Is property management necessary for a non-resident investor?

A non-resident investor should treat the asset as a managed operation, not just passive ownership.
Without clear management, maintenance can be delayed, tenant communication can weaken, and opportunities to optimize occupancy or pricing can be missed.
If you own one simple annual-rental unit with a stable tenant, lighter oversight may be enough.
But as the operating complexity or distance increases, professional management becomes much more important.
It should not be viewed only as an extra cost, but as a layer of income protection and asset preservation.