200 Hours/Year: The Hidden Time Cost of Being a DIY Landlord in Vancouver

What could you do with an extra 200 hours?

• 🏔️ Hike the Grouse Grind 50 times
• ☕ Enjoy 400 coffees on Granville Island
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Spend 8 extra days with your family
• 💼 Bill an extra $10,000-$15,000 at your day job
• 🌴 Take a full month-long vacation

That’s what 200+ hours per year represents—the average time a Vancouver DIY landlord spends on property management tasks.

And if you own multiple properties? Multiply accordingly.

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Where Does All That Time Go?

We surveyed Vancouver landlords with 3-20 rental units to understand exactly where their time is spent. The results might surprise you.

Annual Time Breakdown by Task

Task Category	Hours/Year (Per Unit)	% of Total Time
Tenant Communication	45-60 hours	25%
Vacancy & Leasing	40-55 hours	22%
Maintenance Coordination	35-45 hours	18%
Financial Management	25-35 hours	15%
Compliance & Admin	20-30 hours	12%
Inspections & Showings	15-20 hours	8%
TOTAL	180-245 hours	100%

Average: 200+ hours per unit, per year.

For a landlord with 5 units, that’s 1,000+ hours annually—the equivalent of a half-time job.

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The Tenant Communication Time Trap

Where 45-60 Hours Disappear

Responding to Inquiries (15-20 hours/year)

• Initial inquiry responses
• Follow-up questions about the unit
• Scheduling coordination
• Application status updates

Ongoing Tenant Communication (20-30 hours/year)

• Maintenance requests (initial report + coordination)
• Payment reminders and follow-ups
• Lease questions and clarifications
• Move-out coordination

Conflict Resolution (10-15 hours/year)

• Noise complaints
• Neighbor disputes
• Lease violation discussions
• Late payment conversations

The Communication Cascade

One simple tenant text at 9 PM:

“Hey, the dishwasher is making a weird noise.”

Turns into:

1. Read message, assess urgency (5 min)
2. Text back asking for more details (2 min)
3. Wait for response… think about it during dinner
4. Receive video of the sound (5 min to review)
5. Research potential causes (15 min)
6. Decide whether to call a technician (5 min)
7. Search for available appliance repair (20 min)
8. Contact technician, explain situation (10 min)
9. Coordinate access with tenant (15 min back-and-forth)
10. Follow up after repair (10 min)

One dishwasher noise = 90+ minutes of your time.

Multiply by 50-100 similar interactions per year.

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The Vacancy Time Sink

The 40-55 Hour Vacancy Process

Every time a tenant moves out, the clock starts:

Pre-Vacancy (5-8 hours)

• Receive notice, confirm end date
• Schedule move-out inspection
• Research current market rates
• Plan turnover work

Unit Preparation (8-12 hours)

• Conduct move-out inspection
• Coordinate cleaning
• Arrange repairs and touch-ups
• Take photos, write listing
• Post to multiple platforms

Marketing & Showings (15-20 hours)

• Respond to inquiries (often 20-50 per vacancy)
• Answer repeated questions
• Schedule showings around your availability
• Conduct showings (often nights/weekends)
• Follow up with interested parties

Application & Screening (8-10 hours)

• Collect applications
• Verify employment (phone calls, emails)
• Check references (more phone calls)
• Run credit and background checks
• Compare applicants, make decisions

Lease & Move-In (5-8 hours)

• Draft or update lease agreement
• Review terms with tenant
• Collect deposits and first month’s rent
• Conduct move-in inspection
• Hand over keys, explain building systems

With average turnover every 2-3 years per unit, that’s 20-30 hours/year just for vacancy-related tasks.

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A Day in the Life: Vancouver DIY Landlord

Meet Jennifer. She owns 6 rental units across Vancouver and Burnaby while working as a marketing director downtown.

