To hire a property manager, first decide which rental tasks you want help with. Then compare local candidates, verify their credentials, ask how they handle everyday situations, and review the full management agreement before signing. A good choice depends on how the manager will care for your particular property, communicate with you, and account for your money—not just the advertised monthly fee.
1. Decide what you need a manager to handle
Write down the work you currently do and the work you want to delegate. This gives you a consistent way to compare companies. Your list might include advertising a vacancy, showing the home, reviewing applications, coordinating a lease, collecting rent, responding to maintenance requests, conducting inspections, and sending owner reports.
Ask each candidate which tasks are included in the standard agreement and which require an additional fee. If you want to approve tenants, repairs, or lease renewals personally, discuss those decision points at the start.
2. Build a shortlist and verify credentials
Look for managers who serve the area where your rental is located and have experience with your type of property. Ask other owners for referrals, read a mix of owner and renter reviews, and note how clearly each company explains its services.
In Tennessee, people engaged in property management need an active broker or affiliate broker license and an affiliation with an actively licensed firm, according to the Tennessee Real Estate Commission. You can check an individual or firm through the state’s public license search. Confirm the details for the person and firm you are considering rather than relying only on a website claim.
3. Ask each candidate the same practical questions
An interview should show you how the company works after the agreement is signed. Ask for specific processes and examples, not just a list of services.
- Communication: Who will be my main contact? How and how often will you update me?
- Vacancies: How do you set the asking rent, prepare a listing, arrange showings, and report on interest?
- Applications: What written screening criteria do you use, and who makes the final approval decision?
- Maintenance: How do renters report problems? When do you seek my approval before authorizing work?
- Money and records: When will I receive owner statements and payments, and what can I see in the owner portal?
- Coverage: Who handles urgent issues or owner questions when my regular contact is unavailable?
If tenant placement is a priority, our tenant screening checklist provides more detail on questions to discuss. For an occupied property, ask how the manager tracks requests and coordinates ongoing maintenance.
4. Compare the complete fee schedule
Request a written fee schedule from every candidate. A monthly management fee may be a percentage of collected rent or a flat amount, but it may not cover every service. Ask whether the agreement includes separate leasing, renewal, inspection, advertising, setup, maintenance coordination, or termination charges.
Use the same example property and expected services when comparing proposals. Ask what happens to the monthly fee while a property is vacant and whether there are minimum charges. The lowest stated percentage is not necessarily the lowest total cost.
5. Review the management agreement before signing
Read the proposed agreement alongside the promises made during the interview. Confirm that it states:
- Which services are included and which cost extra.
- Who may approve applicants, leases, repairs, and spending.
- How rent, deposits, expenses, and owner payments are handled.
- What reports and records you will receive.
- The agreement term, renewal rules, notice period, and termination costs.
- What happens to keys, documents, listings, funds, and tenant communication when management ends.
Ask for clarification in writing if a term is unclear. For legal questions about the agreement or a tenant dispute, consult a qualified attorney.
6. Check references and choose based on fit
Ask whether you can speak with owners of similar properties. Useful questions include whether the manager provides timely updates, explains expenses clearly, and follows through on maintenance issues. Reviews and references are helpful, but weigh them alongside the written agreement and the answers you received directly.
Choose the candidate whose process, communication, authority limits, and total costs match your needs. You should know who will do the work and what decisions will still be yours.
7. Plan the handover
After signing, agree on a start date and a list of items to transfer. Depending on the property, that may include leases, tenant contact details, payment records, keys, access instructions, warranties, vendor information, inspection records, and open maintenance requests.
Confirm who will notify current renters, where they should pay rent, and how they should request repairs after the transition. A clear handover reduces confusion for both owner and renter.
Frequently asked questions about hiring a property manager
How many property managers should I compare?
Speak with enough candidates to compare their services, communication, fees, and agreements meaningfully. Give each one the same information about your property and ask the same core questions so the answers are easier to compare.
When should I hire a property manager?
Consider your available time, distance from the rental, experience, and willingness to handle tenant communication and maintenance. Hiring before a vacancy or before you acquire another property can give you time to compare candidates and plan the transition.
What is the most important question to ask?
Ask who will manage your property day to day and how that person will handle decisions that require your approval. Follow up with questions about reporting, maintenance spending, and what is included in the written agreement.
If you are comparing options for a Clarksville rental, you can review Connerth & Co.’s landlord property management services alongside other candidates’ services and agreements.
