Should You Hire a Property Manager?
The honest answer: plenty of Florida landlords should self-manage, and some of them do it very well. If you live close to your rental, have real time during the week, and know the state’s landlord rules, you may not need us at all. If one of those three is missing, read on. Below are the real costs of both paths, the break-even math, and a plain list of who belongs on each side.
What self-managing actually involves
None of these jobs is hard once. The question is whether you want all six of them, every month, for as long as you own the home.
This is general information, not legal advice. For the full court timeline, see our Florida eviction process guide.
What each path really costs
Self-managing is not free. It just bills you in a different currency.
No management fee. Instead you pay with your hours, your evenings, and your attention. You also pay for the tools a manager already has: listing and showing time, screening reports, a Florida compliant lease, a way to collect rent, and someone to call when the water heater fails.
And you carry the risk of a mistake. A deposit claim sent late, a notice worded wrong, or a screening decision you cannot explain is paid for in dollars, not hours.
On full service, 8% (24 Managed) or 9% (24 Protected) of the rent we collect each month, plus a one time placement fee of 75% or 50% of one month’s rent. If the home is vacant or the tenant does not pay, there is no management fee that month.
Every fee is on our pricing page. Comparing us with other companies? Price the whole package, not the headline percentage, with our Orlando fees guide.
What a manager costs per hour of your time
Take a home renting for $2,000 a month. That rent is an example to keep the arithmetic simple, not a market figure. Use your own rent and our published fees.
Now divide the monthly fee by the hours you would spend managing. That is what you are paying for each hour you get back:
| Your hours a month | At 8% ($160) | At 9% ($180) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | $80 an hour | $90 an hour |
| 4 hours | $40 an hour | $45 an hour |
| 8 hours | $20 an hour | $22.50 an hour |
How to use it: track your real hours for three months, including drive time, showings, vendor calls, and the evening spent reading a statute. If the hourly number is below what your time is worth to you, hiring is the better deal. If it is above, self-managing is. Then add the part no table shows: what one avoided mistake, like a forfeited deposit claim, is worth. For the two year totals of all three plans side by side, see lease only vs. full service.
Who should self-manage, and who should not
If most of the left column describes you, you truly do not need a full service manager. We would rather tell you that now.
- You live close enough to get to the property the same day something breaks
- You have steady free time on weekdays, not just weekends
- You know Chapter 83, or are willing to learn it before you need it
- You can enforce the lease kindly, in writing, and without exceptions
- You already have a plumber, an electrician, and an air conditioning company you trust
- You run it like a business: separate account, written criteria, clean records
- You live out of the area, travel often, or plan to move
- Your hours are worth more than the hourly number in the math above
- You own several rentals, or plan to keep buying
- You would rather not be the person a tenant calls at night
- You became a landlord by inheritance or a move, and are starting from zero
- A long vacancy or an eviction would put real strain on your finances
Owning from another state? Read our guide for out of state landlords. New to this after an inheritance or a move? Start with the accidental landlord guide.
If you plan to self-manage, you can still hand off the front end: pricing, marketing, showings, screening, and a lease that holds up. Our Lease Only plan covers exactly that, at 0% monthly and a one time fee of 100% of one month’s rent. We place the tenant with an attorney prepared lease, set up rent collection, and record a move-in video inspection. Then the keys are yours.
One honest difference: the 12-month tenant placement guarantee comes with our full service plans, because there we manage the tenancy for its whole life. If self-managing turns out to be more than you want, moving to full service later is simple. See tenant placement for everything Lease Only includes.
How many rentals before you hire a manager?
There is no magic number, and anyone who gives you one is guessing. Count matters less than three things. Distance: one home two time zones away is harder to run than three homes ten minutes from your house. Time: a retired owner with free weekdays and an owner with a demanding job are not running the same business. Temperament: some people enjoy the work, and some dread every text.
A simple test at each purchase: would you want to handle two tenant problems in the same week? Owning more homes makes that week more likely. If your answer changes from yes to no, that is your number.
Signs it has stopped working
Self-managing rarely fails all at once. It slips. Here is what that usually looks like.
If several of these sound familiar, see how full service handles rent collection, maintenance, tenant screening, and eviction protection, or browse all of our services.
Hire or self-manage: questions, answered
Should I hire a property manager or self-manage?
Is a property manager worth the cost?
How many rentals before hiring a property manager?
Do I need a license to manage my own rental in Florida?
How much do you charge to manage a rental?
Can I self-manage and still get help finding a tenant?
Which Florida rules trip up self-managing landlords?
Can I switch from self-managing to a property manager later?
Not sure which side you are on? Let’s talk it through.
A no pressure conversation with Paul and his team about your property, your time, and your goals. Prefer numbers first? Get a free rental analysis, or call (407) 588-9600.
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