Task-by-task comparison
| Task | DIY cost or risk | With J R Grace Realty |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | Owner photography, listing copy, inquiries, showings, and risk of pricing above or below current demand. | Market preparation, professional presentation, listing distribution, inquiry handling, and tour coordination. |
| Resident screening | Application tools, verification time, fair-housing consistency, and risk from incomplete rental or income history. | A consistent bundled process covering credit, rental history, income, and nationwide eviction history. |
| Rent collection | Payment setup, reminders, documentation, late-payment follow-up, and difficult resident conversations. | Online resident payments, monitoring, clear expectations, and a consistent collection process. |
| Maintenance | After-hours calls, vendor sourcing, bid comparison, scheduling, quality control, and invoice review. | In-house maintenance and coordinated work with owner communication. |
| Evictions | Notice errors, filing time, court coordination, lost rent, and legal exposure. | Documented lease enforcement and coordination with legal support when necessary. |
| Legal compliance | Owner must track fair housing, notices, deposits, habitability, documentation, and changing requirements. | Repeatable processes and professional oversight; legal counsel is coordinated when required. |
Worked example: a $1,800 per month rental
Consider a home advertised at $1,800 per month. One week of avoidable vacancy represents about $414 in missed rent. Pricing the home just $100 below market costs $1,200 over a year. A hypothetical 10% management fee would equal $180 per month, before any leasing or optional-service charges. This example does not represent a J R Grace Realty quote; it shows why owners should compare the full proposal against vacancy, pricing accuracy, time, and risk—not the monthly percentage alone.
Frequently asked questions
Is a property manager worth it in Waco?
A property manager can be worth it when professional pricing, faster leasing, consistent screening, maintenance coordination, documentation, and compliance reduce vacancy, mistakes, or owner time by more than the management cost.
What percentage do property managers charge in Texas?
Texas property management fees vary by company, property, and service package. Owners should compare the monthly fee together with leasing, renewal, maintenance-coordination, inspection, and termination charges rather than relying on one percentage.