Full-Service Property Management
Full-Service Property Management in Southern Maine
One team for your entire rental: finding and screening residents, collecting rent, handling repairs, keeping up with local rules, and reporting every dollar online. Built for owners of small multifamily buildings and single-family homes from Sanford to Portland.
- Leasing, rent collection, repairs, and accounting in one agreement
- Local rental rules tracked town by town
- 24-hour maintenance response, 1-hour emergency response
- Run by licensed Maine real estate agents who own rentals
What Full Service Means
What Is Full-Service Property Management?
What does full-service property management include?Full-service property management from Guardian Properties covers everything a rental needs after you hand over the keys: pricing and leasing, resident screening, rent collection, maintenance and repairs, inspections, lease enforcement, security deposits, local rental compliance, and monthly accounting in a Buildium owner portal, with a 24-hour maintenance response and 1-hour emergency response.
The difference between full service and a la carte help is who carries the responsibility. With full service, the calls, deadlines, and decisions come to us, and you get a monthly statement and a clear picture of how your property is doing. You stay in control of the big decisions, like approving major repairs or setting goals for the property, without handling the day to day.
Full Service at a Glance
- Best for
- Small multifamily buildings, single-family homes, and condos
- Service area
- Eight Southern Maine communities, from Sanford to Portland
- Response times
- 24 hours for maintenance, 1 hour for emergencies
- Owner portal
- Buildium: statements, financials, work orders, tenant ledgers
- Resident portal
- Online rent payments and maintenance requests
- Pricing
- A percentage of rent collected, plus placement and renewal fees
What Is Included
What Do We Handle Under Full-Service Management?
Here is the work that moves off your plate when you hire us for full service.
Pricing and Leasing
We set rent from current local comparables, market vacant units, run showings, and sign leases with the right state, federal, and local disclosures.
Resident Screening
Every applicant goes through a consistent screening process, applied the same way to everyone in line with fair housing rules.
Rent Collection
Residents pay online through Buildium. We follow up on late payments right away and keep every transaction in your ledger.
Maintenance and Repairs
Residents submit requests online. We respond within 24 hours, within 1 hour for emergencies, and send the work to vetted local trades.
Inspections
Move-in and move-out inspections with documentation, plus walkthroughs before city inspections in towns that require them.
Lease Enforcement
Late notices, lease violation notices, and eviction paperwork when needed, with an attorney handling any court filings.
Renewals and Move-Outs
Renewal offers sent on the right notice timeline, plus deposit accounting within Maine's deadlines when residents leave.
Local Compliance
Rental registrations, licenses, rent control math, and short-term rental rules, tracked for every town we serve.
Accounting and Reporting
Monthly statements, financial statements, tenant ledgers, and year-end owner reports in your Buildium portal.
Why Guardian Properties
How Is Our Full-Service Management Different?
Guardian Properties is run by licensed Maine real estate agents who own rental property themselves. That changes how we make decisions on your behalf. When a water heater fails, a unit sits vacant, or a resident asks to renew, we weigh the choice the way an owner would: what it costs today, what it earns over time, and what it does to the value of the building.
It also means you talk to the people who run the company. There is no call center between you and your manager, and the same team that answers your call knows your building. If you want to know more about who we are, visit our about page.
How We Make Decisions for You
- Repairs. Quick fixes when they make sense, lasting fixes when they protect the property and save money over time.
- Vacancies. Priced to lease, not to sit. An empty month usually costs more than a modest rent adjustment.
- Renewals. Good residents are worth keeping, and turnover costs are real.
- Big projects. We bring you options and numbers, and you make the call.
Who It Is For
Who Is Full-Service Property Management Right For?
Small Multifamily Owners
Two to four unit buildings are the core of what we manage. More units mean more calls, turnovers, and city paperwork, which is exactly what full service absorbs.
Out-of-Area Owners
If you live outside Southern Maine, or outside the state, we are your local team for showings, emergencies, inspections, and everything in between.
Busy Investors
Owners with full-time jobs or growing portfolios who want their rentals to run without taking over nights and weekends.
Accidental Landlords
Homeowners who moved and kept their house as a rental, and want it cared for as well as they cared for it.
Owners in Regulated Cities
Portland, South Portland, Sanford, and others have their own rental rules. Full service keeps you compliant without studying the ordinances yourself.
Voucher Program Landlords
We work with Section 8 and other housing voucher programs and handle the inspections and paperwork they involve.
Onboarding
How Does Onboarding Work for a New Owner?
Switching to full service, or starting fresh with a new rental, follows the same steps.
Owner Consultation
We talk through your property, residents, rents, goals, and how our fees work, so you know exactly what to expect.
Property Walkthrough
We walk the property, document its condition, and flag repairs or safety items worth handling early.
Management Agreement
You sign a written agreement covering services, fees, and the dollar amount we can approve for repairs without calling you first.
Records and Local Compliance
We collect leases, deposits, and resident contacts, then update any city registrations or licenses with our information.
