Become a Property Manager in Ohio

Yes! Property management can be a lucrative side business or full-time venture for licensed Ohio real estate salespersons. Often, your real estate clients become your property management clients.

If you want to start your own property management company, you must hold an Ohio Broker’s license. And if you aim to work for a private property management company, you may need to earn additional property management certifications beyond your Real Estate Salesperson or Broker’s license.

Joining property management industry associations and groups can help you network, find clients, get referrals, develop skills, and succeed as a property manager faster. Consider joining the associations and groups below to get a head start on your growth.

• Ohio Realtors

• Northern Ohio Apartment Association

• National Association of REALTORS®

• National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)

• Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM)

• Facebook Property Management Mastermind Group

Here’s a general breakdown of the cost to get your Ohio real estate license

Beyond your licensure, you’ll also need to plan for the cost of:

• Broker fees

• Professional organization membership dues

• Marketing and business expenses for your real estate and property management business

Here’s a great resource to learn more about how much it costs to become a real estate salesperson.

According to Salary.com, an Ohio property manager makes $107,855*. But the range typically falls between $91,719 and $124,619. It’s important to note that your salary as a property manager is based on your experience, education, credentials, and the type of employment you have. Salaried property managers often work for private property management companies and hold additional certifications beyond a real estate license.

Independent property managers — including those who work for brokers and those who own their own companies — may not be salaried and instead work for a monthly fee per property managed. This may be a fixed monthly fee or a percentage of a property’s monthly rent.

Learn more about standard property management fees here.

*November 2023 Salary Data

Ohio is one of the top states for property managers. This northern state features a diverse range of property management opportunities, from bustling urban areas to serene rural landscapes. Whether you're overseeing residential complexes, commercial properties, or vacation rentals, Ohio's dynamic real estate market offers a wealth of possibilities for property managers to thrive and excel in their profession.

Functioning as one-stop shops for all property management activities, property managers need to have a diverse skillset and a healthy mix of hard and soft skills. Among the top three skills in demand for property managers are:

• Interpersonal Skills. You’ll be dealing with all kinds of people – owner clients, tenants, maintenance professionals, vendors, and more.

• Organization Skills. You’ll be the keeper of all records related to your client’s property, including lease agreements, tenant information, tax records, deposits, rental payments, maintenance requests, vendor orders, and more.

• Problem-Solving Skills. You’ll be handling the wins and challenges of managing tenant needs, owner needs, and the needs of the property.

Learn more about what it takes to become a property manager here.

In Ohio, you must earn your Real Estate Broker License to start a property management company. Alternatively, you can work under a Broker with your Ohio Real Estate Salesperson license.

To start your own property management company as an Ohio Broker, you’ll need to:

1. Earn your Ohio Real Estate Broker license

2. Register your business with the state

3. Create a business plan for your company

4. Choose a business structure and register your business with the state of Ohio

5. Determine your property manager fee structure

6. Invest in your business technology, documentation, accounting, and equipment needs

7. Start marketing your business and your services

As we mentioned above, in Ohio, it’s required that you earn an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson License before beginning work as a property manager. In addition to having deep knowledge of real estate contracts, lease agreements, and tenant/landlord laws, you need to be able to do all the “real estate-related" activities a property manager does.

And in Ohio, you must hold a real estate license to engage in these “real estate-related” activities, including:

• Collecting rent

• Negotiating leases

• Soliciting tenants

These are key responsibilities of a property manager, so it’s important to get your real estate license.

Start Earning Your Real Estate License Now »

With an Ohio Real Estate Salesperson license and while employed under a sponsoring broker, you can legally work as a property manager. This means you can manage properties, work with clients, screen tenants, handle lease payments, distribute funds to maintenance specialists, and do all the tasks traditionally performed by a property manager.

You can’t own and operate your property management company, however. That’s a benefit of becoming an Ohio Real Estate Broker.

With an Ohio Real Estate Broker License, you can legally start your own property management company, manage it, grow it, and hire others to work for you. Plus, as the broker-in-charge, you no longer need a sponsoring broker. You can perform all property management activities legally, - and invest in and finance your own properties. For many property managers in Ohio, this is the goal.