Portfolio vs. Departmental: Which One is a Better Property Management Team Structure?

Which structure works best for a property management business: Departmental or Portfolio?

This is a topic that can be pretty polarizing in the industry.

Welcome back to The Property Management Show, where we deep dive into the world of property management, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

Today, we’re talking with two prominent property management business owners in Central Florida.

Welcome to Maryann Hoffman and Andrew Dougill of Hoffman Realty and David and Stacy Wilson of Wilson Management Group. These experts are talking about the structures they’ve adopted and offering some advice to property management owners who have not yet decided on how they want to organize their businesses.

Podcast Summary

• Each type of management structure has its pros and cons.
• For property management companies that are about to build out their own structure, they need to think about the things they like to do and don’t like to do.
• Deciding what works best will require flexibility.
• Processes and systems are often more foundational than how a property management company is organized.

Guest Bios: Hoffman Realty

• Andrew and MaryAnn Hoffman are the founders and principals of Hoffman Realty, bringing decades of leadership and experience to the Tampa Bay property management industry.
• MaryAnn, a licensed real estate broker, entered the industry in 1983 and established Hoffman Realty in 1988 with a clear vision: to deliver personalized, high-quality service to small residential investors.
• In 2000, Andrew, then Vice President of Engineering at TECO Energy, joined the firm to lead business operations, aligning his background as a long-time real estate investor and landlord with the company’s mission.
• Together, they have built a 38+ year track record of supporting residential investors throughout the Tampa Bay area and currently oversee a portfolio of approximately 450 managed properties. Hoffman Realty’s continued success is rooted in a disciplined operational approach and a strong commitment to client service, with MaryAnn remaining actively involved in day-to-day oversight to ensure every client receives personal attention, and no property owner is overlooked.
• Both Andrew and MaryAnn are deeply engaged in the professional community. Andrew is an active member of Suncoast Tampa Area Realtors (STAR), the Bay Area Apartment Association, and the Tampa Bay Chapter of NARPM. He has served as Property Management Chair for Greater Tampa REALTORS®, is a member of the STAR Government Affairs and Property Management Committees, a former Tampa Bay NARPM Board member, and currently serves as Tampa Bay NARPM Legislative Chair—advocating for landlord-tenant policy at both the state and national levels.

Wilson Management Group

• Wilson Management Group was founded in Orlando in 1986 and has been family-owned and operated ever since.
• David Wilson obtained his Real Estate Salesperson’s license in 1993 and began working for WMG as a property manager. In 2005, he obtained his Real Estate Broker’s license and gradually transitioned into overseeing all day-to-day business operations.
• David, and his wife, Stacy, purchased the business from his parents in 2014, and they run it together with their fantastic team. They are active members of NARPM (National Association of Residential Property Managers).