Hiring the right property manager can make or break the success of your real estate investment—especially in a market like Myrtle Beach. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or a seasoned investor, asking the right questions is key to finding a management partner who will protect your property, attract quality tenants, and maximize your ROI. Unfortunately, many property owners don’t know where to start or what to ask during the interview process. In this blog, we’ll cover the top questions you should ask any property manager—questions that go beyond the surface to uncover how they handle tenant screening, maintenance, communication, and your bottom line.
1. What’s your process if a tenant starts paying late or stops paying altogether?
Why it matters: Most homeowners don't realize how important it is to have a clear, firm, and fast delinquency process—including communication timelines, legal steps, and eviction protocols. We don't want this to happen and evictions can be uncommon but you want a property manager who is experienced with this.
There should be a consistent plan or process for the time a tenant pays late. One of the best pieces of advice that I've heard regarding management of properties and tenants is that that you need to treat it like a business. A good property manager will do just that and will handle a tenants excuses all the same. When you give the tenant wiggle-room or show them that you'll bend a little, they will take a lot and will pay late consistently.
2. How do you handle maintenance requests and what’s your average response time?
Why it matters: Delayed maintenance leads to tenant turnover and property damage. Ask your property manager how requests are submitted, how they're tracked, and how fast they're typically resolved. Great property managers will have a strong mix of in-house technicians that can solve small issues and an excellent vendor list for when those issues get a little more serious.
Also, what is the charge for simple maintenance requests such as repairing garbage disposals or fixing small clogged drains. One of the main reasons someone becomes uneasy or nervous about a situation is because they don't have enough information about the situation. If you can get clarity on how maintenance and maintenance charges are handled, you will have a much better experience with your property manager.
3. Do you proactively inspect the property during the lease?
Why it matters: Many managers only visit properties at move-in and move-out. This makes sense as it can be costly for the manager the more they do them, but good managers understand the importance of keeping a close eye on the tenant. It's not good enough to just do a good background check at the beginning - you need to keep a close eye on how the property is maintained.
Additionally, sometimes tenants don't report issues because they are either scared to do so or don't realize something small could get far worse. Regular inspections (even once or twice a year) can catch small issues before they become big ones.
We do quarterly inspections with our tenants and share the inspections with our homeowner clients. We've found this to be a very effective cadence and one that, if executed well, will keep tenants aware about how serious we are with property care.
4. What’s your tenant retention strategy?
Why it matters: Tenant turnover is expensive. One of the most valuable things a property manager can do is renew the lease with the tenant (assuming you have a good tenant). This is because the costs associated with turnover, such as repairs, marketing, and vacancy, will be a major expense.
If you can keep a tenant in place, even at a modest increase, you will end up with a much better ROI. Ask what they do to encourage renewals—such as lease renewal incentives, rent price analysis, or tenant benefits packages before renewal time.
5. What’s included in your management fee—and what costs extra?
Why it matters: Some companies charge low monthly fees but then nickel and dime for everything else such as Inspections, move-in fees, admin fees, maintenance markups, etc. Again, you want to have full clarity on what the fees are that your property manager charges.
The fees should encourage good habits from your property manager. For example, a commission based fee would encourage your property manager to get the highest rent possible for the property. The higher the rent, the higher the commission. If there is a lease renewal fee, your property manager will be encouraged to renew the lease. All of the fees should be clearly outlined in the Management Agreement as well.
6. How do you handle lease enforcement (pets, occupancy, smoking, etc.)?
Why it matters: Good managers don’t just collect rent—they enforce lease rules. You want to know they’re checking for unauthorized pets, over-occupancy, and other violations.
In Myrtle Beach, some the local HOAs can have very strict rules around pets, noise, and trash. Your manager should be collecting the rules document from the HOA and explaining them with the tenant prior to move-in.
7. How do you determine rental rates and proactively adjust them?
Why it matters: If they’re advertising your home and it sits for weeks with little activity, you want them to have a plan to get it rented. They should be monitoring variables such as leads, showings, and applications closely so that they can make informed adjustments and not just a “set it and forget it” strategy. Ask if they do a market analysis annually, if they raise rents at renewal, and how they stay competitive.
Conclusion
Choosing the right property manager isn’t just about who charges the lowest fee—it’s about who will protect your investment, keep your property occupied with great tenants, and ensure things are running smoothly behind the scenes. By asking these key questions, you’ll gain a much clearer understanding of how a company operates and whether they’ll be a true partner in growing your long-term rental portfolio.
If you're looking for a trusted, proactive property manager in the Myrtle Beach area, we’d love to talk. At Beach Rental Group, we prioritize communication, transparency, and results—because your investment deserves nothing less.
Ready to learn more? Reach out to schedule a consultation and get a complimentary rental analysis of your home.
