The short answer: The best property managers in Adelaide are the ones that can prove it: verified landlord reviews on RateMyAgent and Google, awards decided by those reviews, about 100 to 150 properties per manager, three to four inspections a year, fast leasing and every fee in writing. Wemark Real Estate was RateMyAgent’s Rental Agency of the Year for South Australia in 2022 and 2023.
Every agency says it is the best. The difference between the good ones and the rest is that the good ones can show you the evidence before you sign. We manage more than 600 rentals across Adelaide from Blair Athol, and this is the checklist we would use if we were choosing a manager for our own investment property.
What makes a property manager the best?
Not the lowest fee and not the glossiest website. A good property manager gets six things right, and each one can be checked:
- Tenants who pay and look after the home. That comes from proper screening: identity, income, references and a tenancy database check.
- Short vacancies. Every empty week costs a full week’s rent. Ask for their days-to-lease figure.
- Rent at the market. Priced from current leases nearby, and reviewed every year.
- Inspections that find problems early. Three to four a year, each with a report you can actually read.
- Replies in hours, not days. To you and to your tenant, because a tenant who is ignored is a tenant who leaves.
- Every fee in writing. The headline percentage is only part of the cost.
How do you check a property manager’s track record?
Use evidence the agency does not control:
- Verified reviews. RateMyAgent ties each review to a property the agency managed or leased. Google reviews show everything, good and bad. Read the last six months, not the best five.
- Their leasing history. RateMyAgent also lists the homes an agency has leased and how long each took. It is the closest thing to a public report card.
- Their licence. Every agency must be run by a registered land agent. Check any name on the Consumer and Business Services licence register.
- A sample inspection report and a sample statement. If they will not show you one, that tells you something.
Which property management awards actually mean something?
Two kinds are worth weighing, and they measure different things:
- Review-based awards. RateMyAgent’s Agent of the Year awards are decided on verified client reviews, not by a judging panel, and are given by state, city and suburb.
- Judged industry awards. The REISA Awards for Excellence and the REB awards are decided by judges from submissions. A finalist place is a real achievement; check the official finalist list for the category and year.
Be wary of “awards” an agency can buy, or a badge with no year and no category. Our own record, with every award and who gave it, is on our About page.
Questions to ask before you sign
Ask every agency on your shortlist the same questions and compare the answers in writing:
| Ask | A good answer | Wemark’s answer |
|---|---|---|
| How many properties does each manager look after? | A number, not “a manageable load”. About 100 to 150 is healthy. | About 100 per manager. |
| How quickly will you reply to me and to my tenant? | A commitment in hours. | Within four business hours. |
| How often will you inspect, and what will I receive? | Three to four a year (the legal maximum is four), with a photo report each time. | Three to four a year, each with a 360° photo report. |
| How long do your rentals take to lease? | A figure from their own record, not a promise. | Median 7 days, from 170 tenancies in the twelve months to October 2026. |
| Can I have every fee in writing before I sign? | Yes, line by line: management, letting, inspections, renewals, statements, maintenance and leaving. | Yes. 6.6% inc GST, and every other fee is on our fee schedule. |
| Do you add anything to tradesperson invoices? | No mark-up and no handling fee. | No. You pay the invoice and nothing on top. |
| What does it cost to leave you? | No exit fee, and a notice period you can live with. | No exit fee. |
| Who will I actually deal with? | One named property manager, with a back-up. | A named property manager, with the office behind them. |
Red flags when choosing a property manager
- No fee schedule in writing, or extras that only appear on the first statement.
- A percentage added to every repair invoice.
- Vague answers on how many properties each manager holds.
- A long notice period or an exit fee to leave.
- Reviews that are all years old, or none at all from landlords.
- A rent figure well above every comparable lease, to win your signature.
How does Wemark measure up?
