Compare 10 real estate CPA San Diego investors use, from La Jolla boutiques to regional and national firms, plus the California tax rules that matter in 2027.
San Diego investors own everything from Mission Beach short-term rentals and North Park ADUs to Sorrento Valley lab space and multifamily buildings in Chula Vista. This list is for owners, developers and syndicators looking for a real estate CPA San Diego investors can meet in person, whether you need a San Diego real estate accountant for a few rentals or a firm that can handle partnerships and funds. For a national view, see our list of real estate CPA firms for investors.
Every firm here shows a San Diego County office on its own website and has a real estate practice page or a clear real estate investor focus. We mixed boutiques, regional California firms and two national firms with San Diego offices, and looked at the services that matter most to investors: depreciation and cost segregation, 1031 planning, passive loss rules and entity structuring.
California is the local wrinkle. California does not conform to federal bonus depreciation and requires taxpayers to add it back, so the federal 100% bonus depreciation restored by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (signed July 4, 2025) does not flow through to your state return. California also tracks out-of-state 1031 replacement property through annual FTB Form 3840 filings. A San Diego CPA for rental property should handle both the federal and the California side.
San Diego Real Estate CPA Firms At A Glance
Company
Headquarters
Best For
Standout
HCVT
California (San Diego office in Carmel Valley)
Syndicators, developers and funds
Real estate is one of its largest practice lines
Baker Tilly
National (San Diego office on Executive Drive)
Funds, REITs and family offices
REIT advisory and in-house cost segregation
Thomas Huckabee, Inc. (Huckabee CPA)
La Jolla, CA
Developers and family real estate businesses
San Diego CPA firm since 1984
Aldrich
Western U.S. (San Diego and Carlsbad offices)
Developers and opportunity zone funds
QOZ fund creation and compliance testing
Haskell & White
Irvine, CA (San Diego office in UTC area)
Middle-market developers and syndications
Real estate consulting backed by in-house training
RSM
National (San Diego office on Carmel Mountain Road)
Larger owners, funds and developers
Middle-market real estate tax and fund services
AB Tawil & Associates
San Diego, CA
Cross-border and foreign investors
Bilingual U.S. and Mexico real estate tax work
Accounting Fresh
Carlsbad, CA
North County rental investors
Property-level books plus tax and CFO services
Dimov Tax
New York, NY (San Diego office on B Street)
Individual landlords and STR hosts
Covers San Diego rental and occupancy taxes
The Business Tax Group
San Diego, CA
Small investors and builders
Rental property and transaction analysis
Best Real Estate CPA Firms In San Diego In 2027
1. HCVT — Real Estate Practice With A Carmel Valley Office
Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt (HCVT) is a California CPA firm with 16 offices, including San Diego at 12750 High Bluff Drive. It is an independent member of Moore North America. HCVT describes real estate as one of its largest and most specialized lines of business, serving owners, developers, syndicators and investors.
Its real estate service list reads like an investor’s checklist: partnership and LLC structuring and compliance, REIT work, 1031 exchanges, cost segregation, tangible property regulations, partnership basis adjustments, net investment income tax planning, state pass-through entity (PTE) tax and qualified business income rules. It also handles audits for lender and investor reporting.
That depth makes HCVT a natural fit for sponsors who raise capital from many investors and need clean K-1s and California PTE elections every year.
Best for: Syndicators, developers and investor groups that want a large California firm with a dedicated real estate practice.
2. Baker Tilly — National Real Estate Practice With A San Diego Office
Baker Tilly describes itself as the sixth largest accounting firm in the U.S. and lists a San Diego office at 4747 Executive Drive. Its real estate practice serves private equity real estate funds, REITs, developers, owners, investors, syndicators, lenders, high-net-worth individuals and family offices.
Services include REIT testing and structuring, fund administration, opportunity zone work, historic and New Markets Tax Credits, and partnership issues such as Section 704(c). The firm also runs its own cost segregation practice, which it says completes several hundred studies a year, so the depreciation study and the return can stay in one place.
