01
Repairs and Maintenance
Work that keeps your property in ordinary, efficient operating condition. The IRS distinguishes repairs (deductible as expenses) from improvements (capitalized and depreciated). This category covers the coordination and execution of routine repair work.
What counts
- Coordinating plumbing, electrical, or HVAC repairs
- Fixing appliances, fixtures, or hardware
- Patching drywall, painting, or replacing flooring
- Seasonal maintenance: gutter cleaning, winterizing pipes, HVAC servicing
- Pest control scheduling and follow-up
- Responding to emergency repair calls
Typical time range: 15 min to 4 hours per incident
02
Tenant Screening and Relations
All activities related to finding, vetting, onboarding, and managing tenants. This is often the most time-intensive category for active landlords and includes every interaction from initial inquiry through move-out.
What counts
- Reviewing rental applications and running background checks
- Showing the property to prospective tenants
- Negotiating lease terms and preparing lease agreements
- Processing move-ins: key handoff, walkthrough, condition documentation
- Handling tenant complaints, requests, and disputes
- Processing move-outs: inspection, security deposit accounting, turnover
Typical time range: 30 min to 8 hours per tenant event
03
Rent Collection and Bookkeeping
Financial management of your rental operations. This covers both the transactional work of collecting rent and the ongoing bookkeeping required to track income, expenses, and profitability per property.
What counts
- Recording rent payments and tracking late payments
- Sending payment reminders and processing late fees
- Reconciling bank and property management accounts
- Tracking and categorizing property expenses
- Processing security deposit returns with itemized statements
- Preparing financial summaries by property or portfolio
Typical time range: 15 min to 2 hours per session
04
Property Inspections
Routine and event-driven inspections of your rental properties. The IRS recognizes that responsible landlords must regularly inspect their properties to maintain condition, ensure lease compliance, and protect their investment.
What counts
- Seasonal property walkthroughs (quarterly or semi-annual)
- Pre-move-in and post-move-out inspections
- Drive-by exterior inspections
- Inspecting completed repair or renovation work
- Documenting property condition with photos and notes
- Checking smoke detectors, CO detectors, and safety equipment
Typical time range: 30 min to 3 hours per inspection
05
Insurance and Legal
Managing the insurance and legal aspects of property ownership. This includes both routine policy management and event-driven work like claims and legal disputes.
What counts
- Reviewing and comparing insurance policies at renewal
- Filing insurance claims for property damage
- Documenting damage for claims with photos and contractor estimates
- Consulting with attorneys on tenant disputes or evictions
- Reviewing and updating lease agreements for legal compliance
- Handling local code compliance and inspection requirements
Typical time range: 30 min to 6 hours per event
06
Travel
Time spent traveling for property management purposes. The IRS allows you to count travel time between properties, to vendor locations, and for property-related errands. Keep a mileage log in addition to your activity log.
What counts
- Driving between rental properties for inspections or maintenance
- Traveling to meet with vendors, contractors, or property managers
- Trips to hardware stores for property supplies
- Driving to the post office for certified mail (notices, legal documents)
- Travel to attend landlord association meetings or RE education events
- Airport travel for out-of-state property management
Typical time range: 15 min to several hours per trip
07
Advertising and Marketing
Activities related to marketing vacant units and attracting qualified tenants. This includes both the creative work of preparing listings and the operational work of managing them across platforms.
What counts
- Photographing the property and editing listing photos
- Writing and posting rental listings on Zillow, Apartments.com, Craigslist
- Managing and responding to listing inquiries
- Creating and distributing flyers or signage
- Setting and adjusting rental pricing based on market analysis
- Managing short-term rental listings on Airbnb, VRBO, or Booking.com
Typical time range: 30 min to 4 hours per listing cycle
08
Tax Preparation
Time spent specifically on rental property tax matters. This covers your direct involvement in tax preparation, not the time your CPA spends. Document these hours carefully as they demonstrate active management.
What counts
- Organizing receipts and expense records for your CPA
- Meeting with your tax preparer about rental property returns
- Reviewing Schedule E drafts and providing corrections
- Researching tax implications of property decisions (cost segregation, 1031 exchanges)
- Preparing depreciation schedules and tracking basis
- Filing for property tax reassessment or appealing assessments
Typical time range: 1 to 10 hours per property per year
09
Management and Administration
General operational management that keeps your rental business running. This catch-all category covers the administrative overhead that does not fit neatly into other categories but is essential to running a rental portfolio.
What counts
- Creating and maintaining property management procedures
- Setting up and managing property management software
- Reviewing property manager reports and performance
- Attending landlord association meetings and networking events
- Researching local rental market conditions and comparable rents
- Managing vendor relationships and negotiating service contracts
Typical time range: 15 min to 3 hours per session
10
Capital Improvements
Planning, managing, and overseeing improvements that add value, extend useful life, or adapt the property to a new use. Unlike repairs, capital improvements are not deducted as expenses in the year incurred — they are capitalized and depreciated. However, the time you spend managing improvements absolutely counts toward your REPS hours.
What counts
- Planning and designing a kitchen or bathroom renovation
- Getting bids from contractors and reviewing proposals
- Managing renovation projects: scheduling, inspections, approvals
- Overseeing roof replacement, window installation, or siding projects
- Coordinating ADU (accessory dwelling unit) construction
- Managing appliance upgrades or system replacements (HVAC, water heater)
Typical time range: 2 to 40+ hours per project
