Durr Property Management

** Update: Durr Property Management has since changed their name to Capitol Area Property Management and Barbara Durr has changed her name to Barbara Ables. Now, I could be wrong, but after finding multiple, 1 star, scathing reviews on Yahoo and Unilocal about this woman’s business, my take is that she’s running away from the bad reviews. **
When I lived in Austin, I purchased a condo as a retirement investment located 2 blocks from campus at Rio Grande and Martin Luther Blvd: 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath, modern, 2-​level, with parking. Easy to rent, right?
By the time Barbara Durr had it in her management for 5 months, she had found no one to rent the property. My cushion of savings had been drained, and I had to sell my place. Barbara wins my lifetime achievement award of incompetence on all levels.
Note: My prior management (who moved out of state) had rented it for 3 years to 3 different renters. No gaps. No problem.
My first meeting with Durr over the phone was wonderful. She spoke of her personal service, of how she leaves chocolates for renters each Christmas with hand-​written cards. Her rates were reasonable. I was excited to find someone so hands-​on.
Here are my fatal assumptions:
1) That Durr Property knew their market:
Barbara assured me she could get $ 1200/​mo. She assured me it was a «hot market». After 5 months, she blamed the vacancy on a «saturated market» and that it wasn’t her fault.
I later discovered via comparative research and asking other management companies that she over-​priced by $ 150/​mo. She also missed the crucial window of returning students in the fall.
2) I assumed all management companies were MLS members (Multiple Listings Service which provides all agents with all properties available). An absolute necessity for management.
However, Barbara relied on sticking signs in the front yard, and billing me for advertisement in the Statesman and campus paper. It took me 3 months to discover this, at which point I suggested Craigslist, but she didn’t know how to use the internet, so I posted my own adds!
3) That she was competent: I mailed her a check for $ 900 to pay for painting that she insisted I needed (paint was 3 years old). Somehow the check didn’t arrive, and she called me telling me she could never trust me and I was deceiving her. So, I Fed Ex’d a check (and anything else I mailed after that) to maintain peace.
She also requested that she be a co-​signer on my checking account. This was my own stupidity in allowing her this, but I did. 2 months later, I go into Wells Fargo and they tell me my account has been closed. Barbara Durr closed my checking account! When I called her, she said it was a mistake, and that she was sorry. Woops. Dear Barbara, what else can you be of service for at this point?
There are several other lesser incidences, but the above covers the worst. I believe the woman is incompetent in all arenas. She is internet illiterate, and has serious mood swings.
I fired her and hired new management to sell my property. They suggested I rent it month to month until it sold. They had someone in my property within 2 weeks, but by that time it was too late. I was broke after paying 2 rents for over 5 months, and couldn’t risk missing a mortgage payment or resorting to credit card cash advances. I sold my property. Barbara Durr should retire and burn her license. Do Not Use This Woman’s Services.