Any Tips for Starting a Property Rental Business?

[Brandon Hall]

Hello Everyone,

I was doing a bit of reading earlier this morning and read about a particular property rental company in the D.C. area. This company basically contacts landlords and, working on contingency, attempts to find a suitable renter for that home. Should the company find a renter, the landlord will pay the company a fair commission.

Does anyone have experience with these companies? Do you know how profitable they are? I imagine it can be quite lucrative depending on how much time and effort you put into it, especially in a large metropolitan area such as D.C.

Do you know what databases these companies use to find rentals and renters? If you were called up by one of these companies, what would make you want to use their services?

Since I live in the D.C. area, this seems like a decent enough opportunity to get my feet wet with real estate while learning the market at the same time. I am fresh out of college so buying a property in D.C. will take a bit of creativity. I figured I could possibly try this out in the mean time.

Let me know what you guys think! Thanks!

Brandon