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By
Michael Gilbert
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14
October 2025
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The right choice depends on your time, experience, property, and how much you care about doing it properly. Managing it yourself can save thousands each year, but it also means being ready when things pop up, like finding new tenants or sorting out maintenance on the property. Using an agent costs more, but it buys peace of mind and your time back.
The good news is, there are new platforms to help you manage your own property, like Cubbi’s Assisted Management platform, so you don’t have to rely on spreadsheets or manually fill out leases.
This guide breaks down how to decide what’s right for you using a simple five-factor framework, written for property owners in Australia who want clarity, not a sales pitch.
Do you have time when it matters? Finding new tenants or sorting out maintenance never fits neatly into your schedule.
Even with a great tenant and a system that automates rent collection and paperwork, you’ll still spend around 10 hours a year on things like reviewing rent, conducting 6 monthly inspections, and dealing with maintenance.
The catch is timing, those hours rarely arrive when life is quiet. If that thought already feels stressful, it’s probably better to have an agent manage your property.
A well-maintained property in a good area attracts better renters, needs fewer repairs, and is simply easier to manage especially with a good system to automate the admin.
On the other hand, an older home or one in a tougher location usually brings more issues and more risk. In those cases, paying a manager can be money well spent especially if you don’t have a lot of experience. One mistake or poor tenant choice could easily cost more than a year’s management fees.
Can you get to your property within an hour?
When you need new tenants, being able to show them through and complete a thorough condition report just before they move in makes a big difference. If you’re too far away for these inspections, it could mean missing out on quality renters or longer vacancy periods, which quickly adds up in lost rent.
The closer you are, the more self-managing makes sense. But the opposite isn’t always true. Even if you live interstate, a well-maintained property with reliable long-term tenants can still run smoothly. You can always pay an inspector a one-off fee for six-monthly or annual checks, just don’t delay them any further, as that could affect your landlord insurance policy.
If you’re new to property management, don’t try to do everything yourself, you’ll probably regret it.
There’s a lot more red tape now than there used to be. The wrong detail, even on the correct form, can make a notice invalid. And missing a compliance step can give a smart tenant the upper hand in the relationship.
If you still want to manage your own property, Cubbi’s Assisted Management is a smart middle ground. It’s a follow-the-prompts platform that guides you through each step and keeps everything legally sound. Otherwise, the easiest option is to use a property manager.
This one’s important. Owners who genuinely care about how their property is managed and their renter’s experience often outperform average agents, especially when using Cubbi’s Assisted Management platform.
Most agents are reactive. They wait for you or your tenant to raise an issue before acting. But as the property owner, you naturally care about your return on investment. One week of vacancy might not bother an average agent, but for you, that’s a week of lost rent.
When you manage your own property, you can usually get things done faster and with more care. But if you don’t have the appetite to own the outcome, that’s completely fine, use a manager and buy back your time.
If you decide to manage your own property, treat it like a small business. The key is setting up systems that save time and prevent mistakes, not just doing everything yourself.
Here’s what makes self-management work:
When you follow these principles, self-management can run smoothly, especially with a platform that automates the boring parts and keeps you compliant without the guesswork.
A young family in Melbourne used Cubbi’s Assisted Management to rent out their home while they moved interstate. Their goal was to find long-term renters because they planned to live away for a couple of years and see how things went.
The property was in great condition and priced slightly on the high side of the market. They ran two open inspections and met the people who came through. Cubbi handled the tenant screening, and the owners chose the renters based on both Cubbi’s recommendation and their own interactions at the property.
It’s now been almost two years since those tenants moved in, with only one minor maintenance issue that was resolved quickly.
During that time, the same family bought another investment property in WA through a buyer’s agent model that included property management. They pay around 10% in management fees and constantly deal with issues from the “average” tenants they put into the property.
When they compared the two, they said:
We pay 10% for this agent in WA with constant issues, but our property in Melbourne feels like it’s free.
Compare your options at a glance.
Notes:
Total annual costs above are rough estimates, based on a rent of $600 per week on the east coast of Australia.
Fees vary by state, for example, property managers in Western Australia typically charge 3–4% more than those on the east coast.
Time costs are not always equal. 2 hours of planned work (e.g. reviewing your property managers report) is very different to being interrupted for 1 hour when you’re in the middle of something else.
Cheap agents might save you a little upfront, but they often cost you more in the long run. Here’s why:
The only time I’d consider using a cheap agent is if I already had some experience, knew what to look out for, and was only renting the property for a short period say, a year or two.
I wouldn’t trust a cheap agent to maintain a property long-term. Ignoring ongoing maintenance doesn’t save money, it just leads to bigger renovation costs down the track.
That said, there is one exception I’ve seen work well. When an experienced property manager leaves a larger agency to start their own business. They often charge lower fees early on to build their client base, and in that case, you might get quality service at a better price.
There’s no single way to manage a property anymore. Between self-management platforms, hybrid systems, and different types of full-service agents, you’ve got options, the key is choosing what gets the best result for your property with the least stress.
Another way to think about your options is:
If you want to do it yourself, make sure you’re using the right legal templates from your state’s government website (for example, Consumer Affairs Victoria). When you need a new tenant, you can use Rent My Estate to advertise your property on realestate.com.au and Domain.
If you want a hybrid approach (done-with-you), Cubbi’s Assisted Management could be the right fit. It helps you manage your property properly without wasting time or paying full agent fees. You can view the pricing here.
If you’d rather have it all done-for-you, check whether your current property manager is doing a good job using this guide, or join Cubbi’s Full Management waitlist to find out when we launch in your area.
Most owners stick with 12-month leases because they worry about falling behind market rent. The truth is, long term leases can actually boost your return. In Victoria, you can legally set yearly rent increases within a fixed term lease, attract renters who pay more for security, and save thousands in vacancy and reletting costs. This guide explains how to structure a 3-year lease the right way, how to keep your rent aligned with the market, and why Cubbi’s new HomeFlex Lease gives you all the upside with none of the risk.
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For homeownersRent increases during a fixed term lease in Victoria are only valid if the lease clearly sets out how they will be calculated and if the official notice is served correctly. This guide explains the rules, the best methods to use (percentage vs rent index), how to write the clause into the lease.
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