To communicate that a candidate doesn’t meet your qualifications without violating fair housing rules, you can simply focus on the criteria rather than the individual.

However, if you clearly communicated a $15K budget, I’d stick to that and ask them to discuss the overages with the contractor to find a resolution.As a side note, always try to maintain reserves for your properties.

Yes, they do nickel and dime some but the are competent and communicative.

Continually communicate clearly with all parties involved to make sure that expectations are as close to realistic timelines as possible.

I was very impressed with the communication and the easy process.

Owners do NOT pay PMC's enough to risk violence.4) How is their inconsistent communication really negatively affecting the management of the property?

Be a pro, be honest, be fair, be consistent, communicate, and you'll do well from an investor's perspective. 

Unfortunately, my experience has been problematic, to put it mildly:* Communication: There were significant communication issues, including difficulty scheduling calls, which is still an ongoing problem.* Additional Charges: Jenny requested that I deposit on her checking account an additional $20-25k for her to purchase furniture, which I refused because I thought it was very strange, opting to give my card # instead.* Work Quality: Jenny never showed up to the house, she sent 2 people instead, she never mentioned she would not show up herself, she never asked for approval to send two others instead, they did not complete the job, and there were multiple unauthorized charges on my card.* Receipts and Expenses: Once I brought to Jenny's attention that we were 20k above budget, she refused for days to give me the receipts, saying that I needed to give her my credit card statement first.

I always cover my experience, the brokerages experience, and expectations with communication - 9 - 5, M-F, 24 hr turnaround during business hours, and the owner can reach out to me personally when the team isn't present. 

@Cole Bossert I think @Sarah Kensinger and others have touched on the biggest qualities, especially communication.