All Forum Posts by: Gurleen B.
Gurleen B. has started 10 posts and replied 36 times.
Post: Property Management in Detroit
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
I had a very negative experience with Mousa, Own It Detroit, and Mutual Property Management. They invoiced me for services that were never completed, and when I raised concerns, I was met with hostility instead of accountability.
After switching to a new property manager, I received evidence that my property had been neglected—landscaping included—even though I had paid for it.
I urge anyone considering them to reconsider. Your property and your money deserve better.
Post: Has anyone used Own It Detroit Property Management Company
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
Just a heads-up to any fellow investors: steer clear of Mousa, Own It Detroit, and Mutual Property Management. I found out they were charging me for services that never happened—like landscaping that was untouched. When I asked about it, things got heated fast—angry emails, defensive attitudes, the whole nine yards.
Once I hired a new manager, I got photo proof of how neglected the property really was.
Plenty of better teams out there—don’t make the mistake I did.
Post: I spent $800K with Own It Detroit -- $20,000 on this rehab. Rate it! (Part 2)
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
I strongly advise against working with Mousa, Own It Detroit, or Mutual Property Management. In my experience, I was billed for property maintenance that was never performed. When I raised concerns, the response I received was aggressive and unprofessional.
After changing property managers, I received photographic evidence confirming that the landscaping work I paid for had been completely neglected.
There are significantly more reliable and transparent options available.
Post: Today I fired the Own It Detroit team after spending over $800k with them.
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
Avoid Mousa, Own It Detroit, and Mutual Property Management at all costs. They charged me for services that were clearly never completed. When I asked for clarification, I was met with hostility and unprofessional behavior.
After terminating the contract, my new property manager found that basic landscaping hadn’t even been done—despite me having paid for it.
Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere.
Stay far, FAR away from Mousa, Own It Detroit, Mutual Property Management. They will actively charge you for work that is not completed, and when you question the work that was done you are met with angry, defensive and belligerent responses.
They claimed to have issues renting my property, after I fired them the new manager went to the house and sent me pictures of landscaping never being touched -- EVEN THOUGH I WAS CHARGED FOR IT.
You can do a hell of a lot better than them. STAY AWAY!
Post: Detroit Tarrifs is now the time for a rebirth and new look @ this market
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
Detroit has been on the upswing for over 10-years now.
This will just be fuel to the fire!
If I am not mistaken, property values in Detroit have increased 300% since 2017!
Quote from @Imdad Rahman:
I've come across some online courses, particularly those by individuals like Tom Cruz and Section8Karim, who claim to provide valuable insights and strategies for successful Section 8 investing. However, I can't help but feel a bit skeptical about the legitimacy of these courses. It's challenging to distinguish between genuine advice and potential scams in the vast sea of information available online.
I'm curious to know if anyone has enrolled in courses offered by individuals like Tom Cruz or Section8Karim. Do you feel that these courses provided valuable and actionable information, or did you find them to be more of a sales pitch?
Thanks in advance for your insights.
Scams
Thought I would give this a bump --
I'm looking to get into the Section 8 niche and have been exploring Memphis, Tennessee! I'm curious for any and all feedback from investors/property mangers/etc. who have experience doing this.
Is there a high demand for Section 8 tenants in Memphis?
What is the average rent being seen for a 3-bedroom single family house?
Are there certain zip codes to avoid at all costs? Ideally I'm looking for turnkey properties or properties that need some work which totals out at or under $100,000.
Please don't hesitate to tag me on replies or message me directly -- thanks in advance! :)
Post: Need a Property Manager in Cleveland (Section 8)
- Posts 38
- Votes 8
Quote from @Michael Smythe:
@Henry Bagh it appears what you really want is a personal assistant.
Otherwise,
Encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.
To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.
Even if someone give you a referral, don’t make the mistake of assuming that PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.
We also can’t believe how many owners hire the first PMC they speak with!
Then they complain their expectations aren’t being met!
In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.
It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!
Owners mistakenly ASSUME all PMCs offer the exact SAME SERVICES and PERFORM those services EXACTLY THE SAME WAY, so price is the only differentiator – and they often select the first PMC they call!
So, the first question they usually ask a PMC is about fees - instead of asking about services and HOW those services are executed.
EXAMPLE: PMC states they will handle tenant screening – what does that specifically mean? What documents do they require, what credit scores do they allow, how do they verify previous rental history, etc.? You’d be shocked by how little actual screening many PMC’s do!
This also leads owners to ASSUME simpler is better when it comes to management contracts.
The reality is the opposite - if it's not in writing then the PMC doesn't have to provide the service or can charge extra for it!
We have a 14-page management contract that we've added our real experiences to over the years, with the intent of protecting both us AND the landlord. Beyond the Monthly Management, Placement & Maintenance fees, all other fees in our contract are IF EVENT -> THEN fees.
We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:
We recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.
EDUCATE YOURSELF - yes, it will take time, but will lead to a selection that better meets your expectations & avoids potentially costly surprises!
P.S. If you just hire the cheapest or first PMC you speak with and it turns into a bad experience, please don’t assume ALL PMC’s are bad and start trashing PMC’s in general. Take ownership of your mistake and learn to do the proper due diligence recommended above😊
Link doesn't work brother
Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
Quote from @Gavin Horkheimer:
Quote from @Travis Biziorek:
Quote from @Maria Bolivar:
Quote from @Arsen Atanasovski:
Detroit hands down!
Hi @Arsen Atanasovski thanks for your feedback. Are you still bullish on Detroit?
I'm actively seeking properties to seed my portfolio.
Hugely bullish on Detroit. I was just there all last week meeting clients and hunting deals.
I picked up another duplex for my personal portfolio that will bring me to 14 doors.
My portfolio is managed with our internal company. We manage over 500 doors in Detroit now but only offer it to folks we work with on the acquisition side.
Let's connect, I'm interested.