17+ Best Property Management Companies in Colorado: Breckenridge, Colorado Springs, Aspen & more
June 7, 2022 | wheelhouse
Colorado is home to gorgeous landscapes and charming mountains that attract foreigners and Americans for vacations every year. But some love it so much that they decide to stay long-term.
Keep in mind that the real estate market in some Colorado neighborhoods is hot.Aspen’s average home price is a whopping $14 million as of Feb 2022, so $1,000-night rentals are common. Denver might not be as pricey, but rentals are still up there in the market.
Months-long rentals aren’t uncommon in Aspen, Denver, and Breckenridge, but how do you pick one that checks all the boxes? And if you’re a landlord, how do you ensure you stay on top of all your property management tasks?
The best property management companies provide value and assurance to both tenants and landlords.
They take on the responsibility of ensuring every property is efficiently maintained to a high standard. Likewise, property managers channel credibility to prospective tenants, helping landlords keep the revenue flowing. Pair a property management company with a dynamic pricing strategy, and you’ve created a money-making machine for short-term rentals.
Today, we’ll cover how property management companies support your business, and look at some of the top property management companies in Colorado’s hot holiday destination.
For starters:
What Does a Property Management Company Do?
Property management companies make landlords’ lives easier and offer comfort to tenants. How? By providing all these services:
Screening tenants
Collecting and organizing payments
Regular maintenance and repairs
Marketing and advertising
Guest and tenant communications
Administration and recordkeeping
Benefits of Using a Property Management Company in Colorado
All the above services will cost you, but it’s usually worth it. Here’s what you’ll get:
Upscale Client and Tenant Satisfaction
In Colorado’s vacation zones, residents spend a pretty penny to stay in your rental, and expectations are high. As CPR News puts it, Aspen’s become a “glitzy playground for the rich.”
Your tenants will demand high-quality service and top-notch maintenance to pay the Aspen price. Property management companies help you cater to them without stretching yourself too thin.
Regular Occupancy
You have enough on your plate with career, family, and your own home maintenance to consider. So, you might not always be ready to find a new tenant or clean an apartment after a tenant leaves. This is especially true for short-term rentals, where regular flipping is necessary to keep the unit occupied.
Property management companies keep organized schedules for tenants and start looking for new ones as soon as they’re aware the other is leaving. This improves your occupancy and maximizes your revenue.
More Time and Less Stress
Landlords often underestimate the time it takes to manage a rental property. Pair that with today’s stress crisis, and the revenue might not make up for the emotional toll your business puts on you.
A property management company handles administration, communications, construction, advertising, tenant relationships, and other tasks that will give you back precious time in your day.
Best Property Management Companies in Colorado
Let’s walk through some of Colorado’s best property management companies, specifically Brackenridge, Aspen, and Colorado Springs.
Best Property Management Companies Aspen
Aspen Luxury Rentals
Aspen Luxury Vacation Rentals is an independent and locally-owned vacation rental business that focuses on private rentals. Whether it’s a penthouse, ski chalet, private home or estate, owners can feel secure knowing their property will be well taken care of, as they have served the Aspen area for over 25 years.
With a focus on the guest experience, a fantastic selling feature is their guest concierge service. Guests will have one point of contact to help make their experience in your property unforgettable.
Property Management Services
The choice of Full Service Property Management packages or À la Cart offerings
Snowmass Vacations has been operating in Aspen Snowmass since 1979, and in that time, grown a customer database of over 250,000 guests, and developed relationships with service providers, property owners, and even their competition.
Property Management Services
Over the years, they have expanded operations and established local offices in other markets such as Whistler, BC, Newport Beach, California and Jackson Hole, Wyoming. As such, they are able to offer their property owners reciprocal lodging benefits across their seven locations.
Comprehensive marketing strategy
Direct deposit of rental income
An owner portal to view past and upcoming reservations
24/7 front desk and answering service
Discounts on equipment rentals and events
Reciprocal lodging benefits at partner clubs around the U.S.
Frias Properties has been in the property management business for an incredible 48 years. Its main business is property management for residential units and vacation rentals.
Experienced? Check. Established? Check.
The company has entire teams of maintenance personnel, cleaners, agents, property managers, marketing associates, and financial managers to manage your property or vacation rental.
We love Frias because they assure one point of contact for homeowners to deal with, saving you the time of waiting for customer service representatives. Friars also knows how to provide exceptional service to upscale clients, provisioning luxury bedding, daily housekeeping, endless amenities, and 24/7 support.
McCartney Aspen Professional Property Management has over 35 years of experience managing Aspen properties. Its current portfolio has over 50 Aspen condos and houses. The company offers a unique owner’s portal called Streamline, where you can get a bird’s eye view of your rental availability and performance.
Of course, McCartney handles reservations and bookings if you need it.
