Should I pay utilities?

[Melody Dodderer]

Hi guys! I'm analyzing duplexes in Spokane this week and I ran across an idea I hadn't considered. People are saying that with a duplex you should have the tenant pay for water/sewer/garbage and also do their own lawn/snow. Having lived in and been a tenant in Spokane for years, I've always had the landlord pay for those things. Is this a common strategy in Spokane or should I continue to include w/s/g and lawn/snow in my analysis?

[Jason Hirko]

@Melody Dodderer is the water separately metered? If not, consider RUBS charges as a way to pass the cost off on the tenant. I feel like a $600/mo plus utilities sells better than a $700/mo with utilities included, for example