Jennifer’s Tuesday

6:30 AM - Wake up to 3 tenant texts that came in overnight

• One asking if they can hang a TV mount
• One reporting a slow-draining sink
• One confirming they received the rent receipt

7:15 AM - On SkyTrain to work, responding to texts and checking Craigslist listing performance for vacant unit

8:00 AM - 5:30 PM - At work, but interrupted by:

• 2 calls from prospective tenants (couldn’t answer, sent to voicemail)
• 4 more tenant texts
• 1 email from strata about a parking complaint

6:00 PM - Return calls to prospective tenants (one doesn’t answer, plays phone tag for next 2 days)

7:00 PM - Quick dinner, then research plumbers for the slow drain

8:00 PM - Drive to Burnaby property for a showing

• Tenant doesn’t show up
• 45 minutes wasted plus gas

9:15 PM - Return home, respond to more texts, update spreadsheet tracking rent payments

10:30 PM - Finally relax, but phone buzzes with another inquiry

Jennifer’s Tuesday: 3+ hours spent on property management (not counting mental energy and context-switching).

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The Opportunity Cost: What’s Your Time Actually Worth?

Let’s calculate the true cost of 200 hours:

If You Bill By The Hour

Profession	Hourly Rate	200 Hours =
Software Developer	$75-$150/hr	$15,000-$30,000
Lawyer	$200-$400/hr	$40,000-$80,000
Consultant	$100-$250/hr	$20,000-$50,000
Healthcare Professional	$75-$200/hr	$15,000-$40,000
Small Business Owner	$100-$300/hr	$20,000-$60,000

Even at a modest $50/hour, 200 hours = $10,000 in opportunity cost.

If You Value Life Balance

200 hours represents:

• 5 full work weeks
• 25 eight-hour Saturdays
• 200 hours not spent with family
• 200 hours not invested in your health
• 200 hours of stress and mental load

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The Mental Load No One Talks About

Time tracking only captures active hours. It misses the cognitive burden of being a landlord:

Always-On Anxiety

• Checking phone for tenant emergencies
• Worrying about that pending lease renewal
• Stressing about the vacancy that’s taking too long
• Wondering if you priced the unit correctly

Context Switching

• Interrupted during work meetings
• Distracted during family dinners
• Thinking about properties during vacations
• Never fully “off”

Decision Fatigue

• Should I approve this tenant?
• Is this repair urgent?
• Am I charging enough rent?
• Should I renew or find a new tenant?

This invisible load is exhausting—even when you’re not actively working on property tasks.

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How AI Automation Gives You Your Time Back

The New Math: 200 Hours → 35 Hours

Task Category	DIY Hours	With AI	Savings
Tenant Communication	50 hours	15 hours	70% reduction
Vacancy & Leasing	45 hours	10 hours	78% reduction
Maintenance Coordination	40 hours	10 hours	75% reduction
Financial Management	30 hours	5 hours	83% reduction
Compliance & Admin	25 hours	3 hours	88% reduction
Inspections & Showings	15 hours	7 hours	53% reduction
TOTAL	205 hours	50 hours	76% reduction

From 200+ hours to ~50 hours per year.

That’s 150 hours back in your life.

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Where AI Makes the Biggest Impact

1. Tenant Inquiry Response (Save 15-20 Hours)

Before AI:

• Receive inquiry notification
• Open email/text, read message
• Think about response
• Type response
• Wait for follow-up question
• Repeat 5-10 times per prospect

With AI:

• AI responds instantly, 24/7
• Answers 80% of common questions automatically
• Only involves you for complex or unique situations
• You review summaries at your convenience

Time per inquiry: 15 minutes → 0 minutes (for routine inquiries)

2. Showing Scheduling (Save 10-15 Hours)

Before AI:

• Phone tag to find mutual availability
• Send available times, wait for response
• Reschedule when conflicts arise
• Send reminders
• Handle no-shows

With AI:

• Prospects book directly from your availability calendar
• Automatic reminders sent
• Easy rescheduling without your involvement
• Self-showing options for vacant units

Time per showing: 20 minutes coordination → 0 minutes

3. Tenant Screening (Save 8-10 Hours)

Before AI:

• Collect applications manually
• Call employers for verification
• Call previous landlords
• Run credit checks (navigate multiple platforms)
• Compare applicants subjectively

With AI:

• Applications collected automatically
• Verification requests sent automatically
• AI pulls credit and background in one step
• Data-driven comparison and recommendations
• You make the final decision with complete information

Time per application: 2-3 hours → 15 minutes

4. Lease Generation (Save 5-8 Hours)

Before AI:

• Find lease template
• Update for current tenant/property
• Ensure BC RTA compliance
• Send for signature
• Chase for signed copy

With AI:

• One-click generation with tenant/property auto-populated
• BC RTA compliance guaranteed
• Digital signature built in
• Automatic storage and organization

Time per lease: 2-3 hours → 5 minutes

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Real Vancouver Landlord: From 200 Hours to 40 Hours

David’s Story:

David owns 8 units across Vancouver—4 in Mount Pleasant, 2 in New Westminster, and 2 in Coquitlam.

