Dream Big Property Management

07/27/2026

National rent prices just logged their first real decline since the pandemic boom. Nearly half of U.S. markets saw rents fall.

** Queue investor gnashing of teeth and renter celebration in the streets. **

Problem is, national home price statistics are all show, no business. Because real estate is local. It varies from region to region, state to state, city to city, neighborhood to neighborhood.

And so, fittingly, the Inland Empire of Southern California didn't follow the U.S. stats. In fact, a few cities here are among the most robust and stable in the country, buoyed by low inventory and high demand, despite having prices near the top echelon countrywide.

In our latest video, we break down what happened here, using the national Rentometer report and our own local CRMLS data. And we dig in to the whys and wherefores, including the one number you should be watching to help you be ready for what's ahead.

Nationwide, rent prices just posted their first real decline since ...

07/21/2026

California rent control limits are on the increase for most of the state, with new maximums kicking in Aug. 1 for homes covered by the Tenant Protection Act of 2019.

The real question is, will it matter? In some geographic areas, yes, it will. For underpriced properties? Absolutely. But in an economic environment in which rent price growth has cooled, when days on market is on the increase, renters in homes that were already close to market may not see any increase.

Because vacancy is a bigger bully than legislative overreach.

New AB 1482 caps, which will be effective Aug. 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027:
📈 Riverside/San Bernardino: 8.1% (↑ from 7.5%)
📈 LA/Orange County: 8.7% (↑ from 8.0%)
📉 San Diego: 8.2% (↓ from 8.8%)
📈 SF Bay Area: 8.8% (⬆︎ BIG from 6.3%)
📈 Statewide (other CA counties): 8.6% (↑ from 7.7%)

Check out our latest video detailing the changes around California, along with local inflation rates and rent price trends.

https://youtu.be/FcTD5rs14WE?si=ekkLYIhNEEhzI7_g

Riverside-San Bernardino Rent Cap Ceiling Going UP | AB 1482 Update...

07/18/2026

"How long does it take to find a tenant?"

Wrong lens. Futile question.

For rental property owners, it's best to focus on the real issue, the things you can control, the problem to be solved: "How can I quickly find a great renter?"

In many U.S. cities, the rental market has slowed. Rent price growth has flattened and days on market is on the increase. We're not crashing. ... The sky is not falling. But there's been an easing off the frenzy. And every day of vacancy is a lost opportunity. In Riverside, CA, our homebase, our median rent is just over $2500 per month. That's a bit over $83/day. And it can stack up quickly.

This is the problem to be solved. Minimizing vacancy, maximizing profitability. And it requires an understanding of the full process and a solid plan. Because there are a lot of moving parts and any of them can be a decider of success or failure.

But your first point of focus must be on pricing, especially in today's market.

Bad pricing kills your profit three different ways:

💰 The Math
💰 The Smell Factor
💰 The Applicant Pool

Check out our latest video offering an easy step-by-step plan to tackle the three phases of leasing a rental home in the Inland Empire of Southern California.

https://youtu.be/aGEpxdOp4iw?si=U7-hOCKRBWQ2JmJF

How To Quickly Find a Great Renter in Riverside, CA | The 3-Phase L...

06/22/2026

You own a rental property. ... Do you really need a property manager? Or can you just handle it yourself?

Though it may seem simple on the surface, there actually are a lot of moving parts. So we put together a quick self-evaluation to help you decide if you're suited for the job. It addresses your:

* Time
* Knowledge
* Skills
* Systems
* Personality type
* And, THE most important question of all.

Check out the details in this episode. We'll walk you through a straight-talking self-evaluation framework for Inland Empire rental property investors.

A lot of investors self-manage their homes very well. But some don't realize what's really involved, and where the drama lies.

But if you're treating your rental property like a business -- which you should be -- make sure you have all the information you need to be compliant and profitable.

Should You Hire a Property Manager or Manage Your Riverside CA Rent...

05/02/2026

12/21/2025

2026 California Rental Law Compliance: Your Year-End Action Plan

As we approach 2026, California rental property investors face a more complex regulatory landscape than previous years, with multiple significant laws taking effect Jan. 1.

For Inland Empire property owners, here's your strategic compliance summary:

NEW LAWS:

* AB 628 (Appliance Requirements): All rental units must provide working stoves and refrigerators for new leases and renewals beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Refrigerator opt-out is available with a written agreement. Owners also must monitor appliance recalls and repair or replace within 30 days.

