Owner Guide · Property Management Services · Palm Beach County, FL
Quick Answer
Property management companies handle the work of owning a rental: pricing and marketing, showings, tenant screening, lease preparation, rent collection, maintenance coordination, inspections, security deposits, legal notices, and owner accounting. In Palm Beach County, good managers also run association applications and track HOA and condo rules. Full-service scope varies by company, so get the list and every add-on fee in writing. Atlis is full service at 5–9% of collected rent with a $200 monthly minimum.
By Jean Taveras, Broker-Owner, Atlis Property Management · Updated October 2026
Owners hire a property manager for one of two reasons, and both are reasonable: they do not have the time to run a rental well, or they have run one and learned how much can go wrong. Either way, the value of a manager depends on what is actually included. Two companies can quote the same percentage and deliver very different work.
This guide lays out the services a full-service manager in Palm Beach County should provide, how each one protects your income, and the questions to ask about scope and cost. For our own service details, see our residential property management page.
1. Pricing, Marketing, and Showings
Pricing is the single biggest lever on your return. Price too high and the home sits; every vacant month costs a full month of rent. Price too low and you give up income every month for the length of the lease. A manager should price against active listings of the same size, condition, and community, not citywide medians, and revisit the price if showings do not turn into applications within the first two weeks.
Rent levels vary sharply across the county. In fall 2026, the median Jupiter rental asked $4,800 while Boynton Beach asked $2,625, and townhomes inside a single community can differ by $1,000 depending on condition. Our analysis of why some rentals lease in 7 days and others sit for 60 shows how price and presentation interact.
Marketing and showings
A manager should prepare the listing with professional photos and an accurate description, syndicate it to the major rental sites, answer inquiries quickly, and schedule showings. Speed matters: inquiries that wait a day often go to the next listing. Ask how the company handles showings, whether self-guided tours are used, and how it keeps the property secure.
The math behind fast leasing is simple. On a $3,000 rental, every week of vacancy costs about $700 in lost rent before utilities and lawn care. A manager who responds to inquiries within the hour, shows the home within a day, and processes applications quickly can shave weeks off each turnover, which over several years is worth far more than a point of management fee.
2. Tenant Screening and Association Approval
Screening protects the property and the income. A sound process uses written criteria applied the same way to every applicant, covering identity, income, rental history, and background within fair housing rules. Inconsistent screening creates both vacancy risk and legal risk. A typical written standard sets a minimum income relative to rent, requires verifiable rental history without unpaid balances, and reviews background reports within the limits of fair housing law, with the same rules for every applicant. Our tenant screening process and our guide to tenant screening in Palm Beach County explain the standard.
Many Palm Beach County homes sit in communities that require association approval before move-in. A manager who knows the process submits complete packets the day the lease is signed and screens to the association's criteria first, so the board does not reject the tenant. Our guide to HOA rental restrictions covers what to verify.
3. Leases and Legal Compliance
The lease sets the rules for everything that follows. A manager should use a Florida-compliant lease with clear terms on rent, late fees, maintenance responsibilities, pets, association rules, and notices. Florida law also governs notice periods, security deposits, entry, and evictions, and those rules change. For example, the notice to end a month-to-month tenancy is now 30 days, not the 15 days many older leases still cite. Our guide to raising rent legally covers that change.
Good leases also include addenda for the details that cause disputes: association rules the tenant must follow, pet terms, lawn and pool responsibilities, smoke detector and filter changes, hurricane procedures, and consent to receive notices by email where Florida law allows it. Each addendum turns a potential argument into a signed agreement.
4. Rent Collection and Late-Rent Enforcement
A manager should offer online payment, track every payment, and follow a written late-rent process. In Florida, the notice for nonpayment is a three-day notice that excludes weekends and legal holidays, and it must be prepared correctly to support any later court filing. Consistency is what keeps collections high; Atlis collects 98% or more of rent each month. If a case does go to court, our guide to the Florida eviction process explains each step.
5. Maintenance and Repairs
Maintenance is where owners feel the difference between managers most. A full-service manager receives requests, triages urgency, dispatches licensed and insured vendors, approves work within the spending limit you set, and documents each job with notes and photos. Preventive work such as HVAC service before summer and water heater checks avoids expensive emergencies.
| Maintenance question | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| How are requests received? | Online portal and phone, with after-hours coverage |
| How fast is an urgent response? | Same-day dispatch for leaks, no AC, or no water |
| Are vendors licensed and insured? | Yes, with certificates on file and checked |
| Do you mark up invoices? | No, or the markup is disclosed in writing |
| What can you spend without approval? | A dollar limit you set, with emergency exceptions only |
Atlis uses 24/7 AI-assisted triage so a 2 a.m. leak reaches the right vendor quickly, and we pass vendor invoices through with no markup.
Communication is part of maintenance. Tenants who get a quick acknowledgment and a clear timeline report fewer complaints and renew more often, and owners who receive photos and invoices without asking trust the process. Ask any manager how tenants submit requests, how they are kept informed, and how you see what was done.
6. Inspections, Deposits, and Move-Out
Detailed move-in and move-out inspections with dated photos are the foundation of any deposit decision. Periodic inspections during the lease catch problems early, such as slow leaks, pest activity, or unauthorized occupants. Ask how often inspections happen, what they cover, and whether you receive the report.
Security deposits
Florida Statute §83.49 sets how deposits are held and the deadlines after a tenant moves out: return the deposit within 15 days if there is no claim, or send a written notice of claim within 30 days. Missing those steps can forfeit the right to make a claim. A manager should handle the timeline, the itemized disposition, and the records.
