20+ Years of Real DIY Landlord Experience

Free Resources for Landlords and Property Managers

Expert-Reviewed Tools, Legal Templates, and Strategies to Help DIY Landlords Run a Professional, Profitable Rental Business—For Free

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Prince - DIY Landlord

👋 I'm Prince — I’ve learned the hard way, so you don’t have to.

Self-Managing 5 Rentals + An Airbnb (Worth Millions)

No property manager. No investors. Just me — sharing the lessons I learned the expensive way.

What nearly broke me taught me everything. Now it’s yours, free.

  • Lessons that’ve saved me thousands in landlord headaches
  • Checklists, templates, and scripts I still use daily
  • Guides to avoid lease loopholes, maintenance chaos, and costly errors
  • Battle-tested systems from years in the trenches
  • Zero upsells. Zero BS. Just real-world shortcuts that actually work

Unbiased Reviews for DIY Landlords and Property Managers

We test the top landlord tools in real-world scenarios—objective, transparent, and built to help DIY landlords succeed.

AppFolio Property Manager Logo

AppFolio Property Manager

4.3/5.0
Expensive. Generally starts at a minimum of $280–$298/month (Core Plan at ~ $1.40–$1.49 per unit/month with a 200-unit minimum equivalent).

Best for: Mid-sized portfolios (10+ units). Excellent accounting automation, tenant portal, and maintenance tracking. Integration with major payment processors.

Accounting Tenant Portal Mobile App Wins on Most Feature-Rich
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Landlord Cart Property Management Logo

Landlord Cart Property Management

4.7/5.0
Highly Affordable. Under $100 per year (less than $8.33 per month flat fee)

Best for: Cost-conscious independent landlords (1-10 units) who want maximum savings on fees by tracking offline payments (Zelle/Venmo/CashApp). Includes AI Assistant for drafting notices and simplifying property reports—no complex setup required.

Tenant Portal Lowest Cost Wins on Overall Value 14 Day Free Trial
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Buildium Logo

Buildium

4.2/5.0
$62 per month for the Essential plan (price may vary slightly, as of last review had setup fees).

Best for: Property managers and landlords with 20+ units needing full-featured accounting. Buildium is pricey for DIY landlords with fewer units, with extra fees for features competitors often include.

Online rent collection accounting & reporting maintenance tracking tenant screening
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Dropbox Sign Logo

Dropbox Sign

4.8/5.0
$0 / month (3 signatures per month)

Best for: Dropbox Sign’s free plan lets DIY landlords with 1–5 properties send 3 signature requests per month, sign unlimited docs, and integrate with Google Drive.

Free Plan Best for DIY Landlord Automated Reminders Unlimited Self-Signing.
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Free State Compliant Lease Logo

Free State Compliant Lease

4.4/5.0
Free

Best for: Generating legally sound leases instantly. AI-powered, customizable leases trained on thousands of real agreements, compliant in all 50 states.

Supports all 50 States Free AI Intelligence Instant Download
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TransUnion Smartmove Logo

TransUnion Smartmove

4.6/5
Starts at $25 up to 47. Full credit report is $40

Best for: Landlords seeking reliable tenant credit checks. Uses SmartMove’s ResidentScore for 15% better eviction-risk prediction and includes access to 370M+ state and federal criminal records—streamlined for confident rental decisions.

No Waiting Periods No Impact Tenant Credit Report Can Have Tenants Pay Trusted Brand
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“I found this site through a Facebook landlord group. So much of the ‘free’ advice out there is just a way to push expensive enterprise software. I appreciate that this resource focuses on practical tools and articles that actually help landlords manage properties without breaking the bank. It’s refreshing to find guidance that’s genuinely useful!”

CR
Carlos R.
Atlanta, GA

“As a first-time landlord in Illinois, I wasn’t sure how to create a lease that met state requirements. The lease generator on this site included IL-specific clauses and made it easy to create a legal, professional lease. Combined with the guidance and affordable software recommendations, I feel confident managing my rental now!”

SL
Samantha L.
Chicago, IL

“Managing my rental properties while working full-time was overwhelming. I discovered this site and found simple tools that helped me track rent, expenses, and communicate with tenants without expensive software subscriptions. It’s made my life so much easier!”

JM
Jordan M
Austin, TX

Pro Tips & Must-Read Landlord Articles

Learn from experienced landlords who've been there

Best First-Time Landlord Tips for 2025 — What I Wish I Knew Before My First Rental
Free Resources

November 27, 2025 • 4 min read

Best First-Time Landlord Tips for 2025 — What I Wish I Knew Before My First Rental

Essential first-time landlord tips to avoid beginner mistakes and maximize profit from your first rental property.

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How Much Should Landlords Really Budget for Maintenance? A Practical Monthly Breakdown That Works
Free Resources

November 27, 2025 • 5 min read

How Much Should Landlords Really Budget for Maintenance? A Practical Monthly Breakdown That Works

Stop guessing: use this practical monthly breakdown to budget for maintenance and capital expenditures accurately.

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The Ultimate DIY Landlord Toolkit: The Essential Gear Every Rental Owner Should Have
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November 27, 2025 • 5 min read

The Ultimate DIY Landlord Toolkit: The Essential Gear Every Rental Owner Should Have

The essential low-cost tools and gear every small-unit landlord needs to handle repairs and save money.

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9 First-Time Landlord Mistakes (And How to Avoid Getting Sued or Losing Money)
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November 18, 2025 • 4 min read

9 First-Time Landlord Mistakes (And How to Avoid Getting Sued or Losing Money)

Learn the nine most expensive first-time landlord mistakes and how to avoid legal trouble or cash flow problems.

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How to Set Rent Rates Like a Pro
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November 18, 2025 • 3 min read

How to Set Rent Rates Like a Pro

Use free tools, real market comparables, and the break-even formula to maximize your rental income.

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12 Things Every Lease Agreement Must Include (Free Checklist)
Free Resources

November 18, 2025 • 3 min read

12 Things Every Lease Agreement Must Include (Free Checklist)

The 12 crucial items every lease agreement must include to be legally sound and protect your investment.

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Why Small-Medium Landlords Trust Our Resources

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Our recommendations are curated and vetted by experienced landlords, giving you the tools and strategies you need to succeed.

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Minimize risk and gain peace of mind. Get free access to essential, state-specific leases that cover all 50 states!
Sponsored by: FreeLeaseTemplates.com

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Provide the details, and our AI will generate a state-compliant lease tailored to your property and terms.

Enter Property & Lease Details

💡 More details = better AI-generated lease.

Instant generation • Updated for 2025 laws

Trained on 10,000+ Executed Leases

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Who's Behind DIY Landlord Tools?

I’m Prince. I self-manage five rentals plus a consistently booked Airbnb, and I’ve spent years testing every tool, system, and workflow available to small landlords. After wasting money on bloated $50–$300/month platforms I barely used, I focused on figuring out what actually works for landlords operating on a practical budget. Other landlords started asking for guidance, and that turned into what you see here.

No venture capital. No upsells. No “enterprise” pricing traps. Everything is designed for landlords with 1–10 units who want professional results on a beer-budget. Welcome home.