Hi fellow investors,
I’m trying to make a decision between buying a side-side vs over/under duplex. They are right next to each other, very nice neighborhood (B+), with strong rental demand and high appreciation potential.
The only difference is side by side has electric baseboards vs over/under has hydronic baseboard (gas). I like side by sides better but this is New England and electric baseboards are very expensive to run ( tenants will pay electricity but still). There is obviously gas in the street but can be very expensive to convert to gas ( maybe $40k for both units).
I plan to buy and hold/rent for as long as possible.
What would u do ?
Side by Side vs Over/Under
byu/no-look-passing inrealestateinvesting
Posted by no-look-passing
4 Comments
gas is game changer in new england
does the electric/gas question change the rental income?
I like side by side better for the single level – feel it is easier to lease rather than needing stairs or worry about noise from the upstairs tenant.
But if the higher electric bill will result in lower rent, I’d go with the gas.
I’d generally go with the side-by-side. I’ve had some challenges with the noise issue of over/under (seems to be more of an issue with duplexes than multi-family buildings). The side-to-side seems to limit the interactions/shared spaces and results in fewer conflicts. That said, I manage properties in the southeast, so I can’t speak to the baseboard issue.
If you go with the over/under, be proactive about addressing noise issues. Test the unit out to see how noise carries (be downstairs while someone is doing normal tasks upstairs). Consider adding carpet or rugs to reduce noise and set clear expectations from the outset.
there is an old joke in real estate- sell an older person a two story and you will get the listing back in a year so they can move to a one story-so you might be limiting your tenants with the second story