SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — When looking for a place to rent, tenants consider various factors from the cost of rent to location, but another top factor is amenities.
With apartment amenities adding hundreds of dollars to monthly rent costs, the question becomes: Are these extras worth the additional expense?
Driving around San Diego County, numerous apartment complexes are under construction, many featuring luxury amenities designed to attract renters.
Garden Communities of California, which has a property in La Jolla, showcases this trend with amenities including expansive patios, full-size washers and dryers, and assigned parking. The community amenities extend further with a hair salon, tanning salon, outdoor yoga studio, and even a bowling alley on the property.
Timothy Wright, director of the Corky McMillan Center for Real Estate at San Diego State, has observed significant changes in apartment amenities over time.
"I think over the years, decades, I've kind of witnessed an evolution in amenities," Wright said.
Wright explains that many apartment complexes showcase amenities primarily to generate leasing interest, though actual usage patterns tell a different story.
"They're great for leasing, great. Some of the tourists, they kind of fall in love with it. They envision themselves using these amenities more than they are, but, you know, it's kind of the 80/20 rule. I think 20% of the tenants are really using the space 80% of the time," Wright said.
These amenities come with substantial costs. On average, amenities add a couple hundred dollars monthly to rent. For example, properties with electric vehicle charging stations typically add $245 per month to rent, regardless of whether tenants own electric vehicles. A fitness center adds an additional $115 monthly, even for residents who don't use the gym.
"They drive up the cost of development, right, because they got to be built the space that's being done, and secondly, it's got to have security associated with it. There's operating costs with it," Wright said.
According to Apartments.com, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in California is $2,205 per month. Given these costs, Wright recommends renters carefully analyze whether paying extra for amenities makes financial sense compared to choosing a less expensive apartment without extensive add-ons.
The quality of amenities matters significantly in this calculation.
"I think that math is real on new projects where there's good fitness center, high-end equipment, it's good stuff, there's some fitness centers on kind of older vintage projects that are more or less an afterthought. There's small rooms with a bunch of mirrors in them and some old equipment, and you cannot compare or trade that against what is a kind of modern day. Whatever you use, the 24 hour fitness," Wright said.
For renters who cannot afford apartments with extensive amenities, Wright suggests exploring alternative arrangements with landlords.
"I've seen projects that have small or no fitness centers offer tenants a credit for a club. Say, listen, we don't have a fitness center, but there is a, there's a, you know, a Gold's gym down the street. Here's 100 bucks a month to use there. So, I think that's a real trade-off today," Wright said.
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