Peter Lohmann's Podcast

Peter Lohmann
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Helping Property Managers Streamline & Grow Their Businesses Peter Lohmann shares candid interviews and actionable insights from top operators, entrepreneurs, and industry experts in property management. Whether you're managing 100 doors or 10,000, this is your playbook for building a smarter, more scalable property management business.

  1. 2D AGO

    How PMI Built a 475-Location Property Management Franchise with CEO/Co-founder, Steve Hart

    What does it take to build a national property management franchise? In this episode, I sit down with Steve Hart, CEO and co-founder of PMI, a franchise network with nearly 500 locations and 35,000+ doors under management. We unpack how PMI grew from a startup during the 2008 financial crisis into one of the largest property management platforms in the country. We discuss: (00:00:00) - Intro(00:01:25) - Meet Steve Hart(00:05:09) - Building a franchise platform(00:07:22) - Five pillars explained(00:13:21) - HOA margins and revenue(00:16:00) - Sponsor - appgentic.ai(00:17:48) - Who should franchise(00:24:20) - Brokerage as bridge(00:29:21) - Multi-location franchise growth(00:30:08) - Acquisition engine explained(00:35:11) - Aligned incentives model(00:37:13) - Sponsor - Rentvine(00:38:19) - Breaking the 100 door plateau(00:41:31) - Stop competing on price(00:43:53) - Guarantees that build trust(00:46:21) - Churn trends and fixes(00:52:36) - Saying no to PE offers(00:55:47) - Consolidation and multi-unit owners(00:58:53) - Protecting the brand(01:01:13) - Final wrap and where to followSteve explains PMI’s five-pillar model (residential, multifamily, HOA, commercial, and short-term rentals), why HOA management is growing 60% year over year, and how their franchise partners are acquiring millions of dollars in PM portfolios annually. We also dig into some practical operator questions: Why so many PM companies stall around 100 doorsWhen to stop competing on priceHow acquisitions are changing the industryAnd why Steve has repeatedly said "NO" to private equityIf you’re thinking about scaling, franchising, or buying doors, this one’s worth a listen. Learn more and connect with Steve here: PMISteve on LinkedInLearn more & connect with me here: ⁠Crane⁠, the private community for property management business owners.⁠My Free PM Newsletter⁠⁠RL Property Management⁠

    1h 2m

  2. 5D AGO

    PM News Recap March 1, 2026 (Investor Ban Update, HUD Section 8 Changes, NARPM Broker/Owner Dates)

    Here’s a quick recap of what happened in property management last week. 00:00:15 — White House Clarifies Proposed Investor BanWe finally have more details on the White House’s proposed restriction on large investors buying single-family homes. The threshold is 100+ homes. Existing owners would not be required to sell. Build-to-rent communities are excluded. So are investors who “heavily renovate” homes before renting them out. This proposal now heads to Congress. We’ll keep an eye on it. 00:01:39 — HUD Proposes Section 8 Eligibility ChangesHUD issued a proposed rule that would significantly revise Section 8 requirements. The overall practical impact is likely tighter eligibility, especially for mixed-status households. If you operate in markets with heavy voucher concentration, this is something to watch closely. It could materially affect demand. 00:02:39 — NARPM Broker/Owner Conference DetailsThe National Association of Residential Property Managers released more details about its Broker/Owner Conference. It’s happening April 27–30 in New Orleans. Registration opens at 4:00 p.m. Monday. The main conference kicks off Tuesday. There’s a party Tuesday night inside the Caesars Superdome. If you’re coming in for a short window, plan around that. The event wraps Thursday afternoon with a closing keynote that hasn’t been announced yet, but I’m told it’ll be worth staying for. That’s your property management news for the week of March 1, 2026.

