Whether you’re a current rental property owner in Birmingham or it’s on your list of markets to add to your portfolio, you may be looking for a property manager. Property managers are valuable partners to have for several reasons. They take on the full-time job that is property management, have a network of repairman at their disposal, keep track of all the accounting paperwork, and much more. Not to mention, before the tenant is even placed they will work with you to screen out tenants who may be scammers or potential evictions to set you up for success down the road. However, hiring a property management company is no small investment. While choosing the right one can save you time, money, and stress, trusting in the wrong one can cost you. So who do you hire? In this post, we cover property managers in Birmingham, Alabama. We’ll list out their services, prices, ratings, and more to give you a head start. Let’s dive in!
Evernest
Evernest was established in 2008 at the beginning of the housing crisis. Our founder, Matthew Whitaker, was left with 30 investment properties that he intended to sell but was unable to do so when the residential housing market crashed. So he began a search to locate a property manager who shared his management philosophies and ideals. Later on in the year, Matthew launched Evernest and we officially opened for business. In the last 15 years, Evernest has grown from a team of 3 to a nationwide company with over 400 team members. Evernest is based in Birmingham and operates in 33 real estate markets across the US, including Dallas. With Evernest you’ll receive in-house maintenance, no fees for cancellation, and a waived lease fee if a resident leaves within the first year. Evernest guarantees a qualified renter for your unit within 21 days, or your first two months of management are free. A 24-hour hotline is available to residents as well.
- CEO/Founder: Matthew Whitaker
- BBB rating: A+
- Google rating: 4.5/5 (2,251 reviews)
- Years in business: 15
- Number of people: 400+
- Rentals managed: 15,000+
- Number of markets: 33
- Specialties: Single-family residential, condos, small multi-family (up to 49 units), rental property investing
- Property management fee: 8%-10%
- Leasing fee: 50% of one months rent ($500 minimum)
- Renewal leasing fee: $250
- Other services: brokerage, in-house maintenance, in-house underwriting, leasing
- Learn more here
Birmingham Home Leasing
Located in Medowbrook right off the U.S. Highway 280, Birmingham Home Leasing offers services only to the southeast area of Birmingham. They are a brokerage office that specializes in leasing and property management. Their leasing services cover advertising, self-showing property software, and tenant screening. For property management, they offer rent collection, accounting, repair and maintenance ordering, plus other services. As SureVestor partners, they offer a wide range of landlord insurance that you can choose from to keep your property covered. This includes legal fees and loss of rent associated with eviction, malicious damage, theft, tenant delinquency, and more.
- CEO/Founder: Larry Dean
- BBB rating: A+
- Google rating: 4.7 (42 reviews)
- Years in business: 9
- Number of people: 4+
- Number of markets: 1
- Specialties: Single-family
- Property management fee: Flat fee
- Leasing fee: Percentage-based
- Renewal leasing fee: Flat fee
- Professional certifications: NARPM, D-U-N-S,
- Other services: Leasing, brokerage
- Learn more here
Freedom Ventures
Veteran-owned Freedom Ventures services the Greater Birmingham, Mobile, and Baldwin County with leasing and property management. Marketing and tenant screening come along with their leasing service. As property managers, they handle rent collection, maintenance coordination, annual property inspections (with the option to purchase additional inspections), and eviction protection.
- CEO/Founder: Danny Gonzalez
- Google rating: 4.4 (155 reviews)
- Years in business: 4+
- Number of people: 4+
- Number of markets: 3
- Specialties: Single-family
- Property management fee: Percentage-based
- Leasing fee: Percentage-based
- Renewal leasing fee: Flat fee
- Maintenance fee: Percentage-based
- Property setup fee: $0
- Professional certifications: NARPM
- Other services: Leasing
- Learn more here
Specialized Property Management
This Dallas-based PM company was founded in 1984 and currently operates in 11 different markets – including Birmingham, Alabama. As a part of their service, they offer a tech suit called Rental-iQ which allows for data-driven decision-making and automated day-to-day task. Included in this is Smart Maintenence, where detailed information about the property is kept and residents can submit a maintenance request 24/7. For the first ten months of a lease, they cover the cost of replacing a resident if the resident breaks their lease. Specialized Property Management also doesn’t require a security deposit upfront for residents that they place to lower the bar of entry, but cover the landlord 100%.
- CEO/Founder: Charles Thompson
- BBB rating: B+
- Google rating: 4.7 (23 reviews)
- Years in business: 39+
- Number of people: 29+
- Number of markets: 11+
- Specialties: Single-family
- Property management fee: Flat fee
- Leasing fee: Percentage-based
- Renewal leasing fee: Flat fee
- Other services: Leasing, brokerage
- Learn more here
Continental Realty Management
Founded in 1984, Continental Realty Management has been a part of the Birmingham Realty business for over 35 years. They emphasize their human interaction with clients. However, they also deal in digital marketing and include it in their leasing service. During the leasing process, they perform background checks on applicants and have no additional leasing fee. As a part of their property management services, they offer in-house maintenance. They handle rent collection, accounting, and evictions (for an extra fee) as well
- CEO/Founder: Doris Lambol
- BBB rating: A+
- Google rating: 4.6 (68 reviews)
- Years in business: 39
- Rentals managed: 600+
- Number of markets: 1
- Specialties: Single-family, multi-amily
- Property management fee: percentage-based
- Leasing fee: $0
- Renewal leasing fee: $0
- Maintenance fee: Fee-based
- Property setup fee: $0
- Other services: Leasing
- Learn more here
Mega Agent Rental Management
Mega Agent Rental Management handles marketing, property showings, background checks, and all interactions with applicants during the leasing process. With their property management, they will take care of maintenance, evictions, rent collections, accounting, tax preparations, and more. Mega Agent only serves the Birmingham market, making it an option for landlords who’d like to work with a boutique firm. Additionally, they work with single-family and multi-family owners.
