Shawnee County · Topeka
Sell Your Commercial Property In Topeka, KS
Skyline Capital Investments buys commercial apartment buildings of 5+ units in Topeka and across Shawnee County — listed or off-market, stabilized or value-add. Get clear feedback on your deal, typically within 48 hours.
- Clear feedback on your deal, typically within 48 hours
- 5 to 100+ units, stabilized or distressed, listed or off-market
- Owners, agents, and brokers welcome — every conversation is confidential
We buy:Tired landlordsEstate & trust sales1031 exchangesDeferred maintenanceHigh vacancyPartnership splits
Neighborhoods & Nearby Towns: Westboro · Oakland · Central Topeka · Silver Lake — Shawnee County, KS
Why Topeka
Why We Buy Multifamily In Topeka
Topeka, KS is the Kansas capital and a renter-heavy market, with 41.0% of households renting under the Census Bureau's ACS 2020-2024 estimates. Median gross rent is $979 a month, and HUD's FY2027 two-bedroom fair market rent for the Topeka metro is $1,172.
This profile is for owners who want to sell commercial property in Topeka, KS and need local numbers before they talk to a buyer. It covers who rents, rent levels, the 19.2% of homes in 5+ unit buildings and how Shawnee County taxes them. It names the payrolls that keep apartments full, from state government to Stormont Vail Health.
Each figure links to the Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Kansas statutes or a Shawnee County or City of Topeka page. The tax math uses a $2,000,000 building so you can scale it to your own appraisal. Owners who sell multifamily property in Topeka can use it to check a buyer's underwriting line by line.
State government employment
State government averaged 8,733 jobs in Shawnee County in 2025, or 8.5% of 102,421 total jobs, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages.Health care and manufacturing
Stormont Vail Health runs a 586-bed hospital in Topeka with nearly 5,700 employees systemwide. Shawnee County averaged 8,518 private manufacturing jobs in 2025, per BLS.Low acquisition prices
Topeka's median home value is $144,200 under ACS 2020-2024, 33.6% below the Kansas median of $217,200. Median gross rent of $979 runs $81 under the state median.Our Buy Box
What We Buy In Topeka
Asset Type
Multifamily, 5+ Units
Apartment buildings and income-producing residential.
Size
5 – 100+ Units
Sweet spot: 15–25 units.
Condition
Stabilized To Distressed
Value-add, mismanaged, and high-vacancy properties welcome.
Deal Types
Listed Or Off-Market
Direct-to-owner, pocket listings, portfolios.
Local Market Data
Topeka Apartment Market
Figures gathered October 2026 from public market data.
Who rents in Topeka, KS
Renters head 41.0% of households in Topeka, KS. That is 22,495 renter households out of 54,837, per ACS 2020-2024 tenure data. Kansas sits at 32.8%, per the statewide tenure table.
Median household income in Topeka is $56,956 under ACS 2020-2024. Shawnee County reports $67,104, and Kansas reports $74,275. That leaves Topeka's median $17,319 below the Kansas figure.
Rent burden is real. In Topeka, 42.3% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, per ACS 2020-2024 rent-burden data. Another 21.9% spend 50% or more. Statewide, those shares are 40.4% and 19.1%.
Rents and affordability in Topeka, KS
Median gross rent in Topeka is $979 a month under ACS 2020-2024. That is $81 below the Kansas median of $1,060. Over a year, $979 a month equals 20.6% of Topeka's median household income.
Rental vacancy in Topeka is 8.4% in ACS 2020-2024 table DP04. Shawnee County reports 7.9% in its DP04 table. Buyers will test your occupancy against those figures.
HUD's FY2027 two-bedroom fair market rent for the Topeka, KS MSA is $1,172, effective October 1, 2026, per HUD fair market rents. That is $193 above Topeka's median gross rent. Owners who plan to sell commercial property in Topeka, KS can use that gap to frame rent upside for a buyer.
| Unit size | HUD FY2027 FMR, Topeka, KS MSA |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | $866 |
| One-bedroom | $913 |
| Two-bedroom | $1,172 |
| Three-bedroom | $1,564 |
| Four-bedroom | $1,586 |
Apartment stock in Topeka, KS
Buildings with 5 or more units hold 11,488 of 59,868 homes in Topeka, or 19.2%, per ACS 2020-2024 units-in-structure data. Kansas as a whole is at 13.0%. Topeka holds most of Shawnee County's 11,851 homes in 5+ unit buildings.
