Should You Hire a Property Manager or Self-Manage? A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Smart Landlords Know the Numbers—Here’s How to Decide What’s Best for You
Owning rental property is one thing.
Managing it? That’s a whole different conversation.
If you’re a real estate investor or new landlord, you’ve likely asked:
“Should I hire a property manager or do it myself?”
The answer depends on your goals, your time, your budget—and whether or not you have the right systems in place.
This guide breaks down the true costs, benefits, and trade-offs between hiring a property manager and self-managing your rentals—plus how Nextpad Homes makes DIY landlording easier, smarter, and scalable.
🤔 First, What Does a Property Manager Actually Do?
A full-service property manager typically handles:
Marketing & showings
Tenant screening & leasing
Rent collection
Maintenance coordination
Lease enforcement
Evictions (if needed)
Accounting & reporting
Sounds convenient, right? But it comes at a price.
💰 The True Cost of a Property Manager
Most property managers charge:
8–12% of monthly rent (management fee)
50–100% of one month’s rent for leasing/new tenant placement
Additional fees for maintenance markups, lease renewals, inspections, and evictions
Example:
Let’s say your property rents for $1,800/month.
Total: $3,500–$4,500/year per property.
Now multiply that across a portfolio—and you’ll see how fast your returns shrink.
🔧 What Does Self-Management Look Like?
When you self-manage, you’re in charge of:
Finding and screening tenants
Creating leases
Collecting rent
Coordinating repairs
Handling communication
Renewals and move-outs
Sound like a lot? It can be—if you don’t have a system.
That’s where Nextpad Homes changes everything.
Cost-Benefit Breakdown: Property Manager vs. Self-Managing with Nextpad
✅ Self-management with Nextpad Homes gives you 90% of the benefits of a property manager—at a fraction of the cost, with full control.
When Hiring a Property Manager Might Make Sense
There are a few situations where outsourcing could be the right move:
You live far from the property (out of state)
You’re scaling past 10–15 units without a system
You absolutely have zero time or interest in hands-on involvement
You own in a market with complicated regulations and no local knowledge
That said, even in these cases, some landlords still prefer self-management with tech support—and save thousands doing it.
When Self-Managing Is the Smarter Move
You should seriously consider self-managing if:
You own fewer than 10 properties
You want to maximize cash flow
You value control over tenant selection and repairs
You’re willing to set up smart systems (like Nextpad Homes)
You want to build long-term equity—not just passive income
💡 Many first-time landlords who “try” self-managing with Nextpad end up sticking with it for the long haul.
How Nextpad Homes Makes Self-Managing Easy
You don’t need to do everything manually.
With Nextpad Homes, you get plug-and-play property support that takes care of:
✅ Rent Collection
Online payments, auto-pay, late fees, and payment logs
✅ Tenant Screening
Built-in background, credit, eviction checks with scorecards
✅ Digital Leasing
State-specific leases, e-signatures, secure cloud storage
✅ Maintenance Management
Tenant request portal, vendor assignment, repair tracking
✅ Communication Hub
Logged tenant messages, alerts, and reminders
✅ Accounting
Expense tracking, income reports, and exportable tax docs
You get 99% of what a property manager provides—without giving up 10% of your rent.
It’s Not About Doing It All Yourself—It’s About Doing It Smarter
Hiring a property manager may sound convenient, but it comes at a real cost—to your cash flow, control, and long-term wealth.
Self-managing doesn’t mean doing more—it means doing it better.
With Nextpad Homes, you get the automation, structure, and tools to:
✅ Fill units faster
✅ Keep tenants longer
✅ Handle repairs efficiently
✅ Maximize profit
✅ Stay in control
👉 Ready to self-manage like a pro—without the overhead?
Try Nextpad Homes and keep more of what you earn.