above garage apartments

[baswm]

I am thinking of building a three car garage and putting a 3 bedroom apartment over it. Thinking of renting the apartment out to cover cost of building the garage. Are above garage apartments easy to rent out and what is the average rent a person gets? When I build it, it will be north of town center in Lusby.

 

[Greg]

Originally posted by baswm
I am thinking of building a three car garage and putting a 3 bedroom apartment over it. Thinking of renting the apartment out to cover cost of building the garage. Are above garage apartments easy to rent out and what is the average rent a person gets? When I build it, it will be north of town center in Lusby.

It depends on how many rooms it will have. How many square feet? Will it be furnished?

 

[justhangn]

Be sure to put exhaust hookups to the central air unit, just in case they don't pay their rent.

 

[Ken King]

Might want to check into the local zoning ordnances before you spend the money as your property will no longer be for single family and it could cause you some problems.

 

[Sharon]

My ex-SiL had that problem after converting a garage to an apartment. They were told they couldn't rent it out.

 

[jlabsher]

Also HOA may have rules against it besides zoning laws.

 

[justhangn]

Originally posted by kwillia
: This brings back the heated debates I used to get into with my contemporary issues teacher back in high school.... It used to pizz him off when I told him that you don't own property in America, you rent it from the government. Don't pay your taxes... they take it back... want to build something on it, they can say no... they wanna put a road through it... they go right ahead... :

It's a funny thing about rights; you give them up, no matter how discreetly, and you never get them back.

I love my country, I fear my government.

 

[sleuth]

You might also have to upgrade your septic system. Can be pretty pricy.

 

[jlabsher]

OK all you anti government independent patriot types. Suppose you live in a quiet neighborhood, you paid over $200K for your house in this neighborhood because it was quiet, had families and no townhouses or renters. Good investment, property values climbed, etc. Now your neighbor rents his place out to 7 single sailors, who party all night and chase your daughter (and upholding sailor tradition, your dog as well) would you be happy?

That's why there are rules, like em or not. Some are stupid I don't make 'em just ##### about 'em.

 

[justhangn]

Originally posted by jlabsher
Now your neighbor rents his place out to 7 single sailors, who party all night and chase your daughter (and upholding sailor tradition, your dog as well) would you be happy?

That's why there are rules, like em or not. Some are stupid I don't make 'em just ##### about 'em.

Good point, but suppose you're a responsible citizen with a loaded shotgun and lay down the law on your own property. :shrug:

 

[crazytown]

I'm not sure of the technicalities, but I used to rent an apartment above a garage, 3 bdrm, 1 bath---very spacious, and affordable, considering what places rent for these days. I would just call planning and zoning, see what they have to say, or if they can refer you to call the appropriate person(s).

 

[Dymphna]

Originally posted by jlabsher
OK all you anti government independent patriot types. Suppose you live in a quiet neighborhood, you paid over $200K for your house in this neighborhood because it was quiet, had families and no townhouses or renters. Good investment, property values climbed, etc. Now your neighbor rents his place out to 7 single sailors, who party all night and chase your daughter (and upholding sailor tradition, your dog as well) would you be happy?

That's why there are rules, like em or not. Some are stupid I don't make 'em just ##### about 'em.

There is no way the HOA or Government can prevent you from renting out the whole house to one guy or one family. If that one guy then invites 6 of his friends to stay, (not on the lease and supposedly not paying rent) there is nothing the HOA or Gov't can do. They can require a building permit for the garage, but if you're sticking the MIL in there, there's nothing they can do to stop that either. But they can prevent you from calling it an apartment and renting accordingly.

 

[jlabsher]

The HOA can have restrictions against subletting.

 

[Dymphna]

Originally posted by jlabsher
The HOA can have restrictions against subletting.

True. Subletting is renting from a renter. In the scenario of your 7 sailors, if the lease is in one name and that guy is renting out rooms to his buddies, that likely breaks HOA rules, zoning rules AND the original lease. BUT if all involve claim that no money is changing hands, and there is no proof that there is, there isn't much that can be done.

But what I meant was no regulating entity can prevent the original renting out of the house. The ability to rent the house is part of the property value. If some entity tries to interfere with that, they'd lose in court.

We used to live in Nazi HOA. If they could've prevented renting, they would have. They only required that any renting be known to the HOA and that any renters must abide by all HOA covenants.

 

[vraiblonde]

I agree with JLab - rules are there for a reason. The septic system upgrade is because more people use more septic. Zoning laws are there so your neighbors don't have to put up with increased traffic if you start a home-based business.

I love my Nazi HOA. When some nut gets the idea that he wants to gut a deer in his front yard, they say, "Oh, no you don't!"

 

[jlabsher]

VRAI, you live in that subdivision? Man I saw that on the news last year and had to shake my head in wonderment. Reminds me of the subdivision that sprung up next to a hog farm & then complained about the odor. Don't the yuppies realize that Frederick, like SOMD was redneck country a few years ago? If they want urbane people, move to the urban area.

I hate the HOA, would prefer it if MD had local governments & zoning laws to take care of things like other states do. It would be saner. But what can be done about it.

 

[baswm]

The lot has nothing on it right now, so when I do build my home on it, I will get a detached three car garage with 3 bedroom apartment above it. This will be noted so septic can be figured out. I was just curious to see how much the average rent would go for and how easy can you rent them out for. Some people do not want to walk up the stairs or feel funny about living over a garage. I am sure price has a lot to do with the amount of people who consider looking at it.
I remember looking at an basement apartment in Parkers Creek.
The bathroom consisted of a sink and toliet. No shower / bathtub. They wanted 450 / month. Geez. I wonder if anyone would ever consider renting a place where you cannot take a simple bath.

 

[Ken King]

Originally posted by baswm
The lot has nothing on it right now, so when I do build my home on it, I will get a detached three car garage with 3 bedroom apartment above it. This will be noted so septic can be figured out. I was just curious to see how much the average rent would go for and how easy can you rent them out for. Some people do not want to walk up the stairs or feel funny about living over a garage. I am sure price has a lot to do with the amount of people who consider looking at it.
I remember looking at an basement apartment in Parkers Creek.
The bathroom consisted of a sink and toliet. No shower / bathtub. They wanted 450 / month. Geez. I wonder if anyone would ever consider renting a place where you cannot take a simple bath.

Just make sure your intent is known when you get the permits and you should be fine. As to the amount you can get, I would say that it should be about the same as any other three-bedroom apartment.

 

[vraiblonde]

Originally posted by jlabsher
VRAI, you live in that subdivision?

No, that one is about a half hour from me. But we do live in a rural-esque subdivision - there's a cow pasture out back and the people across the way keep sheep. The smells are something you get used to but our HOA frowns on carving up dead animals in public view. Not that anyone around here would try it - buncha yuppies and gun banners. No chance they'd be hunters.

 

[Ehesef]

Originally posted by vraiblonde
... our HOA frowns on carving up dead animals in public view...

When I was a kid, ours did too, so my dad would get my brother and I up in the middle of the night to help him, so as not to offend anyone... It's not like we had anywhere else to do it.