1st Choice Property Management

What 1st Choice Property Management does

1st Choice Property Management is a family-owned residential property management company headquartered in Odenton, Maryland, operating under the legal entity 1st Choice Realty Inc. The company manages single-family homes and small apartment complexes for property owners, and also rents properties directly to residential tenants, primarily serving clients in Anne Arundel County and surrounding jurisdictions including Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's County, and Annapolis. The firm covers the entire state of Maryland with the exception of Baltimore, reports 35+ years of combined staff experience, and claims to have professionally managed more than 850 properties over its 10+ year operating history.

The service portfolio spans tenant screening (background, credit, rental history, and income verification), monthly rent collection with late charge enforcement and eviction filing, maintenance coordination with 24-hour emergency availability, monthly exterior and bi-annual interior inspections, HOA fee and utility management, and bookkeeping. The technology backbone is the AppFolio property management platform, which powers the Owner Portal (financial statements, year-end tax documents, eCheck and debit card payments) and Tenant Portal (rent payment, maintenance requests, account viewing) accessible via web and native iOS/Android mobile apps. A standalone Home Watch service provides documented inspections for vacant or absentee-owned properties. Distribution is digital-first through the company website, AppFolio-powered portals, and blog content, supported by phone intake and in-person visits at the Odenton office.

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: recurring property management fees for owner clients on customizable/leasing/management assistance terms, and rental income from properties the company owns and leases directly. Pricing is individually set per property, with sample listings ranging from $2,300/month for a 1,000 sqft ranch to $6,500/month for a luxury estate, alongside a $50 application fee and pet fees of $250 non-refundable plus $50/month per pet. The company holds BBB accreditation and NARPM membership, and operates as a private, bootstrapped, founder-operated business with 11-50 employees and no disclosed external investors or parent company.

Name

1st Choice Property Management

Legal name

1st Choice Realty Inc

Website

https://1choicepropertymanagement.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

1st Choice Property Management is a family-owned residential property management company in Odenton, Maryland, serving property owners and tenants across Maryland (excluding Baltimore). It manages 850+ single-family homes and small apartment complexes through AppFolio-powered owner and tenant portals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Property Management

NAICS

Residential Property Managers (531311), Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (53111), Real Estate Property Managers (53131)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Real Estate Operators (No Developers) & Lessors (6510)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Multifamily Apartment Property Management (BPAJAFAA), Residential Lease Administration & Tenant Services (BPAJAFAL)

Keywords

• Residential property management
• Tenant screening services
• Rent collection services
• Home watch services
• Rental property management

Headquarters

HQ city

Odenton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Property Management Fees: Customizable management assistance for property owners at reasonable rates. Services include tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, property inspections, and financial reporting.
2. Rental Income: Company rents properties to residents at prices they can afford, serving as both property manager and landlord for certain properties

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

1st Choice Property Management is a Maryland-based residential property management company that provides complete, customizable management services for owners of single-family homes and small apartment complexes. Core offerings include tenant screening, monthly rent collection with late charge enforcement, maintenance coordination, property inspections, HOA and utility payments, and bookkeeping. The company also rents properties directly to residents and provides standalone home watch services for vacant or absentee-owned properties.

Product overview

1st Choice Property Management offers a comprehensive residential property management platform built around their core Property Management Services, which include tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, property inspections, and utility/HOA management. The company supplements these core services with an Owner Portal for financial management and reporting, a Tenant Portal for rent payments and maintenance requests available via web and mobile apps, and Home Watch Services for vacant property monitoring. The product portfolio is a unified property management solution designed for residential landlords in Maryland, covering single-family homes and small apartment complexes across Howard, Montgomery, Annapolis, Prince Georges County, and Anne Arundel County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Management Services

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AppFoliocoreTechnology or IntegrationAppFolio provides the property management software platform powering 1st Choice's tenant portal, owner portal, online rent payments, maintenance request submission, and listing management. The platform enables 24/7 access to financial statements, property insights, and account management for both tenants and property owners.
• NARPM (National Association of Residential Property Managers)minorOthersProfessional association membership indicating adherence to industry standards and best practices in residential property management.
• BBB (Better Business Bureau)minorOthersBBB accreditation demonstrates commitment to ethical business practices and consumer trust. Accredited business profile available for verification.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mynd: Tech-enabled residential property manager specializing in single-family rental and small multifamily portfolios, with strong portal technology and vertically integrated maintenance. Directly comparable target customer and service model.
• Evernest: Tech-enabled residential property management company serving single-family and small multifamily landlords across multiple U.S. metros. Similar value proposition combining full-service management with online owner/tenant portals.
• Real Property Management: National residential property management franchise operating a similar owner-service model across multiple U.S. markets. Directly comparable in single-family and small multifamily management scope, recurring fee structure, and AppFolio-style technology reliance.
• Renters Warehouse: One of the largest single-family rental property management companies in the U.S., offering tenant placement, rent collection, and maintenance for residential landlords. Comparable in core service mix and target customer (individual/institutional SFR owners).
• HomeRiver Group: National residential property management company providing single-family and multifamily management, with operations in multiple states including the Mid-Atlantic. Comparable in scale, service breadth, and institutional client orientation.

Others

• AppFolio: Property management software platform that powers 1st Choice's owner and tenant portals. Not a competitor but an ecosystem enabler and infrastructure partner whose product roadmap directly shapes 1st Choice's service delivery capabilities.

Regional players

• Bay Property Management Group: Residential property management firm serving the Baltimore and Maryland region. Comparable service offering and customer base, but operates in the Baltimore metro that 1st Choice explicitly excludes from its service area.

Broad incumbents

• GRE Property Management: Large-scale U.S. residential property manager with portfolio oversight, technology platforms, and institutional landlord relationships. A scaled incumbent offering overlapping capabilities but operating across a much wider footprint than 1st Choice.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/1stChoiceProperyManagement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 1st Choice Property Management