Got orders and not ready to sell the house? Renting it out can work, but only if the rent covers more than the mortgage, and only if someone reliable runs it while you’re gone. Here’s how to decide, what a property manager does, what to ask before you sign, and who we trust near Fort Benning.
Still deciding between keeping and selling? Our Military Seller’s Playbook walks through both, with the numbers to run first.
Get the Military Seller’s PlaybookKeep or sell: run this first
| Monthly line | What to put in it |
|---|---|
| Mortgage payment (PITI) | Principal, interest, taxes and insurance, from your statement |
| Management fee | The manager’s monthly percentage of rent |
| Reserves | Money set aside for vacancy between tenants |
| Repairs and upkeep | A monthly amount for the things that break |
| HOA and landlord insurance | A landlord policy usually costs more than a homeowner policy |
| Rent has to beat the total | If it doesn’t, the house costs you money every month you own it |
Lenders on your next purchase often count only part of the rent, and usually want a signed lease. See keeping your VA loan and buying again.
One tax point worth a call to your tax preparer: the capital-gains exclusion on a home sale normally needs two of the last five years living in it, and service members on qualified official extended duty can suspend that five-year clock for up to ten years. See IRS Publication 523. For the full decision, read Sell or rent your house when you PCS.
What a property manager does
Should you keep it as a rental?
Our rule from our own PCS moves: keep it only if the rent covers the full payment plus management, reserves and repairs. If it doesn’t, sell, as long as the sale clears your selling costs.
An estimate to start the conversation, not financial or tax advice. Selling costs include commission, closing costs and repairs from the buyer’s inspection. Ask a tax professional about the capital gains rules for military families before you decide. Who we trust to manage it: property management near Fort Benning.
Fees to ask about before you sign
| Fee | What it covers | Ask |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly management | Ongoing management, usually a percentage of rent collected | Is it charged on rent collected or rent due? |
| Leasing or placement | Finding and placing a new tenant | Is it charged again at every new tenant? |
| Lease renewal | Renewing an existing tenant | Flat fee or percentage? |
| Maintenance markup | A margin on vendor invoices | Is there one, and how much? |
| Vacancy | Fees while the home sits empty | Do you charge anything when there’s no rent? |
| Early termination | Ending the management agreement | What’s the notice period, and is there a fee? |
Get every fee in writing in the management agreement before you sign.
Hiring checklist
- ✓License. Managing rentals for someone else generally requires a real estate license. Look the company up with the Georgia Real Estate Commission or the Alabama Real Estate Commission.
- ✓Trust account. Rent and deposits should sit in a separate trust or escrow account, not the company’s operating account.
- ✓Maintenance limit. Agree in writing on the dollar amount they can spend without calling you.
- ✓Owner portal. You should see statements, invoices and inspection photos online, from anywhere.
- ✓Military tenants. Ask how they handle the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, which lets service-member tenants end a lease early on qualifying orders.
- ✓Exit terms. Know how to end the agreement if you sell or move back.
Who we trust
Kennon, Parker, Duncan & Davis Property Management
The property management division of our own brokerage, Coldwell Banker Kennon & Parker. They manage and lease homes in Georgia and Alabama around Fort Benning, and tenants can submit maintenance requests online at any hour.
4621 River Road, Suite A, Columbus, GA 31904 · (706) 327-2255 · kpdd.propertyware.com
Disclosure: KPDD Property Management is part of the brokerage we work under.
Want our full list of recommendations? We know other managers around Columbus, Phenix City and Harris County, and which one fits depends on the house and how far away you’ll be. Book a quick call or send us a note and we’ll send you the list.
Leaving on orders? Get the Military Seller’s Playbook: the keep-or-sell math, the timeline from your report date, and how to sell from your next duty station.
Get the Military Seller’s PlaybookRelated reading
Before you rely on any of this
This page is educational. It isn’t tax, legal or property-management advice, and fees and terms vary by company and by property. Confirm licensing, fees and the management agreement with the company before you sign, and ask a tax professional about your situation. Checked October 14, 2026.
Arrio & Kelsey are licensed real estate agents in Georgia and Alabama with Coldwell Banker Kennon & Parker. Equal Housing Opportunity. Not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the U.S. Army, the Department of Defense, or Fort Benning.