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Santa Monica Property Management

Santa Monica Property Management Services

Bessa Properties manages residential, multifamily, and commercial buildings in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. Boutique, full-service, and locally focused — for experienced owners who want their building run quietly and well.

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Why Santa Monica owners choose Bessa

Santa Monica is the most regulated rental market in LA County. The Santa Monica Rent Control Board has its own staff, hearings, and rules separate from LA City RSO. Most property managers don't want to touch SM. We do — but we charge what it takes to do it right.

We know the building stock

Santa Monica's rental stock skews older — many pre-1979 buildings (which means rent-controlled), Spanish duplexes north of Wilshire, and a wave of mid-century apartment buildings throughout the city. Coastal-zone properties have additional Coastal Commission oversight on improvements.

We know the tenant pool

SM tenants are typically professionals, retirees, and tech-industry employees. Average tenancy is among the longest in LA — partly because rent-controlled units make moving expensive for tenants. Building good landlord-tenant relationships is critical here; you can't just turn the unit easily.

We know the local rules

Santa Monica Rent Control Board (SMRCB) rules are stricter than LA City RSO. Annual general adjustment is set yearly. Capital improvement passthroughs require board approval. Just-cause termination has a narrower list than LA City. We track every change to the SMRCB code.

What we manage in Santa Monica

Single-family rental homes
Duplexes, triplexes, and small multifamily (2–19 units)
Mid- and large-multifamily apartment buildings (20+ units)
Mixed-use and ground-floor commercial space
Short-term and vacation rentals (where permitted under LA's Home-Sharing Ordinance)

Our Santa Monica services include

Listing your unit on Zillow, Trulia, Apartments.com, MLS, and Loopnet for commercial
Tenant screening compliant with LA's Fair Chance Initiative + CA fair housing law
Lease drafting, e-signing, and enforcement
24/7 maintenance dispatch with our trusted Santa Monica-area vendor network
Quarterly property inspections with photo documentation
RSO and rent control compliance for covered properties
Monthly owner statements delivered on the 1st of every month
Real-time owner portal with rent collection status and maintenance history

Santa Monica rental market snapshot

Santa Monica 1BR rents averaged $2,900-$3,800 in early 2026, with rent-controlled units significantly below market and luxury buildings on the upper end. Vacancy times averaged 21 days for non-rent-controlled units. Coastal-zone buildings continue to trade at a premium.

Frequently asked questions about Santa Monica property management

How quickly can you fill a vacancy in Santa Monica?

Our 12-month average across LA County is 17 days from list to lease. Santa Monica typically tracks close to that average for properly priced units. Overpricing is the #1 cause of extended vacancies; we benchmark every listing against the most recent rental comps in your specific block.

Do you handle rent control / RSO compliance in Santa Monica?

Yes. Santa Monica has its own rent control board, with rules stricter than LA City RSO. We work with SMRCB regulations daily — every rent increase, capital improvement passthrough, and termination notice goes through a SMRCB compliance check before issuance.

What's your management fee for Santa Monica buildings?

Single-family management starts at 8% of collected rent. Multifamily reduces with door count (mid-size buildings of 5–19 units around 7%, 20+ units around 5%). No setup fee, no technology fee, no maintenance markup. Get a written quote on your specific building in 5 business days.

Do you manage commercial spaces in Santa Monica?

Yes. Retail, office, mixed-use, and small industrial. Different fee structure (typically a smaller % but higher minimum monthly). We list commercial vacancies on Loopnet and via direct broker outreach.

Get a quote for your Santa Monica building

We'll walk your property, send you a written quote with line-by-line pricing, and you decide. No pressure, no automated drip.

Schedule a property walk →

One of Los Angeles’ premiere property management companies and is responsible for the improvement and ongoing profitability of hundreds of apartment and retail/commercial units

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