Property Management in San Diego

San Diego Property Management

Serving San Diego and Surrounding Communities
McKee Properties is one of San Diego’s leading property management and leasing companies. Since 1982 we have helped thousands of San Diego renters and property owners with their rental and management  needs, and we continue to be an industry leader in the markets we serve. We invite you to learn more about us, and our innovative systems that help us rent your property faster.

Row of blue Victorian houses on a city street
Team collaborating over a design thinking process diagram and mobile app wireframes on a table

Marketing

Marketing rental property has never been more competitive. With technology playing a major role in this ever changing industry, we strive to embrace the latest technologies to ensure that your property is exposed to the widest possible audience of qualified prospects.

Online Advertising – this is the foundation of a successful marketing campaign to get your property rented fast.

We advertise your property 24/7 on over 100 websites, including some of these popular sites:

  • AHRN.com
  • Show Me The Rent
  • Apartment Advisor
  • ApartmentLove
  • ClassifiedAds
  • CollegeHouse.com
  • Dwellsy
  • EveryApartment
  • Rent College Pads
  • Rentable
  • RentalSource.com
  • Uloop Free
  • Apartment List
  • Apartments.com
  • CallitHome
  • EveryRent
  • ForLeaseByOwner
  • FRBO
  • Homes.com

  • HotPads (Zillow Rental Network)
  • Hunt
  • KeyLasso
  • Lovely
  • PadMapper
  • RadPad/Priority Real Estate Technology, LLC
  • RealRentals
  • Realtor.com
  • RentFocus
  • RentHop
  • rentler
  • RentLingo
  • Trintals
  • Trovit
  • Trulia (Zillow Rental Network)
  • UniversityParent (Uloop)
  • Walk Score
  • Westside Rentals
  • Zillow (Zillow Rental Network)
  • Zumper

FREE Professional Photography

Once you sign up for full-service management, we will provide professional photography to showcase your property. Professional-grade pictures attract renters faster.

Online Guest Cards – With our easy to use online guest cards, prospects can request a showing and request more information at the touch of a button, 24hrs a day, 7 days a week. Once a guest card is received, the prospect will receive a prompt response from one of our team members.

Signage – McKee Properties has gained the reputation as an industry leader in the San Diego rental market. With over 40 years in the industry, our signature red, green and blue FOR RENT signs have become a familiar sight around San Diego County.

Person holding a smartphone with social media notification icons overlaid, laptop in background

Leasing

Same day private showings – Many property management companies only show your property one day a week and hold open houses as opposed to private showings. Industry research has proven private showings to be much more effective, as prospects don’t feel rushed and can ask questions one-on-one with the leasing agent. Same day showings also accommodate unique schedules – we are not a one-size fits all company. We work around people’s schedules.

Online Rental Applications with pay by credit card option – Tenants can apply on-the-spot during their showing using their personal smartphone or tablet. This results in a much higher closing ratio for resident conversion. Gone are the days of paper applications and personal checks to process screening reports.

Hands signing a lease agreement document
Hands reviewing a tenant screening form on a clipboard

Resident Screening

Properly screening prospective residents is one of the most important aspects of a successful property management plan. Accurately qualifying your resident will result in better resident selection and a higher probability of on-time rent payments. Your prospective resident will be thoroughly screened using our proprietary “Triple Check” underwriting system, which includes the following credential verifications:

  • Credit Check
  • Eviction Database Search
  • Criminal Background Check
  • Employment / Income Verification

Accounting Services

Our top notch accounting systems are designed to make your life easier. Our scale enables us to have the accounting staff necessary to make sure your property is operating efficiently. There is much more involved than simply cashing your residents rent check every month. We take it a step further and offer the following services, all included in your monthly management fee:

Electronic Banking – on time income distributions ACH or wire transferred directly to your bank account of choice.

Electronic reporting – with our easy to use online owner’s portal, you can access your owner account 24/7 with up-to-date information about your property. Want to see if your resident has paid rent? Forgot how much that window repair cost? Log on and get up-to-date information about all your income and expenses.

Bill Pay – our goal is to make your life easier! We have the ability to pay all of your bills through our bill pay system, assuming there is positive cash flow on a recurring monthly basis. Common recurring bills we pay for many of our clients include gardener, utility accounts, HOA dues, pool service, mortgage payments, insurance, and annual property taxes.

Customized Reports – we can generate a variety of reports based upon your needs, ranging from monthly income and expense reports, 12 month report formatting, cash and disbursements journals, rent rolls and much more.

