There are plenty of investors who are in a financially strong position to self-insure their properties completely, take on much larger deductibles, or eliminate certain coverages from their policy in an effort to drive down their insurance costs. 

I've been on both sides: self-managed 3 dozen for 19 years, then had a PM for half my last 2 years.  

Not sure if you'd like to self-manage or not, but either way you'll need to build out a good team - realtor, property manager, contractor, bookkeeper, etc.

I'm small enough to self manage, but I don't like hearing extra fees like these.

@Robert Rixer, I don't know how creative these are, as many are common plays:Valet TrashFencing in first floor yardsProviding washer and dryers for added rentReserved, Covered parkingTech PackagesInternet and Cable contracts, with reimbursementsPayment Plan rents, with small service charge (i.e. bill 1/4 rent each week)Reserved Rental cabanas at poolPrivate pool party rental optionGolf Simulator in clubhouse - fee basedOn site, self serve car wash (quarter feeder style)Charged group fitness/personal training servicesGame room in clubhouse with monthly subscription for tenants (Xbox, Playstation, etc)Changing out high maintenance grass for astro turf or lower maintenance/lower water use shrubberyBut ultimately, I think a lot of NOI increases come from deep dive into understanding EVERY expense and finding ways to minimize them, and/or no outsource them.Train maintenance team on basic HVAC and appliance repairs (find way to get them licensed as needed)Buy paint sprayers for faster, easier turns versus having to hire a contract painter, and possibly repaint whole unit each timeStandardize all finishes, so you can buy in bulk, everything from hinges and door knobs to cabinets, paint colors, and light fixtures.Potentially get leasing people onto lower base salary with higher bonus potentialBulk/bundled insurance across portfolio (even better at scale is to self insure)Regularly test sprinkler systems for leaks.Non-NOI, but benefit to you: partner with insurance agency to get referral kickbacks from your tenant base for renter insurance.  

Are you currently self-managing? 

I did 12 years, got out last year, and started a defense consulting firm.

You might be surprised to see some tasks are taking a lot more time than you think they should and maybe you are diving a little too deep into those items or need some automation.I self-manage 13 SFRs with a set of linked Excel spreadsheets.

@Zac LindquistNo VAs are used here; I think I will self-manage as long as possible.My occupancy would be close to 100%, but because of house hacking, sometimes I choose a gap between TMP contracts so family can visit.I only list on Furnished Finder (FF).

It’s easy to self manage.