A property manager charges 8–12% of every rent check — and once you add the leasing fee and maintenance markup, the all-in cost is typically 18–20% of your gross annual rent. KAYA does the same core work — leasing, rent, notices, maintenance — for a flat $79 per door per month, because it's AI and voice, not a person taking a cut. On a $1,850 rental that's about $948/year versus roughly $3,500–4,300.
| Fee | Traditional manager | KAYA |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly management | 8–12% of rent (or $100–300/door) | Flat $79/door |
| Leasing / tenant placement | 50–100% of one month's rent | ½ month, capped $1,000 |
| Maintenance | 10–25% markup on repairs | Dispatch fee, contractor paid direct |
| Setup / onboarding | $200–500 | $0 |
| Lease renewal | $200–300 (or 25–50% of a month) | Included |
| All-in, as % of gross annual rent | ~18–20% | ~4–6% |
Industry fee ranges reflect 2026 residential property-management benchmarks; your local rates may vary. Verify quotes directly.
The percentage model quietly scales your cost up as rent rises and charges you again every time a tenant turns over. A flat per-door fee doesn't. That gap is the entire reason tech-forward, flat-fee management is taking share from the percentage model — KAYA just takes it further by doing the leasing and tenant conversations autonomously.
Straight answer: a good local manager earns their fee on complex or scattered portfolios, properties that need frequent on-site attention, hands-on emergency response, and deep hyper-local judgment on pricing and problem tenants. If your property demands someone physically present and improvising on the ground, a human manager is worth it. KAYA's placement and management fees are also only available in markets where it's licensed — elsewhere it runs software-only. KAYA wins when the work is the repeatable operating load — inquiries, showings, rent, notices, routine maintenance — which is most of the job, most of the time.
Most charge 8–12% of monthly rent (avg ~8.5–10%) or a flat $100–300/door, plus a leasing fee of 50–100% of a month per new tenant and a 10–25% maintenance markup — an all-in cost of roughly 18–20% of gross annual rent.
For the core work, yes — leasing, rent, notices, and maintenance dispatch — at a flat $79/door instead of a percentage, in licensed markets.
On most rentals, yes. On a $1,850 unit it's ~$948/year (about 4–5% of rent) versus 8–12% plus leasing and maintenance fees.
Tenants report, KAYA dispatches a vetted contractor, and the contractor is paid directly by you. KAYA charges a dispatch fee instead of a 10–25% markup.
No. Evictions stay with the owner and their attorney. KAYA keeps the compliance trail but does not file or pursue evictions.
KAYA runs leasing, rent, notices, and maintenance for a flat $79/door — free to start, and a placement fee only when it fills a unit.