You can count on McCartney to maximize market reach with skilled advertising and professional photography. They also offer rate management services and high-quality maintenance and cleaning.
Alpine Meadows provides property management services for private homes, townhouses and condos. Their specialty is Homeowner Association (HOA) Management, with one customer review citing that Alpine Meadows is the best option if your property has an HOA.
Operating since 1983, Alpine Meadows is a family owned business that aims to offer exceptional service and commitment to the Breckenridge community.
Summit Mountain Rentals wrote the book on vacation rental management – literally! They are the authors of the SMR Vacation Rental Report, a report that is released biannually and details the state of the market in Summit County, along with articles of interest to the industry.
Further, Summit Mountain Rentals is an award-winning property management company, receiving the “Best of Summit” award in the property managers category for twelve consecutive years. They take their mission of delivering the highest level of satisfaction to property owners and guests very seriously.
Property Management Services
24-hour guest services
In-house maintenance staff
Professional photography and comprehensive marketing
River Ridge Rentals operates in Breckenridge and Copper Mountain. They specialize in luxury mountain lodgings for small condos, multi-family homes, and even corporate events. Anyone looking for a sophisticated vacation experience will love River Ridge’s variety of ski-in and ski-out properties, mountain golf course homes, and other lodgings.
The company is also a member of the BBB, Blue Tend, and VRMA. Bottom line? These guys are at the top of their game, boasting superior return on investment for every listing. You can tell from all the positive customer reviews on Google.
Property Management Services
Extensive marketing, including PPC, SEO, social media, and listings on VRBO, Airbnb, and more
Best Property Management Companies Colorado Springs
Brickleys Property Solutions
Brickleys Property Solutions manages properties in Colorado Springs, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Gilbert, Arizona. With operations across three states, the company excels with large volumes of listings.
They also offer full-service management, including inspections, rental lease enforcement, and recordkeeping with minimal fees. Check out their comparison of fees with other property management companies.
Colorado Springs Property Group has a skilled team of maintenance personnel and property managers to keep your listings occupied and in tip-top shape. The group has easy online software to expedite payments and dynamic pricing tools to make the most of every listing. Most of their clients have stayed with them for many years, as they value a professional relationship and exceptional service.
Are you worried about rent collection? The Colorado Springs Group boasts a 99.7% payment rent from tenants.
They have a wide range of experience with humble and luxury rentals, with rents ranging from $650 to $10,000 per month. Moreover, the company holds many top property management company awards for the Denver area. Most reviews are positive, though some cite frustration with the company’s insurance policies and services.
Evolve was founded in 2011 and specializes in vacation property management. It boasts an impressive average 4.7-star rating for guests and over $2 billion generated in rental income for property owners. Evolve also does a lot of community work, building homes for the needy and committing to donating 1% of guest fees to improving neighborhood standards of living.
The company offers a risk-free guarantee and a competitive 10% management fee.
Property Management Services
Tailored amenities
Customized property listing and professional photography
Pioneer Property Management serves many Colorado communities, including Denver, Longmont, and Brighton. Its website also notes that they’re an LGBT-friendly company.
Setting Pioneer apart from other rental management companies is its commitment to limiting evictions. For ten years, they’ve avoided evictions with robust screening procedures and prompt mediation.
Best Property Management Companies Steamboat Springs
Moving Mountains
Moving Mountains aims to do just that – move mountains for their guests to ensure a hiqh-quality vacation experience. To this end, they have a strict vetting process, and only manage the properties that meet their client’s high expectations. Those properties that make it into their rental program can rest assured knowing that Moving Mountains will take impeccable care to ensure guests have a memorable experience.
For Moving Mountains, providing a great experience is an art, and more important than booking units. Their special offerings that set them apart include private ski shuttles, private hot tubs in every rental, luxury linens and personal check-ins.
Are you worried that their quality-over-quantity approach will cost you? No need to fear. Because of their luxury approach, they can charge up to six times more than competitors. This high revenue/low occupancy model translates less wear and tear on your property over time.
Steamboat lodging company was started by local husband and wife team, Chris and Sarah Bradford. Their emphasis is on quality, local providers that know the area, and the unique maintenance needs on homes in this climate.
Property Management Services
Homeowner decision making tools
Local property care team to handle guest needs and maintenance issues
The main purpose of Alpine Lodging Telluride is to maintain and maximize your vacation home. With a comprehensive, year round maintenance package for a monthly fee, homeowners will feel good knowing their investment properties are managed well.
Property Management Services
Property Management
Concierge service
Weekly home inspection
Annual report
Inspection of appliances and systems
Utilities payments
Preventative maintenance
Home delivery package handling
Pricing:
The initial set-up fee is $350, with the monthly fee starting at $250. The monthly fee is based on the property size and required time commitment. All homes over 7,000 sq ft. are $550/month.
