08/08/2026
Your property manager is adding markup to every repair bill and pocketing the difference. That $500 plumbing job? Now it's $600. Ask to see the original invoice. If they hesitate, that's your red flag.
Worse problem: 85% of landlords have been victims of rental application fraud. One landlord hired a manager who approved a perfect couple... except the people who moved in were completely different. No ID check at move-in. Result? $3,500 in losses plus legal fees to evict strangers. That single screening failure cost more than five years of management fees.
The incentive structure is broken. Managers rushing to fill vacancies approve bad tenants. Bad tenants trash the place. Damage creates repair bills. Repair bills generate markup profit. Your 'partner' is literally profiting from failure.
What questions are you asking before handing over the keys?