As we approach the half-way point of 2023, Boston’s apartment rental market has reached a new milestone. The average rent price for apartments in Boston has surpassed $3,000 for the first time on record. As of May 1, Boston’s average rent price has increased by $150 since January 1 and is now up +15.55% compared to a year ago.

Boston’s average rent price is calculated by taking the average of: studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, 3 bedroom and 4 bedroom prices. To ensure the highest accuracy, these average rent prices exclude luxury apartment buildings which often have wild fluctuations in pricing on a daily basis.

A look at the historical trend line for this average rent figure shows that prices have accelerated significantly once pandemic restrictions were lifted in late 2021. Prices did fall during the pandemic years as rental demand was negatively impacted by distance based learning and remote work. Since apartment demand has returned to Boston, we’re seeing an unprecedented acceleration in rent price growth.

Jamaica Plain’s apartment rental market has experienced unprecedented rental price growth over the past 18 months. Rent prices in Jamaica Plain are up +12.25% year-over-year and up +17.39% compared to May 2021. The rising rents have been fueled by a surge in demand for Jamaica Plain apartments, as many renters have been priced out of the downtown markets. Here are the main trends driving Jamaica Plain’s rental market in 2023.

The apartment rental market in Beacon Hill Boston is seeing the highest rent prices on record in 2023. Beacon Hill’s average rent price surpassed its previous all-time high in February of this year, and has since been climbing to new highs each month. Median days on market for Beacon Hill apartments are down by -54.55% since last year while average rent is up by +9.97% over the same time span, suggesting demand for rentals in this historic neighborhood is higher than it has been in years past.
Apartment Vacancies Near Zero in Beacon Hill

The real-time vacancy rate (RTVR) in Beacon Hill is currently 0.14%, down by -60% compared to last May. The vacancy rate has been hovering close to the zero mark for most of the last year and a half, suggesting that demand is even higher now than prior to the pandemic. Even more interesting is that Beacon Hill did not see the typical spike in RTVR in September of last year as it has seen in years prior. In fact, RTVR hit an all-time low in Beacon Hill during November of 2022 when it bottomed out at 0.07%.

The real estate market in Mission Hill has started 2023 in a deep chill as property sales decline city-wide. Mission Hill has recorded just 3 residential property transactions over the past 3 months. That ties the lowest 3 month total in the past five years of MLS data. The 30 day median sale price also failed to eclipse $1M for 3 months in a row for the first time since mid 2021. Let’s take a closer look at the trends driving Mission Hill’s real estate market.
Total Real Estate Sales in Mission Hill

Since November, Mission Hill has recorded just one property sale in each of the last 3 months. Given its small geographical area, total residential sales for Mission Hill real estate typically average around 3-4 per month. Still, just 3 residential sales over a 3 month period is the lowest rolling 3 month total since late 2019. We can make some fair assumptions that that our misguided war on fossil fuels and bizarre fiscal policies that helped ignite runaway inflation and subsequent high interest rates could be a strong reason for this steep decline in sales volume. Historically, inflation almost always creates uncertainty in the marketplace which slows down velocity of spending. The question we need to start asking ourselves is how long this will last.

The apartment rental market in Boston’s North End has begun 2023 like many other metro Boston neighborhoods: with record high rent prices and record low inventory. Availability for North End apartments is down from March 2022, which happened to be an all-time low for March at the time. As a result of the lean inventory, prices have been climbing in North End since the pandemic subsided, and now sit at record highs. Here are the trends driving the North End apartment rental market in 2023.
Low Supply of Apartments in Boston’s North End

The current real-time availability rate (RTAR) of apartments in North End is 6.04%. Historic North End rental data shows that apartment availability is down -7.93% YOY. RTAR typically peaks in March in the North End, so it is unlikely that apartment availability will rise above the 7% mark in 2023. It’s worth noting that in September of last year, North End’s RTAR hit an all-time low of 0.62%.

