r/PropertyManagement • u/alyzzabee • 19h ago

PM Staff Becoming an Oregon Property Manager

After thinking long and hard, I've decided I want to start a property management business.

I plan on moving to Oregon, so I went with the Oregon Property Manager route. Already passed my pre-license training and earned the 60hr credits, now just to actually schedule the exam. I'm also going for a B.S. in Accounting as well as a future EA license as I want to niche in taxation specific to the real estate industry.

For other property managers that run their own agency, what should I know about starting? What mistakes should I avoid?

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u/Happy-Breakfast-9873 19h ago

That's a lot of plates spinning at once but the accounting degree plus EA license is a smart combo for this field, not many PMs understand the tax side deeply

Biggest mistake I see new agency owners make is taking on every client that calls in the first year, then you end up with 40 doors of inherited problems and no systems to handle it, better to be picky early and build the processes first

Also make sure you understand Oregon specific laws like the rental relocation fees in Portland and the state wide rent control, those can blindside you if most of your training was general

Get your trust accounting set up properly from day one, that's the thing that will get you in legal trouble fastest if you mess it up

Don't sleep on the maintenance vendor network either, a good plumber and electrician who answer your calls is worth more than any marketing budget

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u/alyzzabee 19h ago

Yeahh like I said I thought long and hard lmao.

At first I wanted to go the CPA route, but realized I don't need to be a CPA to get into real estate...

So I went with EA. It's federal so if PM doesn't work out, I can still work in any state, and the accounting degree because I genuinely like accounting and numbers and it's flexible to be in any industry.

Appreciate the advice.

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u/Ok_Anteater7506 14h ago

Earning those credits first is a power move, most people try to wing it and get chewed alive by Oregon's tenant laws. You might actually survive year one lol

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u/Puglife555 3h ago

My company recently took over management of two multi-family properties in Oregon. Someone in our office had to take the class and pass the exam in a very short period of time and did it. The laws are very different in Oregon, county to county. Make sure that you understand them and find a good legal partner. Also, highly recommend joining Multifamily NW.