Nine things worth knowing.
We get asked the same questions by owners across Los Angeles. These are our answers, written out, with the numbers and the sources. Current as of September 2026.
What your building is worth today
Two buildings on the same street, built the same year, can be worth very different money. Here is what actually moves the number in Los Angeles.
A better deal on the debtWhen the loan comes due
A loan you signed in 2021 does not renew at 2021 terms. Here is the arithmetic, and why two owners with identical buildings can land in completely different places.
What repairs pay backWhich repairs earn their money back
In a rent-stabilized building, most improvements do not pay for themselves through rent. A few do. The difference is worth knowing before you write the check.
What you can actually chargeWhat you can actually charge
Which rules apply to your building depends on the year it was built and which side of a city line it sits on. The answers range from 1.9% to 8.7%.
What you're carryingWhat the building is costing you
Insurance is the line item that moved. Here is what it has done to Southern California apartment owners, and why a $15,000 increase costs far more than $15,000.
Room for one moreRoom for one more unit
State law now lets you add far more units to an existing apartment property than most owners realize. The catch is which space you build in.
Buying someone outBuying someone out
A partner wants out of the building. The buyout price is the easy part. The property tax consequence is the part that can cost more than the interest you are buying.
Trading into something elseTrading into something else
A 1031 exchange defers the income tax. It does not defer the transfer tax, and it does not let California go. Here is what the trade actually costs.
A plan for the futureA plan for the future
Most owners want the building to go to the kids. Since 2021 that costs considerably more than it used to, and the planning has to start earlier.