Peter Lohmann's Newsletter - Tuesday Edition #20

Property Managers bark back at Beagle. My unfiltered thoughts on Zillow.

Author

Peter Lohmann
June 09, 2026

A no-fluff, twice-weekly briefing for the property management industry.

Zillow: Friend or Foe? (NEW Crane Podcast!)

This week I launched a new podcast with Mark Brower: The Crane Property Management Podcast. This is an informal, unfiltered show where we chat about the latest news & hot topics in the residential property management industry. We kicked off the first episode last week with Zillow pulling phone numbers from free rental listings and Google's new review policies.

Also available on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, and Spotify

THIS ISSUE IS PRESENTED BY GUSTO

I'll be honest: I don't think most PM company owners spend enough time thinking about their HR and payroll infrastructure… until something breaks. Gusto is the kind of tool that makes sure it doesn't.

Here are a few things I actually use Gusto for at RL Property Management:

  • Payroll (obviously)

  • Paying global talent (RTMs)

  • PTO tracking

  • 401k & Benefits administration

  • Employee surveys (e-NPS)

  • HR compliance training

That last one matters more than people realize, especially if you have remote or international team members (which I do). Gusto handles the complexity there in a way that would otherwise require a dedicated HR person or an expensive PEO.

If you sign up through my link and run your first payroll, you'll earn up to $200 in Visa gift cards. Worth checking out.

Catch Peter & The Brad LIVE this Thursday

Wolfgang is out this week, so this guy Bradley Johnson is joining me instead:

Ever switched your main property management software? I ran a poll last week to find out who did and how it went:

Tons of great feedback on this poll. Here are a few of my favorite comments:

"Waiting for a true AI-integrated option. This will include AI handling the transport and verification of all data and info."

"Switching software was a true headache: it wasn't easy and created a bookkeeping nightmare. Happy with Buildium now… Not switching anymore unless Buildium can't provide what we need."

“Switches are never fun, and no software is perfect. It’s important to understand what the grass looks like on the other side separate and aside from what a salesperson tells you.” (I couldn’t agree more)

We’re at 750 doors now and everyone keeps asking me when we’re going to switch off Buildium. I always tell them: As soon as my PM software becomes the bottleneck (constraint) keeping us from hitting our business goals, we’ll switch.” ← this was from me

PM News from the last week:

What I’m reading right now:

  • “The moment a property manager issues a denial letter, the professional relationship enters a high-stakes phase. While automated screening tools provide a necessary first layer of defense, they often lack the nuance required by modern fair housing standards. The core conflict lies in the tension between a property’s need for uniform safety standards and the legal requirement to treat each applicant as an individual.” Great read here from RHJ.

  • This was the brief I needed on how to introduce Claude to my leadership team.

  • Some new thoughts from Justin Roff-Marsh on the how the Theory of Constraints scales up and down an organization.

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Meme Tuesday:

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The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. I may have consulting agreements with, or financial interests in, companies mentioned in this newsletter. Additionally, some of the links included in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial or business decisions.