Year-End Tax Prep – at the end of the year, don’t worry about scrambling to find invoices and receipts. Our accounting department will handle every detail for you and provide you with a year-end tax statement showing all of your income and expenses in one report, including a Form 1099 to accompany your tax filing. All you need to do is hand these two items to your tax preparer!

Modern high-rise apartment buildings against a blue sky
Maintenance technician holding a clipboard in a garage setting

Maintenance

Competitive Rates – Our hourly rates are competitive, and we stand behind our work.

Faster turn-times – We have full control over your required maintenance and it’s in our best interest to get the job done faster! Faster maintenance = faster lease-up, which results in more income for you.

Preventive Maintenance – we place a great deal of importance on preventive maintenance. Each time our property is inspected, your manager will document your property’s condition. From that inspection, we will recommend any needed repairs or improvements, carried out only by licensed and insured contractors.

Risk Management

Risk management is one of the most critical aspects of a successful property management plan, but one that is often overlooked by landlords. We take important steps to mitigate risk and protect you from liability.

Annual Health & Safety Audit – We strive to provide safe and comfortable environments for our residents. In order to ensure that our residents premises are safe, we conduct an annual health and safety audit, including a questionnaire that each resident is required to complete to confirm that minimum health and safety standards are being met, and further to provide us with written documentation of any property discrepancies. Residents are required to contact their local utility company to schedule free courtesy inspections of their gas appliances, including heating systems and water heaters. This annual audit helps protect our residents and also helps to shield our clients from some of the liabilities associated with the rental property ownership.

Lease Renewal Inspections – In addition to inspecting your property each time a resident moves out, we will also perform a comprehensive interior inspection as a condition of renewing your resident’s lease for subsequent terms. Our pro-active lease renewal procedures are instrumental in ensuring that your property is being properly cared for by your resident, and that any deferred maintenance issues are properly addressed.

Legal Representation – Our firm has one of the state’s leading landlord advocate attorney’s on retainer to keep us up to date on the rapidly changing landscape of landlord-tenant law.

Collections – We partner with one of the nation’s largest collections agencies to ensure that in the rare event that a resident leaves with a delinquent balance, it is aggressively pursued.

Team of property management professionals reviewing documents together
Property manager reviewing documents with tenants

Resident Relations

We value our residents. In the property management business, there is nothing more important than having happy residents. By ensuring that your residents are happy in their rented premises, you will have lower turnover which saves you significant money in the long-run. Here are a few of the things we do to ensure the highest level of resident satisfaction:

Resident Surveys – we periodically survey our residents to ensure that they are enjoying their new home. Following completion of service orders, we again follow-up to make sure the work was completed satisfactorily, and that our contractors were punctual, efficient and friendly.

Rental Payment Options – paying rent has never been easier! We offer state of the art technology to make paying rent an easy process for your resident. By a touch of a button, residents can make online rent payments and/or schedule recurring ACH payments from a bank account of choice, resulting in higher rates of on-time rent payments.

Online Maintenance Requests – residents can submit a non-emergency maintenance request online, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Resident Communications – we have designated staff members who are here to assist residents with any issues or questions that arise during their tenancy. We are often told that our staff is very accessible. When our owners or residents call, we are there for them.

HOA Rules and Regulation Enforcement – All residents who rent a property with a homeowner’s association will be provided with a copy of the association rules and regulations during the lease signing. We ensure that your resident is complying with HOA rules and regulations, and act as the liaison between the HOA and the resident should an issue arise.

San Diego's Choice for Property Management

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    San Diego property management: an owner's guide

    Property management in San Diego means running a rental for its owner: pricing and marketing the home, screening applicants, preparing the lease, collecting rent, handling repairs, renewals and move-outs, and keeping the records the City of San Diego and the State of California require. What sets San Diego apart is the rulebook. In the City of San Diego, tenants have just-cause protection from the first day of a tenancy under the City's tenant protection ordinance, rental owners owe the annual Rental Unit Business Tax unless an exemption applies, and short-term rentals need a City license. Chula Vista and Imperial Beach have their own tenant ordinances, and California's rent cap applies across the county.

    The guides below follow the questions owners actually ask, in the order they usually come up: whether to rent at all, what the local rules require, which kind of rental and management fits, and how to choose, hire or switch a property manager. Every rule was checked against official sources in October 2026, and the guides were reviewed by Brendan McKee, Managing Broker (DRE #01882732), on October 21, 2026.