Move-outs in association communities add steps: returning gate fobs, parking decals, and pool keys, settling any association fines charged to the unit, and confirming the exterior meets community standards before the next tenant arrives. A good turnover plan schedules cleaning, paint touch-ups, and repairs before the tenant leaves so the home can be shown and relisted immediately.
Tenant relations deserve a line of their own. The tenant is your customer for the length of the lease, and how they are treated shows up in renewals, reviews, and the condition of the home at move-out. A manager should respond to tenants politely and promptly, explain rules and decisions in writing, apply policies consistently, and handle disputes before they escalate. Our 74% renewal rate comes from that discipline, and every renewal avoids the cost of a vacancy and a turnover.
7. Owner Accounting and Reporting
You should receive a monthly statement showing rent collected, expenses, management fees, and disbursements, with copies of invoices on request, plus year-end documents for your tax preparer. Clear reporting is what lets you track return on your investment, and an owner portal lets you check balances, statements, and documents at any time rather than waiting for a call back. Our guide to calculating rental ROI shows how to use those statements.
8. Renewals, Storm Preparation, and Insurance Coordination
Renewals are the cheapest way to protect income. A manager should start renewal conversations 60 to 90 days before the lease ends, price the renewal against current comps, and weigh the increase against vacancy risk. In South Florida, the manager should also have a storm plan: shutter installation, post-storm property checks, and help coordinating insurance claims. Review coverage with our rental property insurance guide.
Finally, a manager should handle the cases nobody wants. When a tenant stops paying, the manager serves the correct notice, documents everything, and coordinates with an attorney if a court filing becomes necessary. When a tenant damages the property or breaks association rules, the manager documents it, enforces the lease, and keeps you informed. These situations are uncommon with good screening, but how a company handles them is the real test of its value.
What full service should cost
Most full-service managers charge a percentage of rent, and many add fees for leasing, renewals, inspections, or maintenance coordination. Compare the total yearly cost on the same property. Atlis keeps it simple: 5 to 9 percent of collected rent with a $200 monthly minimum, full service only, no markup on maintenance, and no management fees on vacant units. Details are on our pricing page, and our eight written guarantees put the commitments in writing.
If you are weighing whether to hire a manager at all, our comparison of self-managing versus hiring a property manager puts the time and cost side by side.
One more test of any manager is how it handles the first 30 days after you sign. Expect a property walk, a review of the existing lease and deposit records, introductions to the tenant, setup of rent payments and your owner portal, and a written list of anything that needs attention. A manager who is organized at the start is usually organized for the life of the relationship.
How Atlis Delivers These Services
Atlis is broker-owner led from our office on PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens and manages single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and small multifamily across Palm Beach County. Our results: a 21-day average lease-up, a 74% renewal rate, and 98%+ of rent collected monthly.
From Our Files
At the first move-out after we took over one property, the inherited ledger showed the tenant had prepaid last month's rent, and the prior system was set to refund that $1,795 a second time with the deposit. We caught it before any money left escrow and issued a correct, itemized disposition within the statutory window. That kind of check is what owners are paying for when they hire a manager.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a property manager do for a landlord?
A full-service property manager prices the rental, markets it, shows it, screens applicants to written criteria, prepares the lease, collects rent, coordinates maintenance and repairs, inspects the property, handles security deposits under Florida law, sends required notices, and provides monthly statements and year-end tax documents. In association communities, the manager also handles tenant applications and approvals with the HOA or condo association.
Is tenant screening included in property management?
At full-service firms, yes. Screening should follow written criteria applied the same way to every applicant, typically covering identity, income, rental history, and background checks within fair housing rules. In Palm Beach County communities that require association approval, a good manager screens to the association's standard first so applications are not rejected later and the home does not sit empty.
Do property managers handle maintenance and repairs?
Yes. A manager receives maintenance requests, triages them, dispatches licensed and insured vendors, approves work within an owner-set spending limit, and documents the result. Ask whether vendor invoices are marked up and whether you can see original bills. Atlis uses 24/7 AI-assisted triage so urgent issues such as leaks get a fast response at any hour, and owners see photos and invoices for completed work.
What accounting do property managers provide?
Expect monthly owner statements showing rent collected, expenses paid, and disbursements, plus year-end documents for your tax preparer. Security deposits must be handled according to Florida Statute §83.49, which sets how deposits are held and the timelines for returning them or sending a written claim after move-out. Ask how and when rent reaches your account each month and whether you can see statements online.
What services usually cost extra?
It depends on the company. Common add-ons include leasing or placement fees, lease renewal fees, inspection fees, maintenance coordination fees, and markups on vendor invoices. Compare total annual cost on the same property, not the headline percentage. Atlis is full service only at 5 to 9 percent of collected rent with a $200 monthly minimum and no markup on maintenance.
What does Atlis include in its management?
Atlis includes pricing and marketing, showings, screening, association applications, Florida-compliant leases, rent collection, maintenance coordination with 24/7 AI-assisted triage, inspections, deposit handling, monthly statements, and year-end documents. Every account carries eight written guarantees, including no management fees on vacant units and a fee percentage locked for the life of the partnership. Owners can review every guarantee in writing before signing.
Want to see exactly what full-service management would look like for your property? We will walk you through it.
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About the Author
Jean Taveras is the Broker-Owner of Atlis Property Management (FL Brokerage CQ1071712), a boutique, broker-led residential management firm headquartered on PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens. Atlis manages single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and small multifamily across Palm Beach County and backs every account with eight written guarantees. Questions about a specific property: 561.473.3664 or info@atlispm.com.
