Report: Boston renters want this, but they aren’t getting it
Nationally, in-unit laundry setups were viewed as the "holy grail" of amenities.
Turns out, Boston renters are less demanding than their national counterparts — or more desperate — and developers may be offering more amenities than locals want.
A recent study by Apartment List, an online rental marketplace, found that Boston renter demand is less than the national average in nine out of the 10 amenities analyzed: air conditioning, balcony access, dishwasher, gym, hardwood floors, in-unit laundry, parking, pool, cat friendliness, and dog friendliness. With more amenities contributing to overall costs, Boston renters apparently are taking what they can get within their budget.
Nationally, in-unit laundry setups are the “holy grail” of amenities, according to the report.
The study gathered property data from ApartmentList.com listings (June 1, 2017, through Dec. 31, 2017) and renter preferences from the site’s registration form. The results surprisingly show demand pretty much being met for parking but not for those prized in-unit laundry setups:
Air-conditioning
36 percent of would-be Boston renters want it
33 percent of units have it
Balcony
18 percent want it
36 percent have it
Dishwasher
37 percent want it
52 percent have it
Gym
15 percent want it
19 percent have it
Hardwood floors
25 percent want it
57 percent have it
In-unit laundry
56 percent want it
19 percent have it
Parking
42 percent want it
40 percent have it
Pool
9 percent want it
9 percent have it
Cat-friendly
11 percent want it
45 percent have it
Dog-friendly
19 percent want it
30 percent have it
The report indicates “renters in more affordable markets tend to have a higher demand for amenities, while renters in the priciest markets are more willing to wash dishes by hand or haul dirty clothes to the laundromat.”
Overall, 59 of the 70 metropolitan areas analyzed faced the issue of the market not matching the demand in terms of the amenities offered. Either renters had difficulty finding the amenities they desired and/or were paying for ones they don’t need.
For more information, view the study here.
Subscribe to the Globe’s free real estate newsletter — our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design — at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com