Manor Keeper
Pro PM
Notes for property managers running Harbor-size portfolios, plus the operations and finance archive.
New posts for property managers, delivered when a post drops.
Schedule E is for individual landlords on a 1040. Form 8825 is the rental worksheet for partnerships and S corporations. Same books, different form — here is who files which and how the lines map.
Read articleHow DIY landlords should track rental expenses for taxes: a dedicated account, Schedule E categories, receipts, 2026 mileage rates, and a weekly habit that survives April.
Read articleLate fees feel like extra cash. Schedule E cares how you booked them — lease policy versus what you charged, state caps, and how the fee shows up in a tax packet.
Read articleDIY landlords often under-deduct because the year lived in their head. Here are the Schedule E expenses that quietly disappear, how to document them, and how to hand your accountant a packet instead of a shoebox.
Read articleA practical month-end operating review for DIY landlords: confirm rent, scan open maintenance, check lease and insurance dates, update cash notes, and decide the few next actions that keep a small portfolio from drifting.
Read articleA curbside playbook for small landlords dealing with overflowing bins, missed pickup days, bulk trash, city notices, HOA fines, and tenant conversations that need to stay factual.
Read articleA practical way for small landlords to decide whether a failing refrigerator, range, dishwasher, washer, or dryer deserves one more repair or should be replaced before it becomes a tenant-service problem.
Read articleA practical utility-transfer checklist for small landlords: confirm who pays which services, keep essential utilities active during turnover, document meter readings, and avoid surprise bills after move-in or move-out.
Read articleA practical records policy for DIY landlords: which closing documents, lease files, tax records, maintenance receipts, deposit records, and insurance paperwork to keep, what can be scanned, and what should not be tossed too soon.
Read articleHow to properly account for security deposits—why they're not income when received, how to handle deductions, and what the tax implications are.
Read articleYour cousin insists you can't collect rent without forming a business. You're in Minnesota planning to self-manage one long-term rental. Here's what's actually required vs. what's optional—and why people confuse the two.
Read articleHow to set up and maintain simple books for your rental properties—separating deposits from income, tracking expenses by category, and making tax season straightforward.
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