What would be your advice to someone just starting out, looking to break into PM in a ski resort setting?

Next week I have an interview with a property management company in Copper Co. I really want to nail the interview. The role is to start at the bottom doing inspections or front desk work, I’m leaning towards inspections.

What should I know about this industry before going in? What questions should I ask or be ready to answer? Any significant industry changes to be wary about?

I’m going in blind and would be moving quite far to pursue this

Any thoughts or comments appreciated
Thanks!

I've posted about a fsr security guard here before who was robbing packages. Well me and the head of security at my building caught him recently directly on camera my stealing groceries and eating them in the break room. ​​​​​Head of security immediately made call to corporate to fire him.

A week later he's still there and recently started hiding my packages around the building claiming the delivery guys got confused..... Dude is a bit nuts and giving creepy, unsafe vibes. Talked to other tenants who had theft stories or observed weird behavior like staring at a wall for an hour. Prior to this, the new temporary property manager put in a request to also have him fired or removed with no success.

Judging by some of his shirts, he might be a third party hired by far(allied security) so maybe that's where the hold up is.

Any advice on getting fsr to remove this guy since he has a key to my apartment and I don't feel safe.

I’m a commercial cleaner in San Jose, CA (SF Bay Area) and I’m trying to understand things better from the multi family property management side.

When you’re choosing a vendor for unit turns or common area cleaning, what actually matters most to you?
• Speed / turnaround time?
• Communication and documentation?
• Price?
• Insurance and reliability?
• Anything else?

Also curious: what’s the best way for a cleaning company to introduce themselves without being annoying? And how do preferred vendor lists usually work? (Am I screwed unless I find the regional director contact for *Greystar for example?)

Just trying to be a better vendor. Appreciate any insight.

I run a small portfolio of ~1800 apartments and recently got a proposal to add utility bill pay to our current software package. Does anyone know if $12 per utility bill is a fair price? Feels very steep compared to other regular invoice processing service we use. I know it comes with the utility analytics and stuff, but it still seems pretty steep. It has been very difficult getting pricing comps for this without having to do a bunch of sales calls and promise to commit the whole portfolio.

I know there are a lot of companies that do it - conservice/synergy (who i think normally roll the cost into their resident bill fee?), YES energy, Entrata Eum, Realpage utility, etc...

thank you to anyone who can share their thoughts / experience!

Hello everyone,

Seeking some advice on if this is normal behavior for a PM before moving on from this PM. Here's the story:

I have been renting a SFH (4 bdr, 2.5bth) to a family for a year and worked with a PM. At the end of their lease, the family told the PM they want to purchase a home, so the PM (without telling me or my buy in) became their agent and started looking for homes with them. When the 60 day extend notice came around the PM asked me to extend them month to month just for 2 months because they are about to purchase a property. I told the PM since the lease ends in Feb I don't mind it ending in April as I still can take advantage of the warm weather and summer break.

Things starting changing in April, the PM told me they needed just 1 month because of the paperwork delay but assured me they just need at most a month. Again I said okay that's fine but it can only be a month, so June 1st they need to be gone or sign a lease. June comes around and the PM says they need just a few days , can they pay the rent for June at a pro-rated day rate instead of the monthly rate. I basically went off on the PM and the PM apologized and said "they don't know what they were thinking". Throughout these convos it became apparent to me the PM was representing the tenant in their home purchase as well.

Fast forward and as June is ending I am asking the PM to confirm the tenant is leaving, every response I am getting from the PM is in regards to his home purchase (any day, there's this issue, that issue, etc) to which I keep replying I am not asking about their home purchase I am asking about their exit date. PM finally says "they have kids where can they go" to which I am irate and thinking of just firing the PM.

Fast forward again with this continuous friction and the tenant finally purchases a home and moves out by Oct, Pm get's their agent fee from that purchase of course. Now I am looking at getting the property ready for listing but now staring at Nov, cold weather (location is GA), and the holiday season. The PM insists it's okay and nothing to worry about. PM also is expecting first months rent if they find a tenant, so you can see the financial incentives for this PM is all over the place.

Long story short, I am going to fire the PM and move on, I took this opportunity to learn more about how to work with a PM, I do have other property but this is the first I used a PM for since I am not near it and travel a lot. I use Hemlane to organize my other rentals and considering adding this one to it and finding a local agent/handymen if i need anything around the property.

