Real Estate Investor · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2008 · 37 posts · 7 votes
I'm considering converting my 17 unit apartment building to no smoking and looking for opinions and suggestions.
Minnesota, Class C building in decent neighborhood.
I purchased about 3 months ago.
If I did it, I'm considering rolling out gradually as lease addendums for renewed or new tenants. Before I do this, I am considering communicating with the entire building about the plan to convert to no smoking, so they have time to plan to find a new place or start quitting.
It's understood that it will help with turns (painting, cleaning, carpet, etc), so I don't need convincing there.
Smoking outside in Minnesota. It's fine for half the year.
I don't know what's holding me back other than concern about loosing existing tenants and possibly lowering the new tenant pool in the future.
Lender · White Bear Township, MN · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
1y
You're going to lose tenants who want to smoke in their units, but you're going to gain tenants who don't want to walk through hallways that smell like smoke. And, you will get tenants to rent who are currently turned off by the smell after the showing. I think it will be a net positive. No need to worry, if a tenant wants to smoke inside, they will leave. You don't want those tenants anymore, so move on, politely and professionally. You are correct in that you have to wait for leases to end to forbid it in the units. I am not an attorney, but I doubt you need to wait to forbid smoking near the doors or in common areas. You also have the option to try to negotiate through a cash-for-keys deal to get individual smokers to leave early. That might be helpful for any recently signed leases for tenants who smoke. Many non-smokers will not rent from you until the building is 100% non-smoking.