: how quickly will I see collected rent, vacancies, and open work orders, and in what format? If I have to chase the numbers, the manager is adding work rather than removing it.

After reporting, I look at how they handle maintenance approvals and turns. What dollar threshold can they approve without calling me, how do they document the work, and what does a typical turnover timeline look like for a home of this type? I also want to know how leasing is handled, including showings, application standards applied consistently, and how they communicate when a home sits vacant longer than expected.

Finally, I check fit: does the manager actually work with properties like mine, in the areas where I own, and with a fee structure that is clear about what is included? A manager can be excellent in one niche and a poor fit in another, so the screening should test the match, not just the pitch.

How I screen a property manager (when I do hire one)

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