What Does a Property Manager Cost in Palm Beach County? Full Fee Breakdown for 2026, From the $200 Minimum to the 75% Leasing Fee

Owner Guide · Property Management Fees · Palm Beach County, FL

By Jean Taveras, Broker-Owner, Atlis Property Management · Updated October 2026

Every owner asks the same question before calling a property manager: what will this actually cost me? The honest answer has two parts. The first is the fee schedule, which should fit on one page. The second is how often each fee is triggered, which depends on turnover, repairs, and the fine print. This guide covers both.

It explains the ways managers charge, the contract terms that change the math, the full Atlis schedule quoted from our pricing page, worked examples on fall 2026 rents, and a method for comparing quotes on equal terms. Where this article and the pricing page ever differ, the pricing page governs.

The Ways Property Managers Charge

Fee structures vary from company to company, but nearly every quote is built from the same parts. Knowing each part separately is what lets you compare two proposals that look nothing alike.

• Monthly management fee. Usually a percentage of rent, sometimes a flat amount, often with a minimum. It covers the ongoing work: rent collection, tenant communication, maintenance coordination, accounting, and owner reporting.
• Leasing or placement fee. A one-time charge when a new tenant signs, commonly expressed as a share of one month's rent. It pays for pricing, marketing, showings, screening, and the lease.
• Lease renewal fee. A one-time charge when the current tenant signs a new term, usually a flat amount.
• Inspection fees. Some managers charge per inspection, others include a set number, and some charge annually.
• Maintenance markups or coordination fees. A percentage added to vendor invoices, or a separate fee for coordinating larger projects.
• Administrative charges. Setup or onboarding fees, technology or platform fees, vacancy fees, and cancellation penalties.

A low monthly percentage can sit on top of a high leasing fee, a markup on every repair, and a few small administrative charges. That is why the only fair comparison is total yearly cost on the same property, which we work through below.

Collected Rent, Scheduled Rent, and the Fine Print

Two management agreements can quote the same percentage and produce different bills. Read for these terms before you compare numbers.

• The base for the percentage. A fee on collected rent is paid only when rent actually arrives. A fee on scheduled rent is owed even when the tenant has not paid, which removes the manager's stake in collecting.
• Minimums. A monthly minimum matters most on lower rents, where a percentage alone would fall below it.
• What triggers a leasing fee. Whether it applies to every new tenant, whether it changes when an outside agent brings the tenant, and whether there is any placement guarantee if the tenant leaves early.
• Repair terms. Whether invoices are marked up, whether you see the original vendor bill, and the dollar threshold above which work needs your approval.
• Exit terms. Notice periods, cancellation penalties, and whether any fee follows the tenant if you leave.
• Rate changes. Whether the percentage can rise during the relationship.

Incentives follow structure. A manager paid on collected rent wants the rent collected. A manager who earns a markup on repairs has a reason to approve more repairs. A manager whose leasing fee is the main revenue has less reason to work for renewals. None of that says any manager behaves badly; it says the contract should point everyone in the same direction.

The Atlis Fee Schedule, Line by Line

Atlis publishes two rate cards, set by what you own. Every figure in this table is quoted from the Atlis pricing page as it read on October 7, 2026. The pricing page governs, and your exact rate is confirmed in writing with your rental analysis.

The pricing page also lists what sets your exact rate within each range: property type, age, and condition; number of units; rent and expected turnover; HOA or condo requirements; distance from Palm Beach Gardens; and services beyond standard. It states that rates apply to new agreements only, are confirmed in writing with your rental analysis, and are then locked. Our project coordination page describes the coordination fee as 10% of total project cost on projects over $1,000.

What the Fee Covers, and What Atlis Never Charges

The pricing page lists what Atlis service includes: instant rental analysis; professional photos and video tour; listing on 30+ rental portals; live agent phone service; 12-point applicant and pet screening; lease preparation and signing; move-in documentation; resident welcome gift; 24/7 maintenance response; lease enforcement and evictions; HOA administration; security deposit handling; rent collection and bill pay; owner portal and monthly reporting; ACH owner payments; and year-end tax reporting.

Two fees sit outside the monthly percentage, and owners should not assume otherwise. The leasing fee is charged when a tenant signs; the pricing page says it "covers photos, video, 30+ portals, screening, and the lease" and is "due only when a tenant signs." The renewal fee is charged when a tenant renews. The pricing page FAQ states that leasing fees and renewal fees are billed separately.

