Join

• Watch recordings of our most popular live events.
• Access spreadsheets you can build on, like our heat pump vs. furnace calculator.
• Read your choice of 2,000 pages of articles, analysis and experience.

Avoiding one eviction could be worth $10,000. Avoiding three discrimination mistakes could be worth $50,000. We show one small value based on our heat pump spreadsheet alone:

  discussion_time_saved: 6 hours
  cost_of_plumber_you_would_have_bothered: $65 per hour
  save_by_switching: $169 per year
  life_of_heat_pump: 20 years
  $3,770 = ttr * cop + 
           sbs * lohp

• In-depth news, tips and tricks emailed monthly.
• Beautiful, intelligent, insightful.
• Read online for free in mobile friendly format, virtual magazine, or downloadable pdf.
• Written by professional writers, attorneys and expert landlords

How this benefit's value is calculated:

Landlords with < 100 units can read and learn about everything. Take discrimination: the risk of a complaint increases with business size. Above 100 units, where the risk might be counterbalanced by well-developed processes, you could pay an attorney to rehash what we've already published. Or you could reread our articles and tune up your processes yourself.

  first_offense: $10,000
  complaints: 2,778 per year
  fines: 0.0025% of complaints
  apartments_in_MA: 1,100,000

  atty_rate: $250 per hour
  atty_hrs: 5 hours
  
  value =  units < 100 ? 
  (fo * acwm + 
  units * ( ar * ah  - fo *  csr) /
  (100-0)) : ar * ah

              

• Limited interest-free loans to cover attorney fees if the state is making you bankrupt.
• Applies when you and your case meet eligibility criteria.
• Must be a member in good standing for two years or more.

How this benefit's value is calculated:

There is a less than one-in-a-thousand chance you will need us to bail you out.

  fund: $2000 
  probability: 0.1%
  value: $2

With our education, you will be even less likely to need this benefit. =)

• Conduct rental real estate due diligence or cross-check your tenant screening.
• All Housing Court, District Court, and Boston Municipal Court cases read weekly.
• Docket numbers guide deeper research at the MassCourts official site.
• Find turnkey or turnaround opportunities.

How this benefit's value is calculated: Below 100 units, the usefulness of an eviction screen increases the bigger you get. Above 100 units, our search is highly likely to save you and your attorney time.

  eviction_average: $3,520
  probability_of_eviction: 3%

  atty_time: 5 hrs
  atty_rate: $250 per hour 

  value: units < 100 ? 
         ea * poe + units * 
         (at * ar - ea * poe) 
         : at * ar

• Search for service providers or be listed as one (attorneys, snow removal, property managers, brokers, plumbers, electricians and much more).
• Find over 800 "hidden treasures."
• Compare the size and type of recommending landlords to your business for a reliable reference.
• Search by county and regions within counties, or search statewide.
• Pay no hidden markups. Unlike some "free" home services directories, we don't charge service providers a referral fee.
• Search the directory for rental businesses like yours to find the best match.

How much is it worth to get your unit up and running faster? If you're still building your team, our directory might save you a few no-bids. If your team is established, we can still help you cross-check the odd new hire and avoid a bad hire.

  management: $25 per hour
  maintenance: 2 per unit
  googling: 2 hours
  avoiding_scam: $1,250
  value: units < 100 ? 
         units * mt * g * me + 
         units * (as - 
         units * mt * g * me) :
         as

• Download a complete set of up-to-date rental forms: our rental application, our leases, our month-to-month agreement, our notices to quit (for eviction), our security deposit receipt and statements, our renovation contract, our emotional support animal verification, our vacancy inspection checklists and much more.
• Be fully Massachusetts compliant: don't get stuck with some other state's forms!
• Customize our Microsoft Word version or use our PDF version as-is.
• Protect yourself with our 43 forms and 24,000 carefully written words.

  attorney: $250 per hour
  annual_review: 2 hours minimum

  value = attorney * annual_review

• Save 30% on a subscription to Banker & Tradesman.
• Read Massachusetts’ premier real estate and financial services newspaper.
• Subscription options include 1- and 2-year subscriptions, digital or digital & print.

