Is Hoboken rental market softening

Is Hoboken rental market softening

Orange County, CA · Member since 2017 · 36 posts · 24 votes

Looking for insight from those with boots on the ground.

Bought a 2/1 in downtown Hoboken in 2012.  The unit was a condo conversion from low income housing in an 8 unit brownstone 3 blocks from the projects.  Got it for a good price pre-construction and was essentially a new build, new roof, central A/C, W/D in unit, dishwasher, bamboo floors, new kitchen with granite, 16 ft ceilings, small loft area, skylights (yes, it is the 4th floor in a walk up).  Refinanced in 2013 to a 15 year.

In 2015, rented the unit for $2600/month myself through Craigslist to great tenants. This rent covered all expenses on the 15 year mortgage, insurance, and HOA fees with small profit that got eaten up on paper by LLC expenses, depreciation, PM and accounting fees, etc. In 2016, rented in 1 day from afar through a realtor for $2675 with multiple offers to more great tenants who have renewed their lease.

Just for funsies, I was looking at rentals in Hoboken.  Is it just me, or is the market softening? I'm seeing what look like great updated apartments, with a lot of the most sought after amenities (even parking!) offering to cover realtor's fees, provide gift cards, etc.  Prices seem to be stagnant or perhaps slightly lower than a year ago?  Are others seeing this, or I wrong?

If I'm right, what is driving this? All the uptown development?  Less expensive competition in JC Heights?  Or is there a more critical change in the market that I'm missing. 

My plan for this property has always been buy and hold, essentially forever, since the dynamic in the market requires no work on my part to rent or manage the unit.  But now I'm wondering if the fundamentals are starting to shift, managing a headache from 3000 miles away would not be fun.

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  • Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2016 · 1 post · 0 votes
    9y

    A broker told me last week that rentals in Hoboken is softening due to increased supply (e.g., completion of new constructions coming to markets with incentives for renters), and he expects rental price to stagnate or decline a little in the foreseeable future. Unfortunately I am not familiar with the area enough to confirm this. 

  • Rental Property Investor · Red Bank, NJ · Member since 2015 · 81 posts · 18 votes
    9y

    @Sandra B. 2012, great time to buy in Hoboken!  I'm sure there's a lot of equity in that unit, esp with a 15 year.

    I manage/own 4 condo's in town and you are correct, the market is softening due to a huge increase in supply & competition from nearby towns.   Jersey City has become very trendy & hip (hipsters running amok) and perhaps steered many into their coffers.  I've recently had a few youngsters tell me they prefer the 'rawness' of JC to the 'yuppieness' of Hoboken.  They're both great imho.

    Hoboken will be fine in the long run, but your intuition about a soft patch is most likely true.  I'll be there tomorrow if you have any specific questions, lemme know. 

  • Orange County, CA · Member since 2017 · 36 posts · 24 votes
    9y
    Mark Gee It is very funny you say that about Jersey City vs Hoboken because I always felt that way too! JC was still very much transitioning when I bought, but I always preferred the creative vibe there versus the yuppy frat party in HB. In 2012, everyone said I was crazy to buy so close to the projects. By the time I left, it was like everyone forgot about them and no one was worried about living on Jackson, Monroe, Madison, Jefferson. Have you noticed lower demand or increased concern about those streets? Yup, tons of equity now in the property. 1/1s in the building have sold recently for about double what I paid. The current renters' lease isn't up until July. Hopefully they will renew again, but if not, it wouldn't kill me to scale back the rent a few hundred bucks for a couple of years. I'll keep a closer eye and perhaps offer them a small decrease to incentivize them to stay if the price is out of line next spring. Thanks for the input.
  • Newark, NJ · Member since 2015 · 162 posts · 102 votes
    9y
    Jersey City is exploding with new buildings and new construction everywhere, but especially in the areas that are within walking distance of the Path. Every empty lot downtown has a new building or approved plans for one. A buch of new towers have also emerged, most of which are luxury rentals. And there are a many more of them slated to come to market in the next couple of years. We are talking thousands of units here. Thousands! All this abundance in supply is already having an effect on rent prices. If you have good tenants, be good to them because their options will get better over the next couple of years.
  • Rental Property Investor · Chester, NJ · Member since 2015 · 7 posts · 0 votes
    9y

    Hi @Sandra B.

    I've found the same thing in Hoboken!  I bought a condo there in 2008 at peak market and lived in it until I converted it to a rental in 2014.  The first year it rented in 3 days, with an offer $100 above asking.  When the unit turned over in late 2016 (november which wasn't optimal), it was vacant for 6 weeks and brought in $200 less per month.  

    Saving grace is that the 1 bedroom market is solid and has appreciated significantly in the last 12 months, and my tenants signed a 15 month lease so it will turn over in late spring instead.   

    Best of luck!

    Marybeth

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