Someone on Site
Many cities here inspect rentals. Someone has to open the door for the inspector, the contractor and the next applicant.
Property Management for Out-of-State Owners
Own a Metro Detroit Rental From Anywhere
You do not have to live near your rental to own it well. Zamzam Property Management is a full-service company based in West Bloomfield. We lease and manage single-family homes and multi-family units in Detroit and across Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties for owners who live in another city or another state. We find the tenant, collect the rent, handle maintenance and city inspections, and post your statements to an owner portal you can open from anywhere.
Get a Free Rental AnalysisWhy Distance Makes a Rental Harder
What We Handle for You
Everything that needs a person in Michigan, we do. These are the main pieces, from the first showing to the monthly statement.
- Rental analysis and pricing
- Marketing and showings
- Tenant screening
- Lease signing
- Rent collection
- Following up on late rent
- Lease enforcement and notices
- Evictions when they are needed
- Maintenance requests
- Coordinating vendors and repairs
- Move-in and move-out inspections
- Turnover between tenants
- Tracking city registration and inspection dates
- Meeting city inspectors at the home
- Section 8 paperwork and inspections
- Statements in your owner portal
How It Works From a Distance
Here is what happens from the day you contact us, and what the work looks like once the home is under management.
Getting Started:
- You send the address. We reply with a rent estimate and comparable rentals. It is free.
- We look at the home. We tell you what it needs before it can be rented, and what the city requires for it.
- We agree in writing. The management agreement sets out what we do before any work starts.
- We take it over. If there is a tenant or another manager in place, we collect the lease, the records and the keys from them.
Once We Manage It:
- Leasing. We market the home, show it, screen applicants and sign the lease.
- Rent. We collect it each month and follow up on anything late.
- Maintenance. Tenants send requests to us, not to you, and we arrange the repair.
- Reporting. Your statements are in your owner portal, where you can read them at any time.
City Rental Rules, Town by Town
Rental rules in Southeast Michigan are set by each city or township, not by the county or the state. An owner who lives elsewhere is the one most likely to miss a notice.
What Cities Commonly Require:
- Registering the rental with the city, or holding a rental license
- An inspection before a tenant moves in, then again on a set schedule
- A certificate of compliance or occupancy for the rental
- In some cities, a local agent named by an owner who lives elsewhere
Where to Look Up Your City:
- Each community page lists that town's rental rules with links to the city's own website.
Detroit. Detroit requires rental homes to be registered with the city and to hold a Certificate of Compliance. Our Detroit Certificate of Compliance guide explains the steps, and the Detroit page lists the current rules with links to the city’s own sources.
State rules. Michigan law on leases, security deposits, entry and evictions applies in every city. Our Michigan Landlord Guide gathers those topics in one place.
Getting Started with Zamzam
Section 8 Rentals, Managed From Here
Thousands of Metro Detroit households hold Housing Choice Vouchers. We work with the program in Detroit and in the surrounding communities, and we handle the parts that are hardest from a distance: the housing agency paperwork, the pre-inspection repairs and meeting the inspector at the home. See Section 8 property management for how it works.
Out-of-State Owner FAQ
Do I have to live in Michigan to own a rental there?
No. Owners can live anywhere. Some cities require an owner who lives elsewhere to name a local agent for the rental, and the rules differ from one city to the next.
Can you take over a rental that already has a tenant?
Yes. We take over management with a tenant in place and work from the existing lease.
Can you take over from another property manager?
Yes. Our page on switching property managers explains what to check before you give notice and what your current manager should hand over.
How do I keep track of my property from another state?
Your statements are posted to your owner portal, where you can read them at any time. You can also call or email us.
Who meets the city inspector?
We do. We keep track of the inspection dates the city sets and have someone at the home when the inspector comes.
Do you manage Section 8 rentals?
Yes, in Detroit and in the surrounding communities. We handle the housing agency paperwork and the inspections. See Section 8 property management.
Which areas do you cover?
All of Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, including Detroit, and the communities in Washtenaw, Livingston and Genesee counties listed on our coverage page.
Do you manage a single house, or only portfolios?
Both. We manage and lease single-family homes and multi-family units.
How do I find out what my property could rent for?
Request a free rental analysis and we will send you a rent estimate for your address.
Talk to Us About Your Rental
Request a free rental analysis and we will send you a rent estimate for your address. Prefer to talk? Call 248-592-7688.
Tell Us About Your Rental:
- Property address and number of bedrooms
- Whether the home is vacant or occupied
- Who manages it now, if anyone
- Any city registration or inspection you know of