Under "Never charged," the pricing page lists maintenance markups, setup or onboarding fees, vacancy fees, technology or platform fees, admin surcharges, and cancellation penalties. It also states "$0 while vacant," "$0 maintenance markup," and "Rate locked for life." Our guide to what managers charge for maintenance explains why the markup line matters.

Worked Examples on Fall 2026 Palm Beach County Rents

These examples use median asking rents reported by PBP Real Estate as of October 7, 2026, and Atlis fees as listed on the pricing page. Rates within each range are illustrative; your rate is set by your rental analysis.

Year one on the Jupiter home: twelve months of the monthly fee is $3,648 ($304 × 12), plus the $2,850 leasing fee, for $6,498. If the tenant renews for year two, the cost is $3,648 plus the $250 renewal, or $3,898. If another agent brought the tenant, the leasing fee would be 100% of a month's rent, or $3,800. The West Palm Beach example shows the $200 minimum at work: the percentage would produce $148.41, so the minimum applies, or $2,400 a year ($200 × 12).

For a 5-unit building, the multifamily card applies. Take five two-bedroom units at the $2,200 West Palm Beach two-bedroom median: $11,000 in monthly collected rent ($2,200 × 5). At 5% the fee is $550 a month ($11,000 × 5%); at 7% it is $770 ($11,000 × 7%). A renewal is $150 per unit, so five renewals total $750 ($150 × 5), and each new placement is $1,650 ($2,200 × 0.75). See our multifamily management page for how buildings are quoted.

How to Compare Quotes: Total Yearly Cost, Not the Headline Rate

Put every proposal on the same property and add up a typical year. A simple method works for any quote:

1. Monthly fee × 12, using your actual rent and checking the minimum.
2. The leasing fee, spread over how often you expect a new tenant. If a tenant turns over every other year, count half of it each year; on the Jupiter home that is $1,425 ($2,850 ÷ 2).
3. The renewal fee in the years the tenant stays.
4. Any markup on your expected repairs, plus inspection, technology, setup, and admin fees.
5. Any fee charged while the home is vacant.

Then weigh what the fee buys. Vacancy is usually the largest cost an owner controls. On the Jupiter two-bedroom, a week empty costs about $877 in rent ($3,800 × 12 ÷ 52), so a manager who fills the home faster can be worth more than a point of fee. Our vacancy loss calculator runs that math for your rent, and our analysis of how leasing time affects your bottom line goes further. For Jupiter-specific comparisons, see average property management fees in Jupiter.

High-rent and luxury homes

A higher rent does not change the percentage; it changes the dollars. At 7%, the $5,500 Wellington median produces $385 a month ($5,500 × 7%), and the $9,500 Palm Beach median produces $665 ($9,500 × 7%). On a high-rent home, the leasing fee becomes a large single number, so the length of each tenancy matters even more. Our guide to luxury property management covers the operating side.

Common Mistakes Owners Make When Comparing Fees

1. Comparing only the headline percentage. The leasing fee, renewals, markups, and small charges often decide the real cost.
2. Not asking what the percentage is charged on. Collected rent and scheduled rent produce different bills in a bad month.
3. Assuming leasing and renewals are included. At Atlis they are separate charges, listed on the pricing page; ask every manager the same question.
4. Ignoring how often the leasing fee hits. A manager with more turnover charges it more often, even at the same rate.
5. Missing the repair terms. Ask for original invoices, the markup policy, and the approval threshold in writing.
6. Skipping the exit terms. Cancellation penalties and fees that follow the tenant can trap an owner in a poor fit.
7. Choosing the lowest fee over the lowest total cost. A slow lease-up or a missed rent month costs more than the difference in percentage.

If you are still deciding whether to hire a manager at all, our comparison of self-managing versus hiring a property manager puts time and cost side by side.

How Atlis Keeps the Fee Predictable

Atlis is broker-owner led from our office on PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens and offers full service only. Our results include a 21-day average lease-up, a 74% renewal rate, and 98%+ of rent collected monthly. The pricing page sums up the approach: "The rate you see is the rate you pay." Every account carries our eight written guarantees; the pricing page lists them as clauses in the management agreement, including "Rate Lock: Your percentage never goes up" and "No-Markup Maintenance: You pay what the vendor charges."

Frequently Asked Questions

Want your exact rate? We will price your home, confirm the fee in writing with your rental analysis, and walk through every line before you sign.