As soon as you buy a rental property, you should find the best way to manage it in order to maximize revenue and return. Not everyone wants to be a hands-on landlord, and if this is the case with you, you should not refrain from investing in real estate. You can hire a professional property manager to take care of your property and your tenants. Evernest is a popular name in the rental property management industry, but is it really worth it for investors?
In this Evernest property management review, we’ll analyze the services provided by the company and the fees charged by them to see if they offer a good value for money to landlords. We’ll also consider the types of properties which Evernest manages and the markets where it operates. We’ll go through online reviews provided by investors and renters to check if the company delivers on the services that it promises. Last but not least, we’ll review a few competitors to see how Evernest compares to the best property management companies in the US market.
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What Evernest Property Management Is
Evernest is a long-term rental property management company which offers different packages to meet the needs of various investors and landlords. Matthew Whitaker founded the company in 2008, with headquarters in Birmingham, AL.
Evernest works with single-family homes, condos, and small multi-family buildings. Currently, they manage 15,000+ long-term rentals for 6,000+ owners. This means that the average investor working with Evernest owns at least 2 properties. The company also does HOA management, serving 17,000+ homeowners. Their property management services are available for 30 cities in 16 states.
Where Evernest Property Management Operates
Our Evernest property management review shows that the company works in multiple markets; however, its reach is far from national.
Evernest services are present in 30+ US cities across 16 states, including some of the best cities to buy a rental property:
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Birmingham, AL
- Boulder, CO
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Cheyenne, WY
- Colorado Springs, CO
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX
- Denver, CO
- Detroit, MI
- Fort Collins and Northern Colorado, CO
- Fredericksburg, VA
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Jackson, MS
- Kansas City, MO
- Little Rock, AR
- Memphis, TN
- Murfreesboro, TN
- Nashville, TN
- Northern Virginia, VA
- Orlando, FL
- Richmond, VA
- St. Louis, MO
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Williamsburg, VA
In each market, Evernest provides a few different packages of property management services to fit the requirements of all landlords. There are differences between the services included in each package and the pricing model between markets.
Evernest Property Management Services
The long-term rental property management services provided by Evernest are packaged in 3 different plans, in most markets. The exact composition of these plans varies from one location to another, so landlords need to check out the packages available in their city and choose the best one for their needs.
All Evernest property management services include:
- Initial property inspection report
- Rental listing marketing including the Evernest website, Zillow, Trulia, and more
- Showings
- Tenant screening
- Tenant onboarding
- Lease agreements and security deposits
- Move out walk-through
- Electronic statements and disbursements
- 24/7 tenant communication
- Landlord communication
- Rent collection
- Late rent management
- Maintenance management: Dispatching a maintenance worker or a vendor to fix the issue if under $500; calling the landlord to discuss the issue if above $500
- Annual inspection (fees might apply)
- HVAC inspections
- Yard maintenance during vacancy
- Gutter cleaning
- Rent protection (available with Platinum plan only)
- Eviction protection (available with Platinum plan only)
It’s important to understand that they include many of these services in the pricing of the property management packages. However, some of them are sold separately.
Evernest Property Management Costs
Each Evernest local office implements a different pricing structure for the property management services which they deliver. There are different packages that provide access to various services. The pricing is a mix of flat fees and percentage of the monthly rental income, so landlords need to check the specific price in their location before deciding if Evernest is the best option for the needs and budget.
Here is a list of the property management costs by city:
Atlanta, GA
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $119/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Austin, TX
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Birmingham, AL
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 5+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Boulder, CO
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Charlotte, NC
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Chattanooga, TN
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Cheyenne, WY
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Colorado Springs, CO
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Columbus, OH
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Dallas and Ft. Worth, TX
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Denver, CO
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Detroit, MI
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Fort Collins and Northern Colorado, CO
- Lease Only: One month’s rent
- Evernest Select: 7%-10% of monthly rent
- Platinum: Starting at $219/month
Fredericksburg, VA
- Evernest Select: Pricing available upon call
- Platinum: Pricing available upon call
Huntsville, AL
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Jackson, MS
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Kansas City, MO
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Little Rock, AR
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Memphis, TN
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Murfreesboro, TN
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Nashville, TN
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Northern Virginia, VA
- Evernest Select: Pricing available upon call
- Platinum: Pricing available upon call
Orlando, FL
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Richmond, VA
- Evernest Select: Pricing available upon call
- Platinum: Pricing available upon call
St. Louis, MO
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Tampa, FL
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $119/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Toledo, OH
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Tucson, AZ
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $109/month
- Platinum: Starting at $199/month
Tulsa, OK
- Investor: 8% of monthly rent for 2+ properties
- Gold: $89/month
- Platinum: Starting at $179/month
Williamsburg, VA
- Evernest Select: Pricing available upon call
- Platinum: Pricing available upon call
There are also additional costs which investors need to consider, particularly with the Investor and Gold plans. Some of these costs include:
- Leasing fee: Between 50% of month’s rent and one month’s rent
- Lease renewal fee: Between $150 and $299
- Annual inspection: $149
These fees are covered in the Platinum plan, where investors pay a single comprehensive fee.
