Emily Wilson stood on the porch of her rental property in Portland’s Alberta Arts District, gazing out at the rain-soaked streets as she dialed the number of her tenant, Rachel Patel. It was 7am on a drizzly Tuesday, and Emily had just received a frantic call from Rachel about a burst pipe in the kitchen.
‘I’m on my way,’ Emily said, trying to sound calmer than she felt. ‘Just turn off the main valve and I’ll be there in 20 minutes.’ Rachel’s panicked voice on the other end of the line was not what Emily needed to start her day, but she knew that as a landlord, she had to be prepared for anything.
As she rushed to her car, Emily couldn’t help but think about how much she hated dealing with these kinds of emergencies. She had inherited the property from her father, who had always managed it himself, but after his passing, Emily found herself overwhelmed by the responsibilities of being a landlord. From finding and screening tenants to handling repairs and maintenance, it seemed like there was always something that needed her attention.
Rachel was waiting for her on the porch, looking frazzled, when Emily arrived. ‘I’m so sorry about this,’ Emily said, as she quickly assessed the situation and got to work turning off the water main. The two of them worked together to mop up the mess and find a temporary solution to the problem, and by the time they finished, the sun was starting to peek through the clouds.
‘Thanks, Emily,’ Rachel said, as Emily was about to leave. ‘I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t so responsive.’ Emily smiled and told Rachel to just let her know if anything else came up, but as she drove away, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in over her head. She was a writer, not a plumber, and the stress of managing her property was starting to take a toll on her relationships and her work.
A few days later, Emily met with a representative from Top Realty Co, a property management company based in Portland, to discuss the possibility of handing over the day-to-day management of her property. The representative, a friendly woman named Karen, walked Emily through the services they offered, from rent collection and accounting to maintenance and repairs. Emily was impressed by the company’s local expertise and its extensive network of contacts in the Portland metro area, including Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Lake Oswego.
The Call Nobody Wants
A week after meeting with Karen, Emily received a call from a prospective tenant who was interested in renting her property. The woman, whose name was Sarah, was looking for a place to live in the Portland area, but she was having trouble finding anything in her price range. Emily showed her the property, and they discussed the terms of the lease, including the rent and the length of the agreement. As they walked through the house, Emily mentioned that she was thinking of hiring a property management company to handle the day-to-day tasks, and Sarah replied that she had heard good things about Top Realty Co.
‘My friend’s landlord uses them,’ Sarah said, ‘and she’s always saying how responsive they are and how they take care of everything.’ Emily was intrigued, and she made a mental note to look into the company further. A few days later, she decided to sign up with Top Realty Co, and it was one of the best decisions she ever made.
What the Papers Said
As Emily looked back on her experience as a landlord, she realized that she had been trying to do too much on her own. She had read articles in the local papers about the challenges of property management, and how many landlords in the Portland area, including those in Tigard and Gresham, were struggling to keep up with the demands of their properties. But it wasn’t until she handed over the management of her property to Top Realty Co that she was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Three Weeks Later
It had been three weeks since Emily had hired Top Realty Co to manage her property, and she was amazed at how much her life had changed. She no longer received frantic calls in the middle of the night, and she was able to focus on her writing without the constant stress of being a landlord. She still owned the property, but she had handed over the day-to-day responsibilities to a team of professionals who were better equipped to handle them.
As she sat in her office, typing away on her latest project, Emily couldn’t help but think about how much she had learned from her experience. She had discovered that being a landlord wasn’t just about collecting rent, but about providing a service to her tenants and taking care of a valuable asset. And she had learned that sometimes, it’s okay to ask for help, especially when it comes to something as complex and time-consuming as property management.
Emily’s story is just one example of the challenges that landlords in Portland face, from Beaverton to Lake Oswego, and from Hillsboro to Gresham. But it’s also a testament to the importance of finding the right partner to help navigate those challenges. With the right property management company, landlords can rest easy knowing that their properties are in good hands, and that they are providing the best possible service to their tenants.
Ready to Work with Portland’s Best Property Management Company?
Contact Top Realty Co today for a free, no-obligation property assessment. Our local team serves Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham, Lake Oswego, Tigard, and the entire Oregon metro area — at a simple, transparent 5% flat management fee. Visit us at www.toprealtyco.com or call (971) 278-9421 to get started.