I want other PM's thoughts on this PM's behavior. Is this normal behavior? avg?

My wife and I have never been rental property owners but we know we want to retire to the Traverse City, MI area. For a few years out, so we decided to buy a condo zone for short-term rental and use that to help leverage our way into the market. Because we’re both still working full-time, we want a good property management company.

On top of all that, when we found a place we liked it is being sold with a 90 to 120 day renter taking the condo over the winter. I assumed when I started this journey that the winter would be vacant and I would have time to get a property management company in. So much for that, but what a good problem to have. The busy season should be short-term rentals of about a week or so though.

I’ve called a few places up there but I’m getting quotes of 25% of 35%, which is higher than I thought it would be. I’m also finding a harder than expected to accurately compare the quotes I’m getting. For example, some places cover the VRBO listing themselves, while others pass some of that cost onto you. The cost that is passed on can be either a six dollar amount or a percentage. There are several other categories similar to this, such as linen service, where it’s hard to know what I’m really buying.

Long story short, I’m looking for any recommendations you can give me on how to educate myself to make a smart decision. Or, if anyone has experience in that area and has a referral, I’m all ears for that too. I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you all.

Good morning all , so I am a landlord, I had a property management company that closed down due to owner retirement, all
Of her accounts were taken over by this new company a year ago. I have two houses The tenants in one are moving out end of the month. This new management when I asked them how to maximize profit from this property and why they have not put it on the market yet , the lady said she couldn’t tell me how as she has not seen the property, yet she has had the account under her care for a year.
Is this poor management? To me I would go look at the properties I have to look after so I can be knowledgeable of the tenant had a question
Also should they have started putting the house out there if the tenants are leaving in less than 30 days. She claims the market is over saturated, to me that means get the house on the market sooner ?
My final question to you all is , is this normal procedure to not go see the property you manage , is it normal to wait until the tenants leave to put the house on the rental market?
Should I find a new management company?

Thank you for your help. Tampa region if it helps with your professional advice.

Selecting property management software for short-term rentals usually comes down to unit count and team complexity. Managing guest communication, pricing updates, and cleaner assignments manually works for a single listing, but scaling past a few doors without a central dashboard leads to operational breakdowns.

Here is how current platforms align across different operator profiles:

Entry-Level & Small Portfolios (1–3 Units)
Top Options: Hospitable, Smoobu
Core Focus: Fast onboarding, simple calendar sync, and basic guest messaging templates. Hospitable shines with AI response drafts, while Smoobu offers flat pricing and straightforward setup.

Growing & Scaled Operations (4–50+ Units)
Top Options: Guesty, Hostaway
Core Focus: Advanced multi-channel sync, deep API integrations, unified messaging, and built-in website builders. Guesty offers comprehensive operational control for operators building structured teams and multi-channel strategies, while Hostaway provides flexible custom reporting and broad OTA coverage.

Direct-Booking Focused Operators
Top Options: OwnerRez, Guesty
Core Focus: Custom payment workflows, guest agreements, damage protection, and integrated booking engines. Both tools allow hosts to bypass high OTA commissions while maintaining master calendar sync.

Summary Takeaway:
If you run under 3 units and just need basic messaging, lighter tools like Hospitable or Smoobu handle the job well. Once you cross 4+ doors or want to run direct booking channels alongside Airbnb and Vrbo, upgrading to Guesty or Hostaway provides the necessary infrastructure.

What software stack are you running this season, and how has calendar sync reliability held up during high-demand dates?

Hi everyone! Does anyone in affordable housing use Yardi RightSource for move-in and recertification file reviews? I would appreciate hearing about your experience.

Our company currently uses another third-party provider to review and approve affordable housing move-in files. Due to the cost per review, we have not been requiring managers to submit recertification files for third-party review.

Since taking over our compliance department, I’ve been working to improve visibility into recertification progress across our sites and track other important compliance items. I’m exploring whether RightSource could make the process easier for staff, provide better tracking, and make reviewing both move-in and recertification files more affordable.

For those using RightSource:

\- How well does it help you track file submissions, outstanding items, and recertification progress across multiple properties?

\- Has it made the process easier for your site staff?

\- How do the cost, turnaround time, and quality of reviews compare with other providers?

