When you're ready to start purchasing rental properties, you have a big decision to make: Do you hire a professional property management company or take care of it yourself? Each option has its pros and cons, and there is no clear universal answer. Which direction you should go is dependent on your financial situation, your experience, and to what extent you're wanting to be involved with your investments. It is also dependent in large part if you decide to be an Out-of-Area Investor.  Many real estate investors choose to buy properties in other parts of the country because of better returns, less expensive pricing and more stable rental environments.