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A property manager runs your rental for you: they find and screen tenants, sign the lease, collect rent, coordinate maintenance and emergencies, enforce the lease, handle city compliance, send statements, and turn the home over between tenants. In exchange, the owner pays a management fee, usually a percentage of the rent, and keeps the final say on big decisions.
This guide follows the five stages JMZ Management uses for single-family homes, condos, and townhomes in Michigan: Find, Place, Operate, Protect, and Turn. Each stage lists what a good manager handles and what the owner still decides.
Before a home is listed, the manager studies comparable rentals and recommends a rent. Then they photograph the home, write the listing, syndicate it, and schedule showings.
JMZ, for example, updates its rental analysis before listing and markets on its own website, more than three dozen rental sites, and through agents. According to JMZ, most homes lease in 7 to 21 days when priced right.
Screening is where a manager earns much of its fee. A good one uses written criteria that follow Fair Housing laws and applies them to everyone. At JMZ, applicants over 18 are screened for credit, criminal or civil litigation, and income, and the owner gets the full applicant packet to approve.
Once an applicant is approved, the manager prepares the lease, collects the security deposit and move-in funds, and completes a photo-documented move-in inspection.
This is the month-to-month work most owners picture.
A manager protects the asset and the owner's legal position. That includes handling city rental registration and inspections, which are set municipality by municipality in Michigan, and enforcing the lease when something goes wrong.
When rent is late, JMZ follows up by phone, text, and email, then legal notices. Eviction can begin as early as 7 days after the grace period ends, and JMZ has an in-house legal department. Owners can add Eviction Protection for $25 per month per door, which covers court filings, attorney time, one hearing, and a Writ of Eviction if needed.
Every lease ends eventually. Before it does, the manager reviews the rent and offers a renewal or prepares for a move-out. After a move-out, they inspect the home, reconcile the security deposit, schedule cleaning and repairs, and get the home back on the market. JMZ reports that typical turnover costs run $200 to $500.
Hiring a manager does not mean giving up control. Owners typically decide:
Owners also pay for most repairs, since the property is theirs. The manager's job is to get fair prices, good work, and clear records.
A property manager handles the day-to-day work of a rental: marketing, screening, leasing, rent collection, maintenance, compliance, and reporting. The landlord keeps final approval on tenants, larger repairs, and major decisions.
Costs vary by company, so compare every fee in writing. JMZ Management charges 10% of monthly rent with a $100 monthly minimum, and the residential leasing fee is the first month's rent.
No, owners pay for most repairs because they own the property. The manager arranges the work, and at JMZ any work order over $500 needs owner approval with a contractor estimate.
A property manager can start and manage the eviction process on the owner's behalf through the district court. JMZ has an in-house legal department and offers Eviction Protection for $25 per month per door.
A property manager is usually worth it if you live far away, own several rentals, or do not want to handle tenants and repairs yourself. Weigh the fee against your time, your experience, and the cost of mistakes.
A property manager takes on the work of finding, placing, and caring for tenants while you keep control of the decisions that matter. JMZ Management has done this for 20+ years from our Novi office, managing 1,000+ properties across Oakland, Wayne, Macomb, Livingston, and Washtenaw counties. At JMZ, your property is our business.
This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice.
Want to see what management would look like for your home? Get a free rental analysis at jmzmanagement.com/freerentalanalysis or call 248-284-6990.
CONTACT US to learn more about professional property management in Michigan.