To calculate the value of this benefit, we multiplied the discount by the price listed in early 2023.

• Save on average 8.4% at Home Depot stores and online.
• Applies to all departments including kitchen and bath, lumber, flooring, plumbing, paint and more.
• Save even if you happen to be shopping outside of Massachusetts.
• Try to beat our single item records: $1,166 saved on $11,880 of flooring; 99% saved on a $3.96 pair of work gloves.
• Speak with our regional sales representative to arrange free delivery and bulk discounts on orders of $1,000 or $8,000 at a time.
• Support MassLandlords by sending us an additional two percent (above and beyond your savings) as an affiliate rebate.
• Sometimes the discount may not apply to any given purchase. 8.4% is the average savings.

To calculate the value of this benefit, we added up all the purchases our members made and what they saved. We start to phase out the benefit in our value calculation for landlords who spend more than $100,000 with Home Depot in a year. This is arbitrary and meant to reflect the point at which you may consider getting your own Home Depot managed account. You'd have to spend millions to equal our purchasing power.

  spent: $1,634,938 last year
  saved:   $137,280 last year
  participants: 467
  average_units: 27 per participant
  managed_account: $100,000 per year
  phaseout_begins: 792 units
  phaseout_at: 8,370 units

  value = (units < pb) ? 
  ( units * (sd / (p* au)) ) : 
  ( ( units < pa ? (( units * 
   (sd / (p * au))) -
   ( units - pb) / (pa - pb) * units * 
   (sd / (p * au))) :
  0 ) )

• Create LLC's or Inc's for a low, members-only fixed price via New Leaf Legal.
• Trusts and asset protection strategies discussed for no charge.
• New Leaf Legal based in Cambridge works remotely across Massachusetts.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We compared our fixed price to create a single LLC with estimates from other attorneys billing hourly.

  value = $530

• Save time and get paid faster with RentHelper, a virtual office manager for one-fifth the cost of credit cards.
• "Rent is due" done right. Virtual office manager texts with tenants to schedule online rent collection.
• Evictions avoided, late payers start paying as agreed.
• Members get a free trial for their first tenant.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We take average rents and the free trial duration and estimate RentHelper's waived service charge.

  average_rent: $1250
  service_charge: 0.6%
  free_trial: 6 months

  value = average_rent * 
    service_charge * 
    free_trial

• Save on real credit scores and actual trade histories with ClearScreening SmartScreen.
• No on-site visit required.
• Instant access.

How this benefit's value is calculated:

  average_tenancy: 18 months
  savings: $5

  value = ((1 / average_tenancy * 12 )
    * savings)* units

• One dues payment covers as many team members as you need to run to your business.
• Give each team member a site login.
• Each team member participates in message boards, downloads forms, and can become a Certified Massachusetts Landlord™.
• Applies to informal partnerships, legal entities, and combinations of LLCs, trusts and other entities.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We estimate how many team members you might need based on the units you have, and what it would cost to buy membership for each separately.

  sample_dues: $225
  units_per_person: 30,
  
  value = (units / upp) * 
    sample_dues

• 24/7 access to Massachusetts landlords for advice and/or to contribute your professional expertise.
• Find us on Facebook or Google Groups for local and state-wide conversations.
• Message boards are monitored by MassLandlords staff for responsiveness and correctness.
• Save money by finding a landlord with your same experience before reaching out to an attorney.

How this benefit's value is calculated: The value of education can be priceless, but we did our best to put a number to it. Below 100 units, your education grows as your business grows. We use the example of a single avoided eviction for a ballpark. We say the value levels off above 100 units. You'll always be learning, but it will be hard for us to predict the value.

  eviction_average: $3,520
  probability_of_eviction: 3%

  atty_time: 5 hrs
  atty_rate: $250 per hour 

  value: units < 100 ? 
         ea * poe + units * 
         (at * ar - ea * poe) 
         : at * ar

• Networking and education at events accessible state-wide.
• Screened and vetted speakers cover topics that matter to your bottom line.
• No sales pitch, guaranteed.
• Evening event ticket prices comes with dinner, all dietary restrictions satisfied.