Resident Introduction
Residents get a welcome letter with how to pay rent online, submit maintenance requests, and reach us in an emergency.
First Statement
Rent flows through Buildium, and your first monthly statement shows every dollar in and out.
Owner Reporting
What Will You See Each Month as an Owner?
Your Buildium owner portal is open around the clock. Log in from anywhere to see your monthly statement, income and expenses, open work orders, and each resident's ledger. Through our accounting and reporting service, you also get financial statements and year-end owner reports that make tax season simpler.
We would rather you see a problem early than hear about it late. If a repair will exceed your approval limit, a resident falls behind, or a city deadline is coming, we reach out directly.
Inside Your Owner Portal
- Monthly owner statements
- Financial statements for each property
- Open and completed work orders
- Tenant ledgers showing every charge and payment
- Year-end owner reports for your accountant
Local Rules
How Does Full Service Handle Local Rental Rules?
Southern Maine has no single set of landlord rules. Maine law applies everywhere, including the security deposit return deadlines and the federal lead disclosure for older buildings, but many cities add their own requirements.
In Portland, rent control limits annual increases on covered units. In South Portland, any rent increase needs 90 days of written notice. Biddeford and Saco require multifamily buildings to register, while Sanford and Old Orchard Beach license rental property. Scarborough now requires short-term rental registration, and Westbrook has its own rules for accessory dwelling units.
With full service, those rules are built into how we lease, renew, and maintain your property. You can see every town we cover on our areas we serve page.
Ready to Step Back From the Day to Day?
Tell us about your property and we will show you how full service would work for it.
Compare Your Options
Should You Choose Full Service or Tenant Placement Only?
We Find the Resident, You Manage
- Rent pricing, marketing, showings, screening, and lease signing.
- After move-in, you collect rent and handle repairs and renewals.
- You track local rules, notices, and deposit deadlines yourself.
A good fit for local, hands-on owners who just want help filling a vacancy. Learn more about tenant placement.
We Handle It, You Get Reports
- Everything in placement, plus rent collection, repairs, and inspections.
- Renewals, move-outs, deposits, and lease enforcement handled.
- Local registrations, licenses, and notice rules tracked for you.
A good fit for owners who live away, own multiple units, or want their time back.
Pricing
How Much Does Full-Service Property Management Cost?
Our full-service pricing has three parts, and we go over each one with you before you sign anything.
- A monthly management fee based on a percentage of the rent collected, so our income depends on your property performing.
- A placement fee charged when a vacant unit is leased to a new resident.
- A renewal fee charged when an existing resident renews.
Your quote depends on the property type, number of units, condition, and location. You can find more answers in our frequently asked questions.
Related Services
What Other Services Are Part of Full-Service Management?
Each of these is included in full service, and some are also available on their own.
Tenant Placement
Pricing, marketing, showings, screening, and lease signing.
Tenant placementMaintenance and Repairs
Fast response, vetted trades, permits, and winter readiness.
Maintenance and repairsTenant Turnover
Move-out inspections, deposit accounting, and make-ready work.
Tenant turnoverLease Enforcement and Evictions
Late rent follow-up and violation notices, with an attorney for court filings.
Lease enforcementAccounting and Reporting
Statements, ledgers, and year-end reports in Buildium.
Accounting and reportingTurnaround and Investor Consulting
Renovation management and repositioning for underperforming rentals.
Turnaround and consultingFull-Service Questions
What Do Owners Ask About Full-Service Management?
What is included in full-service property management?
Full service includes rent pricing and leasing, resident screening, rent collection, maintenance and repairs, inspections, lease enforcement, renewals, security deposit handling, local rental compliance, and monthly accounting. You see statements, work orders, and tenant ledgers in your Buildium owner portal at any time.
Do I still approve repairs?
Yes, for anything above the approval limit set in your management agreement. We handle routine repairs and true emergencies right away, and we contact you with options and costs before any larger project.
Can you take over a property that already has residents?
Yes. We transfer existing leases and security deposits, introduce ourselves to residents, set them up to pay rent online, and update any city registrations or licenses with our contact information.
What happens when a resident has an emergency?
Emergencies like no heat, an active leak, or a lockout get a response within 1 hour, and routine requests get a response within 24 hours. Our team is reachable from 7 AM to 8 PM on most days, and true emergencies are handled whenever they happen.
How do I get paid and see my numbers?
Rent is collected through Buildium, and you receive a monthly owner statement showing income, expenses, and your distribution. Your owner portal also has financial statements, work orders, tenant ledgers, and year-end reports.
What types of properties do you manage?
We focus on small multifamily buildings, single-family homes, and condos, and we also offer commercial leasing and short-term rental management. HOA and condo association management are outside our services.
Where do you offer full-service management?
We offer full-service property management in Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Sanford, Scarborough, Portland, South Portland, and Westbrook, Maine.
Ready for Full-Service Management?
Share a few details about your rental, and we will lay out what full service covers, what it costs, and when we can start.