Notes for Bay Area investor-owners.
Market commentary, rent benchmarks, AB 1482 updates, retention research, written by the property managers actually managing the doors. Not generic content marketing; just what we'd tell a new owner over coffee.
Q2 2026 Peninsula rent benchmarks: where the market is settling
After 18% YoY growth in 2024 and 12% in 2025, Peninsula 3-4 BR SFR rents are finally cooling. We pulled 247 active and recently-leased comps to map where each neighborhood is landing.
AB 1482 effective rent cap in 2026: how to calculate yours
CPI + 5% capped at 10%. Sounds simple, and gets complicated once you factor in the SF Bay Area CPI release schedule, AB 1482 exemptions for SFR sold post-2020, and what counts as "covered" rent.
The $300 question: should you raise rent at renewal?
We re-ran our portfolio data across 87 renewal cycles. Across the board, owners who held renewal increases at 2–4% (below local market) kept tenants 2.1 years longer on average, and netted more income over a 5-year horizon than owners who pushed for 6–8%.
How to actually read your monthly P&L statement
Most owner statements are designed for the accountant, not the owner. Here's what to look at first, what to ignore, and how to spot the line items that suggest something is going sideways with your property.
South Bay neighborhoods to watch: the under-priced corridor
Three submarkets. North Sunnyvale, Old Quad Santa Clara, and Campbell south of Hamilton, where 2024 rent growth lagged the rest of the South Bay by 5-8 points. The catch-up may be coming.
What we ask in prior-landlord reference calls
The five questions that predict tenant retention better than credit scores. Most prior-landlord calls last 4 minutes and ask the wrong things. Here's our actual script.
Mountain View CSFRA: who it covers, who it doesn't
The Mountain View Community Stabilization and Fair Rent Act is more nuanced than people think, and the exemption rules have shifted twice since enactment. Here's the current state for SFR and small multi-family owners.
The $400 threshold: how we decide what needs owner approval
Below $400, we authorize and report on the next statement. Above, we text you photo + estimate before proceeding. The math behind that threshold, and why it works for our owners.
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