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BiggerPockets Real Estate · July 5, 2023 · 53m

Self-Manage or Hire? The Property Management Decision

Kehr breaks down when to self-manage vs. hire a property manager. The answer depends on your portfolio size, time value, and whether you view management as a skill to develop or a task to delegate.

Canon

Kehr warns that scaling a portfolio without proper management systems is a treadmill: each new property adds stress that offsets the income gain. Freedom requires systems, not just doors.

Highlights

Self-management builds skills and knowledge that protect you even after you hire a manager
Kehr argues that every investor should self-manage their first few properties. The skills you develop — tenant screening, maintenance coordination, conflict resolution — protect you from bad property managers later.