The decision to hire a property manager is something almost every landlord faces at some point:
“Should I hire one or not?”
Whether you're renting out your first property or growing your portfolio, the decision usually comes down to two things:
Time vs. money
If you're considering hiring a property management company, you're probably asking questions like:
- How much can I rent my property for?
- What are the fees?
- How do they handle tenants and maintenance?
In this guide, we break down the 6 most common questions property owners ask before hiring a property manager, so you can make the right decision.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Property Manager
Before hiring a property management company, most owners have the same core questions. In this quick video, we break down the most important things you need to know before making a decision.
Here’s a simple breakdown of those questions and answers:
1. How Much Can I Rent My Property For?
Rental pricing isn’t guesswork, it’s based on a detailed market analysis.
A property manager will look at:
- Comparable rentals in your area
- Current market demand
- Property condition and features
- Economic conditions
The goal is to find the sweet spot, maximizing your rental income while keeping vacancy low.
2. What Are the Fees?
At Uplift Property Management, pricing is simple and transparent:
- 8% Monthly Management Fee
- 5.95% Tenant Placement Fee
- $195 Lease Renewal Fee
This structure keeps things predictable and easy to understand, no hidden surprises.
3. How Are Maintenance and Repairs Handled?
Maintenance is one of the biggest concerns for owners, and one of the biggest time-savers when you hire a manager.
Here’s how it works:
- Tenants can submit requests 24/7 through an online portal
- A pre-approved spending limit ($500–$1,000) is set to handle issues quickly
- Licensed vendors from a trusted network complete repairs
Can you use your own contractors?
Yes, as long as they’re licensed. If they’re unavailable, the management team steps in to keep things moving.
Do they get multiple bids?
Not always, speed matters. The priority is fixing issues quickly to keep tenants happy and protect your property.
4. How Are Tenants Screened?
Tenant screening follows strict guidelines, including California Fair Housing laws.
That means:
- You won’t personally select or meet tenants
- A professional process is used to evaluate applicants
- The goal is to find reliable, long-term tenants while staying compliant
This protects both you and the property.
5. Can You Rent Your Property Furnished?
In most cases, no, and it’s not recommended.
Furnished rentals:
- Attract a different (often shorter-term) tenant pool
- Increase risk of damage to furniture
- Add complexity to management
For long-term rentals, unfurnished properties are typically the safer and more profitable option.
6. What Insurance Do You Need?
At minimum, you’ll need a landlord insurance policy.
This protects:
- The structure of the property
- Liability risks
- Rental-related damages
Some property managers also offer additional coverage options. For example, Uplift offers a third-party investor program starting around $25/month for added liability protection.
What is a property manager?
First, you may understand a property manager or property management company and how they may assist you. A real estate investment landlord hires a third party to take care of day-to-day activities for their rental properties.
Depending on the property manager, they can handle everything from single-family houses to multistory apartments.
Many services will be turnkey operations, meaning the property management company will handle most issues, from marketing your rental property to collecting rent.
However, it is possible to find property managers that may do most of the day-to-day work but leave some decisions or tasks to the landlord based on how the relationship is negotiated.
Many property managers can do the following, though this list is by no means exhaustive:
- Advertise and market the property
- Interview and screen potential tenants
- Handle executing a lease agreement
- Collect rent on behalf of the landlord
- Manage maintenance and repairs
Why Consider Hiring a Property Manager
Before hiring a property management company, most owners have the same core questions. In this quick video, we break down the most important things you need to know before making a decision.
Here’s a simple breakdown of those questions and answers:
Pros of hiring a property manager
There are several advantages to hiring a property manager, the most significant of which is that they can save a landlord time on various rental-related problems.
Filling a Vacancy
Finding the right property management company is difficult, but a professional firm can help. A competent property manager should be able to swiftly fill a vacancy because of his or her resources and experience in the area rental market.
A competent property management company will have a thorough screening process to ensure they discover the best tenants possible.
Setting the right rental rates.
A thorough market study is required by all property management which states that “a competent property management company will perform a comprehensive survey to establish a rental price for your home, ensuring that you get the ideal mix of income and vacancy.”
Managing vendor relationships
A property management company will almost certainly have a list of preferred vendors that work with for lower rates on maintenance and repair services. In theory, these businesses will deliver high-quality service to maintain good ties with the property manager.
Cons of hiring Property Managers
Don't get me wrong. Property management companies can be a lifesaver. They're great for taking care of the day-to-day administrative tasks that come with owning a rental property, and they do it all while you can focus on what's important: your business. But there are some drawbacks to hiring one, too.
1. The fees are high. When you hire a property management company, they'll typically charge you an upfront fee and then a percentage of the rent. That means that if your rent is $1000 per month, they'll take $100 off the top, and then another 10% every month thereafter! It adds up fast!
2. You have less control over the process than if you were handling it yourself. If something goes wrong in your rental, like a pipe burst or something gets damaged, your property manager will handle everything on their end; but if you're doing it yourself, at least you have more control over who does the work and how much it costs (if anything).
3. You'll have to pay extra if you want them to do anything extra (like find new tenants). A good property manager will handle everything for you, including finding new tenants when your current ones move out, but they'll charge a fee for this service.
How We Can Help!
We are a full-service property management company that has been in business for many years. We offer 24/7 emergency maintenance services, tenant screening services and much more! If you'd like more information about how we can help take care of your properties, please call or email us today!
