Is house hacking with 6 roommates considered a lodging house in boston?

Question

Hi,

I'm just starting to look for my first property and I came across a 2 family with a 7 bedroom unit. When I was running numbers, ChatGPT suggested that having 6 roommates could be considered a lodging house and require a special license. Can anyone confirm? I'm looking in Boston.

Thanks!

Ryan

Sophanavy Prak · Answer

Hi Ryan, don’t only look into having roommate to offset you mortgage there are many alternative. I worked with a real estate agent that got me 50k grant for my first home. If you want his contact I be happy to share it.

Ryan Tobin · Answer

Thanks!

Denise Supplee · Answer

Hi @Ryan Tobin from my understanding In Boston, a lodging house license is generally required if you rent to four or more unrelated people. If all the roommates live together as a single household under one lease, it usually isn’t considered a lodging house. Renting rooms individually to six unrelated people would likely trigger the licensing requirement. It’s a good idea to confirm with the city or a local attorney before moving forward to avoid any compliance issues.

Is house hacking with 6 roommates considered a lodging house in boston?

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