Whether you are new to property investment or an old hand, a good property manager can make a huge difference to your bottom line.
Here are some reasons why using a property manager is an investment, not a cost.
Many Australians aspire to have an investment property or two. However, the thought of then "losing" 5-10 percent of the weekly rental income to pay a property manager can feel painful. Surely collecting rent and ring a plumber now and then can't be that hard?
The reality of managing a property is very different to this simplistic view. It takes time and effort, and can be a legal minefield.
Here are some good reasons to use a professional property manager.

Maximise returns
A good property manager will know the current market in the property's area and so will set the rent correctly. They will then recommend rent reviews at appropriate times, and will advise tenants why a rent increase is justified.
The property manager will be able to recommend only improvements that will pay for themselves in increased rental income.
Very importantly, the manager will be able to source good, reliable tenants quickly, reducing vacant periods with no rental income.
Good tenants. Most good tenants will only seek a property through a property manager as they recognise the importance of a professional relationship that ensures both landlords and tenants are happy.
Interview. The manager will interview every tenant.
Research the tenant. They will access reference checking and credit checking databases to ensure the tenant is a good payer and will take care of the property.

Minimise stress
Apart from not having to find good tenants, the manager reduces the stress of investment property ownership by:
Managing tenant queries backed up with good knowledge of relevant legislation.
Coordinating all maintenance and repairs. The property manager will have a group of trusted tradespeople that will do the work promptly and to a high standard: many of these tradespeople will rely on that property manager for a sizeable portion of regular work on their rental properties, so cannot afford to do a poor job.
Collecting all payments efficiently including bond, rental, and any contributions to repairs.
Paying all bills to councils, utilities, tradespeople as well as, of course, paying the net rental income to the landlord with full supporting information.
Avoiding the "nightmare" of poor tenants who won't pay the rent or disrespect the property. However, if the situation does become that bad, the property manager will have lots of experience plus a thorough knowledge of legislation and processes that will enable them to effectively handle eviction processes including all dealings with tenants, sheriffs and court officials.
Saving the landlord's time. Property managers are set up to efficiently look after a property: they have computer systems, databases of likely tenants and tradespeople, electronic payment systems, knowledge and expertise in tenancy law. For a private landlord to fulfil the same functions can take a lot of time, particularly when dealing with problems.

Summing up
Whilst a property manager can appear to be expensive, in reality they can save a landlord time and stress, whilst maximising their net rental returns.