Bear Property Management

What Bear Property Management does

Bear Property Management is a privately held property management firm founded in 1989 and headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The company manages over 40 residential, retail, office, and industrial properties for individual and institutional owners across southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, with a portfolio that spans market-rate multifamily, affordable housing (LIHTC/Section 42), senior (55+) communities, condominium and homeowner associations, and furnished/corporate housing. Service lines include full-service leasing, 24-hour maintenance coordination, accounting and financial reporting, and HOA/association governance support.

The firm operates its back office on the AppFolio Property Manager platform, exposing tenant and owner portals via web and mobile apps (iOS and Android) for online rent payment, maintenance request submission, financial statement access, and document management. Mapbox and Google Maps support location services on listing and contact pages, while ADP Workforce Now handles recruitment. There is no proprietary or AI-enabled technology; differentiation rests on local market knowledge, affordable housing compliance certifications, and integration within the Bear Real Estate Group (Bear Homes, Bear Development, Bear Commercial Brokerage, CMA General Contractor).

Revenue is generated primarily through management fees on managed services for residential, commercial, and HOA portfolios, with ancillary revenue from leasing fees, late fees (10% of rent after the 3rd, $5/day after the 4th), pet deposits and rent ($500 refundable plus $50/month), and application fees ($25). Owner relationships are predominantly small-scale SMB portfolios, with no external institutional investment and founder-owner Marti Mills retaining primary ownership alongside an executive team that includes a VP of Property and Portfolio Management, a Regional Director overseeing the Affordable Housing portfolio, and a Regulatory Compliance Specialist.

Name

Bear Property Management

Legal name

Bear Property Management

Website

https://bearpropertymanagement.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bear Property Management is a privately held property management firm founded in 1989 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, serving residential, commercial, HOA, and affordable housing (LIHTC) owners across southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois through over 40 managed communities on the AppFolio platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Property Management Services

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311), Nonresidential Property Managers (531312), Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate (6500)

akta.pro primary industry

Single-Family Rental (SFR) Property Management (BPAJAFAB)

Keywords

• Residential property management
• Commercial property management
• Homeowner association management
• Multi-family housing services
• Affordable housing management

Headquarters

HQ city

Kenosha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Property Management Services: Bear Property Management collects management fees from property owners in exchange for full-service property management including leasing, maintenance, accounting, and tenant management for residential, commercial, and HOA properties.
2. HOA/Association Management: Management fees for homeowner association management including arranging board meetings, property inspections, budget preparation, and financial statements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bear Property Management provides full-service property management for residential, retail, office, and industrial properties across southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Services include leasing, tenant screening, rent collection, accounting, financial reporting, 24-hour maintenance coordination, and homeowner-association management. The firm supports owners and tenants through AppFolio-powered online owner and tenant portals and manages an affordable housing portfolio under the LIHTC/Section 42 program.

Product overview

Bear Property Management is a locally operated property management firm founded in 1989, serving southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois for over 30 years. The company offers three core service lines: multi-family residential property management (including leasing, accounting, and 24-hour maintenance), commercial property management (marketing, financial reporting, leasing), and homeowner association management. These services are supported by technology products including an Online Tenant Portal and Online Owner Portal, both powered by AppFolio Property Manager, enabling rent collection, maintenance requests, financial reporting, and document management. The company also provides a Rent Budget Calculator tool for prospective tenants and manages an Affordable Housing Program under the LIHTC/Section 42 Program. The portfolio encompasses over 40 named apartment communities across Wisconsin and Illinois, ranging from market-rate luxury apartments (The Mariner, The Corliss, Lofts 2) and affordable/income-restricted communities (Eva Manor, Pike Ridge, VMC Lofts, Union Court) to senior-specific housing (Novation Senior Commons, Whitetail Ridge, Residences on Main), townhomes, single-family home rentals, and corporate/furnished housing (The Mariner).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi-Family Property Management Full-service residential property management for multi-family communities, covering leasing (marketing, applicant qualification, lease preparation), accounting and financial reporting (rent collection, delinquency tracking, evictions, monthly/quarterly/annual statements), and maintenance services (24-hour emergency response, vendor network, preventative maintenance programs). Target customers are owners and investors in residential rental real estate.
• Commercial Property Management Commercial property management services covering marketing, accounting (receivables and payables), detailed financial reporting, leasing and lease administration, and maintenance including 24-hour emergency response. Target customers are owners of commercial office, retail, and industrial properties.
• Homeowner Association (HOA) Management Association management services for neighborhoods and complexes of all sizes, including arranging board and annual meetings, enforcing bylaws and declarations, property inspections, coordinating bids and work orders, 24-hour emergency service, budget preparation and reserve planning, and monthly/annual financial statements. Target customers are HOA and condominium association boards.
• Online Tenant Portal Web and mobile-based tenant portal powered by AppFolio, enabling tenants to pay rent online (via eCheck or credit card with automatic payment options), submit maintenance requests directly to the maintenance queue, communicate with management, and submit or purchase renters insurance. Available via iOS and Android apps. Target customers are residential tenants of properties managed by Bear Property Management.
• Online Owner Portal Mobile-friendly owner portal for property investors to view financial statements, monthly summaries, year-end tax statements, and important documents; make and receive payments (including owner contributions for maintenance, renovations, reserves) via eCheck or debit card; and communicate through built-in messaging and notification tools. Target customers are property owners whose assets are managed by Bear Property Management.
• Affordable Housing Program (LIHTC/Section 42) Affordable housing management under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC/Section 42) Program, providing income-restricted apartments for individuals and families meeting HUD income guidelines. Includes senior-specific 55+ affordable housing options and annual rent adjustments based on HUD-released income and rent limits. Target customers are income-qualified households and senior renters in southeastern Wisconsin.
• Rent Budget Calculator Interactive online tool that estimates monthly housing costs (base rent, parking, pets, utilities, internet) and move-in costs (security deposit, application fee, pet deposit, prorated rent), and calculates what a prospective tenant can afford based on monthly budget or take-home pay. Target users are prospective tenants evaluating affordability of Bear Property Management units.

