The property management industry has a credibility problem. Great operators exist, but there's never been a reliable way to tell them apart from the ones who collect rent and call it a day.
That's why we built TrueMatch™ and our certification ecosystem. And it's why we partnered with Jason Wolf and PM University to launch the Asset Manager Certification, a verified education credential for residential property managers.
The gap we kept running into
Before PropertyManagement.com, both Matt and I ran property management companies. We lived the day-to-day. Leasing calls. 2 AM maintenance emergencies. Owner conversations that started with "why did you spend that?" and ended with tension.
What we learned is that the PMs who retain premium clients are the ones who can advise owners on strategy. They sit across from an owner and say: "Here's what your property is worth today, here's the decision that matters this quarter, and here's why."
That's asset management.
As operators, our biggest competitor was DIY property management. We kept meeting owners who'd been burned by operators who couldn't articulate the value of professional management, so they stopped believing in it altogether.
I saw it from the investor side too. If a property manager can't walk me through basic cash flow but is telling me a $1,200 repair is necessary, something's off. That gap between doing the work and communicating its value is what this certification closes.
Why Jason Wolf and PM University
We needed a partner who understood residential property management from the inside. Someone who had already built something excellent and believed this industry deserves better education. That partner turned out to be Jason Wolf.
Jason is a retired military veteran, University of Utah graduate, and someone who's been in property management for two decades. He's the Principal Broker and CEO of Utah Property Solutions, co-founded Heartland Management, and in late 2024 founded PM University. After our first conversation and diving into his courses a bit, we tagged what they’re doing as "super impressive" with "a vision that's just better" than what exists today.
Jason assembled a roster of instructors who are actual practitioners. One example is Brad Randall, who manages residential, multifamily, and commercial portfolios, teaches property management at BYU, and serves as a national IREM instructor. The courses use PhD-level instructional design, real assessments, and practical frameworks that come from running actual PM companies.
PM University's mission is to "turn potential into performance" through on-demand courses, cohort-based Mini-MBA programs, and live workshops. They focus on team-level development, educating the people who actually do the work every day.
Two missions, one direction
PropertyManagement.com is the industry's trust layer. We verify actual performance data like leasing speed, repair times, rent collection, trust accounting, and pricing accuracy so property owners can make informed decisions. Our certifications prove that a company's claims are backed by real data.
PM University equips teams to perform at that level. Jason built it because the industry lacked a structured path to develop the skills that actually drive outcomes for owners.
We verify performance. They build the capability behind it. Better education, better outcomes, verified proof.
When Jason told us, "I don't want to just hook my wagon to anybody — I like the vision, I like where it's going," we felt the same way.
What the certification is
Four on-demand courses, each about 20 minutes, covering the competencies that separate a property manager from an asset manager:
- Two Perspectives, One Property — Aligning owners and operators around value.
- Measuring Success: Metrics that Drive Decisions — A reporting cadence owners actually read, leading with decisions instead of data dumps.
- Investor Math that Matters — Cash flow, cap rates, and ROI at a level you can use in owner conversations without turning every meeting into a finance lecture.
- Everyday Decisions, Big Impact — Connecting day-to-day choices on repairs, pricing, and turns to long-term asset value.
The curriculum was developed by Brad Randall. He walks you through the terms, math, and mindset of an asset manager, all grounded in his experience running a PM company and advising real owners every day.
Complete the learning path, and PM University sends your certificate directly to us for verification. No self-reporting. Once verified, the Asset Manager badge appears on your TrueMatch™ profile and contributes to improved positioning.
Why this matters
If you talk to property owners regularly, this is for you. These skills are what separates the companies that retain premium clients from the ones competing on price.
When a prospect says their last PM "just collected rent," you want to show them, with a verified credential, that your team thinks and operates differently. Every certification we offer shifts the conversation from promises to proof. This one does it for the most important thing you can demonstrate: the ability to protect and grow an owner's investment.
The industry is full of companies claiming 99% occupancy and best-in-class service. Owners are numb to it. The certification ecosystem we're building with partners like PM University changes that with verified education and real accountability.
Get started
Whether or not your company is verified on PropertyManagement.com, you can start the Asset Manager Certification on the PM University partner campus.
For a detailed look at the learning path and how verification works, read the companion guide: Asset Manager Certification: The Guide for Property Managers.