San Diego
Overview

San Diego · Property Owners

San Diego STR Owner Resource Hub

If you're an owner trying to make real money with short-term rentals in San Diego, you're in the right place. Everything you actually need is here — neighborhood intel, regulation shortcuts, revenue reality checks, and the exact links to stay legal and profitable in 2026. Talk to us about your property.

10 neighborhoods · Select your area for local owner resources

Downtown San Diego

Gaslamp Quarter, Little Italy, East Village, Marina District

Downtown is pure event-driven opportunity — Comic-Con weeks alone can cover months of mortgage. Full STRO compliance and strong noise policies are non-negotiable here, but walkability and convention traffic push revenue well above market average for owners who know how to ride the surges.

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Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

San Diego uses a four-tier STRO license system. Tier 1 is home-sharing with the host present. Tier 2 is home-sharing with the host absent but the property must be your primary residence. Tier 3 is whole-home rental on a non-primary residence, subject to a citywide cap by community plan area. Tier 4 is specific to Mission Beach with its own separate cap. The tier you need depends entirely on how you plan to use the property.

Tier 1 and Tier 2 home-sharing permits are generally available citywide. Tier 3 whole-home permits are capped by community plan area, so availability varies by neighborhood. Some zones have permits available while others have hit their cap and maintain a waitlist. Mission Beach operates under a separate Tier 4 system with approximately 1,100 whole-home permits. Check current cap status with the city before purchasing a property for STR use.

San Diego charges a Transient Occupancy Tax of approximately 10.5% on the nightly listing price. Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit TOT automatically for most bookings, but you still need to register for a TOT certificate with the City Treasurer. Some zones also carry a Tourism Marketing District assessment on top of the base rate.

We focus on coastal and urban San Diego neighborhoods where short-term rental demand is strongest. That includes Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, La Jolla, Ocean Beach, Point Loma, downtown, and North Park. We also work with owners in North County coastal areas like Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Oceanside. If your property is in a neighborhood with strong STR fundamentals, we want to talk.