● Greenville, South Carolina · Est. 2016Owners · Tenants · Guests · Maintenance
    Plenteous

    Chapter 04 · Get a great team

    Five contacts to have before you rent out a house

    Five phone numbers to have before you need them.

    By Dan D’Ambrosio, Founder, Plenteous; Broker-in-Charge, Plenteous Management. Fourth quarter 2026 edition · Updated · Sources reviewed

    The short answer

    Line up five contacts before you need them: a CPA who works with rental owners, an insurance agent who understands rentals, a lender who can evaluate your current and next loan, reliable repair professionals, and an attorney familiar with landlord-tenant work in your county.

    Even owners who manage their own homes rely on other people. Choose them before the water heater fails or a tax deadline is close. Ask about relevant experience, fees and availability, then keep the contact information where you can find it.

    1. 01

      A certified public accountant (CPA) who works with rental owners.

      Ask about conversion to rental use, depreciation, improvements, loss limitations and the tax consequences of selling your former home.

    2. 02

      An insurance agent who understands rentals.

      Explain the intended use and any vacant period. Ask the agent to confirm the needed property, liability and rental-income coverage in writing.

    3. 03

      A lender who can evaluate both your existing loan and your next purchase.

      Ask how keeping this house changes the next home's financing and how much rental income the lender will actually count.

    4. 04

      Reliable repair professionals: a plumber, an electrician, a heating and air company, and a general repair contact.

      Confirm qualifications and insurance for the work involved, and agree on how emergencies are handled.

    5. 05

      An attorney familiar with landlord-tenant work in your county.

      Have the lease and notice process reviewed before relying on them. Get advice early when a dispute is developing.

    A property manager may coordinate much of this work; Chapter 19 explains how to evaluate one. An experienced rental owner can also be a useful sounding board. Ask what they would budget differently if they were starting with your house.

    This guide is general education. Apply current rules and address-specific figures with the appropriate adviser.

    All chapters

    Part one / The foundations

    What you are really getting into

    The opportunities, the responsibilities, and the preparation that gives you choices.

    1. 01How a rental builds wealth
    2. 02A small business, with people in it
    3. 03History helps. It does not promise.
    4. 04Get a great team
    5. 05Learn the house and the rules
    6. 06The market decides

    Part two / The numbers

    Make the numbers yours

    A worked budget, three financing scenarios, a difficult year, and two worksheets for the decision in front of you.

    1. 07What a rental actually pays
    2. 08Two tax questions to settle early
    3. 09Rent it or sell it?

    Part three / Running it well

    Running it well

    The life of a tenancy in the order it happens, the owner’s calendar, and the page to open when something breaks.

    1. 10Before anyone moves in
    2. 11Choosing the tenant
    3. 12Maintenance
    4. 13When the rent does not come
    5. 14Renew or turn
    6. 15Move-out
    7. 16Taxes, briefly
    8. 17The owner's year
    9. 18When something happens
    10. 19Should you manage it yourself?