Baker Tilly is best suited to larger portfolios and funds. A single-property owner will likely find a smaller firm more cost-effective.
Best for: Funds, REITs and family offices that want a national firm with a local office.
Thomas Huckabee, Inc. has been a San Diego CPA firm since 1984 and works from 888 Prospect Street in La Jolla. Its real estate page names developers, property managers, brokerages, construction firms, family-owned real estate enterprises, investment and syndication groups, and architecture firms as clients.
The firm combines outsourced bookkeeping and financial reporting with tax work. Its real estate services include cost segregation studies, acquisition and financial due diligence, deal structuring including 1031 exchange strategies, lease analysis, Form 1099 and K-1 reporting, and tax reduction planning.
Because it handles both the books and the returns, it suits family real estate businesses that want one local firm for monthly accounting and year-end tax planning.
Best for: Family real estate companies and developers that want bookkeeping and tax under one roof.
4. Aldrich — Opportunity Zone And Developer Work From San Diego And Carlsbad
Aldrich is a Western U.S. advisory and CPA firm with eight locations, including San Diego and Carlsbad. Its real estate practice works with developers from large firms to small investors, private equity investors and funds, and fund managers, across hospitality, office, multifamily and industrial property.
Qualified opportunity zone work is a highlight: Aldrich lists QOZ fund creation and compliance testing alongside due diligence, transaction support, entity structuring, cost segregation, and tax planning and compliance. It has also published real estate checklists tied to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Aldrich also offers outsourced CFO and accounting services, which helps smaller developers that do not yet have a full finance team.
Best for: Developers and fund sponsors working with opportunity zones or needing outsourced CFO support.
5. Haskell & White — Middle-Market Real Estate Consulting In The UTC Area
Haskell & White has served middle-market companies for more than 35 years and has two offices: Irvine and San Diego, at 4350 La Jolla Village Drive. Its real estate and construction practice serves property development, property management, construction, and investment and syndication clients.
The firm offers audit, review, tax planning and compliance, and transaction structuring for real estate businesses. It says its real estate consulting is supported by continual, in-depth real estate training for its staff.
Haskell & White does not publicize cost segregation or 1031 services on its real estate pages, so ask how it coordinates with outside specialists if you need either.
Best for: Middle-market developers and syndications that need audits and tax work from a Southern California firm.
6. RSM — Middle-Market Real Estate Tax And Fund Services
RSM lists a San Diego office at 3430 Carmel Mountain Road. Its real estate practice serves owners, operators and investors in real estate funds and REITs, developers of industrial, office and multifamily property, construction firms, property managers and family offices.
Services include tax, audit and assurance, fund administration and advisory, property accounting, outsourcing, and Yardi implementation. RSM positions itself as a leader in assurance, tax and consulting for the middle market, and it works with industry groups such as NAREIT and PREA.
RSM fits owners whose needs have grown past a small practice, such as fund reporting, multi-state filings or audited financial statements.
Best for: Larger owners, developers and funds that want a national firm with a San Diego office.
AB Tawil & Associates is based at 3131 Camino Del Rio North in San Diego and says it has more than 20 years of experience. Its team of CPAs and enrolled agents works in English and Spanish, and the firm is known for U.S. and Mexico taxation.
Its real estate page targets investors, developers and foreign buyers, with 1031 exchange planning, bonus depreciation and Section 179 strategy, cost segregation guidance, partnership and investor reporting, and entity structuring. It also handles foreign investor compliance, including FIRPTA withholding and Forms 8288, 1042 and 5472.
For a border region like San Diego, that cross-border focus is uncommon and useful for investors with property or income on both sides.
Best for: Foreign buyers and investors with real estate or business interests in both the U.S. and Mexico.
8. Accounting Fresh — Carlsbad Firm Built Around Rental Investors
Accounting Fresh CPA Inc. is based in Carlsbad and serves North County San Diego. It was founded by David Nguyen, CPA, and offers a free 30-minute consultation to start.
Its real estate page is written for investors and offers three layers: property-level bookkeeping with rent tracking and monthly financials for each unit or building; tax preparation and planning covering rental returns, depreciation and cost segregation, 1031 exchange planning, passive loss strategy and entity structuring; and CFO services with portfolio performance analysis and acquisition modeling.
