escrow or pay on my own?

[Adam Craig]

All of my properties are currently set up to pay tax/insurance through escrow.

My new portfolio lender who does commercial loans said they typically don't do escrow on the commercial side but they can do it if needed. He made is sound like its not what they want to do but would.

I have 12 properties and for me, escrow is easier with 1 monthly payment. 

What is involved paying tax/insurance on my own, specifically taxes. I know they are due every 6 months, will I get a notice in the mail when they are due? Can I set up up as a monthly payment instead?

Not sure how much more leg work it will be without escrow....

[Daniel Chang]

I have no idea how escrow accounts work as I usually convince the lender to let me do it myself.  As for residential loans, this usually comes at slightly worse terms as having escrow accounts is safer for the lender to make sure taxes/insurance are taken care of.

I have 2 issues with escrow accounts.  

a) I'm sure they take some sort of fee and 

b) The time value of money.  If my property tax isn't due for another 6 months, any payment towards the property tax is oppotunity cost lost for generating some (albeit small amount) of return.  However most property taxes run in thousands of dollars and this can add up.

It really isn't hard.  Procedures and dates vary from State to State.  In CA for instance, property taxes are always due Dec 10th and April 10th, and insurance company sends me notices to pay them annually (it's in their best interest to do so).