Lodging in Telluride Property Management
With over ten years of experience, Lodging in Telluride creates special, memorable experiences for guests. Local owner, Georgie Bishop, wants to celebrate and share the beauty of Telluride with guests all over the world through her targeted marketing strategies.
Lodging in Telluride wants to save you the time, money and headaches that come with managing a rental property. Let go of the stress, and let the team care for your property as if it were their own.
Multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway offers property management services across Vail and Arrow, Colorado, one of many business ventures. Of course, you can always count on professional services from such an established company.
The company offers luxurious, spacious rentals for residents looking to vacation in lovely Vail Mountain, including multi-family homes or sleek condos. Remember, BH doesn’t include hard maintenance, housekeeping materials, or deep cleaning.
Colorado Home Check has a local feel with its family man and electrician founder, Jesse Csincsak. He has his work experience to thank, and his popularity after winning a season of the hit TV show The Bachelorette.
While you can access full-service property management with Colorado Home Check, its specialty service is somewhat less comprehensive. If you’re away for an extended period or your unit sits empty for a while, you can purchase a few hours of work per month for this company to conduct home checks.
Property Management Services
Procurement for landscaping, repairs, and maintenance
Checks for lights, plumbing, roof analysis, faucets, drains, and breakers
How Do I Choose the Best Property Management Company in Colorado?
Phew, that was a long list. So how do you decide on the best property management company for your Colorado listing, especially if it’s a luxury listing?
Residential vs. Commercial Management
Are you running a multi-family apartment or a commercial ski resort with luxury cabins? Your property management company should have extensive experience with either rental business before you hire them.
Services Offered
Pick a property management company that offers all the services you don’t want to manage on your own. And ensure they’re all included by reviewing the contract meticulously.
But if you’re renting in Aspen-Breckenridge or Colorado Springs, you should ensure prospective companies offer top-notch services. Here are a few criteria to look for:
Marketing and Outreach: Your dream property management company should have extensive experience catering their advertising to your audience. The best way to find out? Look at the company’s existing listings. See how they market other similar properties and keep an eye on how long properties stay available. At a minimum, each listing should have professional photos.
Maintenance: Anyone in the property rental business should ensure regular and prompt maintenance, including repairs in the event of an issue. That rings 10X more true for luxury rentals. Curious about how quickly a property management company responds? Check customer reviews from both landlords and tenants. If you see multiple complaints about maintenance and timeliness, you should steer clear. Otherwise, you might risk losing return tenants.
Property Locations
The biggest property management companies cover entire states for rental units. Some, however, only focus on one or two towns. Your best bet is to find one that covers every city you have a rental in within the same state. You could technically find one for each property, but you might miss out on packaged deals for multiple listings.
Experience
LA Property Management Group CEO David Crown puts it perfectly:
“You wouldn’t take a Ferrari to Jiffy Lube… you would take it to a specialty shop to have it repaired by meticulous professionals.”
If you’re renting out a property in Colorado Springs or Aspen, you’re dealing with a Ferrari. So any property management company you choose should be established with extensive experience with similar rentals. A property management company with experience in Pigeon Forge might have a lot to offer owners in Tennessee, but lack the nuance to handle an Aspen property.
Don’t be nervous to ask outright for references with similar properties or inquire about the company’s specific experience with your kind of rental.
Affordability
Crunch some numbers and see what you can afford. While some property management companies may be cheaper at first glance, they may not have the savvy to handle the luxury rental you’re seeking to rent out.
In many cases, an experienced albeit more expensive property management company will keep your rental occupied and impress clients enough to return — that’s more valuable than an affordable first-time ticket price.
Best Fit
Ultimately, you’ll need to use your intuition and judgment to pick the best property management companies for your rental business. Experience and affordability are all fine and dandy, but how do you feel about the people you’re dealing with? Do you have faith in their abilities, and are you comfortable with their communications?
Our advice? Shop around and list the pros and cons of each property management company. Then, weigh those against your overall impression of the company, as well as all of the factors listed above.
How Much Do Colorado Property Management Companies Cost?
Most property management companies charge between 6%-12% of rental income, though Colorado companies might charge more. You can expect Aspen-experienced managers to charge on the higher side. For example, Berkshire Hathaway charges a 25% management fee for Vail properties, while Evolve charges a modest 10%.
Conclusion: Get Support with Your Property Management
Property management companies offer valuable support for any landlord looking to succeed in Colorado. They offer assurance and vital services to satisfy and impress your upscale clients.
But a strong property management company is just the beginning if you want to maximize your business. You need a dynamic pricing tool to ensure every single one of your listings has optimized prices that consider market data and competition.
Wheelhouse uses artificial intelligence to analyze thousands of data points for your rentals. The result? The perfect price for you and your customers.