Investment property · San Diego & South Bay
Sell a rental property in San Diego — occupied or vacant, one unit or several.
Rentals get sold for lots of reasons: rent caps and new ordinances changed the math, a big capital expense is coming, you're consolidating, or it's just time. A direct sale to another investor is often the cleanest exit.
Reasons to sell
When selling a San Diego rental makes sense
The rules changed
Statewide rent caps, just-cause requirements, relocation assistance, deposit limits, and the City of San Diego's ordinance all raised the cost and risk of being a small landlord. Many owners decide the return no longer justifies it.
A big capital expense is coming
Roof, re-pipe, sewer line, or a panel upgrade. If the next repair costs more than a year of net rent, selling before it hits is a legitimate strategy.
Management burden
Turnover, late rent, maintenance calls, and code complaints take time. Owners who inherited a rental or moved out of state often decide it isn't worth it.
Equity is large, cash flow is small
Long-held South Bay rentals often have enormous equity and modest cash flow. Our rental-exit calculator shows what that equity is actually earning.
Taxes
Tax points worth knowing before you sell
General information for California homeowners, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Laws change and every situation differs — confirm with a California attorney, escrow or title company, or tax professional.
- Gain on a rental is taxable federally and in California, and depreciation you've taken is typically recaptured at sale — get a CPA's estimate before you decide
- A 1031 exchange can defer tax if you reinvest in another investment property under strict deadlines; the exchange must be set up with a qualified intermediary before closing
- If you lived in the property as your primary residence for two of the last five years, part of the gain may be excludable
- The buyer's property taxes will reset to the purchase price; your low Prop 13 assessment does not transfer
Why direct
Selling to an investor buyer vs. listing on the open market
Listing a rental means either waiting for vacancy and doing turnover work to make it show-ready, or marketing it occupied — with notice for every showing — to a smaller pool of investor buyers who will underwrite it like we do anyway. A direct sale gets you to the same buyer type without the commission, the showings, or the months in between, and lets the tenant stay put.
We evaluate rentals on both rent and condition, and we're comfortable with deferred maintenance, below-market rents, unpermitted units, and tenants who need to be worked with.
How it works
How selling to us works
- 1
Tell us about the house
Enter the address and answer a few quick questions — or just talk to us. You don't need to know anything about the market.
- 2
We look and we talk
We review comparable sales, do one walkthrough, and may ask a few questions. No pressure, no obligation.
- 3
Get a written offer and pick your date
If the house fits what we buy, you get a clear cash offer with the math behind it. Accept it or not — and if you do, close on your timeline.
FAQ
Questions San Diego homeowners ask
Should I wait until the tenant moves out?
Not necessarily. We buy occupied properties, and a paying tenant can be a plus. Under California law, waiting for a vacancy may also mean a no-fault termination with relocation payments.
Can you buy several properties at once?
Yes. Tell us about the whole group — we can price them individually or together.
Do you need to see rent rolls and leases?
It helps and makes the offer more accurate, but we can start with the address and basic rent information.
Can I do a 1031 exchange when selling to you?
Yes — a 1031 works with any buyer. You'll need a qualified intermediary in place before closing; your CPA or exchange company can set it up and we'll coordinate with them.
Free tools
Run your own numbers
Related
Other situations we help with
- House with tenants
AB 1482 and San Diego's just-cause rules, what transfers to the buyer, and how to sell occupied without disrupting the tenant.
- Tired landlord
For owners who are done: how to exit a rental without turnover work, showings, or evicting anyone.
- Vacant house
What an empty house costs and risks, what the city expects of vacant-property owners, and how to sell it without going back to fix it.
- House that needs repairs
Fix-and-list versus sell-as-is: which repairs pay back, which don't, and how to compare the two honestly.
See what we could pay for your San Diego house.
Enter the address. It takes two minutes and there's no obligation.