All Forum Posts by: Hongqing Yao

Thank you very much!

@Matthew Cassidy thanks for the advice for renting to students. I agree it is late now. I had about 20+ showings and 3 wanted to submit application but gone quiet when they heard about the security deposits. 

I listed on CL and Zillow at the beginning. However, I am remote so I find an agent to list it on MLS. The photos are great. I did lowered the rent twice. So it is in a lower price bucket now than it was. The apartment does have some issues because there is no parking space and it is on the garden level.

I would take your advice on targeting those type of renters and set up the side utility charges. :)

I do agree that renting out by room prompts quite some headaches. Renters wants to have a say in finding other renters. Some wants to bring in 2-3 cats. 

Thanks for the responses. 

@Charlie MacPherson My condo association is fine with that. They do not have any rules about this. I think I have heard about the show and that was about Boston area. I just lowered the rent by $200. Hopefully someone will turn up.

@Sai T. It does not have any parking spot. Tenants have to rent parking from houses close by. I also think this is an issue but do not have any solutions. Luckily this place is right on the MBTA green line. 

Hi Experts,

I am a newbie in Boston area. I had purchased a place at Coolidge Corner, Brookline area. It is generally an area with working professionals and some students. It is close to public transportation, many restaurants and bars. It is also between Boston University and Boston College. 

I rented it out for a year and am trying to rent it out again for September. But it looks like the rental market this year is sort of difficult here. I had a bunch of showing but no real leads. The unit does have some issues such as no parking spot, garden level with a long dim hallway. But the unit itself did have new kitchen and renovation. 

I did have someone asked about rent by room. So I am wondering if it is a good idea to start rent unit by room (3B) instead of entire unit for $3000 which is a fair price for unit in this area. I do understand it does require more work.

BTW, I am remotely managing it right now. I have a good person to take care of it when something goes wrong. 

1. Does rent by room make sense under this case?

2. Should I charge more? The unit has total new kitchen. I do hear that rent to students or multiple persons tend to wreck the place fast. When things are broke, how could I charge them anyway?

3. Once rent out by room, how could you convert it back?

4. Should you sign one lease for all of them? What if you cannot find 3 person to rent at once?

Thank you for your response in advance!

Hi Experts, Veterans,

I am a new landlord in Brookline/Boston area (generally Class A area with subway access). I rented my 3B1B condo out at the beginning of the year. The tenant is a family with a few kids. He has some financial difficulties in the past few years but he had good reference in the past 5-6 years. So I decided to give it a try. However, he was late on rent twice recently. The first time was because of bank holding issues for over 30 days. The second time/ current month is still not paid (15 days late). His lease is coming to end at 8/31. 

Since I am a newbie, I really do not know how would you evaluate the situation. Should I evict them? Or just simply not renew lease with them. I am thinking just not to renew lease would be the best option because of the lengthy process of eviction here in MA. I would definitely like to hear some advices from you.

Thanks!

You are right. Outside the kitchen is a private hall way. So I could not get any nature light. 

The cabinets are good ideas. I think it is a DIY project. 

The trouble is the floor. There are 4 layers of vinyl laminates, 1 layer of sheetrock or something, then the hardwood floor. Is that easy to remove then without hiring contractors? 

Thanks for the advice @Jon Q. This building is as old (built in 1925) as most of buildings around Boston. I have the photo attached. Although this photo is taken by agent before. So in reality, it is much darker in lighting. Wall painting and cabinets painting is dirty although it looks really white in this photo. But we will add 4 recession lights.

Our contractor says it is expensive to remove the cracked painted wallpaper and layers of laminate over hardwood floor underneath. But if they were to replace cabinets, they might just do the whole thing to avoid cracked wall in the future.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I might just go for the repainting kitchen cabinets idea. The kitchen has a lot of problem underneath the wall and floor. But fixing them would add 0 value in terms of renting. Renovation the whole kitchen will cost at least 20k, but only add $100-300 in rent monthly.

I recently bought an old apartment in Coolidge Corner, Brookline MA. It is a very populated commercial area. The apartment lacks a lot of fixes. It has cracked painted wallpaper all over the place. It also has kitchen and bathroom in 80's style. I want to fix wall cracks, repaint and rent it out. The question is should I update the kitchen and bathroom? 

This area is very expensive but a little bit lower in rent than downtown Boston. I think the return in rent is relatively low.

Thanks!