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 --- ## 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