Today we’d like to introduce you to Mo Hashem.
Hi Mo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Flat Fee Landlord was founded in 2009, in the wake of the housing crash, inspired by a deeply personal journey of resilience and vision. The company’s roots trace back to the family of the founder, Mo Hashem, who immigrated from Afghanistan to America with very little, seeking safety and opportunity. Growing up in a modest, working-class apartment, Mo saw firsthand how a stable home could transform a family’s future. This experience instilled a belief that everyone deserves a home where they can thrive, and that real estate can be a powerful tool for building security, wealth, and community.
After the housing crash, Mo launched Flat Fee Landlord because, as a realtor, he had several homes that could not be sold because there weren’t many buyers, but residents still needed a place to live. So he transformed himself from a realtor to a property manager. He placed reliable residents, managed maintenance requests, and Flat Fee Landlord was born. From there, the mission expanded to simplify real estate investing for everyone while building stronger communities. Flat Fee Landlord set out to make property management easy, accessible, and profitable for owners, while also creating environments where tenants could flourish.
Over the past 13 years, Flat Fee Landlord has grown from a small, mission-driven one-man show into a trusted partner for property owners and tenants alike. The company has continually invested in technology and streamlined processes, achieving a 99% success rate in tenant placement and focusing on maximizing income for clients through regular property analysis and efficient property turns. Flat Fee Landlord has also expanded its role as a wealth manager, offering expert guidance to help clients build profitable real estate portfolios.
Today, Flat Fee Landlord has expanded from the DMV area into Texas and Georgia, known for its commitment to excellence, integrity, and community-building initiatives. The company’s journey—from humble beginnings to managing thousands of units—reflects a dedication to making real estate investing less stressful and rewarding for clients, while fostering strong, supportive communities for residents.
Flat Fee Landlord was born from a desire to help others achieve stability and success through real estate. Over 13 years, the company has grown by staying true to its mission: simplifying real estate investing and building stronger communities, one property at a time.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Flat Fee Landlord’s journey has been shaped by overcoming significant struggles and learning from each challenge:
1. Entering a Tough Market:
The company was founded in 2009, just after the real estate crash, a time when most homeowners were “upside down” on their mortgages, making it nearly impossible to sell their homes. Similarly, Flat Fee Landlord founder, Mo Hashem, struggled financially as a new real estate agent, quickly burning through savings and realizing the need for smaller, quicker wins to stay afloat. This led to a pivot toward long-term rentals, which provided steady, reliable income for homeowners to pay their mortgages. And with Mo managing their rental properties, this extra income kept his business going during the slow sales season due to the recession.
2. Navigating Complexity and Uncertainty:
The real estate industry is complex, especially for new investors and landlords. Flat Fee Landlord learned the importance of simplifying processes, providing clear guidance, and supporting clients through uncertainty. This focus on education and transparency became a core part of the company’s value proposition. To this day, they offer new landlords resources and education to do it themselves if they’re interested in going that route.
3. Building Trust and Relationships:
Early on, Flat Fee Landlord recognized that trust is earned by consistently doing the right thing—delivering on promises, communicating clearly, and putting service first. Mistakes and setbacks were inevitable, but each was treated as a learning opportunity to improve systems, processes, and customer service.
4. Adapting to Change:
Flat Fee Landlord faced challenges in scaling operations, keeping up with technology, and meeting the evolving needs of both owners and tenants. By embracing a mindset of continuous improvement—“It doesn’t take time; it takes tries”—the team learned to adapt quickly, fix broken processes, and celebrate progress, even when it came in small steps.
5. Turning Problems into Opportunities:
Flat Fee Landlord adopted a culture of “peeling the onion”—digging deep to find the root cause of problems and using setbacks as opportunities to innovate and exceed expectations. Angry or frustrated customers were seen as a chance to create loyal advocates by going above and beyond to resolve issues.
Key Lessons Learned:
– Progress comes from practice, not just time.
– Every failure has a lesson; celebrate small wins.
– Fix the process, not just the symptoms.
– Exceptional service builds loyalty and long-term success.
These struggles and the lessons learned from them have shaped Flat Fee Landlord’s culture and approach, helping the company grow stronger and more resilient over the years.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Flat Fee Landlord?
What Should You Know About Flat Fee Landlord?
Flat Fee Landlord is a property management company founded in 2009 in the wake of the housing crash, with a mission to simplify property management and help both owners and tenants thrive in strong, supportive communities.
What Do We Do? What Do We Specialize In?
Full-Service Property Management:
We handle everything from tenant screening and leasing to rent collection, maintenance coordination, and compliance. Our goal is to take the headaches out of property management so owners can focus on what matters most to them while growing their wealth and the return on investment for their property.
Tenant Placement:
With a 99% success rate in tenant placement, we prioritize finding high-quality tenants, which means stable income, fewer vacancies, and less maintenance for your property. We achieve this through our 10-point tenant checklist, which includes verifying their identification, monthly household income, credit score, criminal and sex offender background, eviction history, open bankruptcies, and past landlord verification.
Income Maximization:
We conduct annual property analyses and use technology to maximize your rental income, minimize vacancy, and ensure your investment is working for you.
Wealth Management Guidance:
Our team provides expert advice on building profitable real estate portfolios, offering podcasts and personalized meetings to help clients grow their investments and expand their portfolios.
What Sets Us Apart?
Flat Fee Pricing:
Unlike traditional property managers who charge a percentage of rent, we offer transparent, flat-fee pricing—making our services more affordable and predictable for owners.
Customer-Centric Culture:
We put the customer at the center of every decision, focusing on proactive communication, responsiveness, and delivering exceptional service. We listen, clarify needs, and follow through.
Attention to Detail:
We believe “the details are the difference.” We don’t cut corners, and we honor the details in every aspect of our work—from leasing to maintenance to client communication.
Community Focus:
We’re not just about managing properties—we’re about building strong communities where tenants feel at home and owners feel confident in their investments.
What Are We Most Proud of Brand-Wise?
Resilience and Innovation:
We’re proud of our ability to adapt, innovate, and turn challenges into opportunities. Our journey from the aftermath of the housing crash to becoming a trusted partner for hundreds of owners is a testament to our commitment and resilience.
Exceptional Service and Trust:
We’re known for our reliability, transparency, and the trust we build with both owners and tenants. Our proactive approach and attention to detail have earned us a reputation for excellence.
What Do We Want Readers to Know?
Flat Fee Landlord is here to make property management simple, stress-free, and profitable. Whether you’re a first-time landlord or a seasoned investor, we offer the expertise, technology, and personal touch to help you succeed. Our flat-fee model, customer-first culture, and commitment to building strong communities set us apart in the industry. We’re not just managing properties—we’re nurturing investments and relationships and building stronger communities for the long term.
If you want a partner who values transparency, service, and results, Flat Fee Landlord is the team you can trust.
What’s next?
We have lofty internal goals for the next 10 years, which include managing 20,000 units by 2034, but past our internal number goals, our driving focus is to match families with home to create thriving communities, building a trusted name in property management and real estate, investing in team growth and fostering a strong, collaborative workplace culture, and empowering both clients and team members to reach their full potential.
Pricing:
- $130/month for property management services, annual contract
- $145/month for property management services, cancel anytime
- 1 month’s rent for tenant placement services
- $99/month for property management services for new customers for one year
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.houstonpropertymanager.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flatfeelandlord/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FlatFeeLandlord/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flat-fee-landlord
- Twitter: https://x.com/flatfeelandlord
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@FlatFeeLandlordVienna
Image Credits
Photos credit to Flat Fee Landlord.
