Data-backed maintenance spending, repair-cost benchmarks, and expense-tracking insights for landlords and real estate investors in 2026

Rental property maintenance is a recurring operating cost that can vary widely by property type, location, age, condition, and the timing of repairs. Current industry data shows that the repair and maintenance segment represents a major share of property management services, while homeowner cost indexes show that several common maintenance categories continued to rise even as annual single-family maintenance cost growth slowed.

For landlords and real estate investors, the financial challenge is not only paying for maintenance. It is also keeping expenses organized by property, entity, and tax category so repair spending can be reviewed alongside rent, reserves, and other operating costs. Baselane is a banking and bookkeeping platform for multi-property real estate investors and operators. Baselane centralizes banking, bookkeeping, rent collection, and reporting workflows so property and entity financial activity can be organized in one platform instead of across separate bank logins, spreadsheets, and accounting tools.

Key takeaways

• Repair and maintenance is a large service category: It represented 33.7% of revenue in the U.S. property management services market in 2025.
• Single-family home maintenance averaged $11,196: Thumbtack estimated annual costs of $11,196 in Q2 2026 for maintaining a single-family home using hired professionals.
• Unexpected repair spending varied widely: Thumbtack reported median spending of $600 for an unexpected repair, while the top 10% of jobs reached $18,737.
• Maintenance pressures affect rental owners directly: In Baselane's 2025 survey, 57% of landlords said higher maintenance and repair costs had affected them in 2024.
• Baselane supports automated bookkeeping: Baselane Smart can auto-tag transactions to properties and 120+ categories for real estate income or expenses, while Baselane Smart bookkeeping rules can automatically tag transactions to a specific entity.

Property management and rental operating cost statistics

1. The U.S. property management services market was estimated at $122.02 billion in 2025

The U.S. property management services market was estimated at $122.02 billion in 2025. The scale of this market reflects the broad range of services property owners may use, including repair and maintenance, rent collection, leasing, accounting, and other operational functions.

2. Repair and maintenance represented 33.7% of market revenue

Repair and maintenance held a 33.7% revenue share in 2025. This makes upkeep a central part of the property management services economy and reinforces why maintenance deserves a dedicated line in rental property budgets.

3. Repair and maintenance is projected to grow at a 6.0% CAGR

Grand View Research projects the repair and maintenance segment to grow at a 6.0% CAGR from 2026 through 2033. This is a market-growth projection, not a forecast that an individual landlord's repair bill will rise at the same rate.

4. Median total operational expenses were $5,978 per housing unit in 2023

The 2024 Rental Housing Finance Survey, which used a 2023 reference period, reported median total operational expenses of $5,978 per housing unit. These expenses cover total property operations rather than maintenance alone, so the figure is best used as a broader rental operating-cost benchmark.

5. Mean total operational expenses were $8,231 per housing unit in 2023

For the same 2023 reference period, the Census Bureau table reported mean total operational expenses of $8,231 per housing unit. The gap between the mean and median illustrates how operating costs can vary substantially across rental properties.

Annual home maintenance cost benchmarks

The next statistics come from Thumbtack's Home Care Price Index. They reflect U.S. homeowner maintenance costs using hired professionals, not rental-only spending. They are useful directional benchmarks for landlords evaluating the cost environment for comparable home services.

6. Single-family home maintenance averaged $11,196 annually

Thumbtack estimated annual maintenance of $11,196 for a single-family home in Q2 2026. The index is based on millions of home-service projects requested through the platform.

7. Single-family maintenance costs rose 2% year over year

The same Q2 2026 index showed that single-family home maintenance costs were up 2% year over year. Thumbtack described this as its smallest annual increase since 2022.

8. Townhome maintenance costs reached $9,354 annually

For townhomes, Thumbtack estimated annual costs of $9,354 in Q2 2026.

9. Townhome maintenance costs rose 3.7% year over year

Thumbtack reported that townhome maintenance costs increased 3.7% year over year in its Q2 2026 index.

10. Condo maintenance costs reached $3,532 annually

For condos, Thumbtack estimated annual maintenance of $3,532 in Q2 2026.

11. Condo maintenance costs rose 5.9% year over year

Condo maintenance costs increased 5.9% year over year, a faster increase than the single-family and townhome figures in the same report.

12. Los Angeles maintenance costs reached $13,783 annually

Among the 30 largest U.S. metros in Thumbtack's index, Los Angeles had the highest annual home maintenance cost at $13,783.

13. Los Angeles maintenance costs rose 25.12% year over year

Los Angeles also posted the largest increase in the report, with annual maintenance costs rising 25.12% year over year.

14. Sacramento maintenance costs rose 7.44% year over year

Sacramento recorded a 7.44% annual increase in home maintenance costs, one of the larger metro-level increases in Thumbtack's Q2 2026 data.

Maintenance service price trends

Service-level changes matter because rental maintenance budgets are made up of many individual jobs rather than one uniform cost. Thumbtack's Q2 2026 index shows that some categories became more expensive while others declined.

15. Deck staining and sealing costs rose 16.51%

Deck staining and sealing posted the largest increase among the maintenance services highlighted by Thumbtack, rising 16.51% year over year.

16. Central air-conditioning repair costs rose 13.07%

Central air-conditioning repair and maintenance costs increased 13.07% year over year. Cooling-system expenses can be especially relevant for rentals in warmer climates or properties with older HVAC equipment.

