10 Best Property Management Companies in Philadelphia

Otter Property Management fits small landlords who dislike hidden charges. Its published fees run from 3 to 9 percent of rent collected, with no onboarding, termination, technology or vacancy fees, and owners keep all pet fees and half of late fees. Five full-time maintenance technicians work for the company, and a live line answers emergencies around the clock. It is a licensed Pennsylvania real estate broker based on Ridge Avenue near Fairmount. Owners can leave with 30 days' notice if the service does not suit them.

TrustArt Realty suits owners in Northeast and North Philadelphia who want the fee tied to results. The company charges no management fee while a unit is vacant, collects its fee only when rent comes in and bills the leasing fee only after a lease is signed and paid. If a tenant breaks the lease or must be evicted within 12 months, it re-leases the unit free. Its office is on Foulkrod Street in Frankford. Owners worried about a bad placement get a full year of cover.

HomeRiver Group suits owners who prefer a national manager with a local team. The Philadelphia office on South Juniper Street, led by a regional manager, handles marketing, screening, rent collection, inspections, accounting and evictions. Eviction assistance is included in the monthly management fee rather than billed separately. Coverage stretches from the city to Ardmore, Wayne, King of Prussia, West Chester, Doylestown and Newtown. Owners with homes in several suburbs can keep them under one contract.

Philly Property Management fits owners with rentals spread across the city and the suburbs. It covers neighborhoods from Fishtown and University City to Chestnut Hill and Northeast Philly, plus Norristown, Blue Bell and a new office in Doylestown. Services include screening, rent collection, inspections, renovations and the paperwork for rental licenses. Its advertised management fee is 6 percent, with a discount for qualifying units renting from $1,500 a month. Owners of higher-rent units can ask whether that discount applies.

PhillyLiving Management Group suits condo boards and homeowner associations as well as individual landlords. The family-owned company oversees more than 120 HOAs and condo associations, alongside single-family and multifamily rentals. Board members, owners and tenants each have their own AppFolio portal. It has worked since 1982 and is now run by a second generation from Walnut Street, near the Schuylkill. Association boards get a separate portal of their own rather than sharing the landlord login.

Skyline Property Management suits owners of rowhomes and twins in South Philadelphia and the inner suburbs. From Bainbridge Street in Queen Village, it covers Graduate Hospital, Society Hill and Point Breeze as well as Narberth, Bala Cynwyd, Drexel Hill and Bensalem. Services include screening, rent collection, inspections, evictions and legal guidance. The company holds a Pennsylvania real estate license and belongs to NARPM and IREM. Owners can request a free rental analysis to set the asking rent.

Bay Property Management Group suits owners who want fees and city compliance spelled out. It publishes a management fee of 5 to 8 percent, a leasing fee of one month's rent and a $199 supervisory fee for the rental license. In-house technicians handle repairs, with 24/7 emergency dispatch. Staff file Eviction Diversion Program paperwork and appear in Municipal Court when needed. The Fishtown office covers Philadelphia and Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. Owners switching managers get lease and deposit transfer at no added cost.

Innovate Realty suits owners in Northeast Philadelphia and the nearby suburbs who may also want to sell later. Part of JG McSherry Property Management, it manages rentals, multifamily and commercial property, HOAs and vacation rentals, and it also lists homes for sale. The office is on County Line Road in Huntingdon Valley, with a second in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. AppFolio portals serve owners and tenants. Landlords can weigh keeping against selling with the site's rent versus sell and ROI calculators.

PennHunter suits owners of mid-sized portfolios, from a handful of single-family homes up to 100-unit buildings. The Port Richmond firm handles marketing, screening, leasing, lease agreements, evictions and maintenance, and it also offers realty consulting. Tenants use a 24/7 AppFolio portal for rent, repairs and messages, and owners have their own login. Managed properties include The Magnet in Fishtown. Investors growing past a few units can stay with one manager as the portfolio expands.