(Note: Try to obtain various sample reports generated by the management company for their clients).12.Is the maintenance performed by your staff or outside contractors?

I am not talking about cases where someone gets assaulted or robbed and then tries to sue landlord because property wasn't well lit orbecause they didn't have security staff.

I buy and manage all of my local properties via my in-house staff, which consists of two people, my wife and I

-Adherence to qualifying procedures and procedures-Knowledge/Adherence to all federal, state and local fair housing laws to minimize claims and litigation-Competent, honest and customer service oriented staff to treat their tenants as they deserve to be treated. 

As to building / maintaining relationships:  have to make sure marketing comes across as a win-win to homeowners, city staff, and local contractors alike.  

Many CRE investors don't care to be landlords and they like the efficiency of larger properties (on-site staff, professional team (management, lenders, brokers, vendors), inexpensive vendor specialists (flooring, paint, HVAC, other trades), single location, cost segregation).

If you plan to refinance into 30 year residential loans, you will be speaking with a mortgage officer (or a branch staff member)...same as you have done in the past with either a mortgage officer at a bank or with a residential mortgage broker.  

The parking and rentals pay for the teaching, parking, and management staff.

We are one of the largest PMs here in Cleveland when it comes to staff size, # of doors, and years in business.

As more and more clients ask me to recommend property managers for their SFH, Duplex and Fourplex properties, I'm updating my due diligence checklist when comes to what to ask a property management provider:Here are some of the questions I have:Preliminary (Time in business):Operations (Geographical Footprint Of Properties Managed)Preliminary (Credentials / Associations Involved In)Operations (Number Of Rental Properties Managed)Operations (Property Type Managed and Percentage Breakdown Of Each)Preliminary (Personally Invest In Properties Managed)Legal Compliance With Fair HousingLegal (Insurance Carried)Legal (Contract Terms and Cancellation Policy)Legal (Company Sample)Operations (Managers / Staff Employed)Sales (Rental Price Determination)Sales (Vacancy Fees)Sales (Management Monthly Fees)Sales (Company Cancellation Fees)Sales (Miscellaneous Fees - Marketing, Cleaning etc)Operations Specific (Marketing To Good Tenant Base)Operations Specific (Tenant Income Requirements)Legal (Eviction Timeline - When Does It Start?)