Did you know that most property management companies in Calgary do not publish their detailed list of fees? You have to call, sit through a sales pitch, and piece together the real cost yourself. That can be frustrating.

We’ve been managing properties for many years, and one thing we hear from landlords all the time is: “I had no idea I was paying for all this stuff.”

So here’s the post I wish existed when I started: a plain-language, actual-numbers breakdown of what property management costs in Calgary – what the industry norm looks like, what our contract actually says, and what you should expect to pay.

First: Property Management Pricing Is Not Just One Number

Most companies lead with their monthly percentage and bury everything else. Here’s the full picture of what you can be charged and what each fee actually means.

1. The Initial Leasing Fee (also called a Placement or Start-Up Fee)

This is a one-time fee charged every time a new tenant is placed. It covers marketing, photography, screening, showings, lease prep, and move-in inspection.

In Calgary, the industry range for initial leasing fees is roughly $775 to over $1,500. Our initial leasing fee is $500 + GST – and that includes everything: professional photography, iGuide 3D virtual tour, RMS-compliant floor plan, advertising on Rentfaster and social media, all applicant screening, SingleKey credit checks (paid by us), lease preparation, move-in inspection with photos and video, and all building documentation and intercom setup.

2. Subsequent Leasing Fees (Year 2, Year 3, and Beyond)

This is the one that almost nobody talks about but it’s where the real savings compound over time.

Many companies charge the same high leasing fee every single time a new tenant is placed, whether it’s year one or year five. That means you’re paying $1,000+ again and again every time a tenant turns over.

Our subsequent leasing fees are $250 + GST , regardless of lease length. That’s for a brand-new tenant in year two, three, or any year after the initial placement. The photos and property descriptions from the first rental are already on file, so the marketing cost is dramatically reduced, and we pass that savings directly to you.

3. Lease Renewal Fees

When your existing tenant wants to stay and extend their lease, some companies charge a renewal fee. Ours is $50+GST – regardless of lease length. I’ve seen other companies charge $150 to $300 for a renewal.

4. Monthly Management Fee

We charge 10% of monthly rent (minimum $150 + GST per month). The industry standard in Calgary runs 10% to 12%. On a $2,200/month rental, that 2% difference is $528 per year – for the exact same service. We charge 10%. No tiers, no exceptions.

5. Marketing and Photography Fees

Some companies charge separately for listing photos, virtual tours, or advertising placements. We include professional high-end photography and a full iGuide 3D virtual tour in the leasing fee. There is no separate marketing charge, ever.

6. Credit Check Fees

We use SingleKey for every adult applicant and absorb that cost entirely. You will never see a credit check line item on your statement.

7. Contractor Markups

When a repair is needed, some property management companies add a 10% to 20% markup on top of the contractor’s invoice and pocket the difference. If a plumber charges $400, you might be paying $480 with no explanation on your statement. Our contract is explicit: you pay exactly what the vendor charges us. No markup. No coordination fee. The invoice you receive is the invoice we received.

8. Vacancy Fees

Some companies charge a monthly fee while your property sits empty. Our contract guarantees a $0 vacancy fee. You only pay the monthly management fee once a tenant is in place and rent is flowing.

9. Cancellation Fees

Most property management companies in Calgary charge cancellation fees ranging from $250 to $500+ and you’re still responsible for paying the remaining management fees for the full contract term. This can make it difficult and expensive to leave, even if you’re not satisfied with the service. We do things differently. Our cancellation fee is $0. It’s clearly written into our contract. All you need to do is provide 30 days’ written notice, and you’re free to move on. No penalties. No clawbacks. No uncomfortable conversations. And you are not responsible for any remaining property management fees after your notice period. You stay because you’re happy, not because you’re locked in.

10. The “Sell With Us” Obligation

Some property management companies, particularly those where the property manager is also a licensed Realtor, will include clauses that either strongly encourage or outright require you to list your property with their brokerage when the time comes to sell.

Our contract explicitly states the opposite. You are not obligated to work with CIR REALTY Realtors when you sell, and we will not promote our real estate services to you or attempt to redirect you from a Realtor you’ve already chosen. That protection is written into the agreement. Your investment decisions are yours to make.

Why We Don’t Cheap Out on Photography (and Most Companies Do)

This one deserves its own section because it’s something I feel strongly about.

Walk through Rentfaster right now and look at rental listings in Calgary. A significant number of them were photographed on an iPhone. You can tell immediately – the angles are awkward, the lighting is flat, the rooms look smaller than they are. That’s not the tenant’s first impression you want to make.

