“Rental agency” can mean a few different things in Bozeman: a full-service property management company, a leasing-only service that finds a tenant and hands back the keys, or a real estate brokerage that manages a few rentals on the side. This guide explains the differences, what each should do for owners and renters, and how to compare them on paper before you sign anything.
Three kinds of rental agencies
- Full-service property management. Marketing, showings, screening, the lease, rent collection, maintenance coordination, inspections and owner reporting for the whole tenancy.
- Leasing-only (tenant placement). The agency markets the home, screens applicants and signs the lease, then you manage the tenancy yourself.
- Brokerages with a rental desk. Some real estate offices manage rentals alongside sales. Ask how many homes they manage, and who you’ll actually talk to.
In Montana, managing property for someone else generally requires a property manager license or a real estate license (MCA 37-56-103). Ask any agency for its license information.
What a good agency does for owners
- Sets rent using a current market rent analysis, not a guess.
- Markets the home with good photos and a clear, fair-housing-compliant listing.
- Screens every applicant against the same written criteria.
- Uses a lease written for Montana law.
- Collects rent online and sends owner disbursements electronically.
- Coordinates repairs with licensed, insured local vendors and shows you the invoices.
- Inspects the home and documents its condition with photos.
- Sends monthly statements and a year-end 1099.
What a good agency does for renters
- Answers inquiries and schedules showings promptly.
- Publishes screening criteria and fees before you apply.
- Offers online applications, rent payment and maintenance requests.
- Gives a written move-in condition report.
- Handles the security deposit as Montana law requires: returned within 10 days if nothing is owed, or an itemized list within 30 days (MCA 70-25-202).
Fees to compare, line by line
Headline percentages don’t tell the whole story. Put each agency’s numbers side by side:
| Fee | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Monthly management | Percentage of rent collected, plus any flat monthly fee |
| Leasing / placement | Percentage of one month’s rent, or a flat amount |
| Lease renewal | Flat fee or percentage |
| Set-up or onboarding | One-time fee, if any |
| Vacancy | What continues while the home is empty |
| Maintenance | Coordination fee or markup on vendor invoices |
| Add-ons | Inspections, photography, eviction coordination, lawn and snow |
Ask for every fee in writing, and read the management agreement’s fee exhibit before you sign.
Questions to ask before you sign
- How many homes do you manage, and how many is each manager responsible for?
- Who answers resident emergencies after hours, and on which plans?
- How do you set rent, and how often do you review it?
- What are your written screening criteria?
- How do you choose vendors, and do you add a markup to their invoices?
- What will I see in my owner portal and monthly statement?
- How do I end the agreement, and what does it cost?
How Mountain Village Property Management compares
We’re a local Bozeman team with an office on W Babcock St, rated 5.0 on Google (16 reviews). Every plan includes an annual market rent analysis, property marketing and showings, tenant screening, an attorney-prepared / reviewed lease, online rent collection, electronic owner disbursements, an owner portal and year-end 1099 reporting. Local leasing, fast turnovers, and owners who hear from us first.
What our plans cost
Mountain Village Property Management offers three plans. Every fee is in writing in your agreement before you sign.
| Essentials | Signature | Summit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly management | 4.9% of rent + $69/mo | 6.9% of rent + $69/mo | 8.9% of rent + $69/mo |
| Leasing fee | 50% of one month’s rent | 50% of one month’s rent | 50% of one month’s rent |
| Lease renewal | 25% of one month’s rent | 25% of one month’s rent | 25% of one month’s rent |
| Set-up fee | $299 one-time | None | None |
| Maintenance coordination | $99 per work order | Included | Included |
| 24/7 emergency line for residents | $29/mo add-on | Included | Included |
Our management percentage pauses while a home is vacant; the $69 monthly admin fee continues. Third-party costs may include a coordination markup of up to 7.5% (3% on recurring bills), as set out in the agreement. Compare every plan detail and add-on price.
Frequently asked questions
How do rental agencies handle maintenance and emergencies?
Most coordinate repairs through local vendors and pass the invoice to the owner. Ask how after-hours emergencies are handled. At MVPM, the 24/7 emergency line for residents is included on Signature and Summit and is a $29/mo add-on on Essentials.
Are most rentals in Bozeman pet-friendly?
It depends on the owner. Many owners accept pets with screening and a pet deposit or pet rent. Assistance animals for people with disabilities aren’t pets, and pet fees don’t apply to them.
What’s the best way to improve my chances of getting a rental?
Have your documents ready: photo ID, proof of income and landlord references. Read the screening criteria before you apply, and apply as soon as you’ve seen a home you want.
Talk to a local Bozeman team
We manage long-term rentals in Bozeman, Belgrade, Livingston, Gallatin Gateway, Manhattan and Three Forks from our office on W Babcock St in Bozeman. We’re rated 5.0 on Google (16 reviews). Request a free rental analysis and we’ll walk you through what your home could rent for and which plan fits.