    San Diego rules every rental owner should know (as of October 2026)

    RuleWhere it appliesWhat it means for owners
    Tenant protection ordinance (SDMC §§ 98.0701 to 98.0710)City of San DiegoJust cause is required from the start of a tenancy of more than 30 days (fixed terms of three months or less are excluded). No-fault terminations pay relocation of two months' rent, or three months for tenants who are 62 or older or disabled. Qualifying single-family homes and condos are exempt only if the tenant received the City's exemption notice, which must be in the lease for tenancies from January 1, 2024.
    Rental Unit Business TaxCity of San DiegoOwed every year by anyone who owns, operates or manages residential rental property, including a single rented house or condo: $50 per parcel plus $5 per unit for 1 to 10 units, plus a $4 state fee, generally due March 1. The City bills back up to three years.
    Short-term rental license (STRO)City of San DiegoShort-term stays need a City license in one of four tiers. Whole-home licenses are capped: Mission Beach had none available as of October 9, 2026. ADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals.
    Rent cap (Civil Code § 1947.12)All of CaliforniaFor covered rentals in San Diego County, increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 are capped at 8.2% over 12 months.
    Price-gouging limit (Penal Code § 396)San Diego County, nowAfter the Tropical Storm Rachel emergency, rent advertised, offered or charged generally may not rise more than 10% above the pre-emergency amount, stated to run through November 14, 2026 unless extended. This reaches units the rent cap does not, including new listings.
    Local ordinances outside the CityChula Vista, Imperial BeachBoth cities have their own tenant protection ordinances with their own relocation and notice rules. Coronado has its own short-term rental rules.

    General information, not legal advice. Confirm the rules for your property with a California attorney.

    Guides for every stage

    Getting started

    Thinking about renting out a home, condo or ADU

    Know the rules

    San Diego and California rules for rental owners

    Compare your options

    Your property, your situation and the kind of rental that fits

    How management works

    What a property manager does, and how your money and tenants are handled

    Ready to hire

    Choosing, hiring or switching a San Diego property manager

    San Diego property management FAQ

    How much does property management cost in San Diego?

    There is no official or standard San Diego rate, and managers price differently: fee structures can include a recurring management fee and one-time charges such as leasing, renewal or setup fees, and some managers charge for other services. Compare managers by getting every fee in writing with what each one covers, then price out a realistic year for your property. Our guide to San Diego property management fees lists the fee types and what to ask about each.

    Do I need a business tax certificate to rent out my house in San Diego?

    In the City of San Diego, yes in most cases. The Rental Unit Business Tax is imposed every year on anyone who owns, operates or manages residential rental property, including a single house or condo, and it is generally due March 1. For one to ten units it is $50 per parcel plus $5 per unit, plus a $4 state fee, as of October 2026. Other cities in the county have their own business license rules.

    Does the San Diego tenant protection ordinance apply to single-family homes?

    In the City of San Diego it applies to most rentals from the first day of a tenancy, including single-family homes and condos, unless an exemption applies. A home or condo not owned by a corporation, a REIT or an LLC with a corporate member can be exempt, but only if the tenant received the City's exemption notice, and for tenancies begun or renewed on or after January 1, 2024 that notice must be in the lease.

    Can I rent my San Diego home as a short-term rental?

    In the City of San Diego, short-term stays need a short-term residential occupancy (STRO) license. Whole-home licenses are capped citywide and in Mission Beach, where none were available as of October 9, 2026, and ADUs cannot be used as short-term rentals. Coronado and other cities have their own rules, so check the city your property is in first.

    How much can I raise the rent in San Diego in 2026?

    For rentals covered by California's rent cap, increases effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2027 are limited to 8.2% over 12 months in San Diego County. Separately, after the Tropical Storm Rachel emergency, Penal Code § 396 generally bars raising rent advertised, offered or charged by more than 10% stated to run through November 14, 2026 unless extended. Rent increases also need proper written notice.

    Does a property manager in California need a license?

    Yes. Managing rental property for someone else for compensation, including leasing it and collecting rent, is real estate broker activity under Business and Professions Code § 10131(b), so a manager generally needs a broker license from the California Department of Real Estate. You can look up any license on the DRE website. McKee Properties' corporate license is DRE #00907967.

    McKee Properties has managed San Diego rentals since 1982. To find out what your property could rent for and what managing it would involve, ask for a free, no-obligation rental analysis or call (619) 435-7780.

    Communities We Serve

    Where to go from here

    Property management covers several distinct jobs. Each of these pages takes one of them further.