Property management questions owners ask

For full management in California, a monthly fee of 6% to 10% of collected rent is typical, with 8% the most common published rate. Lower rates often come with extra charges, so compare the total cost in writing. Read the guide: How much do property managers charge in California?

Most percentage-based managers charge only on rent actually collected, so there is no monthly fee while the home is empty. Some charge a minimum or a flat monthly fee; ask before you sign. Read the guide: How much do property managers charge in California?

Yes. The IRS treats fees you pay a property manager for a rental as a deductible rental expense (IRS Publication 527). Ask a tax professional about your own situation. Read the guide: How much do property managers charge in California?

Often, yes, especially if you have several units, a well-kept home or a long lease. Get two or three written quotes and compare the full list of fees, not just the monthly rate. Read the guide: How much do property managers charge in California?

Often yes if you live more than an hour away, work full time or are new to being a landlord. If you live nearby, have time and know the rules, managing one home yourself can work, with a leasing-only service to find the tenant. Read the guide: Is a property manager worth it?

For most absentee owners and owners of several units, yes: they handle tenants, repairs and legal notices. Compare the yearly cost with what your time and mistakes would cost. Read the guide: Is a property manager worth it?

Experience with your property type and area, an active DRE license, good and recent reviews, clear fees in writing, a fair contract you can end with reasonable notice, and good communication (owner portal, monthly statements). Read the guide: How to choose a property manager

Ask about every fee, maintenance markups, how they screen tenants, how fast they place tenants, how they report to you, who handles emergencies, how long the contract is and how to end it, and their license number. Read the guide: How to choose a property manager

No license number, vague or verbal-only fees, long contracts with big cancellation fees, pressure to sign quickly, mostly poor or no recent reviews, and no clear answer on who holds the deposit and rent money. Read the guide: How to choose a property manager

Two or three is usually enough to compare fees and approach. On our city pages you can tick up to 3 and send one request. Read the guide: How to choose a property manager

Both can work. Large firms bring systems and staff; small local managers often give more personal attention. What matters is experience with your kind of property, a manageable number of homes per manager, and clear communication. Read the guide: How to choose a property manager

Full management usually includes marketing the home, tenant screening, leases, rent collection, maintenance coordination, inspections, monthly statements and handling notices. Leasing-only service stops once a tenant has moved in. Read the guide: What does a property manager do?

They must follow fair housing law, cannot keep deposits or rents outside the rules for trust funds, cannot enter without proper notice, and in California generally must hold a real estate broker license (or work under one) to manage rentals for others. Read the guide: What does a property manager do?

Generally yes: a real estate broker license, or work under a licensed broker, to manage rentals for others for pay (Business and Professions Code 10131). On-site resident managers of apartment buildings are exempt. Read the guide: Do property managers need a license in California?

Use the California Department of Real Estate public license lookup (search by name or license number). Check that the license is active and that the name matches the company or its broker. Read the guide: Do property managers need a license in California?

A licensed real estate salesperson can do property management work only under their broker's supervision; a broker can manage property in their own right. Ask whose license the company operates under. Read the guide: Do property managers need a license in California?

We matched the listing to an active license in the Department of Real Estate's public file with a clear match. No badge does not mean a company is unlicensed; it means we could not make a clear match yet. Read the guide: Do property managers need a license in California?

Often one year that renews automatically, though some are month to month. Look for a fair notice period (often 30 days) and any cancellation or 'tenant placed by us' fee. Read the guide: What to check in a property management contract

Usually the manager holds it in a broker trust account and returns it under California's deposit rules. The contract should say where deposits and rent are held and how they are handed over if you end the agreement. Read the guide: What to check in a property management contract

Check the notice period and any fees in your contract, choose the new manager, give written notice, and arrange the hand-over of deposits, leases, keys and records. Then notify tenants in writing of the new payment details. Read the guide: How to switch property managers

Put your concerns in writing and ask for a fix with a deadline. If it doesn't improve, end the contract under its terms. For licensed brokers, you can file a complaint with the California Department of Real Estate. Read the guide: How to switch property managers

Under AB 1482, most rentals can rise at most 5% plus local inflation (CPI) per year, capped at 10% in any 12 months. Some homes are exempt, and some cities have stricter local rules. Read the guide: California rent increases and just-cause rules for owners

At least 30 days' written notice for increases of 10% or less in a 12-month period, and 90 days for larger increases (Civil Code 827). Allow extra days if you mail it. Read the guide: California rent increases and just-cause rules for owners

For most rentals, once a tenant has lived there 12 months you need a just cause listed in Civil Code 1946.2, such as non-payment or a lease breach, or a no-fault reason like moving in yourself, which usually requires relocation help. Read the guide: California rent increases and just-cause rules for owners

Generally one month's rent since July 1, 2024 (AB 12). Owners who are individuals (or certain LLCs or family trusts) with no more than two rental properties and four units can charge up to two months, except to service members. Read the guide: Tenant screening and security deposits in California

21 days after the tenant moves out, with an itemized statement of any deductions. Read the guide: Tenant screening and security deposits in California

In California you cannot refuse a tenant because they pay with a housing voucher; source of income, including vouchers, is protected (SB 329). You can still apply the same screening to the tenant's share of the rent. Read the guide: Tenant screening and security deposits in California

We started with every property management listing on Google in California and kept only active companies that manage rentals for owners. We removed closed or duplicate listings, landlords that only rent out their own buildings, vacation-rental-only and out-of-state companies, businesses that don't manage property at all, HOA-only and commercial-only firms, companies rated under 2.5 stars, and companies with little sign of recent business activity.

Best match and our review badges use each company's Google rating adjusted for how many reviews it has, so a 4.8 from 100 reviews beats a 5.0 from 2. Highly Recommended needs 100+ reviews and strong recent reviews; User Recommended needs a high adjusted rating and strong reviews in the last 12 months. Years in business come from the company's own license date or a founding year on its website.

No. Listing is free and rankings follow our published rules. If we ever offer featured spots, they will be clearly labelled.

Yes. Requesting quotes is free for property owners, with no obligation to hire anyone.

Only the managers named on the last step of the form, before you press send, plus our team so we can confirm it was delivered.

Most managers reply within one to two business days. If you are in a hurry, call the managers directly; their phone numbers are on each listing.