The warmest apartment in town is the one where heat is included in the rent.

If the unit did sit vacant, you're not only losing the rental income for those months, but you'd also be paying to heat the vacant side (as well as other costs if there is a separate water meter, trash collection, etc).

My rent covered my large mortgage, but I paid heat/sewer/water/trash/taxes/insurance (because if I would have made someone else pay any/all of that, I would have never found anyone to rent it). 

Here are the numbers:* 3844 square feet, 2-story, 4-plex buIlt In 1882* Rents for all 4 units total $2930/month* Landlord pays heat (gas boiler) and electrIc whIch Is $350/month total* Landlord pays water/sewer/trash whIch Is $170/month total* Taxes are $3k/yearNeeds:*ExterIor & InterIor paIntIng *Roof*FloorIng throughout *39 BIG wIndows*Most applIances are quIte oldLIstIng PrIce: $199K (motIvated seller)

If you are out in Fairbanks / North Pole area - you're missing some serious heat expense numbers.

There is currently only 1 furnace for 2 units and the owner pays for heat (Natural Gas).

Appraisal says 1,100sq ft of heated living area.

It has electricity and heat on. 

page=1Thanks to both of you for unpacking and fleshing this out for the rest of us – aside from a few heated disagreements you’re having. 

Trulia has the homes for sale in the area to get prices and rents to compare, heat maps that show how well the schools perform, crime levels, local shopping/commute time, etc.