17. House-cleaning costs rose 7.35%

Recurring house-cleaning services increased 7.35% year over year. For rental owners, cleaning may appear in routine upkeep, common-area maintenance, or turnover expenses depending on the property and lease structure.

18. Lawn-mowing costs rose 6.98%

Thumbtack reported that lawn-mowing costs increased 6.98% year over year, showing continued price pressure in recurring exterior maintenance.

19. Tree trimming and removal costs fell 15.75%

Not every maintenance category increased. Tree trimming and removal showed the largest decline in the report, falling 15.75% year over year.

20. Pest-control costs fell 5.39%

Pest-control costs declined 5.39% year over year in Thumbtack's Q2 2026 index.

21. Gutter-cleaning costs fell 1.08%

Gutter-cleaning costs decreased 1.08% year over year. This small decline contrasts with the stronger increases seen in deck, cooling, lawn, and cleaning services.

Repair frequency, urgency, and unexpected costs

Thumbtack's 2026 State of American Homes report surveyed 1,000 U.S. homeowners and 500 home-service professionals. The report's repair cost and volume figures are based on repair projects requested on Thumbtack in 2025. These figures are homeowner data rather than rental-only statistics, but they illustrate the frequency, urgency, and potential cost of repairs that can also affect rental properties.

22. 94% of surveyed homeowners noticed home issues in the prior 12 months

Thumbtack found that 94% of homeowners had noticed issues in their homes during the previous 12 months.

23. Nearly one in four dealt with repair needs at least monthly

Within the same survey, nearly one in four homeowners dealt with repair needs at least once per month. The finding highlights how frequently maintenance issues can surface even before major capital projects are considered.

24. Prices across the top 20 repair categories rose 22% on average over five years

Thumbtack reported that prices across its top 20 repair categories increased 22% on average from 2020 to 2025.

25. Thumbtack's average foundation repair price was $6,174 in 2025

Thumbtack's 2025 repair-project data put the average price estimate for foundation repairs at $6,174, the highest among the repair categories highlighted in the report.

26. Thumbtack's average deck and porch repair price was $3,899 in 2025

Thumbtack's 2025 repair-project data put the average price estimate for deck and porch repairs at $3,899, one of the higher-cost repair categories highlighted in the report.

27. Thumbtack's average solar-panel repair price was $2,946 in 2025

Thumbtack's 2025 repair-project data put the average price estimate for solar-panel repairs at $2,946 among the higher-cost repair categories highlighted in the report.

28. Thumbtack's average stair repair price was $2,402 in 2025

Thumbtack's 2025 repair-project data put the average price estimate for stair repairs at $2,402 among the repair categories highlighted in the report.

29. More than half of repair requests required help within 48 hours

Thumbtack reported that more than half of repair requests on its platform required immediate help within 48 hours. For rental owners, accessible reserves and organized payment workflows can be particularly useful when repairs cannot be deferred.

30. Median spending on an unexpected repair was $600

The median amount spent on an unexpected repair was $600 in Thumbtack's report.

31. The top 10% of unexpected repair jobs reached $18,737

At the high end, the top 10% of unexpected repair jobs reached $18,737. The wide spread between the median and the upper tail shows why a single fixed maintenance assumption may not capture occasional high-cost events.

HVAC and tenant-damage cost benchmarks

32. Average HVAC repair cost was $350 in HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide

HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide reported an HVAC repair average of $350. The figure is a general home-service benchmark rather than a rental-only average.

33. HVAC repair costs ranged from $100 to $600 in HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide

HomeAdvisor's 2025 guide reports HVAC repair costs of $100 to $600, averaging $350. The final price depends on the replacement part and the time needed for service.

34. Tenant-damage claims have ranged from $5,000 to $30,000

NREIG reports that its claims data has included tenant-damage amounts from $5,000 to $30,000. This is a claims-based range, not the percentage of landlords who experience tenant damage.

Landlord maintenance cost pressure

35. 57% of surveyed landlords reported higher maintenance and repair costs

In Baselane's survey of 415 U.S. rental property owners, 57% of landlords reported being impacted by higher maintenance and repair costs in 2024. In the same survey, 82% reported an increase in rental property ownership costs overall, showing that maintenance pressure was part of a broader rise in operating expenses.

Managing maintenance costs with Baselane

When repair payments are assigned to the correct property, entity, and expense category, they can be included in the corresponding bookkeeping and reporting records. Baselane centralizes banking and bookkeeping for real estate investors so maintenance spending can be reviewed alongside rent income, utilities, insurance, reserves, and tax records.

Baselane supports several workflows that are directly relevant to rental maintenance finances:

• Baselane allows investors to open unlimited checking and savings accounts with no monthly account maintenance fees and organize accounts by property and entity.
• Baselane Smart can auto-tag transactions to properties and 120+ categories for real estate income or expenses. Baselane Smart bookkeeping rules can also automatically tag transactions to a specific entity based on account or card, description, and amount.
• Baselane's accountant tax package includes a Schedule E report, a complete transaction ledger, income statements, and captured receipts.
• Baselane Smart includes automatic receipt matching, which matches uploaded receipts to transactions.
• Eligible Baselane savings accounts can earn up to [v="apyvalue"] APY² according to the current pricing page. Rates are variable and subject to change after account opening.

For multi-property owners, Baselane property-specific accounts can be used to separate repair reserves, while Baselane bookkeeping and reporting can organize financial activity by property and entity. Baselane serves as the banking and bookkeeping layer alongside property management tools used for maintenance scheduling, work orders, or vendor coordination.