The value of a garage in Rochester, NY rentals?

[Bryan W.]

In my search for SFRs and small Multis in Rochester, I've noticed how few city houses have *usable* garages. I say usable because there are plenty of garages that aren't big enough for a modern car, are deep in the fenced in, unpaved back yard, etc. Let's just call those what they are: tool sheds.

For those of you with rental properties in the city, have you found that access to a garage has a noticeable impact on rental rates? Given the long, cold winters, I would think that it would be a huge selling point. But I've noticed that my friends and family in the area really don't care too much about having a garage. Perhaps they've all given up looking for a place with one and are just happy to find off-street parking. For comparison, in California where the weather is perfect 350 days per year, most people wouldn't even consider a place that didn't have a garage.

Have any of you considered adding garages or carports to properties that don't have them? Have you followed through? If so, what effect did it have on your rental rates?