Not landlord. Not a real estate investor. Not a property manager (legally.) We need a new name for what we do. Ideas?

Public Safety Office?... fireman? Policeman? Councilor?

What is wrong with any of them? I realize you don't like property manager because it is a legal name but so what you have the right to manage your own properties anyway. bosslady?

Why not landlord, if that's what you do?

I also am a landlord ...to my tenants and to the world at large. I've never understood what seems to be a popular thought on here about hiding who and what you are.

We could all use the name our tenants call us?

Are you looking for something to put on your business cards?

You could do "NC Homes" and then under it, with your name, put "WMH, Manager."

Rental Manager

Leasing Agent

Housing Agent

Housing Provider

When I let the plumber/HVAC guy in after no one answers my courtesy knock, I call out, "Landlady!" It's short, to the point, and everyone knows what you're talking about.

You also have a title for business cards. That will be more formal, and can get into playing-with-words territory. My title is technically "President", because that's my function as owner of the single-member LLC... but it only comes into play for legal documents.

Ultimately, a landlord is a lessor of property, even if it's more residential than agricultural. (In the past, it was both.) And "lord" actually refers to a role as "head of the household" or "master of servants" if you trace the etymology back to the Old English, "hlaford." So "lord" is actually more like "boss" or "the guy who makes sure everyone under him does what they're supposed to do", rather than "aristocratic" or "noble."

Deanna is right on the money with her etymology. As an English nerd by both love and training (B.S. in Ed) I love looking at where words come from and how meanings have changed over time.

It's interesting that "lord" also has relation to the Scottish word "laird", who was a property-owning person with a (possibly large) established estate that ranked between nobleman and gentleman. So basically anyone who had property in the family for more than a decade or two could be the "laird of the manor." Even it they had no formal title. His English equivalent was an esquire or yeoman (both referring to landed gentry) who established a freehold estate, but who did not hold any form of 'peer' ranking among nobility. Ironically, some of the yeoman amassed estates that were larger and more profitable than many petty nobles because of diligent management.

All this to say, you can wear the title land lord proudly and without any pretense!

But if you truly prefer, here are a few ideas:

* Leasing Specialist

* Housing Merchant/Provider

* Residential Relations Coordinator (RRC for short)

I just stick with "I'm the Manager." Notice, I omit the word "property" specifically to avoid any legal technicalities.

I stick with Property manager.

It still meets the definition. You manage property.

WMH, Investor.

?

WMH, House Renter

?

WMH, Property Owner

?

"I'm not a "Lord" and I don't rent land. Seems like an archaic term"

Agreed!

Yes and its become a derisive term to much of the populous.

Add term "absentee landlord" if you don't live on your property. The news media uses this term very often, its about in the middle between a horse thief and a murderer. I believe its below the term (gasp!) lawyer!

The junk man is now a recycle manager, a Liberal is now a Progressive, undertaker,mortician often now a funeral director. just to name a few changes based on the public's perception of a name.

I remember 30 years ago when the girl I thought I would marry said after I purchased my 1st unit and was looking for another, and she said,..."but you don't want to be known as a,......LAND LOOOOOORRRRD" (Like the word landlord was the dirtiest word in the world),..she was happy with my professional status and didn't want me besmirched with that landlord cognomen.

I found her family felt the same way.

About being proud, well I never felt that I had to act like some of my fellow LL's that wants everyone to know how much the "Own" re property/s (If you really think you own properties,. try not paying your property taxes or your mortgage if you have any,.for a little while.)

W,

Our business’ tagline “Homes withOUT the bank”.

At city hall we are The Affordable Housing Providers.

And you know I’m the manager.

This will upset some readers but for my safety and the safety of my family I use a nickname and no last name when talking to our prospects or residents.

Asset Manager