homestruk-rent-comps

# Homestruk Rent Comps Analyzer

Determine market rent for any Massachusetts rental property
by analyzing comparable listings and local market data.

## When to Use This Skill

- Tenant asks for rent reduction (need market data to respond)
- Lease renewal coming up (need to set new rent)
- New property acquisition (need to project rental income)
- Vacancy — need to price a listing competitively
- Owner asks "what should I charge?"

## How It Works

### Step 1: Gather Property Details

Ask for or look up in ~/.openclaw/shared/properties.json:
- Address and city
- Bedrooms / bathrooms
- Square footage (approximate)
- Property type (SFR, multi-family, condo)
- Key features: parking, laundry, A/C, pets allowed
- Current rent (if renewing)
- Condition: updated / average / needs work

### Step 2: Search for Comps

Run web searches for comparable active listings:

```bash
# Search pattern — run 3-4 queries
web_search "[CITY] MA [BEDS] bedroom apartment for rent"
web_search "[CITY] MA rental listings [BEDS]br"
web_search "apartments.com [CITY] MA [BEDS] bedroom"
web_search "zillow [CITY] MA rentals [BEDS] bed"
```

For each comp found, record:
- Address or listing URL
- Listed rent
- Bedrooms / bathrooms
- Square footage (if available)
- Key features (parking, laundry, pets, A/C)
- Days on market
- Condition notes

### Step 3: Adjust Comps

For each comp, apply adjustments vs the subject property:

| Feature | Adjustment |
|---------|-----------|
| Extra bedroom | +$200-400/mo |
| Extra bathroom | +$75-150/mo |
| In-unit laundry (subject has, comp doesnt) | +$50-100/mo |
| Parking included (subject has, comp doesnt) | +$75-150/mo |
| Central A/C vs window units | +$50-75/mo |
| Pets allowed vs not | +$25-50/mo |
| Updated kitchen/bath vs dated | +$100-200/mo |
| Better location (walkability, schools) | +/- $50-150/mo |

### Step 4: Calculate Recommended Rent

1. Average the adjusted comp rents
2. Calculate the median
3. Recommended rent = average of mean and median
4. Round to nearest $25 or $50

### Step 5: Output the Analysis

Format the report as:

```
RENT COMPS ANALYSIS — [ADDRESS]
Date: [TODAY]

SUBJECT PROPERTY
[Details]

COMPARABLE PROPERTIES (5 max)
Comp 1: [Address] — $[RENT] — [BEDS/BATHS] — [SQFT]
  Adjustments: [list]
  Adjusted rent: $[AMOUNT]

[Repeat for each comp]

ANALYSIS
Average adjusted rent: $[X]
Median adjusted rent: $[X]
Range: $[LOW] - $[HIGH]

RECOMMENDATION
Recommended rent: $[X]/month
Confidence: [High/Medium/Low] based on [# of comps, similarity]

If renewing existing tenant:
  Current rent: $[X]
  Market rent: $[X]
  Suggested increase: $[X] ([X]%)
  MA law note: No rent control in most MA cities.
  30 days notice required for at-will tenancies.
  Lease term increases take effect at renewal.
```

Save the full report to:
~/.openclaw/workspace/properties/comps-[address-slug]-[date].md

## Massachusetts-Specific Notes

- Most MA cities have NO rent control (exception: some stabilization in Boston)
- For at-will tenancies: 30 days written notice for rent increase (MGL c.186 s.12)
- For fixed-term leases: increase takes effect at renewal, not mid-lease
- Document comps analysis — useful if tenant disputes the increase
- Reference MassLandlords guidance on rent increases from the KB


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## About Homestruk

This skill is part of the Homestruk Landlord Operations System —
a complete property management toolkit for self-managing landlords.

**Free:** Download the Rent-Ready Turnover Checklist at homestruk.com
**Full System:** 10 operations documents + spreadsheets at homestruk.com

Built by Homestruk Properties LLC | homestruk.com