Have you ever considered renting it out?

I was at a party recently, listening to a guy I just met complain that his vacant house hadn't sold, so I asked the obvious question.  You see, I enjoy property management and include it as a core competency and revenue stream in my business plan.  Turns out he had tried renting it out a few times over the past several years with dismal results.  "Oh," I replied, "who did you have managing it?"  His response, a somber, "I did it myself."  All I could say was, "I think I found the problem."

In a market like we've got now, it's taking longer to sell houses and more property owners are finding themselves with vacant houses and two mortgages.  Before asking your sellers if about property management, know how you'll respond to their answer.  If it's not a primary component of the business you're building, refer it out whether the compensation is immediate or long-term.  If you're not familiar, it's too risky and too much trouble for you to "dabble", not to mention the fact that you wouldn't be doing what's best for your client.