It's your choice.
We have owned a handful of rental properties (4 single-family homes) in the Denver Metro area for the past 20 years and previously managed them ourselves. We decided to hire Justin at Stars & Stripes Homes, Inc. to manage them for us.
We are glad we did. Fellow property owners told us to save the money and manage them ourselves.
You have to decide what is best for you.
We choose to have Stars & Stripes Homes, Inc. professionally manage our rental homes professionally at 7%.
Small "mom and pop" investors like us account for roughly 82% to 85% of the single-family rental housing inventory in the United States. Hiring a professional property management company to manage an Aurora rental property offers several distinct advantages over self-managing:
1. Legal Compliance & Risk Mitigation
Colorado’s residential landlord-tenant laws have evolved significantly:
For-Cause Eviction Laws: Colorado requires specific, documented grounds and strict notice timelines to non-renew or terminate tenancies.
Applicant Screening Rules (HB 23-1099): Strict state regulations dictate how rental application fees, portable screening reports, and disclosures must be handled.
Security Deposit & Habitability Statutes: Colorado strictly enforces timelines for deposit returns (with penalties up to triple the withheld amount for non-compliance) and stringent repair windows under the Warranty of Habitability.
Professional managers ensure full compliance, protecting you from tenant disputes, fines, or wrongful eviction lawsuits.
2. Time Freedom & Distance
Buffer Between You and Tenants: A property manager handles midnight emergency calls, late-pay excuses, and routine requests professionally, keeping the relationship strictly business.
Passive Income: Offloading day-to-day operations allows you to focus on your primary career, retirement, or travel without being tied to local emergency responses.
3. Faster Leasing & Optimized Pricing
Market Knowledge: Local managers analyze micro-market trends across Aurora and the Denver metro area to set competitive rent prices that maximize revenue while minimizing vacancy.
Marketing & Syndication: Management companies leverage syndicated listing platforms, professional photography, and active lead pipelines to fill vacancies much faster than single-property owners listing individually.
4. Vetted Vendors & Cost-Effective Maintenance
Established Contractor Networks: Experienced managers have reliable, licensed, and insured trade partners (plumbers, HVAC technicians, electricians) available at preferred volume rates.
24/7 Emergency Response: Emergency maintenance issues are triaged immediately, preserving the property's condition and preventing minor leaks or faults from turning into costly repairs.
5. Streamlined Accounting & Operations
Automated Rent Collection: Online portals make it easy for tenants to pay on time, improving cash flow consistency and automatically enforcing late-fee policies.
Financial Reporting: You receive monthly profit-and-loss statements and organized year-end tax documentation (1099s), making tax filing seamless.
Typical Cost Considerations
In the Denver-Aurora market, full-service management typically costs 8% to 10% of the monthly rent, alongside a tenant placement/leasing fee (often half to one month’s rent) when securing a new tenant. Many owners find that reduced vacancy, lower repair costs, and peace of mind offset the management fees.
We agree.
Thank you, Justin and Stars & Stripes Homes, Inc.
Len K.
Lieutenant Colonel,
Military Intelligence, US Army (Retired)
Licensed Broker, Colorado
Founder, Stars & Stripes Homes, Inc. (2002)
