Investment property management in Boston for landlords and investors

Green Ocean Property Management runs rental property for Boston-area landlords and investors for a flat monthly fee per door. We handle leasing, rent collection, maintenance and Massachusetts landlord compliance. You pay nothing until we place your first tenant. We're a third-generation family firm (founded 1977, in Boston real estate since 1952) managing 500 rental units, rated 4.9 stars across 982 Google reviews, and our own licensed general contractor, Pro Services Boston (PSB), does the repairs.

Most of the owners we work with have between 1 and 30 doors. Some bought on purpose and some inherited a unit. A lot of them are done with their current manager. For the full company overview, start at our Boston property management homepage. If you sit on a condo board, see condo and HOA management instead.

Get a free rental analysis  or call 617-982-0116

What does Green Ocean do for landlords?

We run the unit so you're not the one getting the 2am call. For each door that covers:

• Leasing. Pricing off real comps, a 3D tour and floor plan, listing, showings, screening, lease prep and move-in.
• Rent and reporting. We collect rent, and owner payouts go out by the 25th of each month.
• Maintenance. A 24/7 staffed maintenance line (not an answering service). We handle repairs up to $500 without chasing you for approval. Emergencies get fixed right away and you get notice.
• Deposits, inspections, renewals and notices. These are the paperwork jobs that cause trouble when they get missed.
• Housing assistance. Section 8 and RAFT paperwork with the housing authority.

Leasing and brokerage run through our affiliate, Profitable Properties Boston, under a separate agreement.

How much does property management cost?

We charge a flat monthly fee per door, not a percentage of rent. That means your fee doesn't move up and down with the rent.

• Discounts. Veterans and seniors (65+) pay $125/mo (studio/1-bed) and $150/mo (2+ bed). If your unit is inside a condo association we already manage, management is $99/mo.
• Waived fees. The onboarding fee ($195) and initial property inspection ($150) are waived if you sign within the agreed timeframe.
• The full schedule is in Exhibit A of the management agreement.

Get a free rental analysis  or call 617-982-0116

How do you lease a vacant unit?

Here's how we work a vacancy:

• We price for the calendar. Boston rentals run on a September 1 clock, so we price for where your unit sits in that cycle. Any unit that reaches 21 days on market gets a price review.
• Tenants pay no broker fee. Green Ocean never charges a tenant a broker fee on a unit we manage. That brings you more applicants.
• Wide syndication. Listings go out through MLS PIN and YGL to the major rental portals.

Who handles maintenance and repairs?

Pro Services Boston (PSB), our in-house licensed general contractor, handles most repairs. PSB is an affiliated company under the same family ownership as Green Ocean, and you don't have to use it. You can bring your own vendor. Either way, the 5% coordination fee on repairs over $500 is waived.

Owning the contractor means we control how fast repairs happen and how well they're done, instead of subbing the job out and hoping. Repairs under $500 get handled without an approval round-trip. Emergencies are fixed right away and you get notice. Emergency calls are backed by our 1-Hour Emergency Response Guarantee.

What Massachusetts landlord rules do you handle?

We cover the compliance items that cost owners the most when they're missed:

• Security deposits. We hold them in a separate interest-bearing Massachusetts account through a third-party administrator. That covers the receipt and bank notice the tenant is owed, and the documented damage record at move-out under M.G.L. c. 186 §15B.
• Section 8. We price voucher units off the housing authority's payment standard, not private listings. A rent increase needs 60 days' written notice to the tenant and the authority, plus the authority's approval, and it takes effect at the lease anniversary. RAFT and other rental-assistance applications are $175 each.

How does switching property managers work?

Switching to Green Ocean takes 45 days, and we guarantee it (details below). You sign, send us the onboarding documents within two weeks, and we handle the handoff with your current manager: leases, ledgers and deposit records. We walk each unit, including a check of the water heater and boiler, and your tenants get the new payment and maintenance instructions.

If you're inheriting a problem tenant (over $1,000 in arrears, an eviction pending, or refusing to leave), there's a one-time $495 setback tenancy fee.

Current Green Ocean owners can find their resources on the owners page.