Tips for Renting by the Room Near Colleges: First-Time Landlord in Baltimore, MD

[Garry Lawrence]

Hi everyone, Happy New Year!

I just bought my first rental property in Baltimore, MD, and I’m planning to rent it out by the room, including the basement. The property is located near two colleges, so I’m focusing on student tenants and planning for 12-month lease terms.

Do you have any tips or advice for renting by the room? Specifically, I’d love to hear about best practices for managing shared spaces, screening tenants, and setting up house rules.

Additionally, I plan to split the utilities among the tenants—any advice on how to handle this efficiently would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help! Also, I wish you many success in 2025!