Sacramento Duplex Management

Yes — almost certainly. AB 1482 (the California Tenant Protection Act) caps annual rent increases at 5% + CPI (max 10%) for properties 15+ years old. Sacramento duplexes are overwhelmingly pre-1950 and well past the threshold. Unlike single-family homes, duplexes do NOT qualify for the SFH exemption (a duplex is a multi-family property). The one exception is the owner-occupied duplex exemption — see the next FAQ.

Possibly not, but only if it's set up correctly. AB 1482 has an owner-occupied duplex exemption: if the owner uses one unit as their primary residence at the time of the tenant's move-in AND for the duration of the tenancy, the rented unit can be exempt from rent caps. The exemption requires (1) actual continuous owner occupancy, (2) explicit lease language stating the exemption, and (3) proper notice. We confirm exemption status at every lease signing and re-verify on renewal — losing the exemption mid-tenancy is messy and exposes the owner to retroactive rollback claims.

Yes, by $100-$200/month per unit compared to identical units with off-street parking. Midtown is divided into permit parking zones where street parking requires a permit; visitors are limited and overnight permits are restricted. We disclose the parking situation in the listing, factor it into pricing, and include lease language about permit responsibility. Tenants who choose the unit knowing the parking constraint don't come back two months in asking us to "do something about parking."

Two options. (1) Owner-paid — we build the average electrical cost into rent and track usage on the master meter, with the owner absorbing any variance. Best for stable, similar-usage tenants. (2) RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System) — we charge each unit a percentage of the master bill based on a defensible allocation method (square footage, occupant count, or fixed split). California allows RUBS for water and electricity if disclosed in the lease and the methodology is reasonable. We document both approaches in the lease so there are no monthly disputes.

Yes. The city registration covers each rentable unit, not just the parcel. A duplex requires two registrations through the Rental Housing Inspection Program. We handle initial registration and renewals as part of the management onboarding.

Lumpy and meaningful. Plan for: knob-and-tube wiring replacement ($8K-$25K depending on unit count and access), galvanized-to-copper plumbing repipe ($6K-$15K), foundation/raised-floor repair ($5K-$30K depending on extent), sewer lateral replacement ($4K-$12K — Sacramento requires private lateral compliance on sale), electrical panel upgrade if still 60-amp ($2K-$5K per panel), and roof if original tile/composition is past life ($8K-$25K). We recommend reserving 15-20% of gross annual rent for capex on pre-1950 stock, vs the standard 8-10% used for newer construction.