Judge us the same way. This is our record, and each line can be checked:
| Measure | Our record |
|---|---|
| RateMyAgent Rental Agency of the Year | South Australia and Adelaide, 2022 and 2023 |
| RateMyAgent national ranking | Top 100 rental agencies in Australia 2021 to 2024, #24 in 2023 |
| Landlord and tenant reviews | 5.0 from 290+ on RateMyAgent, and 330 on Google |
| Properties per manager | About 100 |
| Reply standard | Within four business hours |
| Routine inspections | Three to four a year, with a 360° photo report |
| Time to lease | Median 7 days; 90 of 170 tenancies leased within a week (twelve months to October 2026) |
| Management fee | 6.6% of rent collected, including GST; no statement, maintenance or exit fees |
| Licence | RLA 286049 |
On the Adelaide median house rent of $620 a week (SA Housing Trust, the June quarter 2026), our management fee is about $2,128 a year, against $2,902 to $3,546 at 9% to 11%. See how we manage Adelaide rentals and everything you get, side by side.
The best property managers near you
A good manager for a city apartment is not always the right one for a family home in the northern suburbs. Look for an agency that already leases homes like yours nearby. We manage most of our rentals in the northern and inner-north suburbs, close to our Blair Athol office: Blair Athol, Prospect, Kilburn, Enfield, Northfield, Klemzig, Mawson Lakes, Pooraka, Ingle Farm, Salisbury, Parafield Gardens, Paralowie, Modbury, Golden Grove, Munno Para, Munno Para West, Elizabeth, Adelaide CBD. Each suburb page shows the homes we have leased there and how quickly. Every suburb we work in is on our locations page.
Already with a property manager?
If yours falls short on this checklist, you do not have to wait for the lease to end. The tenancy and the bond stay exactly as they are; only the management agreement changes. Switch to Wemark and we contact your current agent and run the handover, or read our step-by-step guide on how to switch property managers in Adelaide.
Common questions
Who are the best property managers in Adelaide?
It depends on your property and what you value, so judge agencies on evidence rather than claims. RateMyAgent decides its awards on verified client reviews: it named Wemark Real Estate Rental Agency of the Year for South Australia and for Adelaide in 2022 and 2023, and ranked us #24 in Australia in 2023. Compare any agency on reviews, properties per manager, inspections, leasing speed and the full fee schedule.
How do I find a good property manager near me?
Shortlist two or three agencies that already manage homes in your suburb, read their landlord reviews on Google and RateMyAgent, then ask each the questions in this guide and compare the answers in writing. Our suburb pages show the homes we have leased in each suburb and how quickly.
How much should a property manager charge in Adelaide?
Most Adelaide agencies charge 9% to 11% of the rent collected, plus a letting fee of one to two weeks’ rent. Wemark charges 6.6% including GST, with no statement, maintenance or exit fees. Compare the full schedule, not the headline rate: our fees guide adds it up.
How many properties should one property manager look after?
In our experience, about 100 to 150. Above that, replies, inspections and arrears follow-up start to slip. Industry loads of 150 to 200 are common. Each Wemark property manager looks after about 100.
Are online reviews of property managers reliable?
Verified ones are the most reliable. RateMyAgent links each review to a property the agency actually managed or leased, and Google shows every review, good and bad. Read the recent ones, look for landlords rather than only tenants, and see how the agency answers its critics.
Can I change property managers if I am not happy?
Yes, at any point in a tenancy. The lease and the bond stay exactly as they are; only your management agreement changes, after its notice period. Switching to Wemark is one signed form, and we run the handover with your current agent.
Awards and reviews as published by RateMyAgent and Google, checked October 2026. Fees as at October 2026. Rent: SA Housing Trust, Private Rent Report, the June quarter 2026. Leasing figures: Wemark’s RateMyAgent listing history, twelve months to October 2026.
Want to compare us on your own property? Book a free rental appraisal: the rent figure, the comparable rentals behind it and our fees in writing. Or call (08) 7200 1444.