Real Estate Investor · Omaha, NE · Member since 2014 · 18 posts · 3 votes
I've often wondered why almost ALL apartments, Duplexes and just about any residential rental real estate including new homes all have electric ranges.
I'm a BIG fan of gas ranges as are most home cooks and professional chefs alike.
Is there a reason WHY rentals and even new homes now a days have electric ranges?
There are so many benefits to gas vs. electric when it comes to cooking.
Thoughts.....?
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y
@Adam Worth I think it must be a regional thing, and be tied to the cost of the utilities. Here in California most people have gas. If the cooktop and oven are separate, they use gas cooktop and electric ovens (more consistent temperature).
Real Estate Broker · Raleigh, NC · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
11y
I have no idea, but I have gas, and I love it too! I find that higher end, new homes tend to have gas ranges or cooktops in my area. I don't see gas in apartments or low end homes, though.
Real Estate Investor · atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 456 posts · 237 votes
11y
In most markets, electric is cheaper to run. In some inner city markets, it's as much as $50 a month to just have a gas meter hanging on the side of the house. I prefer gas to cook with myself but usually have total electric houses for rentals if I can help it...
Real Estate Investor · Hampton, VA · Member since 2012 · 562 posts · 109 votes
11y
I prefer all electric for the rental properties, which minimizes the amounts of bills the tenants will have. Also for me, it's lessens the risks regarding gas leaks & things of that nature.
In apartment complexes, the presence of gas is really going to depend on the location and vintage of the property. For example, all the old tenements and apartments built in the 1920s - 1950s in MTL (and other cities) were set-up with gas lines to each apartment and gas ranges. Newer buildings, and these ones as they undergo major updates, tend to be fitted with electric ranges
Here in the Maritimes, there was no gas service until recently, so you only find electric ranges in apartments.
From a landlords perspective, it is easier to manage your properties and tenants if you have only electric as others have mentioned. We have also found that most tenants these days are not familiar with gas and many see it as a deterrent.
Personally I use to prefer gas ranges, until I encountered an induction cooktop while working in the Netherlands 20-years ago.
Investor · Southeast, MI · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
11y
I notice in my area that many apartment complexes include heat in the rent. Probably because they have huge boilers instead of individual furnaces. By having electric stoves, they can have the tenants just pay an electric bill and not have seperate gas meters for each apartment.
In my rentals (all single family homes), I prefer gas stoves over electric. Most people prefer to cook with gas. Also in class C rentals, many tenants will let their gas be turned off except in the extreme cold. Having the stove, water heater, and dryer all gas encourages them to keep the gas on.
Electric ranges are cheaper to buy. I've never seen stats but suspect that maybe gas ranges have higher incident of fires?
My understanding is that gourmet cooks prefer gas ranges for the on and off. I also understand that electric OVENs are better regarded for the even heat.
Investor · Valparaiso, FL · Member since 2014 · 374 posts · 76 votes
11y
@Adam Worth it may also depend on the location. In my NC home there are no gas lines running in the neighborhood, so if someone wanted gas they would need a big tank in the yard and then have to have that tank filled from time to time. In my FL home it was plumbed for gas so I have the option of gas or electric appliances. It came with an electric stove so that is what I kept in it. The water heater is gas so that house always has a gas bill, even if I use no gas I still pay a "customer fee" of around $10-15 a month just to have the service.
I agree with the other posters that gas is much nicer to cook with.
Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y
@Adam Worth I think it must be a regional thing, and be tied to the cost of the utilities. Here in California most people have gas. If the cooktop and oven are separate, they use gas cooktop and electric ovens (more consistent temperature).
Investor · Thermopolis, WY · Member since 2012 · 4k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y
Ptobably 90% or more of my units have gas stoves. The only time I have to replace them is when an old one that has a pilot light that won't stay lit, I then get an auto ignition. Gas never seems to wear out. I have had electric ones go out, burners quit working, etc. I have had one ignitor on a gas oven go out.
Real Estate Broker · Mount Olive, IL · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 310 votes
11y
Welcome to BP.
It depends on your location like many had indicated in the posts. I prefer gas over electric stove.
Having said that, I have seen some all electric apartment buildings where owner tries to simplify things by having no gas at all which means electric stove, water heater and furnace / ac as well.
Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
11y
I grew up (in Chicago) with gas stoves but here in the south I believe just about every African American applicant that has ever contacted us about a vacancy has asked if it's "all electric".
When I ask why the interest in all electric they'll inevitable say "gas is expensive". It isn't; I have gas heat and gas hot water and my bill last month was $43; has never been over $85 even in the middle of winter (and I live in a 2 story, 2200 square foot house). I'll ask them what their electric bills run and it's typically $275 to $350 a month (mine generally runs under $100 and never over $150 in the summer).
