2026 fee guide
How much does property management cost in Seattle?
Every fee in the Seattle market, explained — with market ranges and RexMont's own rates side by side. Most managers hide pricing behind a contact form. We think that tells you something.
In short
Seattle property management costs 8%–12% of monthly rent for full service, plus a tenant placement fee of 50%–100% of one month's rent or a flat $1,000–$2,500. On the $3,200 Seattle house used as the example here, that is $3,288 in year one with RexMont's $600 leasing fee and $2,688 in a year with no turnover. RexMont's rates: $600 leasing fee plus a 7% monthly management fee ($200 monthly minimum, waived when vacant), with no renewal fee and every fee disclosed in the agreement before signature. The Leasing-Only Service is 75% of one month's rent. Management includes marketing, screening, leasing, rent collection, maintenance coordination, Washington compliance notices, owner statements, and an annual renew-or-sell review. Start the Seattle intake or get an exact quote below.
Updated · Adriano Tori, Designated Broker
Page author
Adriano Tori
Founder & Designated Broker — RexMont Real Estate · WA Lic. #27660
Adriano leads RexMont Real Estate — the most-reviewed real estate brokerage in Seattle and the Eastside. 1,200+ closed transactions, $1B+ in production, and 1,215 five-star Google reviews.
Seattle property management costs 8%–12% of monthly rent for full service — the Washington average is about 9.4% — plus a tenant placement fee of 50%–100% of one month's rent. On a $3,200/month Seattle house, expect roughly $3,288 in year one with RexMont ($600 leasing fee plus a 7% monthly management fee ($200 monthly minimum, waived when vacant)) and $2,688 in a year with no turnover. I'm Adriano Tori, Designated Broker of RexMont Real Estate. Only a handful of Seattle-area managers publish their pricing; the rest quote after they have your contact information. This page is the fee schedule I wish every owner brought to every PM interview, including ours. The $3,200 figure is the Seattle single-family example used across this site (a Ballard house; Seattle 3–4-bedroom homes rent for roughly $3,000–$5,500) and $2,400 is the two-bedroom condo example. Both are illustrations for the arithmetic; the rent read and the calculator below take your own number.
RexMont Rent Read
How much rent can your Seattle house get?
Request your Rent Read and see your home’s rent range from RexMont’s NWMLS rental data. Grisel Castro, our Property Manager, confirms the number and what renting versus selling looks like at a consultation meeting.
Fee calculator
Your Seattle management cost
Type the rent. The monthly fee, the leasing fee, the first-year total and the Leasing-Only fee update in place, on RexMont's published schedule, with nothing to submit.
Starts at a typical Seattle single-family rent. Type your own.
- Monthly management fee
- $224
- Leasing fee
- $600
- First-year total
- $3,288
- Leasing-Only Service
- $2,400
7% of $3,200 rent collected, $200 monthly minimum, $0 when vacant
One time, per new tenant
$2,688 management + $600 leasing = 8.6% of $38,400 gross
75%of one month's rent, tenant finding and placement only
RexMont's published schedule: $600 leasing fee plus a 7% monthly management fee on rent collected ($200 monthly minimum, fee waived when vacant). Leasing-Only Service: 75%of one month's rent. Every fee is in the agreement before signature. Get the exact written quote.
Two worked examples: a Seattle house and a Seattle condo
RexMont's Full Property Management and Leasing-Only Service on two homes, with a new tenant placed in year one and a year where the same tenant simply stays. These are RexMont's own fees at example rents, not a rent estimate for your home.
A $3,200-a-month single-family house
| Service | Monthly fee | Leasing fee | Year one | No-turnover year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Property Management (7%) | $224 | $600 | $3,288 (8.6% of $38,400) | $2,688 |
| Leasing-Only Service (75% of one month) | None (you self-manage) | $2,400 | $2,400 | $0 |
A $2,400-a-month two-bedroom condo or townhome
| Service | Monthly fee | Leasing fee | Year one | No-turnover year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full Property Management (7%) | $200 | $600 | $3,000 (10.4% of $28,800) | $2,400 |
| Leasing-Only Service (75% of one month) | None (you self-manage) | $1,800 | $1,800 | $0 |
The management fee applies only to rent collected, with a $200 monthly minimum: a vacant month costs us our fee, not you a vacancy charge. If the home is rent-ready, listed at our recommended price and not leased in 30 days, the leasing fee drops by half ($300). If the tenant we placed leaves inside 12 months, the replacement placement is $0. Owners who would rather self-manage after move-in use Leasing-Only Service at 75%of one month's rent.