* AB 2622 (Handyman Limits): Unlicensed repairs cap has been increased to $1,000 per project, the first increase in 20 years. Though the limit is still low based on today’s prices for most repairs, it’s a welcome change from the previous cap of $500.

* AB 246 (Social Security Eviction Protection): Courts can delay or suspend eviction proceedings up to 6 months if a resident demonstrates a Social Security benefit interruption prevented them from paying rent. Strong shield for people on fixed incomes, but tough to swallow for landlords who have no protections on their end if their residents are affected.

* SB 610 (Disaster Remediation): Property owners must promptly remediate disaster-related habitability issues. Rent obligations suspended during uninhabitability or mandatory evacuations. Enacted October 2025 following Southern California wildfires.

KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL

Lawmakers in California typically treat rental property investors like rich fat cats, shifting the financial burdens of their renters onto them. Even though 3 out of every 4 rental properties are owned by regular people with 1-4 homes.

But at this point, frankly, landlords just need to get used to it. If you own a rental home in California, your best bet is to act like a Boy Scout – Always Be Prepared. Put plans in place to deal with the problems as they come. And when new problems appear, adapt and re-prepare.

Today, we’re here to offer some suggestions … Check out our latest video for 5 steps that Inland Empire rental home owners should take today to adjust and prepare for these new laws.

Questions about strategies to run your California rental property? DM or call 951-314-5402.

New California Rental Laws Summary | What Every Riverside CA Landlord Must KnowCalifornia passed more rental property laws this year than usual - and many ta...

12/14/2025

Hearsty Holidays

12/07/2025

California Rental Property Owners: Are You Prepared for the Unexpected?

After seeing the devastation from this year’s L.A. fires, a lot of Inland Empire rental property owners have been asking: "What happens with my rental property if there's a wildfire or an earthquake here?"

California has had laws in place for decades to protect tenants in a natural disaster, and lawmakers recently added habitability condition requirements after the Palisades and Pasadena fires this year.

The problem is, there’s not a lot of protections in place for California rental investors.

Check out this video, Part 5 of our series on California Laws Every Rental Property Owner Should Know. We summarize the current natural disaster tenant-protection laws and offer Inland Empire rental owners the 6 steps they can take right now to prepare for the worst and protect themselves.

The Takeaway: You MUST have a plan. This is not a case of IF you’ll face a disaster. It’s a case of WHEN it will happen.

Questions about disaster preparedness for your rental property? Call us at 951-314-5402 | DreamBigPM.com



https://youtu.be/AX3vmAs2djI?si=Tf2yDy6IOvReRhQe

California is an amazing place to live - but it comes with tradeoffs: earthquakes, firestorms, and lots of landlord-tenant laws. In this video, we break down...

12/02/2025

California's AB 246 Creates Financial Risk for Mom-and-Pop Rental Owners

Another new California rental law could have profound impacts on Inland Empire property owners - especially mom-and-pop investors who depend on rent to pay their own mortgages.

Assembly Bill 246 - the Social Security Tenant Protection Act – prevents an eviction for non-payment of rent if the resident relies on Social Security benefits, and they can show that their income was interrupted by forces outside their control …. Like, say, a government shutdown that halts or delays government checks.

This law, enacted in October and running through Jan. 20, 2029, covers non-payment of rent only, but the resident must show proof of three factors:

* Their Social Security benefits were terminated, delayed, or reduced.
* The interruption was NO FAULT of their own.
* And the hardship prevented them from paying rent.

If successful, the court must issue a stay of the eviction as long as 14 days AFTER the benefits are restored, up to 6 months. And that’s on top of the 3 to 4 months it took to get to that point.

And in the interim, the property owner still must maintain the home, pay all of their current expenses provided as part of the lease, make repairs when necessary, AND keep paying their own mortgage, insurance and property taxes without the benefit of the rent payments.

Of course we should make sure that people on fixed incomes are protected when politicians or government bureaucracy scrambles their lives. But this law is just another example where politicians create bigger problems than they resolve. In this case, Sacramento is again treating rental property owners like independently wealthy people who can afford to subsidize housing for other people.

Reality is, three-quarters of rental property owners are mom-and-pop investors, not hedge fund-backed mega-corporations. And lawmakers are messing with their retirements!

What’s done is done. But check out our latest video for 6 steps to protect yourself should the recent government shutdown resume in February.

Part 4 of 6: Laws Inland Empire Property Owners Need to Know AboutCalifornia's new AB 246 (The Social Security Tenant Protection Act) created a 6-month evict...