Quantifiable outcome

• Properties marketed through yard signs, internet, in-house referrals, and full-color brochures
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Residential Property Managers (NARPM)coreOthersBear Property Management is a member of NARPM, a professional association for residential property management companies. Membership indicates adherence to industry standards and professional practices.
• Wisconsin Apartment Association (WAA)coreOthersBear Property Management is a member of the Wisconsin Apartment Association, supporting the apartment industry in Wisconsin and providing resources for members.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreOthersBear Property Management participates in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC/Section 42) with income guidelines set annually by HUD. HUD establishes income limits based on Area Median Income for affordable housing qualification.
• Bear Real Estate GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBear Property Management is part of the Bear Real Estate Group, which includes Bear Homes (new home builders), Bear Development (real estate development), Bear Commercial Brokerage, and CMA General Contractor. This integrated network provides comprehensive real estate services.
• Equal Housing OpportunityminorOthersBear Property Management participates in the Equal Housing Opportunity program, advertising compliance with federal fair housing laws.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Greystar Real Estate Partners: The largest multifamily property management and development firm in the U.S., managing ~$325B in assets. Comparable to Bear Property Management as a third-party residential property manager serving owners and investors across multiple property types, though at vastly greater scale and national rather than regional footprint.
• Lincoln Property Company: Diversified real estate services firm with a large multifamily residential management platform (~200,000+ units) and commercial operation. Overlaps with Bear in full-service multi-family and HOA-style management for institutional and individual owners.

Others

• AppFolio: Property management software platform that powers Bear's tenant and owner portals. Not a direct competitor but an infrastructure provider; AppFolio also enables some smaller landlords to self-manage, representing an indirect competitive dynamic.
• RealPage: Enterprise property management software provider competing with AppFolio for landlord and PM firm accounts. Adjacent to Bear as a technology ecosystem player whose products increasingly compete at the operator level via AI and analytics features.

Direct peers

• RPM Living: Fast-growing multifamily property management firm operating across the Sun Belt and Midwest. Offers the same third-party full-service management (leasing, accounting, maintenance) that Bear provides to ownership clients.
• Mission Rock Residential: Mid-sized multifamily property management company (~50,000+ units), focused on conventional and affordable housing. Directly comparable in service lines and target client base (owners and investors seeking full-service residential management).
• LEDIC Realty Company: Multifamily property management firm with strong affordable housing (LIHTC/Section 42) exposure and a similar third-party management model. Directly comparable to Bear in affordable housing specialization and full-service delivery.
• BH Management Services: National residential property manager handling ~140,000+ units across conventional, affordable (LIHTC), and senior housing. Highly comparable to Bear in service mix, affordable housing specialization, and reliance on third-party owner relationships.

Regional players

• Continental Properties: Multifamily developer and operator concentrated in the Midwest, including Wisconsin/Illinois markets where Bear operates. Comparable as a regional full-service multifamily operator/manager with overlapping geography.
• Towne Properties: Midwest-focused property management and development firm with HOA/condo association management alongside multifamily. Similar to Bear in offering a bundled residential + HOA management proposition to Midwestern owners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bear-development

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bear Property Management