Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Introduction to Property Management1
| Introduction | 1 |
| The Ideal Landlord Skill Set | 1 |
| Landlord Location | 1 |
| Tenant Selection | 2 |
| Lease Duration | 4 |
| Summary | 4 |
| Review Questions | 5 |
Chapter 2 - Property Marketing and Tenant Selection6
| Introduction | 6 |
| Identify the Target Market | 6 |
| Differentiating Factors | 6 |
| Prepare the Property | 7 |
| Staging Issues | 7 |
| Advertising Options | 8 |
| The Initial Contact | 9 |
| Scheduling Issues for Showings | 11 |
| Sales Tips | 11 |
| Safety Issues | 12 |
| Prospect Screening | 13 |
| The Lease Agreement | 14 |
| Measuring Marketing Effectiveness | 15 |
| Summary | 15 |
| Review Questions | 16 |
Chapter 3 - Tenant Relations17
| Introduction | 17 |
| The Key to Tenant Relations | 17 |
| Property Rules | 18 |
| Tenant Onboarding | 20 |
| Tenant Training | 21 |
| Tenant Assistance | 22 |
| Collecting Rent from Tenants | 22 |
| Tenant Payment Options | 23 |
| Changing the Rent | 23 |
| Tenant Communications | 23 |
| Dealing with Broken Leases | 24 |
| Dealing with Difficult Tenants | 24 |
| Tenant Lease Extensions | 25 |
| Tenant Departures | 25 |
| Summary | 26 |
| Review Questions | 27 |
Chapter 4 - Repair and Maintenance Issues28
| Introduction | 28 |
| Prioritize Activities | 28 |
| Standardize to Save on Maintenance | 28 |
| Conduct Preventive Maintenance | 29 |
| Go Green | 29 |
| Avoid Furnishings | 29 |
| Minimize High-Maintenance Items | 29 |
| Conduct One-Call Fixes | 30 |
| Conduct Repair-or-Replace Analysis | 30 |
| Upgrade the Paint | 30 |
| Protect the Unit During Repairs | 31 |
| Provide Tenants with Maintenance Tools | 31 |
| Outsource Selected Activities | 31 |
| Assess at Turnaround | 32 |
| Repurpose Specialized Areas | 33 |
| Manage Rebillings | 33 |
| Develop a Long-Term Capital Reserve Study | 33 |
| Summary | 33 |
| Review Questions | 34 |
Chapter 5 - Additional Profit Opportunities35
| Introduction | 35 |
| Additional Leasable Space Revenue | 35 |
| Furnishings Revenue | 35 |
| Internet Revenue | 35 |
| Laundry Revenue | 35 |
| Parking Revenue | 36 |
| Private Rentals Revenue | 36 |
| Purchase Option Revenue | 36 |
| Storage Revenue | 37 |
| Forms of Indirect Revenue | 37 |
| Expense Reduction Opportunities | 38 |
| Summary | 38 |
| Review Questions | 39 |
Chapter 6 - Organizational Issues40
| Introduction | 40 |
| General Organization | 40 |
| Checklists | 41 |
| The Due Diligence Checklist | 42 |
| Maintain a Calendar of Activities | 43 |
| Maintain a Listing of Actions Taken | 43 |
| Maintain a Contractors List | 43 |
| Maintain a Comparable Properties List | 43 |
| Prepare Income Statements | 44 |
| Prepare a Capital Expenditure Schedule | 44 |
| Prepare a Budget | 44 |
| Identify Cost-Benefit Issues | 44 |
| Track Tenant Issues | 46 |
| Monitor Turnaround Time | 46 |
| Obtain Insurance | 46 |
| Payment Processing | 47 |
| Maintain a Security Deposits Bank Account | 47 |
| Use Anonymized Key Storage | 48 |
| Summary | 48 |
| Review Questions | 49 |
Answers to Chapter Questions50
Glossary54
Index55
Course Details
Author: Steven M. Bragg, CPA
Steven Bragg, CPA, has been the chief financial officer or controller of four companies, as well as a consulting manager at Ernst & Young. He received a master’s degree in finance from Bentley College, an MBA from Babson College, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Maine. He has been a two-time president of the Colorado Mountain Club, and is an avid alpine skier, mountain biker, and certified master diver. Mr. Bragg resides in Centennial, Colorado. He has written more than 300 books and courses, including New Controller Guidebook, GAAP Guidebook, and Payroll Management.
Publication/Revision Date: 3/10/2026
Course Exam Questions (online): 18 (multiple-choice)
Program Delivery Method: NASBA QAS Self-Study
Available Formats of Course Text: PDF or PDF plus printed copy sent in the mail
Course Level, Prerequisites, and Advance Preparation Requirements
| License | Course Level | Prerequisites | Advance Preparation Requirements |
|---|
| CPA | Overview | None | None |
* This program is appropriate for professionals at all organizational levels.
Sponsor ID Numbers
National Registry of CPE Sponsors ID: 107615
State CPA Board Sponsor ID Numbers (where applicable)
Florida Division of Certified Public Accounting: 0004761
Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy: 14003
New York State Board for Public Accountancy: 002146
Ohio Accountancy Board: CPE .51 PSR
Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy: PX178025
Texas State Board of Public Accountancy: 009349
Learning Objectives
As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:
- Identify the key tenant selection criteria that a landlord might use.
- Specify the variables to consider when setting rent.
- Describe the steps needed to properly configure a property and advertise it.
- Identify the types of staging improvements that can be applied to a property.
- Specify the best ways to schedule a property showing.
- Identify the safety issues associated with property showings.
- Recall the best metrics for measuring your marketing effectiveness.
- Specify the kinds of property rules that you might impose on tenants.
- Describe the different types of tenant onboarding best practices.
- Specify how to increase the rent while retaining tenants.
- Recall the best practices for encouraging tenants to extend their leases.
- Recall how to prioritize repair and maintenance projects.
- Specify the best practices for preventive maintenance projects.
- Identify the different types of revenue-generating options that a landlord can use.
- Recall how to obtain valid proof that a check was mailed to you late.
- Recall which documents should be stored in the various property management files.