Yet another cost for which real estate investors should budget is maintenance. With the Investor and Gold plans, Evernest charges an hourly rate for maintenance services plus materials. An in-house team of maintenance professionals or vendors does the work. While maintenance expenses vary by the age and the size of the property, Evernest recommends landlords to budget for about 1% of the value of their property per year.
Investors are required to keep a $500 maintenance reserve in their account so that maintenance requests under $500 can be handled immediately, without requiring intervention from the property owner.
The Evernest website features a property management pricing calculator which allows investors to compare the cost of Evernest services with competitors. In this way, they can decide if this is the most cost-efficient property manager for them.
Evernest Property Management Terms
Like the other best rental property management companies, Evernest requires signing a written management agreement. The management agreement comes with a 100% Happiness Guarantee. This means that property owners can cancel the contract at any point if they are not fully satisfied with the services that they receive from Evernest.
Evernest provides new landlords with a 21-Day Lease Guarantee. Their goal is to get each rental leased within 21 days of signing the management agreement. If this does not happen, the owner gets the first two months of property management for free.
Evernest Property Management Reviews
There are about 100 online reviews of Evernest, which show mixed experiences.
You can find Evernest reviews on:
- TrustAnalytica: Currently 4.7/5 stars based on 79 reviews
- Yelp: Currently 1.5/5 stars based on 21 reviews
- BBB.org: Currently 1.07/5 stars based on 16 reviews
- Birdeye: Currently 2.3/5 stars based on 4 reviews
Happy landlords and tenants praise the high-quality services, the well-managed processes, the quick response to property issues, the availability and patience of the customer support team, the professionalism of the local staff, and the constant communication. Unhappy customers complain about the poorly maintained properties, the unexpected charges, delays in fixing problems, and inability to reach the customer service team. With companies that cover multiple markets through local offices, it is normal to see varying experiences by both property owners and renters.
Evernest Property Management Alternatives
When choosing the best property manager for your long-term rental, it’s a good idea to consider a few different options. That’s why we’ve reviewed the top Evernest alternatives to give you more opportunities if you think that this might not be the right choice for your needs.
The best Evernest competitors for managing long-term rental properties are:
HomeRiver Group
HomeRiver Group is the best rental property management company in the US for investors owning single-family homes, apartments, and small multi-family homes. This is the biggest property manager that works with third-party investors (rather than managing properties they own). Currently, HomeRiver Group manages 40,000+ homes in various cities in 32 states across the US market.
The company offers comprehensive property management services. These include but are not limited to renovations, leasing, rental management, property maintenance, and real-time performance reporting. HomeRiver Group charges different fees across different markets, including both flat fees and percentage of rental revenue. The pricing model is determined by the local property management team and reflects regional differences.
Mynd
Mynd is an Evernest competitor that focuses only on single-family homes. Similar to Evernest, Mynd operates in 30 cities in 12 states, from coast to coast. At the moment, its property management portfolio includes 11,000+ long-term rentals.
The services covered by this property manager include listing, marketing, tenant screening and moving in, tenant and landlord communication, property inspections and maintenance, financial and tax reporting, and rental income optimization. Two benefits provided by Mynd are the $5,000 rental income guarantee and the $5,000 eviction cost coverage. The fees charged by the company vary by market and by the number of properties. The range is between $75 and $199 per property per month. Additional fees include leasing fee and lease renewal fee.
Specialized Property Management
Specialized Property Management is a full-service property manager that focuses on implementing a mix of technology and local expertise to deliver the best services on the market. The company operates in 11 cities in 7 states.
The Specialized property management services include listing, marketing, advertising, electronic property showings, tenant screening, remodeling, maintenance, 24/7 tenant support, online rent collection and disbursement, HVAC filter program, and real-time data and analytics reporting. Specialized offers three different plans, priced between $99 and $189 per month. Leasing and lease renewal are charged separately.
Great Jones
Great Jones is another property management company that specializes in long-term rentals. They have been recently acquired by Roofstock. The company covers several cities in 9 states.
Great Jones provides comprehensive services to allow landlords to make passive income from their rental properties. The cost is calculated differently in each location and also takes into consideration the size of the investment portfolio. Investors should be ready to pay a monthly fee in addition to a leasing fee and a renewal fee.
Belong Home
Belong Home is a good Mynd alternative for investors who prefer to work with a small-scale property management company. They manage single-family homes and multi-family buildings. Currently, the company manages properties for 2,000 investors in a few major cities in CA, FL, and WA. They are working on expanding into new markets soon.
Belong Home covers the following services: getting properties ready for leasing, marketing, pricing, showings, tenant screening, tenant move-ins, renter support, and property maintenance. For its services, the company charges a percentage of the generated monthly income, and landlords don’t need to pay anything when their property is vacant. Placement is paid separately and is equivalent to 75% of one month’s rent.
Takeaway
Our Evernest property management review shows that this company can be a good choice for landlords investing in different types of properties. The services are comprehensive, and the fees are competitive. However, the negative reviews by some property owners and tenants raise questions if this is a truly reliable property manager for long-term rentals. Also, the market coverage is rather limited. Meanwhile, HomeRiver Group is the best Evernest alternative for investors with mixed portfolios in multiple locations.