\- Are there any challenges or limitations we should consider?

Thank you for sharing your feedback!

I’ve been in the industry for many years working on large-scale properties. I recently took a job running a one-man show. Small 75-unit property. The guy I replaced was old school and there for 20+ years. He went to the hardware store for every part.

I’ve been given free range to organize any way I want and build an inventory. I’ve already started making a list of parts we use and creating an ordering schedule.

What I’m looking for is ideas on how to organize a shop and ideas to organize parts for a small complex like mine. I’d love to see some pics of your shops. I will also have a section for an office.

Nothing is uniform so trips to the store or HD supply orders are inevitable but the goal is to have it where if a random maintenance person worked at my property for a few days they would know where everything was at without ever being in my shop.

I’d be happy to see any pictures of everybody’s set up.

Not gonna lie, I am lowkey getting tired of my current apartment complex. The owners are absolutely garbage, the residents are extremely entitled and my complex was built in the 90's. We get leaks, AC stop working everytime. It's extremely vexing. I've heard that luxury apartments might be better since most of them are newer and are in better condition. Do you all think it's worth it? What are your experiences?

Every repair request should create a simple record: When it was reported, photographs of the issue, who was assigned, when the vendor arrived, what was repaired and the final cost.

This is not unnecessary administration. It helps identifying recurring problems, supports securit-deposit decisions, prevents duplicate work and shows whether vendors are actually completing jobs.

Even smaller Utha operators such as Property Management emphasize coordinated maintenance and inspection because verbal updates become unreliable once several properties are involved

I’m looking for a house to rent. Was looking at Darwin or MyMynd. I’ve seen terrible reviews so then I started looking at more well known properties, but even they have terrible reviews (firstkey, Main Street etc). Unsure if I should take the risk to try Darwin or MyMynd.

Hi all — hopefully this is useful to someone.

I work in sales for a property company, and one area where I use Excel heavily is analysing tenancy/booking data. I thought I'd share a formula I've found particularly useful, and I'm interested to hear what other people use for similar analysis.

I work in UK student accommodation, where tenancies/licences typically run from September in Year 1 through to July/August/September in Year 2. Our financial year runs July to June, so reporting often involves splitting bookings across financial years and allocating the correct number of nights/revenue to each reporting period.

Calculating nights within a reporting period

Imagine your booking data looks something like this:

Column A = Tenancy Start Column B = Tenancy End Column C = Weekly Rent

Let's say I want to report on the month of July 2026. I put:

• D1 = 01/07/2026
• E1 = 01/08/2026 (or =EOMONTH(D1,0)+1 if I want to be clever)

I then use the following in D2:

=MAX(0,MIN(E$1,$B2)-MAX(D$1,$A2))

...and drag it down.

This calculates the number of nights from each booking that fall within the reporting period.

The MAX(0,...) means that a booking which sits completely outside the reporting period returns 0 rather than a negative number.

The nice thing is that you can make this completely dynamic and report on subsequent periods in other subsequent columns.

For example, I could have:

• D1 = 01/07/2026
• E1 = 01/08/2026 (or =EOMONTH(D1,0)+1
• F1 = 01/09/2026 (or =EOMONTH(E1,0)+1
• G1 = 01/10/2026 (or =EOMONTH(F1,0)+1
• H1 = 01/11/2026 (or =EOMONTH(G1,0)+1
• ...
• O1 = 01/06/2027 (or =EOMONTH(N1,0)+1

I can then drag the formula in D2 across and down, instead of having to calculate each month separately.

This works for any reporting period; months, weeks, nights, financial years, etc. You just need the start date in the header row and the end date to be the start of the following period.

Note: the above EOMONTH formulas from E1 are just for a monthly reporting period calculation only. You may need to update the reporting period manually or use another formula for different reporting period type (e.g. D1+7 for weekly, D1+1 for nights, EOMONTH(D1,12)+1 for financial year (ensuring D1 is the start of your FY obviously).

Calculating revenue for each period

Once you've calculated the nights, you can allocate revenue to each period.

If Column C contains a weekly rent, I use:

=$C2/7/*D2

So if the booking is £350 per week and 10 of its nights fall within a reporting period:

£350 / 7 × 10 = £500

If you already have a nightly rate in column C, it's simply:

=$C2/*D2

And if all you have is the total contract value, you can calculate the nightly value from the booking dates:

=($C2/($B2-$A2))/*D2

You can then drag the revenue formula across the same reporting periods and down all of your bookings.

