Should You Hire a Property Manager or Manage Your Riverside CA Rental Property Yourself?

By Brian Bean | April 20, 2025

🧠 Should You Hire a Property Manager or Manage Your Riverside, CA, Rental Property Yourself?

Here’s how to choose the right approach for your Inland Empire investment.

If you’re a landlord — or considering becoming one — you’ve probably asked yourself:

“Should I hire a property manager, or manage my rental myself?”

It’s a big decision. And there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Whether you own a single-family home in Riverside or a small portfolio in the Inland Empire, the best choice depends on your goals, availability, risk tolerance, and support system.

In this post, we’ll break down the pros and cons of self-management, the benefits of hiring a professional property manager, and a third “hybrid” option that gives you flexibility and control.

🏡 Option 1: Self-Managing Your Rental Property

Self-management can be a great fit if:

You live near your rental property
You have time to be hands-on
You’re willing to learn the ins and outs of the business

✅ The Upside:

No management fees — you keep 100% of the rent
Full control over decisions, repairs, and tenant selection
Personal relationships with your residents and vendors

⚠️ The Challenges:

You’re responsible for everything — leasing, maintenance, accounting, legal compliance, and customer service
You need to stay current on local, state, and federal housing laws
You’re on call — nights, weekends, and holidays
You’ll need to find and vet vendors for every repair or emergency

Good News: You’re not completely alone.

If you self-manage, check out the following resources:

California Apartment Association (CAA) for legislative updates
BiggerPockets Landlord Forums to learn from other self-managing Investors

👨‍💼 Option 2: Hiring a Property Manager

A property management company takes over the daily responsibilities of running your rental, giving you back your time — and your peace of mind.

✅ The Benefits:

Handles leasing, maintenance, resident communication, and accounting
Ensures legal compliance and reduces liability
Shields you from stress and late-night calls
Often reduces maintenance costs through vendor volume discounts
Helps prevent costly mistakes (such as fair housing violations or bad tenant screening)

⚠️ The Drawbacks:

You’ll pay a monthly management fee (usually a percentage of collected rent)
Not all property managers are created equal — research, interview, and ask good questions
You’ll typically have less day-to-day control, which can be a psychological barrier for some owners

💡 Pro Tip:
Before hiring a property management company, download 25 Questions to Hire a Property Manager to help you interview candidates.

🧩 Option 3: Hybrid Management (Find a Solution to the Precise Problem)

Hybrid management is a growing trend — and for good reason.

This approach lets you keep the tasks you enjoy or are best at and outsource the rest. It’s ideal for owners who want to stay involved but need backup where it counts.

Examples of Hybrid Management:

You handle leasing; a PM handles maintenance
You collect rent; a PM issues legal notices and does inspections
You manage day-to-day operations, but your PM handles annual services such as preventive maintenance, inspections, or lease renewals

This option gives you customized support while maintaining control.

✅ So What’s the Right Choice for You?

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

Do I have time to manage the property well?
Am I confident in staying compliant with California’s rental laws?
Do I have a trusted network for maintenance and repairs?
What is my stress tolerance — and how much is my time worth?

The answer might change over time — and that’s okay.

You can always start with self-management and shift to a manager later. Or vice versa.

💬 Need Help Deciding?

Use Dream Big Property Management as one of those resources.

We’re happy to answer questions, share strategy ideas, or help you determine if professional management is right for you.

📞 Call or text Brian Bean directly at 951-314-5402
🌐 Or visit us at DreamBigPM.com

No pressure. No pitch. Just real help.

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