In July 1972, Neil Fjellestad created Fjellestad Properties to offer real estate sales in San Diego. In the 1980s Fjellestad brought on two partners, Barrett and Rapp, rebranding as Fjellestad, Barrett and Rapp (FBR) with an office located on Navajo Road.
Moving along to 1985, Don Short assumed Rapp’s position, renaming the company Fjellestad Barrett and Short. Today, the company is known simply as FBS Property Management.
In 1989, Chris DeMarco (pictured above L-R with Neil Fjellestad), a Chicago transplant, identified a need to develop the property management division of FBS with an emphasis on single family home management – an undervalued part of the market at the time. Continuing to grow through the 90’s, FBS acquired a Prudential office in Rancho Bernardo assuming management of hundreds of properties in the North County region.
FBS is a company that respects and promotes long-term, independent rental ownership as a socially responsible investment. The company works with clients to assess their real estate needs and leverage it in an efficient and effective manner all while promoting resident respect and retention. They are housing providers, maintenance troubleshooters, financial analysts, asset managers and a support network for clients and customers who own or rent the properties the company manages.
As an Accredited Management Organization® (AMO®), FBS Property Management is held accountable to the Code of Ethics of the Institute of Real Estate Management. Being ethical in business means doing the right thing.
Over the past 50 years, FBS leadership has been key to the industry.
Fjellestad was president of the San Diego Apartment Association in 1986 and partner DeMarco helped to create the first property managers council in 1988. Vice President, Lucinda Lilley is currently serving a second term as the Southern California Rental Housing Association president after serving two terms as president of the Institute of Real Estate Management.
In 2015, DeMarco became chairman of the Better Business Bureau Foundation Board. The company supports its FBS employees in their contributing on other committees and boards throughout the industry. This team has actively worked with legislators from San Diego to Sacramento to Washington, D.C., to better the rental housing industry.
FBS Property Management, AMO®, has been honored as San Diego’s Best Property Management Company, 3-time BBB Torch Award winner for Ethics in Business, and AMO® of the Year. They are proud to count a 2-time CPM® of the Year and Industry Achievement Award winner as part of their team.
“FBS has experienced exceptional growth and development over the past 50 years,” said Fjellestad. “Moving forward, our focus will remain the enhancement of the business of the Rental Housing Provider and work to collaborate on rental housing solutions for our clients, customers, and the community.”
Collaboration goes hand in hand with education. With a vast social media presence and weekly blog, the company hopes to continue to inform the communities in which it serves, so that renting and all that it entails is better understood.
In addition to the industry work it does, FBS is key to the Del Cerro Community. The company has supported the Navajo Girls Softball League, the Lake Murray Playground Project, the Lake Murray 4el of July Fireworks and Music Fest. In addition, they are active donors and volunteers at the San Diego Food Bank.
From the border to wine country – the beach to the mountains – they are proud to serve 72 zip codes within San Diego County. They have managed more than 18,000 different properties throughout the 50 years and provided hundreds of job opportunities countywide.
For more information on FBS Property Management, AMO visit: fbs-pm.com.
