I quickly chose one of the first 'investor-friendly' agents I found, bought the cheapest duplex on the market, and only interviewed a single property management company.Looking back, I wish I had taken the time to connect with more local investors in the area and leveraged their experiences to help me avoid some costly mistakes.After two years, I sold that underperforming duplex and reinvested closer to home.

I would definitely avoid her services if you want to save yourself the trouble and get quality work.

Plus, it avoids the waste and hassle of bottled water. 

To avoid going through the same poor experience, keep reading.Even if someone gives you a referral here, do NOT make the mistake of assuming that the PMC will meet your expectations, just because they met the expectations of the referral source.In our experience, the #1 mistake owners make when selecting a Property Management Company (PMC) is ASSUMING instead of CONFIRMING.It's often a case of not doing enough research, as they don't know what they don't know!

If your'e looking for purely long term appreciation you will likely do great in these markets but if you're looking to have high cash flow and avoid a potential major pricing downturn.

Reeti, Great idea in checking on this aspect of the process.

I'm not stating that it's inherently wrong, but aspects of it have gotten out of control.

Just be sure it’s documented and consistently applied to avoid any Fair Housing pitfalls.Another option is to stick with strictly quantifiable criteria—credit score, income ratio, etc.

The "Initial Filing" is extremely important to get this right the 1st time as there are limited safe harbors for mistakes to avoid the penalties.

I understand wanting to avoid long-term commitments, but here’s the catch: off-market deals take time and effort to source.