I used to think the interest in "all electric" was because the tenant only had to handle one utility bill but then I realized that if a persons credit is poor, the gas companies around here will often require a hefty deposit when opening up an account. So I learned that this question may possible be a good "screening tool" for applicants in some cases.
And I've yet to figure out why this question seems to be racially motivated around here.
Is it "all electric" is not a bad question, as there are some other factors:
1. When you have propane gas, it is much more expensive than natural gas, as propane is a petroleum product whereas natural gas is not. So Propane gas is more expensive than natural gas, there can be minimum charges, tank rentals etc.
2. Even with natural gas it represents another bill, which can also require a security deposit.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
11y
@Gail K. , gas in Augusta must really be completely different from Atlanta. In Atlanta it's easy to have a $ 300-400 gas bill per month in the winter, even if you don't have the gas very high.
I was only able to keep it under $ 150 by having it at 68F during the day and lowering it to 59F at night and sleeping under an electric blanket. And that was with a new system.
Investor · Wichita Falls, TX · Member since 2014 · 382 posts · 123 votes
11y
I know as young renter I was leery of gas because of the idea that it could cause carbon monoxide poisoning and that the "flame" was always on. That was just me being paranoid..
Although my sister and her family about 10 years ago, did get Cm poisoning, it was an older home and the vents were faulty. They just started feeling sick for a few days, then finally a friend recognized the symptoms and they had the fire department over. They all went to the hospital for oxygen treatment. They are all ok.
The house I am in now has a gas heating, and I bought the monitors to ease my mind.
I would also think if the house does not come with a stove/ dryer the tenant would have to buy the right one. If they already have an electric one then it would make sense to ask for an all electric house. Just one more expense to consider upon moving in (if they had to buy a new gas or electric stove/dryer)
Investor · Vancouver, WA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
11y
Some of our properties are plumbed for natural gas service, some are not. We, and the tenants we rent to, prefer the homes with natural gas (range, furnace, hot water heater). Especially with the nice forced air heating. We keep the clothes dryer on electric. We equip all of our units with 10 year lithium battery smoke/CO combo detectors in the hall outside the bedrooms. Doesn't matter if the home has natural gas or not, they all get the CO detectors. In each bedroom we place a 10 year lithium battery smoke detector.
We have never had an issue with the natural gas appliances or the tenants use of them. We have however had issues with tenants messing with electric baseboard heaters, funiture/drapes too close or disabling them and bringing in their own portable heater because they wanted to put their couch where the heater was. We are switching out electric baseboards for electric wall fan heaters in those units that don't have natural gas and/or do not have ductwork.
As gas ranges wear out, we are replacing them with the auto ignition type instead of pilot light type. I agree with what @Jerry W. said. Gas ranges are good work horses that tend to last a good long time!
Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
11y
Michaela G. I'm an old yankee from the cold Midwest. Lots of sweaters on in the house. An old cat that sleeps in the bed and produces heat.
On the other hand, we've handled repair calls on a few of our rentals in the winter where the tenants open their front doors wearing shorts and flip flops and the heat inside is just blasting away. They'll usually complain about the high cost of heating whether it's gas or electric.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 54 posts · 5 votes
11y
Adam- this was a helpful post. I was upgrading appliances and was wonder what would help with a sell gas or electric in my Atlanta flip. I ended up going with electric since that is what was in the house.
It is a regional thing because in California, where I'm from it would be no gas for sure.
Real Estate Agent/Property Management · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 827 votes
11y
I prefer electric ranges but not for the reason you think. The controls for electric ranges are at the top. Gas range controls are on the front closer to the ground.
I have a gas range, and to ignite the burner, I have to turn the knob all the way. Anything less than that will allow the gas to flow but not ignite the flame. Personally I think that's a design flaw.
Anyway, I came home one day and the house is filled with gas. Apparently my dog was snooping for food and must have stood up in front of the range using his paws to balance himself. In the process he turned one of the knobs enough to start the gas flowing but not enough to ignite the burner.
I went to a baby store that afternoon and bought a set of plastic guards to cover the controls on the range.
I just think gas ranges are more of a safety issue, especially if there are pets and/or small children in the home.
I've often wondered why almost ALL apartments, Duplexes and just about any residential rental real estate including new homes all have electric ranges.
I'm a BIG fan of gas ranges as are most home cooks and professional chefs alike.
Is there a reason WHY rentals and even new homes now a days have electric ranges?
There are so many benefits to gas vs. electric when it comes to cooking.
Residential Real Estate Broker · Fort Wayne, IN · Member since 2014 · 171 posts · 116 votes
11y
If the furnace is gas I want the water heater to be gas and the stove to be gas... If just the furnace is gas and nothing else many tenants like to turn the gas off in the summer to avoid the $25 minimum payment. However, if the heat is electric it is far easier to add an outlet for the stove and swap out the water heater to electric so everything is electric and you can cut out an entire utility... Gas is far more efficient than electric however a lot of people think that by having everything electric an apartment is superior.