Seattle property management fees in 2026: the range, dated
As of October 15, 2026, the published and owner-reported fee schedules RexMont tracks across the Seattle market fall into four bands, with no firm named here. Full-service percentage managers quote 8%–12% of monthly rent collected, and the Washington average sits near 9.4%; the larger franchise and national-brand offices cluster at 9%–10%, the small independents at 8%–9%, and the luxury and concierge tiers at 10%–12%. Flat-monthly operators, mostly technology-led national services, quote $129–$250 a month regardless of rent, with leasing, inspections and renewals billed separately. Placement, when it is a separate line, runs 50%–100% of one month's rent at most full-service firms and a flat $1,000–$2,500 at the flat-fee and leasing-only services, with renewal fees of $195–$500 or 25%–40% of a month at the firms that charge one. Setup fees of $200–$400 and maintenance markups of 10%–15% remain common and are rarely on the pricing page.
The direction of travel this year is toward performance pricing. With Seattle-metro vacancy near 6.7%–7.2% and asking rents flat to slightly down year over year, owners are asking what happens to the fee when the home sits, and the market has answered with zero-leasing-fee tiers at a higher monthly rate, flat-dollar leasing offers in place of a month's rent, and leasing guarantees with a stated remedy. RexMont's schedule is built the same way: no vacancy fee, a 30-Day Leasing Guarantee that cuts the leasing fee by half if the home is not leased at our recommended price, and a Leasing-Only Service at 75%of one month's rent for owners who self-manage. The ranges above are market figures as of the date stated; the RexMont figures are our own, and every one of them is in the management agreement before you sign.
The complete Seattle fee table
| Fee type | Seattle market range | RexMont |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly management | 8%–12% of rent (WA avg ~9.4%); flat-fee $129–$250/mo | 7% of rent collected, $200 monthly minimum (Full Property Management) |
| Tenant placement | 50%–100% of one month's rent ($1,250–$2,500 typical) | $600 leasing fee on a managed home; Leasing-Only Service 75% of one month's rent |
| Lease renewal | $195–$500, or 25%–40% of one month's rent | No renewal fee |
| Account setup | $200–$400 per unit at many firms | Disclosed in your written proposal — no surprise line items |
| Maintenance markup | 10%–15% on vendor invoices, often undisclosed | Coordination terms stated in the agreement before you sign |
| Vacancy fee | Some firms charge even while the unit is empty | None — the management fee is waived while the home is vacant |
Market ranges compiled from published Seattle-area fee schedules and industry fee research as of October 2026, with no firm named. Where a firm hides a fee, we used the ranges owners report; always confirm in writing with any manager you interview.
What the fee includes, line by line
The leasing fee buys the lease-up (A–H). The monthly management fee buys the year (9–18). Nothing on either list is billed separately, and there is no onboarding fee.
Leasing services A–H (both services)
- Strategic rental price analysis and market positioning
- Comprehensive marketing and professional listings cross-promoted on major rental platforms
- Showings and tour coordination with prospective tenants
- Weekly lead and marketing performance activity updates
- Thorough tenant screening (credit, criminal background, employment, and rental history verification)
- State-compliant lease agreement preparation and execution
- Collection and accounting of move-in funds and security deposits
- Detailed move-in walkthrough inspection and signed condition report
Management services 9–18 (Full Property Management)
- 24/7 Owner Portal access
- Dedicated Tenant Portal for online payments and requests
- Monthly rent collection and disbursement
- Complete maintenance dispatch and vendor coordination
- 24/7 emergency response service
- Quarterly tenant check-ins and preventative maintenance guidance
- Monthly cash flow statements and annual tax reporting
- Ongoing tenant relations, communications, and dispute resolution
- Lease expiration administration and statutory notice delivery in accordance with Washington state laws
- Move-out inspections and security deposit disposition handling
What moves your quote up or down
Managers price risk and effort. Your fee lands at the low end of the range when the property is newer or well-maintained, the rent is high (percentage fees scale with rent, so managers compete harder for a $5,000/month West Bellevue home than an $1,800 studio), it sits in a dense coverage area, and you bring multiple doors. It lands at the high end with deferred maintenance, lower rents, remote locations, or a history of difficult tenancies.
The single best negotiating lever an owner has is the two-year total cost comparison. A manager quoting 8% with a full-month placement fee, a $400 setup fee, a 40% renewal fee, and a 15% maintenance markup routinely costs more over two years than a manager with a lower rate and everything included. Make every firm you interview fill in the same table above — the ones who hesitate are answering a different question.
One more Seattle-specific note: Washington's 2026 rent cap (9.683% for covered tenancies under HB 1217; 10% for 2027) makes disciplined annual repricing more valuable, not less. Owners who skip small annual increases can no longer catch up with one large one — a manager who documents the market and executes the increase correctly every year is protecting your long-run income stream.
The cost of not hiring a manager
The honest comparison is not 7% vs. 0% — it is 7%vs. the cost of your own vacancy weeks, pricing mistakes, and legal exposure. In 2026's market, self-managed Seattle listings routinely sit 35–45 days while professionally marketed units lease in 2–4 weeks: on the $3,200 house, three extra vacant weeks cost about $2,215, most of a year's management fee at 7% ($2,688). A contested eviction runs $3,000–$7,000 or more. A screening process that violates Seattle's first-in-time rule or Washington's source-of-income protections costs far more than that.
