Handyman vs. Property Manager? Recommendations please!

[Bethany McCullough]

My husband and I own 3 rental units in the Portland area, one duplex and 1 SFH. We're a military family and will be transferring out of state come June. We are trying to decide if we need to hire a property management firm or simply establish a great relationship with a handyman we can trust (and then hire out the tenant selection/showing process if that need arises). We have established relationships with a plumber, electrician and landscaper. Any long distance landlords with advice?

Also - would greatly appreciate recommendations for handymen or property managers you trust. Looking for as much guidance/direction as we can receive to help us make the right decision. Thanks all!

[Brad Larsen]

The handyman ad hoc concept is fine, until no one can reach the handyman - or that handyman injures himself on the job....or worse yet....the work that handyman does injures your tenants.  My point being the level of separation between you and your tenants and that the handyman must be organized by you...keeping you from focusing on finding your next investment. 

A good property management company would carry significant amounts of insurance to cover themselves (and you) all while vetting their contractors to do the same.  Reliability and Risk Mitigation go hand in hand there versus trying to hire the small guy in a truck to fix something. 

So, I may be biased, but I see the darker side of tenants every day and I can only imagine that a tenant friendly state with an ever increasingly litigious society can only lead down a slow dark path. 

Hire a good property management company affiliated with NARPM and let them take on that liability.  

Good luck out there!