Tenant Placement & Leasing Service

Focus on tenant screening, placement, and lease-up services for landlords

Startup Cost
$5,000-$18,000
Difficulty
Intermediate
Time to Profit
4-8 months
Profit Potential
$8,000-$38,000/month

Overview

Tenant placement services charge 50-100% of first month's rent per placement (typically 75%).

Placing 5-15 tenants monthly generates $100,000-$450,000 annually with 70-85% margins.

In 2025, landlords who self-manage still need professional tenant screening and placement services.

Services include property marketing and listing, showing properties to prospects, tenant screening (credit, background, employment), application processing, lease preparation and execution, move-in coordination and inspections, first month rent collection, and lease renewal assistance.

Successful tenant placement services market properties effectively (photos, descriptions, Zillow/Apartments.com), respond quickly to inquiries (within 1 hour), screen tenants thoroughly reducing owner risk, have professional lease documents and processes, and maintain relationships with landlords for repeat placements.

Can add ongoing tenant services for additional revenue.

One-time placement fee (typically 75% of monthly rent, so $1,200-$2,500 per placement).

Some also offer lease renewal fees (25-50% of monthly rent).

Can work solo or with small team.

Marketing through real estate investors, landlord groups, property owner outreach, and online presence.

Required Skills

  • Property Marketing
  • Tenant Screening
  • Sales Skills
  • Lease Knowledge
  • Customer Service
  • Landlord-Tenant Law

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • Lower startup costs than full property management
  • Transaction-based revenue (no ongoing management)
  • Can work flexible hours around showings
  • Build landlord relationships for repeat business
  • High margins with low overhead

Cons

  • Income varies with placement volume
  • Showing properties requires availability
  • Landlords may only use service once per property
  • Competition from full-service property managers
  • Screening liability if bad tenant placed

How to Get Started

  1. Get real estate license (required for leasing in most states)
  2. Set up tenant screening process and services
  3. Create professional marketing materials and listings
  4. Set pricing (typically 75% of first month rent)
  5. Market to small landlords and real estate investors
  6. Build reputation through quality tenant placements
  7. Scale by placing 5-15+ tenants monthly

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