Before Propilot:

• Spent 25+ hours/month on property management
• Evenings and weekends consumed by tenant communication
• Dreaded vacancies because of the time involved
• Considered selling properties just to get his life back

After Propilot:

• Spends 5-6 hours/month on property management
• AI handles 90% of routine communication
• Last vacancy filled in 18 days with minimal involvement
• Kept properties AND got his weekends back

David’s Results:

Metric	Before	After
Monthly time spent	25+ hours	5-6 hours
Annual time spent	300+ hours	~70 hours
Time per vacancy	40+ hours	8 hours
Weekend work	Most weekends	Rarely

“I almost sold my properties because the time commitment was destroying my quality of life. Propilot saved my investment portfolio and my marriage.”

— David K., Mount Pleasant landlord

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Calculate Your Time Savings

Your Current Situation:

• Number of rental units: ___
• Hours spent per month on property management: ___
• Your hourly value (salary ÷ 2080, or freelance rate): $___

Your Annual Time Cost:

• Hours: ___ hours/month × 12 = ___ hours/year
• Dollar value: ___ hours × $___ /hour = $___/year

With AI Automation (75% reduction):

• New hours: ___ hours/year × 0.25 = ___ hours/year
• Hours saved: ___ hours/year
• Value of time saved: $___/year

Example (5 units, 20 hours/month, $75/hour):

• Current: 240 hours/year = $18,000 opportunity cost
• With AI: 60 hours/year = $4,500 opportunity cost
• Savings: 180 hours and $13,500/year

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What Will You Do With Your Extra 150 Hours?

This isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about reclaiming your life.

150 hours could mean:

🏔️ More Adventures

• Weekend hikes to Shannon Falls
• Ski trips to Whistler
• Summer days at Jericho Beach

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 More Family Time

• School events you used to miss
• Family dinners without phone interruptions
• Actual vacations where you unplug

💼 Career Advancement

• Taking on that big project at work
• Starting a side business
• Professional development

🧘 Personal Wellbeing

• Regular exercise
• Hobbies you’ve neglected
• Sleep without property anxiety

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Get Your Time Back

You became a landlord to build wealth—not to become a full-time property manager.

Propilot automates the time-consuming tasks:

• ✅ 24/7 AI tenant communication
• ✅ Automated showing scheduling
• ✅ Instant application screening
• ✅ One-click BC-compliant leases
• ✅ Smart maintenance coordination

So you can focus on what matters:

• 🎯 Strategic property decisions
• 🎯 Your actual career
• 🎯 Your family and life
• 🎯 Building long-term wealth

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Ready to Reclaim 150+ Hours Per Year?

📞 Contact us

Or visit propilot.tech to see how Vancouver landlords are getting their time back.

Your rental properties should work for you—not the other way around.

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Propilot serves landlords across Metro Vancouver, from Coal Harbour to Surrey, Burnaby to North Vancouver. Built for Canadian landlords who value their time.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much time does the average DIY landlord spend?

Our research shows 180-245 hours per year per unit for fully self-managing landlords. Landlords using modern automation tools can reduce this to 35-60 hours.

What tasks can AI actually handle?

AI excels at: inquiry response, showing scheduling, document generation, screening coordination, and routine communication. You remain in control of final decisions, complex issues, and personal relationship management.

Will tenants know they’re talking to AI?

Propilot’s AI communicates naturally and professionally. For routine inquiries, most tenants appreciate the instant response. For complex issues, conversations seamlessly escalate to you.

I only have one rental property. Is automation worth it?

Even for a single unit, vacancy periods and ongoing communication can consume 100+ hours annually. Automation provides significant time savings at any scale.

What if I enjoy being hands-on with my properties?

Propilot doesn’t replace your involvement—it eliminates busywork. You spend less time on repetitive tasks and more time on the aspects of property ownership you actually enjoy.