Rent it now, sell it later: a referral program for Tampa Bay agents

The program is built for owners whose listing expired, owners who have to move but don't want to sell yet, and buyers of yours who are purchasing a home to rent out. The owner always chooses their own agent.

What you get

• A written recommendation, not a promise of the listing. For as long as BayTown manages the home, if the owner tells us they are thinking of selling, we give them a written recommendation naming you and remind them you referred them. The owner always chooses their own agent.
• Written confirmation and regular updates. When an owner you referred signs with us, Emily emails you to confirm you are on file as the referring agent. With the owner's permission, she also lets you know when the home leases and when the lease comes up for renewal.
• No referral fee in either direction, and no obligation to send us anything else. Owners who hire BayTown pay BayTown's own management, leasing and renewal fees.

Why this comes up more often now

As of our September 2026 market report, median list prices in Hillsborough and Pasco counties were lower than a year earlier, and some owners would rather hold the home than sell at today's price. Others have to move for work or family and want to keep the home as a rental until the timing is better. The Tampa Bay Rental Market Report has the current numbers, with a source for every figure.

For those owners, renting is often a pause, not a final decision, and this program helps you stay connected with your client while they rent the home.

How a referral works

• With the owner's permission, email Emily Brown at BayTown Property Management, emily@baytownpm.com, with the owner's name, the property ZIP code and how to reach them, and copy the owner so they know to expect her.
• Emily replies personally with a written estimated rent range based on comparable rentals, after reviewing the property details, and every BayTown fee in writing. The owner decides whether to hire BayTown.
• If the owner signs, we record you as the referring agent on their file and Emily emails you to confirm it. When they later tell us they are thinking of selling, we recommend you to them in writing.
• This program never asks anyone to end or breach an existing listing or representation agreement. If a listing was withdrawn but is still under an agreement, the owner's agent is the right person to refer them.

Rent estimates for your investor buyers

For a buyer of yours who is under contract on a home they plan to rent out, BayTown sends a written rent estimate based on comparable rentals nearby. This is open to any Tampa Bay agent, whether or not you have referred an owner to us, and it is an opinion of rental value, not an appraisal.

What the owner gets

A flat $149 a month for management, taken only from rent collected, so there is no management fee while the home is vacant. Leasing and renewals are separate one-time fees that Emily explains in writing. There is no setup fee, no maintenance markup and no long-term contract.

One named manager, Emily Brown, is the owner's single point of contact, and broker of record Antonio Lombardo works in the properties himself. That matters to an owner who is moving away and needs someone local they can reach.

Where we manage

BayTown manages rental homes across Hillsborough and Pasco counties, including Tampa, Brandon, Riverview, Lutz, Plant City, Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, New Port Richey, Trinity, Zephyrhills and Odessa.

Related pages

• Tampa Bay Rental Market Report
• Owning a Tampa rental from out of state
• Switching property managers
• Meet Emily and Antonio

Last updated October 25, 2026