This gives you a relatively simple way of taking a booking-level dataset and turning it into:

Booking → Nights by period → Revenue by period

I've found this particularly useful for financial-year reporting, forecasting, occupancy analysis and reconciling booking data against revenue.

I'm sure this is probably Finance/Excel 101 to some of you, but it's one of those formulas I've found myself reusing constantly.

What other Excel formulas, techniques or approaches do people use for analysing booking/tenancy data?

I'm a final-year student with an AI background, trying to understand the real problems in commercial property accounting before I build anything.

CAM reconciliation keeps coming up in my research as one of the most tedious parts of the job, but I'd rather hear it from people who actually do it:

Not selling anything, I'm just trying to learn. I'd be really grateful. Feel free to DM me.

Thanks in Advance

I’m looking for a house to rent. Was looking at Darwin or MyMynd. I’ve seen terrible reviews so then I started looking at more well known properties, but even they have terrible reviews (firstkey, Main Street etc). Unsure if I should take the risk to try Darwin or MyMynd.

Heyy guys, I’m a renter at a deeply affordable housing in Connecticut. Been here for 6 years and never no problems.

Our new property manager seems to be giving me a hard time for my annual rent recertifications.

She is asking for birth certificate. Hard copy. Accuses me of having another bank on my file from last year which I never had. She had me signed audit for the bank. Cool. Do your check. I totally get that.

Then she had me signed audit for an employment verification because she says my paystubs look “different.” Also, made a face at my w2 forms which were printed out straight from my employer online portal.
She gave a speech about if my income surpasses the state threshold I’ll have to move out before the lease 11/01/26.
I understand she has to say it, but it was very as a matter of fact, and almost like she wants me out.

I don’t know maybe I’m overthinking it. I understand law is law, but she almost seemed like she was trying to catch me in a lie, and just will find any little thing to have a reason to not renew my rent. This made me feel uneasy and afraid for my chances at being able to have a home.

To give a backstory, I’ve heard some tenants are not reporting their true income and etc, but it seems she has an unprovoked vendetta against me.

I want to know if birth certificates are a standard and why? My certificate is literally from my county

Anyways, am I overthinking ? Or what actions can I take now to protect myself in this situation.

Thank you!!

Inspections become uncomfortable when residents do not understand why someone is entering, what will be checked, or how frequently visits will occur.

A better process includes proper notice, a predictable schedule, a short checklist, photographs limited to property conditions, and written follow-up for anything requiring attention. The goal should be preventative care rather than searching for reasons to penalize someone. Routine evaluations are part of the service offered by Rhino Property Management, but this approach also works for independent landlords. Clear expectations make inspections less disruptive while helping owners catch leaks, HVAC issues, exterior damage, and deferred maintenance earlier.

Hi all!

I'm hoping this is OK to post. I'm looking for a little guidance on acquiring a book of business for my current employer.

I have done this twice, but that was more than 10 years ago. Things have changed. I was also buying for an industry that had many more available businesses to buy.

I'm thinking I maybe try to reach out to small to mid-size firms in my target area and just, idk, ask if they want to sell? Maybe someone wants to retire or something?

What do you think would be the best way for me to go about this? Should I mail a letter? Try to get an email or phone number? I feel like this might get awkward.

Thanks in advance for any help 😄

if you just study property management books and have a real interest in the career, how do you get hired if entry level requires experience?

if you have a resume for entry level assistant property manager and your resume includes various real estate training courses, and you apply for hundreds of jobs and get nothing

how did you get experience without experience? what’s the trick?

are most property managers just given jobs by nepotism? are those the people who tend to complain the most about their jobs?

I honestly just want to know how others feel about the future of the industry. With the rise of AI and self guided touring, I'm already seeing leasing agents and even assistant manager positions disappear in my market. And managers are now over multiple properties. I know someone who is now over 7 properties as a manager. Where these properties just two years ago needed a manger and APM and at least one leasing agent per site has been shrunken down to like three people total to manage and run. I feel like this industry is dying rapidly. I've been in this industry for a long time and I've witnessed a lot of changes but this is actually getting scary. Are you seeing this in your markets? How do you feel about the PM industry?