How Many Properties Can One Person Manage?

Success in property management requires a balance of internal resources and capacity. If you hire more people so you can scale up, you might not be profitable until you find new investors. But if you postpone hiring and overload your team, relationships with residents and investors may suffer. 

So, how many properties can one person manage? The answer might be different for every property management company. A property manager who has little support might be at capacity with 30 doors, but with the right resources, that same PM could comfortably manage 100+ doors. 

This post explains how property management companies can use resources that create more capacity for property managers, eliminate time-consuming tasks, and reduce resident turnover.  

Time-consuming tasks for property managers

Property management teams handle a wide variety of tasks, some of which can be an administrative burden. These are some of the responsibilities that can make it difficult for PMs to manage more doors: 

Renters insurance management

Managing renters insurance is so complicated that some property management companies hire an employee just to handle that one task. If you’re only managing a few properties, you might be able to stay on top of renters insurance tasks, but as a portfolio grows, most PMs have to spend more and more time managing insurance policies and tracking compliance instead of creating value for residents. 

Pest control 

Pest control is time-consuming for a few reasons:

• PMs might have to schedule and arrange preventive spraying and give residents advance notice.
• Pest complaints can happen 24/7, leaving property managers scrambling at odd hours to find an available exterminator.

Some leases require residents to be responsible for pest control after the first month of their tenancy, but because of cost concerns, they might not call an exterminator at the first sign of a pest. Any delay in pest control raises the risk of a widespread infestation, which can create serious problems for property management companies, including board of health violations and property loss. It can also have a tremendous impact on the value of the property, putting investors at risk.

HVAC maintenance and repairs

A functioning heating and cooling system is essential for retaining residents, and often required by law, so PMs need to be proactive about maintenance. Unless PMs know the market well, they may spend considerable time searching for and vetting HVAC companies to find the best partner for their residents. When you have properties in several cities or states, finding an HVAC company that serves the particular property takes even more time.

New resident communication

New residents may have a lot of questions for property managers about what utilities they need, who the providers are, and how to schedule setup. Some property management companies don’t have a process for this type of communication and exchange messages with residents via text or email, which isn’t efficient or scalable.

4 time-saving resources for property managers

In order for a single property manager to handle more doors effectively, they need tools in their belt to help save time and increase efficiency. Here are four resources that create more bandwidth for property managers: 

1. Managed renters insurance program

Outsourcing the management of renters insurance is one of the easiest ways to create more capacity for property managers. As part of a comprehensive Resident Benefits Package (RBP), Second Nature offers a renters insurance program that guarantees 100% renters insurance compliance for the full lease term. Second Nature also handles all renters insurance-related admin tasks and compliance monitoring.  

2. Air filter delivery

Minimize maintenance requests and HVAC failures with Second Nature’s air filter delivery service. Filters arrive at resident homes on schedule, with simple instructions for installation. Changing the air filters regularly can slash resident energy bills by $177 per year and reduce HVAC maintenance requests by 38%.

3. On-demand pest control 

With Second Nature on-demand pest control, property management companies don’t need to schedule costly preventive sprays or handle requests for pest control. Residents can report pests directly to Second Nature’s pest control partner to connect with a professional exterminator quickly. Services cover common pests, like fleas, cockroaches, and mice, as well as pests specific to a property’s geographic location. And because there’s no cost to the resident at point of service, they won’t hesitate to act quickly if an issue arises.

4. Move-in concierge

Second Nature’s move-in concierge service connects residents with utility providers—residents just need to make a single phone call to the Second Nature team to kick off the process. This service creates a simple move-in process, makes a great first impression with residents, and eliminates utility questions for property managers.

The true ROI of a resident benefits package

Second Nature’s RBP doesn’t just save time for property managers — it also improves the resident experience, with perks like:

• Group rate internet — Second Nature’s internet program for single-family homes includes 24/7 support, zero setup fees, and lower monthly rates.
• Credit building services — Timely rent payments should have a positive impact on residents’ credit, but property managers don’t have time for credit bureau reporting. Second Nature reports on-time rent payments to all three major credit bureaus, helping residents build credit and motivating them to pay on time. 
• Identity protection — Second Nature offers $1 million in identity protection coverage for every resident, as well as dark web monitoring to stop potential threats. If a resident becomes the victim of identity theft, Second Nature’s coverage ensures they can pay their rent and get help from a professional restoration specialist.
• Resident rewards — The customizable Resident Rewards program lets residents earn points for behaviors like on-time payments, writing a review, or renewing their lease in advance, and points can be applied to product purchases or gift cards.  

Improving the resident experience reduces churn, which means property managers spend less time trying to fill vacancies. Property management companies charge residents a modest monthly fee to cover the RBP, and the perks Second Nature offers are well worth the cost. 

See how Second Nature helps property management companies scale. Contact us today for a demo!