How property management fees add up
Most managers charge a monthly management fee as a percentage of the rent they collect. On top of that, many agreements list separate fees: a leasing or placement fee when a new tenant moves in, a renewal fee when a lease is extended, and sometimes a markup on repair invoices or a fee when a unit sits vacant. The monthly percentage is the number people quote, but the extra fees can change the yearly total a lot, which is why the calculator asks for them.
Leave out anything your agreement doesn't include, and add repair markups to the renewal line if your manager charges them. Payment processing fees are left out on both sides because they depend on how your tenants pay.
What self-managing on Rentra covers
Rentra is $5 a unit per month with a $25 minimum, or 20% less paid annually. It collects rent by ACH or card, sends email reminders and late notices, and gives you a dedicated number for tenant texts. On Autopilot Advanced, an AI answers those texts from the lease, sorts maintenance requests by urgency, and texts your vendor once you approve the repair. Bank-connected books and Schedule E reports cover tax time.
Rentra doesn't do showings, tenant screening, or evictions. If you'd still pay an agent to place tenants, tick the box in the calculator to count that fee on both sides. See pricing or read self-managing vs. hiring a property manager.
Questions
What does a property management fee usually include?
The monthly management fee is a percentage of the rent collected and usually covers rent collection, tenant communication, and coordinating repairs. Finding new tenants, lease renewals, and maintenance markups are often billed separately, so read the fee schedule in the management agreement line by line.
Why are the default numbers 8% and half a month's rent?
They are placeholders so the calculator shows a result. Quotes vary by market, property type, and portfolio size. Replace them with the numbers from your own quote or management agreement.
What do I take on if I self-manage?
You handle tenant questions, repairs, rent collection, and finding new tenants. Rentra handles much of the routine work: rent collection, email reminders and late notices, an AI that answers tenant texts from the lease, maintenance triage, and bookkeeping. It does not do showings or tenant screening, so plan for those yourself or pay an agent per placement.