Intent

PM Adoption

62%

currently use a property manager

70% have ever used one; of the 30% who never have, 73% would consider it.

Generational Divide

44pp

PM-usage gap by generation

Millennials 73% vs. Boomers 29%. 37% of Boomers would never consider a PM.

Satisfaction (NPS)

+43

PM industry Net Promoter Score

On comparable 1–4 unit segments, NPS is flat at about +35 across both survey years.

Availability

98%

expect some after-hours access

65% expect it for all or most situations; only 2% say “never.”

Key Findings

62% now use a PM — and what they expect from that relationship may surprise you.

The Adoption Curve: 62% and Rising

62% of small landlords currently use a PM (32% for all properties, 30% for some), and 70% have used one at some point. Of the 30% who have never used a PM, 73% say they would consider hiring one — a large untapped market.

The 44-Point Generational Gap

PM usage ranges from 73% among Millennials and 66% for Gen X down to just 29% for Boomers. 37% of Boomers say they would never consider hiring a property manager.

Stress vs. Cashflow

Stress relief and maximizing cashflow are co-equal primary reasons landlords hire a PM, at 32% each (freeing up time 18%, reducing risk 16%). The mix is generational: 69% of Boomers hire for stress relief, while 41% of Millennials hire to maximize cashflow.

The Revenue Opportunity

Landlords will pay extra for premium services: asset management (51%), tenant damage protection (50%), quarterly inspections (50%), and all-in-one financial services (50%) lead, followed by instant rent payments (43%), lost-rent protection (42%), and professional photos or 3D tours (41%). Parents are more interested across every service.

Always-On Expectations

98% of landlords expect some after-hours access (only 2% say never), and 65% expect it for all or most situations. During business hours, 70% expect a phone reply within 30 minutes and 38% expect an immediate callback; email expectations are more relaxed (47% within 30 minutes).

Satisfaction and Churn Risk

The PM industry NPS is +43, but on identical 1–4 unit segments it has held roughly flat at about +35 across both survey years — the headline lift reflects the narrower 2026 sample, not rising sentiment. Churn is a financial-ceiling question: 53% of PM users can tolerate $15,000+ in unexpected costs, while 27% would fire their PM over just a $10,000 hit.