How this benefit's value is calculated: Education can be priceless, but for this benefit we went with the simple difference between public and member price tickets.

  average_public: $21
  average_member: $7
  recommended_events: 10
  units_per_person: 50

  value = (units / upp) * 
   (ap - am ) * re 

• We represent the industry and your hard work.
• We are frequent contributors to news stories and research.
• We leverage our collective voice to devise and impact policy. Our law proposal to raise the deleading credit to $15,000 has more than two dozen co-sponsors in the state legislature.
• We push back against bad policy and practice. Our lawsuit against the City of Boston seeking public information about its rent control advisory committee gained widespread attention.
• We are governed by our members, who choose which bills and ordinances to support or oppose.
• We educate our members and guide them on influential interactions with legislators.
• Our legal mission is to create better rental housing.

This benefit is priceless! In presenting the value to you, we divided a recent policy budget by all the units served at that time. Your dues support our ongoing work:

  policy spend = units * $1.75 per unit

• Vote in either statewide or local MassLandlords elections, serve on boards, and be represented in policy discussions with local and state officials.
• MassLandlords is a 501(c)6 nonprofit.
• We exist for the benefit of member businesses like yours.
• Vote for our policy priorities and our Board of Directors.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We show the same value to every member, $0, but the ability to steer MassLandlords cooperatively with other business owners and investors should be priceless.

  value = $Priceless

• MassLandlords promotes your status as Certified Massachusetts Landlord™.
• Social media and web search advertising to Rent Certified™.
• Attract the most qualified renters.
• Build a positive reputation in the community.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We show the same value for every member $0, because we don't know if you'll want to get certified, and because this program is in its infancy. If you are interested in helping us set the direction of brand promotion, join, become a Certified Massachusetts Landlord™, and contact us to get started.

  value = What you make of membership

• Our professional designation proves you know rental housing.
• Add an optional Massachusetts-specific professional certification to any membership.
• Three levels: best practices, the test, and continuing education.
• Guidance for new and prospective owners, managers, and investors.
• Brand recognition for experienced operators.

How this benefit's value is calculated: We show the same value to everyone, $750, based on professional certifications in other fields.

  value = $750

• One-on-one legal information and business advice from non-attorney landlords and mediators. Referrals to attorneys state-wide.
• Time can be purchased hourly or prepaid for an entire year.
• We specialize in rent increases, termination of tenancies and eviction, landlord rights and responsibilities, and everything that might cause sleepless nights.

How to purchase: This is an optional membership add-on. The latest prices will be shown to you after joining. Example prices (may change):

  One unit: +$300
  Up to 500 units: +$750
  Hourly: +$90 per hour

• Present yourself or your business as a Property Rights Supporter.
• Voluntary monthly donations on top of base dues accelerate our policy advocacy.
• Property Rights Supporters receive special recognition at events, in our newsletter, and at policy forums.
• Past returns on investment/donation include rent escrow (Davis v. Comerford 2019), landlords being able to apply for rental assistance on behalf of our renters (2020), and an early veto of tenant right of first refusal (January 2021)

How to purchase: This is an optional membership add-on. The latest prices will be shown to you after joining. Example prices (may change):

  Owner's Cooperative: +$100 /mo
  Owner's Club: +$50 /mo
  Working Together Club: +$20.25 /mo
  Working Together Circle: +$10 /mo

• Add an optional print subscription for your handheld pleasure, waiting area, or friends.
• Delivered around the first of every month.
• Full color premium glossy format.
• Collect a library of landlording knowledge.

How to purchase: This is an optional membership add-on. The latest prices will be shown to you after joining. Example prices (may change):

  12 issues: +$90 per year