L & B Management Firm

What L & B Management Firm does

L & B Management Firm LLC is a privately held, founder-owned property management and real estate services firm operating in the Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region. Founded by Bruce Ballhaus around 1997, the company provides full-service residential property management (tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, financial reporting), HOA management for community associations across Southwest Ohio, and real estate sales services for buyers, sellers, and investors. The firm operates from a single headquarters at 3314 Werk Rd in Cincinnati and serves sub-markets including Cleves, Norwood, Anderson, Mason, West Chester, Western Hills, Delhi, Loveland, Middletown, and Hamilton.

The company's technology stack is anchored by AppFolio Property Manager, a third-party SaaS platform that powers its online Owner Portal (financial dashboards, statements, documents, payments) and Resident Portal (rent payment, maintenance requests, account access via web and mobile apps on iOS and Android). Document workflows are supported via integration with HomeWise Docs. The firm manages more than 50 HOA associations and retains its first client, the 5-unit Mt. Storm condominium association in Clifton, since 2000.

L & B generates revenue primarily through management services fees (a percentage of rent collected, though the rate is not publicly disclosed), HOA management contracts, in-house maintenance billing at $45/hr standard and $80/hr after-hours emergency rates, and real estate transaction commissions. Distribution is via direct outreach to property owners and HOA boards, supported by a website, phone, and professional affiliations with BBB, NAR, Ohio REALTORS, CABR, CAI, REALTOR.com, and HUD fair housing compliance. The firm is bootstrapped with no external funding.

Name

L & B Management Firm

Legal name

L & B Management Firm LLC

Website

https://lbmanagement.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

L & B Management Firm is a Cincinnati-based, founder-owned property management and real estate services company providing full-service residential property management, HOA management, and real estate sales to owners, investors, and associations across Southwest Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Property Management

NAICS

Real Estate Property Managers (53131), Residential Property Managers (531311), Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers (5312)

SIC

Real Estate Agents & Managers (For Others) (6531), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Homeowners Association (HOA) Management (BPAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Association Maintenance, Vendor & Capital Project Management (BPAJAHAM), Association Compliance, Governance & Board Support Services (BPAJAHAN), HOA / Condominium Association Management (BPAJAFAH)

Keywords

• Property management services
• HOA management
• Residential real estate
• Tenant screening
• Investment property management

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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 Services: Full-service property management including tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, and financial reporting for property owners. Services include bookkeeping, eviction handling, and property maintenance at $45/hour standard rate and $80/hour emergency rate.
2. HOA Management Services: Complete HOA management services for homeowner associations including maintenance coordination, financial management, and community administration.
3. Real Estate Sales: Residential real estate buying and selling services in the Southwest Ohio region, connecting buyers with sellers and investors with properties.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

L & B Management Firm operates as a full-service property management, HOA management, and residential real estate firm in the Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region. The company manages rental properties for owners and investors (including tenant screening, rent collection, maintenance coordination, and financial reporting), administers HOA associations, and provides residential real estate sales services. Its offering is supported by digital portals (Owner Portal and Resident Portal) powered by AppFolio and an in-house maintenance crew offering standard services at $45/hour plus materials and emergency after-hours service at $80/hour.

Product overview

L & B Management Firm is a property management company offering a portfolio of interconnected services for residential real estate investors and property owners in the Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region. The core offerings include Property Management Services (full-service management including tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance) and HOA Services for community associations. These are supported by two digital platforms: the Owner Portal for investors to monitor their properties, view financial statements, and manage payments; and the Resident Portal for tenants to pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and communicate with management. The company also provides Real Estate Sales services for buying and selling residential properties, and maintains an in-house Maintenance Services team for property repairs and renovations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Property Management Services Full-service property management for residential rental property owners and investors in the Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region, including tenant acquisition and screening (credit checks, criminal background, eviction history, proof of income), rent collection, maintenance coordination, bookkeeping, and financial reporting.
• HOA Management Services Comprehensive HOA management for condominium and homeowner associations across Southwest Ohio, including maintenance coordination, financial administration, and community administration. The company has grown to manage more than 50 HOA associations.
• Maintenance Services In-house property maintenance performed for managed properties, including minor plumbing, electrical work, drywall repair, painting, cleaning, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, and new flooring installation. Standard rate is $45.00 per hour plus materials; emergency after-hours and weekend service is $80.00 per hour.
• Real Estate Sales Services Residential real estate buying and selling services in the Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region, connecting buyers with sellers and helping investors identify and maximize returns on real estate investments.
• Resident Portal Online resident portal for tenants of L & B managed properties to pay rent, submit maintenance requests, view account information, and communicate with property management. Available via web and mobile apps on iOS and Android.
• Owner Portal Online portal for property owners and investors to view financial statements, access documents, make and receive payments via eCheck or debit card, and track property performance. Includes 24/7 web access as part of the property management service.

Quantifiable outcome

• Managing 50+ HOA associations with first client still retained after over 20 years

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Community Associations Institute (CAI)coreOthersProfessional membership organization for community association professionals, providing education, resources, and best practices for HOA management.
• National Association of REALTORS (NAR)coreOthersProfessional association providing MLS access and industry standards for real estate professionals.
• Ohio REALTORScoreOthersState-level professional association for real estate professionals in Ohio.
• Cincinnati Area Board of REALTORS (CABR)coreOthersLocal MLS and professional association for REALTORS in the Cincinnati area.
• REALTOR.comminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple Listing Service (MLS) partnership for listing properties on the REALTOR.com platform.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)minorOthersFair housing compliance partnership with HUD's Fair Housing Equal Opportunity program.
• AppFolio Property ManagercoreTechnology or IntegrationProperty management software platform powering their online portals for owner statements, tenant payments, and property management operations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Associa: Largest US HOA and community association management company, nationally scaled. Directly competes for HOA board contracts and represents the scaled-incumbent competitive threat in the same product category.
• Greystar Real Estate Partners: Largest US multifamily and residential property management operator. Represents the scaled-incumbent benchmark for property management services, especially for institutional rental portfolios.
• FirstService Residential: National leader in residential and community association management. Competes in HOA management with broader portfolio and resources, though without L & B's local-Cincinnati specialization.

Others

• AppFolio: Property management SaaS platform powering L & B's portals. Comparable as the underlying technology vendor and ecosystem participant, with adjacent property-management services competing indirectly.

Regional players

• Sibcy Cline Realtors: Cincinnati-based residential brokerage offering adjacent property management services. Comparable regional real estate competitor targeting the same owner/seller customer base.
• Comey & Shepherd Realtors: Cincinnati-area residential real estate brokerage. Comparable on local real estate sales motion and overlapping customer (owner/investor) base in the same metro.
• Howard Hanna Real Estate Services: Large Ohio/regional residential real estate brokerage with property management arms. Comparable on Cincinnati-area real estate sales and PM services, though at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Towne Properties: Cincinnati-based residential property management and HOA/community management firm. Most direct local peer given overlapping geography, service mix (PM + HOA), and customer base in the same Southwest Ohio submarkets.
• Gorsuch Management Company: Long-standing Cincinnati-area property management company serving owners, HOAs, and condo associations. Comparable on regional footprint, HOA focus, and full-service residential management offerings.

Emerging players

• RentRedi: Tech-enabled residential property management platform targeting independent landlords and small PM firms. Comparable on the small-operator customer segment and could emerge as a tech-forward disruptor to traditional PM firms.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 L & B Management Firm