About Us

We’re a modern company firmly grounded in our unique history.

Werner Ludwig founded Zen Rent Property Management in 1991. He had been a real estate agent since 1975, and he was often known to say - “real estate is tuff.” He wasn’t afraid of the hard work, and became a successful real estate agent, eventually ranking as one of the three top sales agents in the U.S.

Property management was a natural progression, and with his wife Annette, Werner began managing residential homes. As the property management part of his business really began to take off, Werner began Zen Rent to focus on managing investment homes for owners.

Zen Rent Property Management was founded through real estate experience, diligence, and the innovative idea that real estate investors could use the same experts to purchase investment properties and have them professionally managed. Werner and Annette Ludwig created the most effective model for professional management in the East Valley.

Meet the Team

Russell Hathcock » Designated Broker
Picture of Russell Hathcock
Russell Hathcock became the Designated Broker and co-owner of Zen Rent Property Management in 2009, and bought the company from Werner and Annette when they retired in 2014. Russell owns his own investment properties, and brings that perspective to the management values of the company. An expert in real estate trends and local market topics, Russell has published numerous articles and can often be heard on the Rex Parry radio show on 1100am KFNX. Russell participates in numerous professional associations, including NARPM, the National Association of Realtors, and the Southeast Valley Association of Realtors. He holds leadership positions on several boards and chapters.
Bailee Montplaisir » Bookkeeper
Picture of Bailee Webb
Bailee provides communication and administrative support to the entire Zen Rent Property Management team, as well as the owners and tenants who work with us. She’s friendly, responsive, and can often anticipate what people need before they even ask. Everyone enjoys Bailee’s unique combination of youthful energy and calm maturity.
Eric Ludwig » Business Development Manager
Picture of Eric Ludwig
Eric has been in and around property management his whole life. As he says, “One of the things I love most in life is the opportunity to meet new people and to really connect with them. I guess that's one of the reasons I love working in the real estate industry.” He first started as a realtor in his early 20's. He has helped many people buy and sell their homes and learned to acquire real estate for himself and was able to buy his own home at the age of 22 and went on to invest in additional properties and turned them into rental homes. Today he’s proud to be a part of the Zen Rent team and looks forward to connecting with owners and tenants.

Free Rental Analysis


Reach out to us any time to discuss your rental investment management needs.

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