Self-management is the right answer for some owners — local, experienced, with vendor relationships and time. If that is you, our Leasing-Only Service covers the risky part for 75%of one month's rent and hands the keys back. If it is not, the management fee buys back your evenings.
Related services
See what the fee actually buys
Your property management team
The people managing your rental.
Grisel Castro
Property Manager · WA Lic. #137529
Leads leasing, pricing, renewals, and owner strategy
Real people, not a call center. Adriano Tori, Designated Broker (WA Lic. #27660), is accountable for every account.
In writing, in the management agreement
Six written guarantees on every Seattle account.
- Paid-on-Performance Guarantee
- 30-Day Leasing Guarantee
- 12-Month Tenant Guarantee
- Eviction Fee Guarantee
- Pet Damage Guarantee
- Fair Exit Guarantee
Certain conditions apply. Full guarantee terms.
FAQ
Seattle property management fees — frequently asked questions
What percentage do property managers charge in Seattle?
Most full-service Seattle property managers charge 8%–12% of monthly rent collected, and the Washington average sits near 9.4%. On a $2,500/month rental that is $200–$300 per month. RexMont's Full Property Management is a $600 leasing fee plus 7% of rent collected, with a $200 monthly minimum and the fee waived while the home is vacant — in writing, before you sign.
How much is a tenant placement fee in Seattle?
50%–100% of one month's rent is the market range, typically $1,250–$3,200, and flat-fee services quote $1,000–$2,500. RexMont charges a $600 leasing fee on a managed home and no renewal fee; the Leasing-Only Service, where you self-manage after move-in, is 75% of one month's rent.
Are flat-fee property managers cheaper than percentage-based?
On paper, often yes — flat-fee services run $129–$250 per month regardless of rent. The trade-offs are service depth and incentive alignment: a flat-fee manager earns the same whether your unit rents for $2,400 or $2,800 and whether it turns over every year or never. Percentage-based managers only earn more when you do. For higher-rent Seattle and Eastside properties, alignment usually matters more than the fee gap.
What are maintenance markups and should I accept them?
Many managers add 10%–15% on top of vendor invoices as a coordination fee. It is a legitimate fee when disclosed — coordinating a repair takes real work — but it becomes a hidden fee when it is buried. Ask any manager you interview to state their markup in writing. RexMont discloses every fee, including maintenance coordination terms, in the management agreement before signature.
What does year one actually cost with a property manager?
On the $3,200 Seattle house used as the example on this page, with RexMont: $3,288 (12 × $224 plus the $600 leasing fee), which is 8.6% of $38,400 gross. A year where the tenant simply stays is $2,688, with no renewal fee. On a $2,400 condo the monthly fee is $200 (the $200 monthly minimum applies below $2,857 of rent) and the first year is $3,000. The Leasing-Only Service is $2,400 on the house and $1,800 on the condo. Always compare managers on the two-year number, not the headline percentage.
How long does it take to lease a Seattle rental in 2026?
The Seattle-area average is running 35–45 days in 2026's softer, higher-vacancy market; well-prepared and accurately priced homes lease in 2–4 weeks. RexMont's internal target is 21 days from rent-ready to a signed lease. The published promise is the 30-Day Leasing Guarantee: a rent-ready home listed at our recommended price that is not leased in 30 days has its leasing fee cut by 50%. A target is not a promise; the guarantee is.
What Seattle rules does the management fee have to cover?
Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) registration before the first tenant, the first-in-time rule on applications (SMC 14.08), the Fair Chance Housing limits on criminal screening (SMC 14.09), the deposit and move-in fee cap at one month's rent (SMC 7.24.035), 180 days' written notice for any rent increase (SMC 7.24.030), and Washington's source-of-income protection (RCW 59.18.255). Serving a notice on the wrong clock resets it, which is one reason a manager's fee pays for itself on a single-family house.
Is property management tax deductible?
Generally yes — management fees, placement fees, and maintenance costs on a rental property are ordinary rental business expenses on Schedule E for most individual owners. Confirm treatment with your CPA, especially for mixed-use or partial-year rentals.
What hidden fees should I watch for in a management agreement?
The common ones: onboarding/setup fees ($200–$400), lease renewal fees, maintenance markups, inspection fees, early-termination penalties, vacancy fees (charging you while the unit sits empty), and eviction coordination fees. None are automatically unfair — undisclosed is what makes a fee unfair. Get the full schedule in writing and ask specifically about vacancy and cancellation terms.
Start here
Get your Seattle rental analysis.
Address and unit type is all we need. You get a written quote using the exact fee table on this page plus a rent recommendation from current Seattle comparables, so you see the net, not just the fee. Grisel Castro, RexMont's property manager of record, prepares it.