Owning a Tampa Rental From Out of State

Here is what that handoff actually looks like, how you keep eyes on the money, and what to ask any manager before you sign.

What a local manager handles when you are not in town

The job splits in two. While the property is empty, the work is leasing: pricing from real comparable rentals, marketing the vacancy where renters look, showings and applications, financial checks and reference verification on every applicant, then the lease, move-in and keys. Once a tenant is in place, the work turns monthly: tenant relations, rent collection with a statement every month, maintenance and repair coordination, scheduled inspections, monthly reporting and a 24/7 owner portal, and market analysis.

None of that requires you to be in Hillsborough or Pasco County. It does require someone who is. A showing, a repair call, a lease signing and an inspection all happen at the property, on a schedule, whether or not the owner is in the same time zone. Repairs are handled at vendor cost, with no maintenance markup added on top.

How you follow the money from a distance

For most out-of-town owners the worry is not the lawn, it is whether the rent arrived. Two things answer that: a statement every month, and an owner portal you can open any time, day or night.

BayTown's management fee is $149 per month, flat, whatever the rent brings in, and it is taken only from rent collected. A vacant property pays no management fee, which matters when a turnover stretches longer than you hoped. Ask for the free quote and you will get every fee in writing before you decide anything.

Vacancies and leasing when you cannot show the unit yourself

A vacancy is where distance gets expensive, because every empty week is a week you are not collecting. That is the stretch where local presence earns its keep: someone who can meet a renter at the door, screen the application properly, and get a signed lease and keys done without waiting on a flight.

Leasing is a separate one-time fee from the monthly management fee, and Emily explains exactly what it covers in the free quote.

• Pricing from real comparable rentals, not a guess
• Marketing the vacancy where renters actually look
• Showings and applications handled locally
• Financial checks and reference verification on every applicant
• Lease, move-in and keys

Maintenance, inspections and after-hours calls

Distance changes maintenance from a chore into a trust question. You want scheduled inspections rather than a call only when something breaks, and you want repairs coordinated by someone who can stand in the unit and see the problem.

Urgent after-hours issues for current clients go to a separate 24/7 emergency line, so a late-night problem is not sitting in an inbox until morning. Antonio Lombardo, co-founder and broker of record, works in the properties himself and handles builder-warranty and remediation questions.

Who you actually deal with

Emily Brown is the lead property manager and the owner's single point of contact. She is a licensed Florida real estate sales associate, personally carries the properties she manages, and replies personally, usually right away. For an owner two states away, one named person who already knows your property is worth more than a call center.

BayTown Property Management is a licensed Florida real estate brokerage, license CQ1061089, with Antonio Lombardo as broker of record, license BK3379868. The office is in the Industrious building at 615 Channelside Drive in Tampa. As of 2026-10-16, the Google rating was 4.6 from 16 reviews.

Keep the legal side in perspective: landlord-tenant law, taxes and insurance are questions for a licensed professional in your situation. This page is about the management work, not legal advice.

What to ask before you hire a long-distance manager

The interview matters more when you cannot drop by the office. These are the questions that separate a real local operation from a mailbox.

• Who is my single point of contact, and do I reach a person or a queue?
• How and when do I get a statement, and what does the portal show me?
• What do you charge while the property is vacant?
• What is included in the monthly fee, and what is billed separately?
• How are repairs approved, and is anything added to the vendor invoice?
• How are after-hours emergencies routed?
• What happens to my files, keys and tenant relationship if I leave?
• Are you licensed, and who is the broker of record?

The fees, kept short

Management is $149 per month, flat, taken only from rent collected, so no management fee is owed while the property sits empty. There is no setup or onboarding fee, no marketing or advertising fee, no inspection fee, and no maintenance markup. Leasing and renewals are separate one-time fees that Emily explains in the free quote.

There is no long-term contract. If you leave, your files, keys and the tenant relationship are handed over cleanly. Request your free quote and every number comes to you in writing, with no obligation.

Where BayTown works

BayTown manages rentals across Hillsborough County, including Tampa, Channelside, Seminole Heights, Hyde Park, Westshore, Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Apollo Beach, Lutz, Plant City and Ruskin, and across Pasco County, including Wesley Chapel, Land O' Lakes, New Port Richey, Trinity, Zephyrhills, Hudson, Dade City and Odessa.

The free management quote includes what your property should rent for, every fee in writing, and no obligation to sign. If you are comparing managers from out of state, start there.

Related pages

• Request your free quote
• Questions to ask a property manager
• What does a property manager do?
• Managing a vacant rental
• Switching property managers
• Property management in Tampa

Last updated October 23, 2026