We hire a professional real estate photography company for every single listing. Not a hobbyist. Not a staff member with a decent phone. A professional, with professional equipment, who knows how to make a Calgary condo or home look its absolute best.

And we go further than photos. Every listing we take on includes an iGuide 3D virtual tour – the same interactive, room-by-room walkthrough technology used on MLS listings. We also include a proper floor plan with RMS-compliant measurements. That means your tenant can see the exact square footage, the layout, where every room sits in relation to the others, before they even book a showing.

On Rentfaster, the difference is immediate. Listings with an iGuide tour and a professional floor plan stand out from the page. Serious tenants, the ones with stable income, good credit, and a track record of caring for properties, gravitate toward listings that look professionally managed. Because they do.

None of this costs you extra. It’s included in our $500 + GST leasing fee. We absorb the cost of professional photography, iGuide, and floor plan measurement because we believe it’s the baseline standard for managing someone’s investment property properly – not an optional add-on.

Side-by-Side: How We Compare to the Calgary Market (note GST is added to each cost)

The 3-Year Cost Comparison (This Is Where It Gets Interesting)

Let’s look at a realistic scenario. You own a condo unit renting at $2,200/month with a new tenant each year. Assumptions: typical company charges 12% monthly management and a $1,200 leasing fee each time. We charge 10% management, $500 initial lease fee, and $250 for subsequent placements. Note GST is added to each cost and is already included here.

What’s Actually in Our Contract – The Complete Fee List

Here is every fee in our management agreement, with nothing omitted:

• Initial leasing fee: $500 + GST (covers photography, iGuide, floor plan, advertising, screening, SingleKey credit checks, lease prep, move-in inspection, building documentation and intercom setup)
• Subsequent leasing fees: $250 + GST (when a new tenant is required in year 2+)
• Lease renewal fee: $50+GST
• Monthly management: 10% of rent collected (minimum $150 + GST)
• Vacancy fee: $0 – guaranteed in the contract
• Cancellation fee: $0 – guaranteed in the contract
• Contractor markups: $0 – you pay the invoice price, nothing more
• Marketing / photography / iGuide / floor plan: $0 – all included in leasing fee
• Credit checks (SingleKey): $0 – paid by us
• Admin or setup fees: None
• Property Inspection cost: $0 – guaranteed in the contract
• Appointments and Communication with you (phone/email): none – $0 – guaranteed in the contract

A Few Contract Terms Worth Knowing

Emergency spending authority

We typically get your approval for every expense so you’re never surprised by any costs. You’ll always know what’s happening at your property, and we make it a priority to keep expenses as reasonable as possible.

That said, some clients prefer a more hands-off approach and don’t want to be contacted for every decision. For those situations, we can act on your behalf if something urgent happens at your property, such as a pipe burst, flood damage, or a safety issue. In those cases, we’re authorized to proceed without waiting for your sign-off for repairs up to $500. For anything above that amount, we will always seek your approval first, unless delaying action could cause further damage.

This way, your property is always protected, even if you’re unavailable, while still giving you the level of involvement you’re most comfortable with.

Month-to-month, no lock-in

Our agreement continues year to year automatically with no fixed term locking you in. If you want to stop, 30 days written notice is all it takes. No questions asked. We let you go when you need to go without any penalties or any additional costs.

Out-of-province and international owners

If you’re an investor living outside Alberta – or outside Canada – we handle non-resident tax filing as well, including NR4 and NR6 forms. There is a non-resident filing fee of just $150 per tax year for this service (other companies often charge $500 for this service).

How to Compare Property Management Contracts in Calgary: What to Ask

If you’re shopping around, here are the exact questions worth asking every company:

• What is your initial leasing fee, and what does it include?
• Do you hire a professional photography company, or do your staff take the photos?
• Is a 3D virtual tour and floor plan included, or extra?
• What do you charge for subsequent leasing fees in year 2 and beyond?
• What is your lease renewal fee?
• Do you charge a vacancy fee while the unit is empty?
• Do you mark up contractor invoices? By how much?
• Is there a cancellation fee? What is it, exactly? Can I cancel without being required to pay for the remaining property management monthly costs?
• Do you require me to sell my property through your brokerage if I ever decide to sell?
• Who pays for the tenant credit check?
• How much is your property inspection cost?

If a company struggles to answer any of those questions clearly and specifically, that tells you something. A good property management agreement should be easy to read and easy to explain.

Ready to See the Numbers for Your Property?

Every property is a little different. If you want a straight answer on what our fees would look like specifically for your Calgary rental (no pressure, no obligation) reach out and I’ll walk you through it.