Editors Reads Verdict
The most complete guide to property management for DIY landlords. The tenant screening system alone is worth the price of the book — it prevents the costly mistakes most new landlords make in their first year.
What We Loved
- The tenant screening section is the most detailed and practical available in any investing book
- Covers the full landlord lifecycle — from finding tenants to handling evictions
- Systems-focused approach eliminates the chaos that overwhelms most new landlords
Minor Drawbacks
- US tenant law focus — legal specifics don't transfer to other markets
- Pairs best with the acquisition-focused Book on Rental Property Investing rather than standalone
Key Takeaways
- → Tenant screening is the single highest-leverage landlord skill — bad tenants cost far more than vacancies
- → Systems and documentation protect both landlord and tenant from disputes
- → Self-managing a rental portfolio is viable with the right processes in place
| Author | Brandon Turner |
|---|---|
| Publisher | BiggerPockets |
| Pages | 370 |
| Published | November 3, 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Real Estate, Investing, Non-Fiction |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Best For | Landlords and rental property investors who want to manage their own properties without the chaos that ruins most first-time landlords. |
The Book on Managing Rental Properties is the companion volume to Brandon Turner’s The Book on Rental Property Investing — where the first book focuses on finding and buying properties, this one focuses on everything that happens after you own them.
Co-written with Heather Turner, the book covers the complete landlord lifecycle: marketing vacancies, screening applicants, writing leases, handling maintenance requests, managing tenant relationships, dealing with non-payment, and executing evictions when necessary. It introduces a systematic approach to landlording that treats property management as a business rather than a series of individual crises.
The tenant screening section is what most readers cite as the book’s standout contribution. Turner’s point — that a bad tenant costs far more in lost rent, legal fees, and property damage than leaving a vacancy for an extra month — reframes the decision most new landlords get wrong. The screening criteria, application process, and background check guidance is more thorough than anything available in a single resource elsewhere.
For anyone managing rental properties without professional property management, this is the operational manual that most investors wish they’d had before their first difficult tenant experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "The Book on Managing Rental Properties" about?
The BiggerPockets guide to every aspect of managing rental properties — tenant screening, leases, maintenance, evictions, and the systems that turn a rental portfolio from chaotic to profitable.
Who should read "The Book on Managing Rental Properties"?
Landlords and rental property investors who want to manage their own properties without the chaos that ruins most first-time landlords.
What are the key takeaways from "The Book on Managing Rental Properties"?
Tenant screening is the single highest-leverage landlord skill — bad tenants cost far more than vacancies Systems and documentation protect both landlord and tenant from disputes Self-managing a rental portfolio is viable with the right processes in place
Is "The Book on Managing Rental Properties" worth reading?
The most complete guide to property management for DIY landlords. The tenant screening system alone is worth the price of the book — it prevents the costly mistakes most new landlords make in their first year.
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