The firm commits to responding to inquiries within 48 hours, which matters to investors who need quick answers during a purchase.
Best for: North County investors with growing rental portfolios who want books, taxes and planning together.
9. Dimov Tax — Downtown Office That Knows San Diego Rental Taxes
Dimov Tax Specialists is a New York firm led by George Dimov, CPA, with a San Diego office at 600 B Street. Its San Diego team includes CPAs and enrolled agents, and the firm also offers remote service.
Its San Diego page covers local rental issues that many investors miss: the City of San Diego Rental Unit Business Tax, Transient Occupancy Tax and short-term residential occupancy licensing for stays under one month, and the fact that Chula Vista, Carlsbad and unincorporated areas need separate local review. It also handles California Franchise Tax Board notices, audits and residency questions.
That mix suits individual landlords and short-term rental hosts more than large sponsors.
Best for: Individual landlords, ADU owners and short-term rental hosts in the City of San Diego.
The Business Tax Group (AB CPA, Inc.) works by appointment from 9939 Hibert Street in San Diego. It describes itself as a real estate specialist for investors, rental property owners, developers, architects and builders.
Its real estate services include rental property tax analysis, real estate tax preparation and transaction analysis. It also handles business taxes, including S corporation and LLC returns, reasonable compensation analysis and entity choice, which is helpful for investors who also run a business.
It is a small practice that sees clients by appointment only, so it fits individual investors and small builders better than funds or large syndications. Book early if you need help before a filing deadline.
Best for: Small investors and builders who want a local CPA for rentals and business returns.
How To Choose A Real Estate CPA In San Diego
Does The Firm Handle The California Side Well?
California does not follow federal bonus depreciation, has its own rules for out-of-state 1031 replacement property, and requires local filings such as San Diego’s rental business tax. Ask how the firm tracks federal and California depreciation separately and how it handles FTB Form 3840.
Does It Fit Your Size?
A few rentals and an ADU need a different firm than a syndication with 200 investors. Boutiques are often more affordable and responsive for individual investors, while HCVT, Baker Tilly and RSM are built for funds, audits and complex partnerships.
Will It Plan, Not Just File?
The biggest savings for investors come from planning before year end: timing purchases, deciding whether a cost segregation study makes sense, and qualifying for real estate professional status or the short-term rental rules. Ask how often the firm meets with clients outside tax season.
How Does It Work With Cost Segregation Providers?
Some firms run studies in-house, while others coordinate with outside specialists. Either can work, but your CPA must be comfortable filing the results. See our guide on how cost segregation works and our list of cost segregation firms in California.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does California Allow Bonus Depreciation?
No. California does not conform to federal bonus depreciation and requires taxpayers to add back any bonus depreciation taken federally. You can still take it on your federal return, so your CPA will keep separate federal and California depreciation schedules.
What Changed Federally For Real Estate Investors In 2025?
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, made 100% bonus depreciation permanent for qualifying property acquired and placed in service after January 19, 2025. Ask your CPA how it applies to your properties.
What Should A Real Estate Tax Accountant In San Diego Cost?
Fees for a real estate tax accountant San Diego investors hire vary widely by complexity. A return with a couple of rentals costs far less than a partnership return with many investors and states. Ask for a written engagement letter and fee range before you start.
Do I Need A Local CPA?
Not always, but a local firm will know California and City of San Diego rules and can meet in person. If you also hold property in other states, make sure the firm files in those states too.
Conclusion
San Diego investors have strong choices at every size. HCVT, Baker Tilly, RSM, Aldrich and Haskell & White suit developers, sponsors and funds, while Huckabee CPA, AB Tawil, Accounting Fresh, Dimov Tax and The Business Tax Group work well for individual investors and family real estate businesses. Whichever you choose, confirm it handles California depreciation and 1031 rules. If you are selling and reinvesting, see our list of 1031 exchange companies in California.
This article is general information, not tax or legal advice.