    4 min

  3. FEB 23

    PM News Recap Feb. 23, 2026 (Zillow vs Compass, FL Condo Kickbacks, Rentals in ChatGPT)

    Here’s a quick recap of what happened in property management last week (with Danny Piñeyro). Links and resources to each story are included below… 00:00:19 — Zillow vs. Compass Portal Fight Compass tried limiting listing distribution through “private exclusives,” Zillow pushed back with a broad-sharing rule, and a federal judge denied Compass’s request to block it. Bigger picture: this is a fight over who controls inventory — and control of inventory means leverage. 00:01:38 — Miami Condo Kickback Scheme A Miami condo manager is accused of approving payments to an unlicensed contractor and receiving roughly $95,000 in kickbacks. This is almost always a controls issue — too much authority, not enough oversight. 00:02:55 — Rentals Now Searchable Inside ChatGPT Zumper launched rental search directly inside ChatGPT, and renter use of AI search tools has more than doubled year over year. If attention shifts to AI interfaces, lead generation — and platform power — may shift with it. That’s all the news I have for you this week. Have a good one. 📩 My Newsletter: https://www.peterlohmann.com/newsletter🎙️ My Podcast: https://www.peterlohmann.com/podcast Crane: Joincrane.co

    4 min

  4. FEB 19

    Managing 360 Doors with No Employees (using AI) with Matt Luke

    What if you could manage 360+ units with no W2 employees?? That’s exactly what Matt Luke is doing in Sioux Falls. In this episode, we break down his lean, AI-powered property management model - from AI leasing agent “Serena” to AI maintenance coordinator “Max,” automated workflows in AppFolio and LeadSimple, and a vendor-first partnership strategy that keeps his margins high. 00:00 - Intro02:19 - Matt’s backstory04:42 - “No employees” explained06:35 - Pre-leasing playbook09:35 - The lean tech stack (including Haven.ai - https://www.usehaven.ai/)13:23 - AI leasing agent ‘Serena’15:36 - AI maintenance agent ‘Max’18:00 - Sponsor - Crane23:08 - Owner comms automation26:29 - Accounting without a bookkeeper28:53 - Application screening workflow30:43 - Process philosophy34:02 - AI tools that fell short38:09 - Margins & unit economics40:38 - Delinquency & evictions45:53 - The vendor partnership model50:46 - Touchless move-in52:58 - Inspections at scale55:05 - From property manager to wealth advisor01:03:06 - Pricing, adoption & upsell ideas01:05:42 - Wrap-upWe dig into how he pre-leases units 90 days out, runs daily bank recs without a bookkeeper, automates owner communication, and keeps friction out of the system (his word, not mine).But here’s the part that really stood out: Matt doesn’t just do property management. He positions himself as a wealth advisor, moving owners from day-to-day oversight into true asset management. Learn more and connect with Matt here:  Luke PropertiesLuke Properties on LinkedInLearn more & connect with me here: ⁠Crane⁠, the private community for property management business owners.⁠My Free PM Newsletter⁠⁠RL Property Management⁠

    1h 9m

  5. FEB 16

    Property Management News - Feb. 16, 2026 (Institutional Landlord Ban Update + $1M HOA Fraud + New Appfolio Benchmark Report)