The stock is older than the state's. In Topeka, 67.5% of homes were built before 1980, per ACS 2020-2024 year-built data. The median year built is 1967, per table B25035. Expect buyers to price roofs, boilers and plumbing into any offer.
Entry prices are low by Kansas standards. Topeka's median home value is $144,200 under ACS 2020-2024. The Kansas median is $217,200, so Topeka runs 33.6% lower. That price gap is a main reason investors look to sell commercial real estate in Topeka, KS to buyers chasing yield.
Government payrolls anchor demand. State government averaged 8,733 jobs in Shawnee County in 2025, per the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. That is 8.5% of the county's 102,421 jobs. Private manufacturing averaged 8,518 jobs, and private health care and social assistance averaged 18,285.
Stormont Vail Health runs a 586-bed acute care hospital in Topeka, per its about page. The system reports nearly 5,700 employees across its hospitals and 35 other locations.
Property taxes in Shawnee County
A $2,000,000 apartment building in Topeka, KS owes about $30,803 a year on four core 2025 levies. Kansas assesses residential property, including multi-family, at 11.5% of value under K.S.A. 79-1439. Commercial and industrial property is assessed at 25%.
The Shawnee County Clerk's 2025 tax levy schedule lists 37.126 mills for Topeka City and 48.911 mills for Shawnee County. It lists 46.391 mills for USD 501 Topeka and 1.500 mills for the State of Kansas.
The math: $2,000,000 x 11.5% = $230,000 assessed value. The four levies total 133.928 mills. Then $230,000 x 0.133928 = $30,803.44, or 1.54% of value.
The same schedule lists Metro Topeka Airport Authority at 2.194 mills and Topeka Metro Transit at 3.999. It lists the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library at 7.586 mills and Washburn University at 3.467. If all four apply to your parcel, the total is 151.174 mills and the bill is $34,770.02.
Anyone selling commercial property in Topeka should pull the exact tax unit from the latest bill. Buyers will rebuild the levy from that tax unit, not from a citywide average.
Appeals run on a short clock. Taxpayers have 30 days from the mailing of the valuation notice to appeal real property, per K.S.A. 79-1448. The Shawnee County Treasurer set 2025 tax due dates of December 22, 2025 and May 11, 2026.
Landlord rules in Topeka, KS
Kansas caps deposits, bars local rent control and limits forced interior inspections. The state rules below come from Kansas statute pages.
- Deposit cap: one month's rent for an unfurnished unit, 1.5 months furnished, plus up to half a month for pets, per K.S.A. 58-2550.
- Deposit return: within 14 days of setting deductions, and never more than 30 days after the tenancy ends and the tenant makes demand.
- Month-to-month termination: written notice ending on a rent-paying date at least 30 days after receipt, per K.S.A. 58-2570.
- Unpaid rent: ten days' written notice to quit for a tenant on a lease of three months or longer, per K.S.A. 58-2507.
- Rent control: K.S.A. 12-16,120 bars any county, municipality or township from controlling the amount of rent.
Cities cannot require periodic interior inspections of private rental housing without the occupant's consent, under K.S.A. 12-16,138. That limit does not apply to mixed-use residential and commercial property.
Topeka adopted the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code through Ordinance No. 20625, published December 22, 2025. The ordinance set its effective date at 90 days after publication. It sets the standard for code complaints on rental buildings.
What it means for an owner in Topeka, KS
Topeka combines a 41.0% renter share, a $979 median rent and 8.4% rental vacancy. Buyers will weigh the $30,803 core tax example above, pre-1980 systems and lease-up time.
Low entry prices cut both ways. A $144,200 median home value draws yield buyers, but it also caps resale pricing, so clean financials matter more than in pricier Kansas cities.
