Hi BiggerPockets Community

I’m currently managing my own commercial property here in Georgia through a property management company I formed, and over time, I’ve really dialed in my systems. I handle the management part-time, and thanks to investing in the right property management software, streamlining tenant communication, and building a reliable network of contractors and vendors, things have been running smoothly.

Now I’m at a crossroads.

I’m considering turning this side hustle into a full-time business — offering property management services to other landlords and scaling from there. I know Georgia requires a real estate license and affiliation with a brokerage to legally manage property for others. By the grace of God, I’ve connected with a broker who’s open to letting me operate independently under his brokerage umbrella once I get my license (currently working on it). We’d have a profit-sharing agreement, and down the line, I plan to get my broker’s license and branch off to run my own full-service real estate company.

My vision is to build something substantial — starting with property management (since it has relatively low barriers to entry), then expanding into sales, leasing, and potentially acquisitions. Property management, to me, seems like a strong foundation for recurring revenue and long-term growth in the real estate space.

That said, I’d love to hear from those of you who’ve walked this path:

• How was your experience starting a property management company from scratch?

• In 2025, is it still a profitable and scalable business model?

• What are some unexpected challenges or hidden costs I should prepare for?

• What are the pros and cons of affiliating with a broker instead of launching 100% independently?

• How long did it take you to go full-time and build up your portfolio of units under management?

• Would you do anything differently if you could start over?

Also, if there are key tools, systems, or marketing strategies that helped you grow your management business, I’d love to hear about them.

Thanks in advance to everyone who shares their insights. I’m excited and a little nervous to take this leap, and really appreciate any knowledge or advice you can offer to help me do it right.