- CEO/Founder: Collier Swecker
- BBB rating: A+ (not accredited)
- Google rating: 4.7 (36 reviews)
- Years in business: 12
- Number of people: 4+
- Number of markets: 1
- Specialties: Single-family, condo, HOA, multifamily
- Property management fee: percentage-based
- Leasing fee: Percentage-based
- Renewal leasing fee: Flat fee
- Maintenance fee: $0 for normal management, percentage-based for other
- Property setup fee: Flat fee
- Learn more here
Atlas Rental Property
Altas Reality is a subset of Spartain Invest, an Alabama brokerage companies with a wide range of specialities including renovations, turnkey, build-to-rent, leasing, property management, and more. They offer a mixture of traditional and online marketing services during the leasing process. Tenants are screened through background and credit checks. Included in their property management services is an in-house maintenance team, a 24-hour emergency service line, rent collection, tenant coordination, and evictions.
- CEO/Founder: Lindsay Davis
- BBB rating: A+
- Google rating: 4.2 (1,054)
- Years in business: 13+
- Number of people: 37+
- Rentals managed: 1800+
- Number of markets: 5+
- Specialties: Single-family
- Property management fee: percentage-based
- Leasing fee: Percentage-based
- Renewal leasing fee: Flat fee
- Other services: Brokerage, renovations, leasing, build-to-rent, turnkey
- Learn more here
Final Thoughts: Best Property Managers in Birmingham
Property management isn’t a one-size-fits-all, which is why the best property manager is the one that’s right for you. Depending on your goals, you may want to partner with a company that comes with a wide variety of specialties. If you prefer less automation and more human interaction, then a smaller, boutique property manager might fit better. If you’d like to see if Evernest is that best-fit, we’d love to discuss it more with you. Learn more about our property management services and pricing in Birmingham here.
Methodology for Selecting the Best Property Managers in Birmingham, Alabama
Our selection process for identifying the top property management companies in Birmingham, Alabama, follows a comprehensive, expert-driven approach. This ensures that property owners and investors can make well-informed decisions based on our rigorous analysis. Below, we outline the key criteria we used, followed by the detailed selection process.
Key Criteria and Factors for Evaluation
Reputation and Client Satisfaction: To ensure we recommend companies with a strong track record, we prioritize customer feedback. We extensively review ratings on established platforms like Google and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). These ratings provide insights into each company’s reliability, customer service quality, and how well they handle potential disputes. We also account for how long the company has been in business, as longevity often reflects sustained customer satisfaction and experience in the industry.
Range of Services Provided: We evaluate companies based on the comprehensiveness of their services. These services include:
Resident screening: Companies that carefully screen residents to minimize the risks of evictions or scams.
Maintenance management: We focus on property managers offering in-house maintenance teams, as this typically ensures faster responses to resident issues and lower costs for landlords.
Accounting and rent collection: Strong financial management, including regular reporting and transparent fee structures, is a key factor in the evaluation.
Eviction and legal handling: Firms that manage legal issues efficiently, including handling evictions and legal documentation, stand out for offering peace of mind to landlords.
Use of Technology: In today’s competitive market, the ability to leverage technology is vital. We assess how well companies use property management software, online portals for resident requests, and digital payment systems to streamline operations. Companies that offer 24/7 maintenance request systems, such as Specialized Property Management's Smart Maintenance, or Evernest's resident hotline, were highly rated for their operational efficiency.
Cost and Fee Structure: Transparent pricing is essential in selecting a property manager. We carefully review each company’s fee structure, including property management fees, leasing fees, and maintenance costs. Companies offering competitive rates, without hidden fees, and additional guarantees (e.g., Evernest's 21-day rental guarantee) receive higher marks for their value proposition.
Market Expertise and Specialization: Property managers with strong local expertise in Birmingham are given preference. This local focus allows them to navigate market-specific regulations, resident preferences, and property trends. We also look at their specialization in managing various property types (e.g., single-family homes, condos, multi-family units), as well as their experience with investors who own portfolios across different property classes.
Final Selection Process
Once we gathered information across these key criteria, our team conducted an in-depth analysis of each company. We ensured each firm met high standards across the factors of reputation, services offered, cost, and expertise. After evaluating the top-rated companies, we created a curated list of property managers that stood out as the best options for landlords seeking reliable management in the Birmingham market.
