San Diego Property Management Fees: What You'll Pay and What's Included

Reviewed by Brendan McKee, Managing Broker, DRE #01882732, on October 21, 2026.

What you pay a San Diego property manager depends on how the fees are built, not on one headline rate. Pricing often combines an ongoing management fee with one-time charges for placing a tenant, renewals, setup and repairs, and two quotes with the same monthly rate can cost very different amounts over a year. Get every fee in writing, with what each one covers, and price out a realistic year for your property.

Key takeaways

• No reliable public source tracks San Diego management fees, so this guide quotes no rates or ranges. Compare written quotes instead.
• Ask for every fee type, not just the monthly one: leasing, renewal, setup, repair markups, vacancy and termination charges.
• "What's included" matters as much as the price. Inspections, notices, deposit handling and after-hours calls may be included or billed separately.
• California law requires compensation to be disclosed and limits what tenants can be charged, so tenant-side fees can't quietly fund a low owner fee.
• The termination clause is part of the price. Read it before you sign.

The fee types you'll see

Some managers also ask for a reserve balance so routine repairs can be paid without waiting for you. A reserve is your money held in the broker's trust account, not a fee. Ask how much is required and when it is replenished. Our guide to property management agreements explains where each of these appears in the contract.

What "included" should mean

Ask the manager to walk through a normal year and say which fee covers each task. Items most often handled differently:

• Periodic inspections during the tenancy, and whether you get photos.
• Move-out photos, and move-in photos for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025, which California requires (Civ. Code § 1950.5(g)), and the itemized deposit statement due within 21 days after the tenant moves out.
• Rent increase notices checked against the state cap. For covered rentals in San Diego County, the cap is 8.2% for increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 (Civ. Code § 1947.12). As of October 2026, Penal Code § 396 also generally bars raising advertised or charged rent more than 10% above the pre-emergency amount while the Tropical Storm Rachel emergency is in effect, stated through November 14, 2026; check whether it has been extended.
• City of San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance notices for properties in the City, where a defective termination notice is void (SDMC § 98.0710).
• After-hours emergency handling.
• Year-end statements and the Form 1099-MISC the manager issues for rent paid over to you ($600 threshold for 2025 payments, $2,000 for 2026 payments).
• For owners who live outside California, the Franchise Tax Board's 7% withholding on rent paid through a manager, which generally applies once payments exceed $1,500 in a calendar year, computed after the management fee.

If a task is not in the agreement, assume it is billed separately or not done. For the full task list, see what a San Diego property manager does.

Markups and disclosure

Some managers add a charge to vendor invoices or bill coordination time; others pass invoices through at cost. Either can be legitimate. What California prohibits is hidden pay: a licensee can be disciplined for a "secret or undisclosed amount of compensation, commission, or profit" (Bus. & Prof. Code § 10176(g)). Any benefit a broker receives for where it places the trust account belongs to you unless you agree otherwise in writing (10 CCR § 2830). Ask that every form of compensation be listed in the agreement and that original invoices come with your statements.

Fees that can't be passed to tenants

Tenant-paid fees can't make up for a low owner fee. As of October 2026:

• Screening fees are limited to actual cost, with a $30 statutory cap adjusted annually for inflation since 1998; the California Apartment Association puts the adjusted maximum at $65.86 as of December 2025. The fee may be charged only under a first-come process with written criteria, or with a refund to every applicant not selected (Civ. Code § 1950.6).
• No fee for serving notices, and no fee for paying rent by check (Civ. Code §§ 1946.1(i), 1947.3).
• Move-in charges count toward the deposit cap. Cleaning, key and pet deposits all count toward the deposit limit (Civ. Code § 1950.5).
• Positive rent reporting, where it applies, can cost the tenant no more than the lesser of actual cost or $10 a month (Civ. Code § 1954.07).
• Advertised prices generally must include mandatory fees (Civ. Code § 1770(a)(29)). How far this reaches rent ads is debated, so list mandatory fees with the rent.

Ask each manager for its list of tenant-side fees and confirm each one fits current law. Our page on application screening fees covers that rule in more depth.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm the details for your situation with a California attorney or tax professional.

How to compare two quotes

Price one realistic year for your property rather than comparing rates side by side:

1. Add twelve months of the management fee at your expected rent.
2. Add one tenant placement or one renewal, whichever is likely.
3. Add the setup fee and a handful of routine repair calls with any coordination charge.
4. Add one rent increase notice and one inspection, if billed separately.
5. Note the termination fee you would owe if the relationship didn't work.

Then set management against your other carrying costs. Our guide to the cost of renting out a San Diego home has a worksheet. For the wider picture of full-service work, see San Diego property management.

Frequently asked questions

How much do property managers charge in San Diego?

There is no verified figure. No reliable public source tracks San Diego management fees, and managers build their pricing differently. Expect a monthly management fee plus some combination of leasing, renewal, setup and repair charges. Ask each manager for a full written fee schedule and compare the total for a realistic year.

Is a percentage fee better than a flat fee?

Neither is automatically better. A percentage of rent collected ties the manager's pay to rent actually received, while a flat fee is predictable. Ask whether a percentage applies to rent collected or rent due, whether a flat fee is charged when the property is vacant, and what each one covers.

Do property managers mark up repairs?

Some do and some pass invoices through at cost. A markup is not illegal, but it must be disclosed, because undisclosed compensation is a ground for license discipline in California (Bus. & Prof. Code § 10176(g)). Ask for the markup in writing and for original vendor invoices with your statements.

Do property managers charge a lease renewal fee?

Some do. Ask whether a renewal fee applies, whether it covers preparing the rent increase notice, and whether it is charged on month-to-month tenancies. Get the answer in the fee schedule.

Does McKee Properties publish its management fees?

No. McKee does not publish a fee schedule. Contact McKee about pricing for your property, and compare any quote you receive with others using the checklist above.

Next step: ask for a written quote

See fees against realistic income by asking for a quote and a rent estimate together. McKee Properties has managed San Diego rentals since 1982. Request a free San Diego rental analysis, or call (619) 435-7780 with questions about pricing.