When Maintenance Costs Are Eating Your Profit: Why Mom-and-Pop Multifamily Owners Should Consider Selling “As-Is”
If you own a small multifamily property in California, you know the drill—there’s always something to fix. A leaky roof here, a plumbing emergency there, plus city-mandated upgrades that hit your mailbox like surprise bills. While pride of ownership is real, so is the strain on your time, energy, and bank account. Sometimes the smartest move is stepping away—on your terms—before the costs take over.
The Problem
For many mom-and-pop landlords, maintenance isn’t just an occasional expense—it’s a constant budget line item that’s been growing faster than rental income.
Here are a few major culprits:
- Aging Systems and Structures – Roof replacements for small apartment buildings can run $15,000–$40,000 depending on materials and size (homeadvisor.com). Plumbing re-piping can exceed $10,000–$20,000, especially if multiple units are affected.
- Deferred Maintenance Catch-Up – Small owners often delay upgrades to save cash, only to face bigger repair bills later. HVAC replacements, electrical panel upgrades, and exterior paint jobs can easily reach five figures.
- Code Compliance Upgrades – This includes energy efficiency mandates, ADA accessibility changes, and seismic retrofits. In Los Angeles, soft-story retrofits can cost $20,000–$44,000 for a small building (weinsteinconstruction.com). In San Francisco, some projects exceed $100,000.
- Insurance and Materials Inflation – Higher insurance premiums for older buildings and rising material costs make every repair more expensive than it was just a few years ago.
When these costs stack up, it’s not uncommon for rental income to be almost entirely consumed by upkeep—especially for properties under rent control, where raising rents to cover repairs isn’t always possible.
The Solution: Sell “As-Is” to JandJBuyers.com
Rather than sinking more money into repairs with no guaranteed return, selling “as-is” offers a clean break:
- Skip the Repairs – No more chasing contractors or pulling permits.
- Fast Closing – We move quickly, so you’re not stuck paying ongoing maintenance or property taxes while you wait.
- No Out-of-Pocket Costs – We cover closing costs, and you avoid listing fees or months on the market.
- Fair Market Value – We assess your property based on its potential, not its current condition.
This approach lets you unlock your equity now—before another repair bill lands on your desk.
Real-World Example
One recent seller we worked with in Riverside owned a 6-unit building with an aging roof, outdated plumbing, and a retrofit deadline looming. Repair estimates topped $80,000—more than two years of rental income. By selling to JandJBuyers.com as-is, they walked away with a lump sum and zero future repair obligations.
Call to Action
If you’re a small multifamily owner in California and your property feels more like a maintenance project than an investment, it might be time to cash out. JandJBuyers.com specializes in buying properties just like yours—fast, fair, and with no repair requirements. Contact us today for a no-obligation offer.