    Here’s a quick recap of what happened in property management last week. Links and resources to each story are included below…00:00:20 — Housing for the 21st Century Act Passes (No Investor Ban Included) - House Republicans and Democrats just passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act. It’s largely a “build more housing, faster” package — clearing federal review delays, reducing regulatory bottlenecks, and making it easier to develop missing middle and small multifamily housing. It also includes faster voucher lease-ups and some manufactured housing provisions. https://nypost.com/2026/02/11/real-estate/congress-advances-housing-bill-without-trumps-proposal-to-ban-investors/(One important note: the proposed ban on institutional investors buying single-family homes did not make it into the final bill. That piece was left out. So for now, there’s no federal restriction coming on large-scale homebuyers. The supply-side reforms advanced. The investor restrictions didn’t. Worth watching how that evolves.) 00:01:20 — HOA Manager Accused of Stealing $1M+An HOA manager has been accused of stealing more than $1 million in 2025, including at least $600,000 from one condo association. Allegations include forged checks and misdirected settlement funds. Wild story. But zoom out for a second — this is almost always a controls issue. One person had too much access and not enough oversight. Basic financial guardrails likely would have prevented this. Dual approval on disbursements, separation of reserve and operating accounts, bank statements going directly to board members. Processes are like plumbing — invisible when they work, a disaster when they don’t. https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/hoa-manager-allegedly-scammed-people-out-of-1-million-over-4-years/00:02:08 — AppFolio Releases 2026 Property Management Benchmark Report! AppFolio just released its 2026 Property Management Benchmark Report, and a few things jumped out. https://www.appfolio.com/resources/library/benchmark-reportThe top two challenges operators reported were higher vacancy and rising operating costs. That’s not surprising, but it’s validating to see it confirmed at scale. In response, 86% of property managers say they’re prioritizing resident experience — especially communication and reducing friction around move-ins.Fraud continues to go mainstream. More than half of respondents reported an increase in application fraud last year. That’s huge. Screening and verification are becoming table stakes.And then there’s AI. Forty-four percent of respondents say they’re already using AI tools, and those users expect faster portfolio growth than non-users. Interesting correlation. If you’re not experimenting yet, this might be your sign to start small and see what actually moves the needle.That’s all the news I have for you this week. Have a good one.📩 My Newsletter: https://www.peterlohmann.com/newsletter🎙️ My Podcast: https://www.peterlohmann.com/podcast__Disclaimer: The content of this news segment is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. I may have consulting agreements with, or financial interests in, companies mentioned in this podcast. Additionally, some of the links included may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.

    3 min

  6. FEB 9

    PM News Recap Feb. 9, 2026 (FTC Rental Fees, RentVine Conf, Rent Declines & more)

    Here’s a quick recap of what happened in property management last week. Links and resources to each story are included below... 00:00:04 — FTC Targets Rental Housing Fees The FTC announced it intends to regulate rental housing fees and will begin soliciting public comment on what it calls “deceptive or unfair fees.” This is early-stage, but it’s clearly aimed at long-term rental housing and the apartment industry. I break down what we know so far, why this matters, and why this one is worth watching closely. 00:00:59 — Rentvine User Conference Announced Rentvine just opened registration for its 2026 user conference, happening May 13–15 in Tampa, Florida. These conferences have a strong reputation, and if you’re a Rentvine customer (or considering the platform), this is probably worth a look. 00:01:16 — Property Manager Arrested for $600K Theft A Florida property manager was arrested for allegedly stealing more than $600,000 from a condo association — including forging hundreds of checks and redirecting insurance payouts. Wild story, but it also raises bigger questions about licensing, regulation, and due diligence in our industry. 00:02:24 — Apartment Rents Hit 4-Year Lows Apartment rents are reportedly at their lowest level in four years, with median rent down ~1.5% year-over-year. Vacancy has climbed to 7.3%, the highest level since Apartment List began tracking the data. I connect this back to supply, leasing pressure, and what you might be feeling on the single-family side. 00:03:48 — Peter & The Wolf Live Returns Peter and the Wolf Live is back for 2026. Wolfgang Krosky and I are kicking things off with a casual, live conversation about the year ahead, what we’re excited about, and what’s coming next for the show. Register hereThat’s it for this week. Let me know what you think in the comments. If this format is useful, I’ll keep publishing these short, news-style updates as part of the Tuesday edition of the newsletter.📩 My Newsletter: https://www.peterlohmann.com/newsletter🎙️ My Podcast: https://www.peterlohmann.com/podcast__Disclaimer: The content of this news segment is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. I may have consulting agreements with, or financial interests in, companies mentioned in this podcast. Additionally, some of the links included may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.