If you plan to sell your apartment building in Topeka, start by running your numbers through the cap rate calculator. Skyline Capital Investments buys apartment buildings with 5 or more units.
Owners ready to sell commercial property in Topeka, KS can request an offer on the sell my apartment building page. Bring a rent roll, twelve months of expenses and your latest Shawnee County tax bill.
Before You Sell
What Shapes A Topeka Offer
More about selling in Kansas →Investing in Topeka? See apartment syndications in Topeka →
- Topeka apartments are assessed at 11.5% of value under K.S.A. 79-1439, while commercial and industrial property is assessed at 25%.
- The four core 2025 levies for Topeka, Shawnee County, USD 501 and the state total 133.928 mills on the county clerk's schedule.
- Low entry prices and a 41.0% renter share are why owners who sell commercial real estate in Topeka, KS often meet yield-focused buyers.
- Kansas bars local rent control under K.S.A. 12-16,120, so Topeka rents move with the market rather than a local cap.
Seller Guides
Your Situation, Handled — Topeka
Learn More
Taxes & Rules For Topeka Property
The Kansas rules that shape any deal in Topeka: what a sale costs in tax, how buildings are taxed, what landlords must follow, and how to defer gains.
Topeka Seller FAQ
How do I sell commercial property in Topeka, KS?
Start with a current rent roll, twelve months of expenses and your latest Shawnee County tax bill. Buyers underwrite taxes at 11.5% assessment times the combined mill levy, so confirm your tax unit first. Expect questions about pre-1980 systems, since 67.5% of Topeka homes predate 1980. Skyline Capital Investments buys apartment buildings with 5 or more units and can quote from those documents.
How much property tax does a $2,000,000 apartment building pay in Topeka?
On the 2025 Shawnee County levy schedule, Topeka City, Shawnee County, USD 501 and the State of Kansas total 133.928 mills. Assessed value is $2,000,000 x 11.5% = $230,000, so the tax is $30,803.44, or 1.54% of value. Airport, transit, library and Washburn University levies can add 17.246 mills, for $34,770.02. If you plan to sell your apartment building in Topeka, confirm the parcel's exact tax unit first.
What do buyers look at when I sell commercial real estate in Topeka, KS?
Buyers compare your rents to Topeka's $979 median gross rent and HUD's $1,172 two-bedroom fair market rent for FY2027. They check occupancy against 8.4% rental vacancy under ACS 2020-2024. They also price the age of the building and the Shawnee County tax bill. A clean rent roll and current expense history shorten due diligence.
Does Topeka have rent control?
No. K.S.A. 12-16,120 bars any county, municipality or township from enacting, maintaining or enforcing an ordinance that controls rent. Topeka therefore cannot cap rents or limit increases on privately owned buildings. That leaves rent setting to the market, which buyers factor into their projections. The statute also preserves an owner's right to enter a voluntary agreement, such as one tied to a public incentive.
How long do I have to appeal my Shawnee County property valuation?
Under K.S.A. 79-1448, a taxpayer has 30 days from the mailing of the valuation notice to appeal a real property valuation to the county appraiser. Missing that window narrows your options for the year. For 2025 taxes, the first half was due December 22, 2025. The second half is due May 11, 2026, per the Shawnee County Treasurer.
Do I need to fix up my Topeka building before selling?
No. We price in deferred maintenance, vacancy, and below-market rents ourselves, so you can sell the property as it stands.
How does a sale to you work in Shawnee County?
Send the address, unit count, and any financials. We give feedback, then a written letter of intent if it fits, followed by diligence and a closing date that works for you.
Can I sell rental property in Topeka with tenants in place?
Yes. We buy apartment buildings with tenants in place and keep existing leases intact. As a commercial real estate buyer focused on 5+ unit properties, we underwrite the current rent roll as it stands.
How fast can I sell my apartment building in Topeka?
Most owners get clear feedback within 48 hours of sending the address, unit count, and a rent roll. Closing is typically set around your timeline, including extra time for a 1031 exchange.
Submit A Deal
Have A Property In Topeka?
A few details are enough to start. We respond to every Topeka submission, including off-market and pocket listings.
