PM Scorecard & Interview Kit

Rate your property manager across 12 criteria and get 20 interview questions with answer guides

Financial Management

Reporting Quality

Clarity, detail, and timeliness of monthly financial statements.

Itemized statements with revenue, expenses, and owner draws delivered by the 10th of each month.

Vague summaries, missing line items, or statements that arrive weeks late.

Rent Collection Rate

Percentage of rent collected on time each month across the portfolio.

98%+ on-time collection rate with clear late fee enforcement and escalation procedures.

Frequent late payments tolerated without follow-up, or collection rate below 95%.

Expense Management

How well the PM controls costs and gets competitive bids for work.

Multiple bids for jobs over $500, clear markup policies, and a preferred vendor list with negotiated rates.

Single-source vendors, unexplained markups, or maintenance costs significantly above market averages.

Tenant Management

Screening Process

Rigor and consistency of tenant background and income verification.

Credit check, criminal background, eviction history, income verification (3x rent), and landlord references for every applicant.

Inconsistent screening, skipping references, or accepting tenants without income verification.

Vacancy Rate

Average time properties sit vacant between tenants.

Average vacancy under 30 days with proactive marketing beginning 60 days before lease end.

Properties sitting vacant 60+ days regularly, or no pre-marketing strategy.

Turnover Rate

Percentage of tenants who renew their lease each year.

70%+ lease renewal rate with a structured renewal process starting 90 days before expiration.

High turnover with no retention strategy, or tenants leaving due to unresolved maintenance issues.

Communication

Response Time

How quickly the PM responds to owner inquiries and tenant issues.

Same-day response to owner messages, 24-hour max for non-emergency tenant requests, 1-hour for emergencies.

Days without response, no after-hours emergency line, or having to chase for updates.

Portal Availability

Quality of the owner and tenant portal for real-time access to information.

Full owner portal with real-time financials, maintenance tracking, lease documents, and tenant communications.

No portal, or a portal that is outdated and missing key information.

Owner Reporting Frequency

How often and in what detail the PM proactively updates owners.

Monthly written reports with financials, maintenance updates, and market observations. Quarterly strategic reviews.

No proactive communication; owner must always initiate contact to learn what is happening.

Operations

Maintenance Handling

Speed and quality of maintenance request resolution.

Defined SLAs: emergencies within 4 hours, routine repairs within 48 hours. Photo documentation before and after.

No tracking system, slow response to maintenance, or deferred maintenance that creates larger problems.

Vendor Relationships

Quality and reliability of the PM's contractor and vendor network.

Licensed, insured vendors with negotiated rates. Multiple options per trade. Regular quality audits.

Using unlicensed contractors, single vendor for everything, or vendors that are also owned by the PM without disclosure.

Legal Compliance

Adherence to fair housing, local landlord-tenant law, and safety codes.

Documented fair housing training, current on local law changes, proper lease addenda, and timely safety inspections.

Unfamiliarity with local regulations, no fair housing documentation, or leases that violate local law.

PM Score

--/ 100

0 of 12 criteria rated

Score Guide

90-100A(Excellent)
75-89B(Good)
60-74C(Average)
40-59D(Below Avg)
0-39F(Poor)

20 Interview Questions for Evaluating a Property Manager

Use these questions during your PM interview. Click any question to see what good and bad answers look like.

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This scorecard is an educational tool to help you evaluate property managers. Scores are subjective based on your assessment. Always conduct your own due diligence, check references, and verify licensing before hiring a property manager.