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Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: A diversified property management franchise model spanning residential, multifamily, association, short-term rental and commercial property management.
Property Management Inc. (PMI) is a property management franchise that allows owners to build a business across multiple segments of the real estate management industry. The Lehi, Utah-based company operates a national network of locally owned offices and provides franchisees with training, technology, marketing resources, operating systems and ongoing coaching. PMI's model allows owners to begin with one pillar of property management — most commonly residential — and expand into multifamily, association, short-term rental and commercial management as the business grows.
Property Management Inc. was founded in 2008 by Steve Hart, who continues to serve as co-founder and CEO. Hart entered property management after his construction business was hit hard during the Great Recession. After seeing the stability of property management and recognizing that the industry consisted largely of smaller independent operators without access to national systems, technology or franchise support, Hart saw an opportunity to create a scalable property management platform.
PMI has since grown from a single concept into a nationwide property management franchise. The company was created around the idea that property management can provide more recurring and resilient revenue than transaction-dependent areas of real estate, while giving owners the ability to expand across multiple property types.
Mission: PMI aims to help locally owned property management businesses deliver professional management services using proven systems, technology, training and support.
Vision: The brand's vision is to provide a comprehensive property management platform that allows franchise owners to build durable local businesses while serving multiple types of real estate assets.
PMI has a large national footprint, but franchise opportunities remain available in markets throughout the United States. Prospective owners should contact PMI directly or complete the brand's online assessment to determine whether their desired market is available.
PMI is registered to franchise throughout the United States, although individual territory availability depends on existing franchise agreements and market boundaries.
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Property Management Inc. franchise ranges from $102,439 to $165,975. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Franchise Fee | $69,900 | $90,000 |
| Rent | $0 | $2,000 |
| Rental Improvements | $0 | $2,500 |
| Deposits | $0 | $2,500 |
| PMI Certification Program | $1,000 | $1,000 |
| Equipment & Business Supplies | $500 | $3,000 |
| Computer Hardware & Software | $675 | $2,975 |
| Local Advertising Prepayment | $24,000 | $24,000 |
| Insurance | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| Professional Services | $0 | $2,000 |
| Additional Funds (3 Months) | $3,864 | $25,000 |
| Initial Trust Account Deposit for Short-Term Rental Operations | $500 | $1,000 |
| Existing Property Management Company (EPMC) | $0 | $5,000 |
Initial Franchise Fee: The standard initial franchise fee is $69,900 and is nonrefundable. E-2 investor visa franchisees pay $69,900 to $90,000, plus a required reserve.
Existing property management companies may qualify for PMI’s conversion program, which can reduce the franchise fee to $0 to $69,900 based on gross monthly revenue from third-party management contracts. To qualify, the business must generate more than $5,000 per month from managed third-party properties.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, Property Management Inc. franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | 5% of brokerage revenue/month, plus a percentage of gross revenue as follows: 7%: $0 - $35,000 6%: $35,001 - $75,000 5%: $75,001+ |
| National Marketing Fund | 2% of gross revenue/month |
| Digital Essentials Package | $729/month for primary pillar $250/month for each additional pillar |
| PMiPrograms | $99/month |
ROI Potential: PMI’s 2026 FDD presents earning information based on pillars (residential, commercial, association, short-term rental and realty) rather than location. The franchises operating for the entirety of 2025 reported the following revenue per unit:
| Pillar | Average | Median | High | Low |
| Residential (239) | $2,069 | $2,221 | $18,492 | $183 |
| Commercial (37) | $1,282 | $1,144 | $34,053 | $210 |
| Association (92) | $16,122 | $15,331 | $128,846 | $2,176 |
| Short-Term Rental (63) | $12,384 | $7,814 | $52,437 | $1,001 |
| Realty (51) | $6,641 | $8,614 | $113,878 | $705 |
PMI provides new franchise owners with a structured launch process rather than requiring them to assemble their own property management systems. Franchisees receive a defined territory, access to PMI's operating resources and a step-by-step launch plan covering setup, training and initial client acquisition. Franchisees receive access to PMiWAY, which houses software, forms, contracts, marketing resources and operating procedures.
The brand's launch toolkit includes checklists, scripts, forms, email templates, pricing guidance, service menus, sales materials and local marketing resources.
PMI's training is designed to accommodate franchisees both with and without previous property management experience. The program covers core property management functions including leasing, maintenance, accounting and communication with property owners and tenants.
Published franchise information describes the training process as including approximately six weeks of pre-startup training, five days of training at corporate headquarters and a 12- to 16-week PMI LAUNCH program.
Training continues beyond opening through scheduled coaching sessions focused on sales, pipeline development, operations and business growth.
PMI provides franchise owners with standardized procedures and resources for leasing, maintenance, accounting, client communication, pricing and property management operations.
As franchisees scale, coaches can also provide guidance on hiring, organizational structure, staffing ratios, pricing, service packages, client acquisition and sales. Support can also include adding new property management verticals and revenue streams, evaluating potential acquisitions and expanding marketing and lead generation.
The goal is to allow franchise owners to add services and personnel methodically rather than rebuilding their operations each time the business reaches a new stage.
PMI franchisees receive access to the brand's technology and operating ecosystem, including PMiWAY and other property management resources. The platform gives owners access to software, forms, contracts, marketing tools and operating procedures.
PMI also provides marketing materials, presentation decks, client outreach scripts, standardized service menus and operational templates. These tools are intended to create consistency while allowing franchisees to operate locally owned businesses.
PMI does not provide specific requirements for franchisees with regard to liquid assets or net worth.
Prior property management experience is not required. The brand says many franchisees enter the system from outside the property management industry and use PMI's training, coaching and operating systems to learn the business.
The opportunity is positioned toward entrepreneurial candidates with business, sales, leadership or real estate skills, as well as existing property managers and real estate broker-owners.
PMI offers flexibility in how owners structure the business. Franchisees can begin as hands-on owner-operators and add employees as their portfolios grow. Third-party franchise listings also describe PMI as a home-based franchise that can accommodate semi-absentee ownership.
PMI's own qualification process asks candidates whether they plan to operate as hands-on owners or pursue a semi-absentee structure with a manager. It also evaluates the candidate's willingness to hire sales or general management personnel as the business expands.
PMI is not obligated to provide financing but may offer qualified franchisees financing for conversion costs or growth opportunities based on factors such as credit history, financial need, net worth, business performance and ability to repay.
“They have a whole corporate staff. Things that I just couldn’t do by myself, and so the team effort and being a PMI franchise is just beneficial because of all the extra support I have at my fingertips.”
- Nicole Guidi, Franchisee — Summit County, Colorado
“We knew that being part of a franchise would help not only give some tools, but also some level of accountability. We really wanted the structure and the peer relationships and the accountability to take our property management business to the next level.”
- Patti Robertson, Franchisee — Virginia
The U.S. property management services market is expected to grow from $88.03 billion in 2026 to $106.58 billion by 2031, representing a 3.9% CAGR. Growth is being supported by strong rental demand, increased institutional ownership and greater use of technology to streamline property management.
PMI competes through the breadth of its property management platform. Rather than focusing exclusively on residential property management, the franchise gives owners the ability to build across five property management verticals while using one operating system, national brand and support structure.
Primary franchised competitors include Real Property Management, All County Property Management, Keyrenter Property Management and other regional property management franchise systems. A 2026 review of leading property management franchises included Real Property Management, All County and PMI among the sector's major franchise concepts.
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