Serenity Property Management
Out-of-state landlords · Lexington, KY

You own a Lexington rental. You live somewhere else. We handle it.

Kentucky tax compliance built in. Section 8 experience. No maintenance markups. Licensed KY brokers who actually answer the phone.

Talk to us Call (615) 585-4086

What's actually hard about owning a Lexington rental from another state

None of this is your fault. You bought a rental in Lexington because the numbers made sense — maybe a UK-area student house, maybe a Chevy Chase single-family, maybe a Section 8 property with reliable income. What you didn't sign up for is running a property management operation from another state.

That's what we do. All of it. From someone actually in Lexington.

Why out-of-state Lexington owners work with us

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Monthly ACH to your bank

Net rent proceeds deposited to any US bank account. Statement by the 10th, ACH shortly after.

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Twice-annual inspections

Full photo reports through your owner portal. Plus turnover inspections at every tenant change.

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No maintenance markups

Actual vendor invoices, no percentage add-on. Big deal when you can't verify the work yourself.

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4-hour response promise

Owner calls and emails answered within 4 business hours. Tenant emergencies dispatched immediately.

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Year-end tax package

1099, income and expense summary, and all vendor invoices for your CPA. Every year, no ask required.

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KY tax compliance help

We flag Kentucky nonresident filing requirements, LLET obligations, and property tax bill timing so nothing gets missed.

The Kentucky tax gotcha most out-of-state owners miss

Kentucky taxes rental income of nonresidents. Kentucky imposes a 4% flat individual income tax on rental income earned in the state, regardless of where the owner lives. You need to file a Kentucky nonresident return (Form 740-NP) and report the rental income. Federal deductions carry through, so your taxable Kentucky rental income is usually much lower than gross rents — but the filing is required regardless.

This surprises a lot of first-time out-of-state Lexington landlords, especially those coming from no-income-tax states like Tennessee, Florida, or Texas. If you own a Kentucky rental in your personal name, you're a Kentucky nonresident taxpayer. If you own it through an LLC, the LLC may also owe Kentucky Limited Liability Entity Tax (LLET) and be required to register with the Kentucky Secretary of State.

We can't file your taxes for you, but we can:

Full breakdown of the Kentucky landlord tax picture is in our out-of-state landlord tax guide.

Section 8 / HAP rentals — a special case for out-of-state owners

Section 8 rentals through the Lexington Housing Authority are a good fit for out-of-state owners because payments are reliable (LHA pays their portion by the 5th every month) and tenants tend to stay longer. But they also require someone physically in Lexington to handle:

If you own a Section 8 property in Lexington and you're managing it yourself from another state, you're either putting in more hours than a market-rate rental would take or you're missing things. We already manage Section 8 rentals through LHA — the operational rhythm is built in.

What the monthly cadence looks like

TimingWhat happens
1st – 5thRent collection window. Tenant portal, ACH, or check. LHA portion posts automatically for Section 8 properties.
5th – 8thLate fee assessment for non-payers. Follow-up contact. Payment plan discussions if applicable.
10thMonthly owner statement delivered. Every rent collected, every expense, every vendor invoice attached.
10th – 15thACH distribution to your designated bank account.
OngoingMaintenance requests processed through owner-approved thresholds. Anything above your threshold requires your approval.
Twice per yearFull property inspection with photo report.
January1099 and annual tax package delivered.

Frequently asked questions

Do out-of-state landlords have to file Kentucky taxes on rental income?

Yes. Kentucky imposes a 4% flat individual income tax on rental income earned in the state, regardless of where the owner lives. Out-of-state owners must file Form 740-NP (Kentucky nonresident return). Federal deductions carry through, so taxable Kentucky rental income is usually much lower than gross rents.

How do you handle emergency maintenance in Lexington when I live in another state?

Tenants call our direct line for emergencies. We dispatch a vetted local Lexington vendor within an hour and send you a same-day summary describing what happened, what the vendor is doing, and the estimated cost. You never wake up to a surprise invoice.

Can I get my Lexington rental income deposited to my out-of-state bank?

Yes. We ACH the net rent proceeds to any US bank account you designate. Most out-of-state owners receive their monthly distribution between the 10th and 15th, along with a detailed statement showing rent collected, expenses paid, vendor invoices, and net remittance.

How do you inspect the property when I can't be there?

We inspect properties twice per year with a photo report, plus an additional inspection at each tenant turnover. Photos are shared through your owner portal with dated captions. If you want more frequent inspections, we can arrange that as an add-on service.

What if my Lexington rental is Section 8?

We currently manage Section 8 rentals through the Lexington Housing Authority (LHA). Out-of-state owners of Section 8 properties benefit especially from having someone local — HQS inspections, HAP contract renewals, and tenant portion collections all require someone on the ground in Lexington who can respond same-day when LHA needs something.

What Kentucky property manager licensing should I verify?

Kentucky requires anyone managing property for others to hold a real estate broker's license issued by the Kentucky Real Estate Authority (KREA). Verify any Lexington property manager you consider has an active KREA firm license. We do — and we're happy to provide our license number on request.

How does Serenity compare to Real Property Management Bluegrass or PURE Property Management of Kentucky?

Bigger firms have more volume but often charge maintenance markups, use their own preferred vendor lists that inflate costs, and route calls through a central office. Serenity is smaller, family-run, and treats you like a client rather than an account number. If you want scale, use them. If you want honest and hands-on, use us.

Ready to talk about your Lexington rental?

Fifteen minutes. We'll ask you about the property, tell you what we'd charge, and if it's a fit we go from there. No sales pitch.

Get in touch

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