About Us: Real Property Management Advantage in Ferndale, MI

Craig Bitel

Owner – RPM Advantage

I began my career in real estate during the Great Recession, finding my first investment property in 2010 while walking the neighborhood with my dogs. With that success, I continued to spend spare time buying, renovating, and leasing homes all while pursuing my career as an I.T. Program Manager in the automotive industry.

As I added a new property each year or two, I learned critical lessons- one being that people need a quality place to live no matter what’s going on in the economy or outside world. I also learned what residents really value in a home and that this is key to keeping a great tenant long-term and maximizing owner return on investment.

Ten years later and with plenty of research, I moved my personal investments to Real Property Management and left the I.T. world for good. I opened Real Property Management Advantage near downtown Ferndale- a perfect location right in the center of metro Detroit.

I love helping each of my clients reach their financial goals without doing the difficult landlord work themselves. I enjoy renovation projects and working with our staff and selected contractors to protect my clients’ investments and give the best possible experience for our tenant residents.

My team and I are always available for rental price analyses, renovation ideas, landlord/tenant concerns, and more. Don’t hesitate to contact me to find out more. I look forward to working with you!

Immer Cruz

Administrative Assistant

Immer is the administrative assistant in our office, with 10 years of account management and customer service experience. Fluent in English and Spanish, she’ll usually be the one to answer phone calls and help you with any inquiry. Immer coordinates maintenance requests and assists residents and owners with their utility accounts. She has proven invaluable with the office’s process automation software. This helps ensure that owners, residents, vendors, and our internal team are all kept in the loop on important dates and tasks- helping us deliver best in class service. Additionally, Immer coordinates property evaluations and city rental inspections for properties that are enrolled in these services.

As a new homeowner, she’s grateful for the experience she’s gained working at RPM Advantage. Solving problems for our residents and owners has given Immer insight about how to best overcome obstacles involving her own home.

Immer enjoys spending time with her daughter, cat, and dog. She also loves reading historical fiction books and is looking to learn a new language.

Monty Whitson

Property Manager

Monty is a dedicated Property Manager on the RPM Advantage team in Ferndale, MI, serving clients across the Metro Detroit area. Originally from Owosso, a small city near Michigan’s capital, Lansing, he brings a grounded, people-first approach to his role at Real Property Management Advantage-shaped in part by his small-town upbringing.

He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from Central Michigan University, where he had a concentration in professional sales and taught public speaking for two years. After relocating to Metro Detroit with his now-fiancée, he began his real estate career and has been a licensed agent since 2022, helping countless families secure quality rental homes.

With a long-term goal of owning rental properties himself, Monty approaches property management as a hands-on way to master every aspect of the rental lifecycle. He values transparency, clear communication, and a service-first mindset. At RPMA, his focus is on growing the company’s portfolio, supporting owners, and ensuring tenants feel at home in the properties he manages.

When he’s not focused on real estate, you’ll find Monty attending Toastmasters meetings, traveling, playing pickleball, working out, watching great TV shows, diving into self-improvement books, or tuning into his favorite podcasts.