heating and cooling delima

[Rasheed Mcdaniel]

hello everyone i am new to the business investing in Philadelphia, PA and the surrounding suburbs. I am currently under contract with my first rental property due to settle within a week or so. The numbers look good (in my opinion) even tho It will be owner occupied for the first year ( $110k selling price, $900 1st floor unit, $125 garage rental, and another $800 2nd floor unit once fully rented) the taxes are high at $5,600 a year. Total numbers are $1,200 monthly payment including mortgage insurance and escrows, and $1,025 coming in with me living in the second floor unit. 

Two days ago i found out just how much the existing oil based heating and hot water systems will cost to operate (which i had no idea about). I was quoted $400 a month average for oil deliveries during the winter months and a additional delivery maybe two to keep the hot water going during the warm season. This basically  takes my monthly from $1,200 to $1,600 as they are both covered by the landlord currently. 

This has led me to search for other methods of heating and ways to projects costs back to the tenant and in doing so I have narrowed the selection down to either converting to natural gas or installing a ductless heating AND COOLING system or systems. Both seem to have great pros and cons. My overall question i guess is: would it be best to convert everything over to gas or should I install the ductless system and use it as the primary heating and cooling source? Secondly, If that were done would it be best to keep the existing hot water system running on oil or should i convert to electric hot water as well?  

[Joe Mulcahy]

Gas is always the better choice. Maybe expensive to convert but worth it in the long run. Tennants like gas becuase it is way cheaper then oil and electric.  Then if you convert, you can meter each unit seperatly if you install 2 seperate gas units.  If not it will be way cheaper for you to pay the bill.  As far as the AC left the tennant get a window unit.