A property inspection is one of the most critical steps when buying or selling Boston multifamily investment properties. This article will cover everything you need to know about property inspections before buying or selling Boston investment real estate. Considering that the Greater Boston Area has numerous two and three-family properties that are often over 100 years old, it is a great idea to give your inspection process the due diligence it deserves.
What is a property inspection?

The goal of the inspection is to find any problems or possible problems with the property that may need to be fixed before its sale. A professional, licensed inspector thoroughly checks a building during a property inspection. Most of the time, the inspector will look at the building’s structure, its mechanical and electrical components, and any noticeable flaws or risks. Property inspections are frequently performed as part of the due diligence process.

When you have a multifamily investment property in Boston, you are most likely going to have nearly all of the units occupied, so be prepared for some delays and surprises in the inspection process. Often times tenants are not ready for the inspection, even though they have been notified, so it is not uncommon to lose ten to twenty minutes of your time just waiting for them to let you in and make it possible to walk through.

When it comes to investing in a Boston multifamily home, one of the keys to success is to make creative upgrades and attract tenants who pay more. That means taking the time to renovate in a way that improves the property’s value and marketability and reflects positively on you as an investor. You can have tremendous success investing in Boston real estate if you focus on adding value that returns your capital quickly and starts working in your favor longer term. Boston is an old city and there are always value-add opportunities in multifamily if you seek them out. With this in mind, let’s explore seven renovation projects that can help your Boston multifamily home investment succeed in this highly competitive market.

Are you thinking about moving to Boston and wondering what a suitable salary would be? You’re not alone. Boston is an amazing city- that’s why millions of people from across the world consider moving to Boston every year. Our metro housing market is known to be pricey- the cost of living in Boston is significantly higher than the national average. However, you do get what you pay for; although living in Boston is going to come at a premium, it’s often well worth the price of admission. So, why is Boston so expensive? Supply and demand.

The demand for housing in Boston has outpaced supply for decades- leading to higher rents. We also experience high home purchase prices compared with most of the country. Housing cost is the largest expense you need to consider if you want to move to Boston. As a rule of thumb, you should budget to spend no more than 1/3 of your monthly salary on rent. Households need to have money left over after paying rent in order to live comfortably, which is why your rent-to-income ratio should not go above 33%. You should adopt and deploy a leasing and/or sales strategy that matches your income. Consider increasing the number of roommates you have in order to secure a superior apartment for the same price point, or even less.

As of the first week of January, Boston’s apartment rental market seems to picked up right where it left off in 2022. Boston’s average rent price continues to push to new record highs with each passing week while apartment inventory is at an all-time low for January. Even as economic conditions have worsened and rent prices have declined nationwide, Boston rents have continued to climb due in part to the historically low new apartment supply we’re experiencing.

Still, rent price growth has rapidly decelerated over the past few months in Boston. Based on current energy and fiscal policies, an economic resurgence is unlikely to happen any time soon. The problematic and confusing economic policies coupled with inflation also suggest that Boston’s rent prices are about to stagnate and possibly fall.

Let’s take a closer look at the main trends driving Boston’s apartment rental market in 2023.

Boston’s real estate market saw total property sales crater during the final quarter of 2022 amidst rising interest rates and a sluggish economy. The city’s 30 day median sales price took a nosedive in December as a result, dropping $67.5K compared to November 2022. With inflation still high, incoherent energy policies, tech layoffs and more rate hikes forthcoming; it appears like Boston’s real estate market maybe sliding towards a period of challenging times.
Total Real Estate Sales in December Down 43% YOY In Boston

Total sales for Boston real estate in December (347) marked a -43.76% drop compared to December 2022. Total sales for January 2022 fell ever further to 321. Even worse, Boston recorded 1,099 total real estate sales in MLS during Q4 2022 for all property types, which was the lowest Q4 total in the past 5 years. Without a doubt, the Fed raising interest rates 7 times last year put a damper on demand for real estate in Boston.