    5 min

  7. FEB 5

    How to Fix Your Leasing Funnel: Leads, Fraud & Fees with Vanessa Anderson (CEO at ShowMojo, Tenant Turner, and PropertyTek)

    In this episode, Vanessa Anderson digs into the biggest leasing challenges PMs are facing right now: flat rents, longer days on market, and growing regulatory pressure around fee disclosures. Vanessa shares how ShowMojo & Tenant Turner are helping PMs stay compliant, fight listing fraud, and optimize conversions, even in a soft market. (00:00:00) Intro (00:01:28) Vanessa's early career and real estate background (00:04:16) Transition to institutional ownership and tech (00:11:36) Recent developments and innovations (00:14:23) Sponsor - ShowMojo (00:15:44) Differentiating rental prices via fees (00:17:14) Addressing fraud and security in property management (00:22:54) Leveraging AI and future roadmap (00:30:59) Lead sources and leasing widgets (00:31:28) Sneak peek: latest leasing report (00:32:30) Challenges in the leasing market (00:33:56) Using data to communicate with owners (00:37:08) Regional market insights (00:39:07) Sponsor - ShowMojo & TenantTurner (00:40:40) Future leasing trends (00:53:35) Metrics for property managers (00:56:27) Importance of clear policies (01:01:03) Conclusion and contact information We also get into how AI is (and isn’t) being used in leasing workflows, the surprising market insights from their latest leasing report, and why a clear pet policy might save you 2–3 days on market. If you’re thinking about your tech stack, lead sources, or how to justify pricing with owners, be sure to catch this one. Learn more & connect with me here: ⁠Crane⁠, the private community for property management business owners.⁠My Free PM Newsletter⁠⁠RL Property Management⁠ Learn more and connect with Vanessa here:  Vanessa on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/vanessaanderson/Tenant Turner - https://tenantturner.com/ShowMojo - https://hello.showmojo.com/ Programming note: This episode contains sponsored content.

    1h 3m

  8. FEB 2

    Property Management News: January 25 - 31, 2026

    Here’s what I’m covering in this one: 00:00:05 — Pure + HRG Merger (40k doors 🤯) The Pure and HRG merger is officially live — and this new combined entity clocks in at 40,000 doors under management. I break down the numbers (or what we can piece together) and explain why this is a big moment for the industry. Spoiler: We need a national PM success story to prove the model works at scale. And it’s really hard to grow while fighting churn at that size. 00:02:22 — Elevate Sales Kickoff Postponed. Originally planned for this month, Elevate’s annual sales kickoff got pushed to March due to weather. If you’ve got salespeople on your team, this one’s worth looking into. New date is March 16–18.00:02:39 — NARPM Capitol Summit Preview. The NARPM Capitol Summit is coming up fast (February 17-19), and I think every property manager should consider going. It’s one of the few places where advocacy and policy work are being done for our industry, not to us. I share why I’ve personally increased my financial support for their efforts.00:03:25 — Peter & The Wolf Returns! Our informal monthly Zoom show is back! Wolfgang Krosky and I are kicking off Season 4 on February 12 at 3pm ET. It’s live, casual, and covers whatever’s on our minds — news, vendor gossip, random hot takes. Always a good time in the chat. 00:05:30 — Data Ownership, APIs & PM Software An interesting video from Divvy Homes co-founder Alex Klarfeld looks at data ownership and API access — and why more industries are starting to fight for their right to access their own data. I connect the dots to what’s happening in PM software (think: AppFolio, Beagle) and why this matters more than ever as AI tools emerge. That's all for this week! Please leave your thoughts in the comments. If you like this format, I’ll keep publishing these short, news-style updates in the NEW Tuesday edition of the newsletter.__Resources for Property Managers & Real Estate Entrepreneurs• Crane – Private PM Owner Community → Join a private network of property management owners and operators: https://joincrane.co/• Free Weekly Newsletter → Property management insights, strategies, and industry updates direct to your inbox: https://peter.beehiiv.com/subscribe• RL Property Management → Learn more about Peter’s company and services in Columbus, Ohio: https://rlpmg.com/__Disclaimer: The content of this podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. I may have consulting agreements with, or financial interests in, companies mentioned in this podcast. Additionally, some of the links included may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.

    6 min
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About

Helping Property Managers Streamline & Grow Their Businesses Peter Lohmann shares candid interviews and actionable insights from top operators, entrepreneurs, and industry experts in property management. Whether you're managing 100 doors or 10,000, this is your playbook for building a smarter, more scalable property management business.

Information

  • Creator
    Peter Lohmann
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    116
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Peter Lohmann
  • Show Website
    Peter Lohmann's Podcast

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