Tenant placement only versus full-service property management
A tenant placement (leasing-only) service finds and screens a tenant and signs the lease, and then you manage the rest. Full-service management also collects rent, handles repairs and tenant questions, and reports to you every month. Placement suits owners who are happy running a stable tenancy. Full service suits owners who do not want to be the contact for the day-to-day.
What each option covers
| Task | Placement only | Full service |
|---|---|---|
| Advertise and show the unit | Included | Included |
| Screen applicants | Included | Included |
| Prepare and sign the lease | Usually included | Included |
| Collect rent each month | You | Manager |
| Handle repair requests | You | Manager |
| Monthly owner statements | You keep your own | Manager |
| Renewals and move-out | You, or an extra fee | Manager |
Details vary by company, so the table is a starting point. Ask what is in each package and put it in writing. Fee types for both are covered in the fees guide; this post does not cite typical prices.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Your agreement and your state's rules decide what applies; ask a local attorney or your tax preparer about your situation.
How to choose
- Choose placement if you live nearby, enjoy the work or only dislike the leasing part.
- Choose full service if you are far away, own several units or want a single contact for tenants.
- Consider a mix: placement now, and hire full service later if the work grows.
- Ask about a transition: if you start with placement, what does it cost to add management for the same tenant?
Example a made-up owner has a duplex 15 minutes away and a stable tenant in one unit. She hires placement for the vacant unit and keeps collecting rent herself. If she moves out of state next year she plans to ask for a quote for full service on both units.
What to watch for in a placement agreement
- A guarantee period: what happens if the tenant leaves early?
- Who holds the security deposit after the lease starts.
- Whether the lease and applicant file are handed to you in full.
- Whether any renewal or re-leasing fee applies later.
Questions to ask either type of company
How do you advertise, and where? Ask for a sample listing and how fast showings are arranged.
How do you screen applicants, and do you apply the same written criteria to everyone? Consistent criteria matter for fair housing.
Who prepares the lease, and may I see it before I sign the agreement with you?
What do I receive when the lease is signed: the lease, the application, the screening reports and the deposit receipt?
If the tenant leaves early, what happens next, and is there a charge to re-lease?
Who is my contact, and how fast do you answer owner questions?
Putting it into practice
Cost is the other half of the decision, and it is easy to compare the wrong things. A placement service usually charges once per lease. A full-service manager usually charges every month and may add fees for leasing and renewals. Add up a full year of each, with the same assumptions about vacancy and repairs, before you compare them.
Also compare your own time. Under placement you take on rent follow-up, repair calls and renewals. If those hours would cost you a day job, travel or stress, count that. If you enjoy the work and live close, placement can be a sensible way to pay for the hardest part and keep the rest.
Finally, check the exit. Ask how to move from one type of service to the other, and what happens to the file, the deposit and the tenant records when you do.
How DoorKeeping fits
After placement, running the tenancy yourself is the part DoorKeeping helps with: bank-matched rent, e-signed renewals and work orders, through Claude or ChatGPT. DoorKeeping is not a property manager and does not change what a manager owes you. It is software for owners who manage their own units, at $2 per unit per month with every feature included. DoorKeeping never holds your money and sends a payment only when you approve it.
Sources
- Florida Statutes section 475.01, definitions (broker), read Oct 31, 2026
- Texas Occupations Code section 1101.002, definitions (broker), read Oct 31, 2026
Questions
- What is tenant placement?
- A service that markets your unit, screens applicants and prepares the lease. You manage the tenancy afterward.
- Does a placement company need a license?
- Licensing rules typically cover leasing for a fee. See the Texas and Florida license posts and check your state.
- Can I move from placement to full service?
- Often yes. Ask what it costs before you sign.