Roslindale Gas Stations

Roslindale, which is a community that is located about six miles from downtown Boston, is an area that is mostly residential. This is quite a large area of the city; in fact, there are approximately 95,000 residents who live in this community. With that being said, this is a great location to invest in a service station, especially if it has expansions that will increase local sales.

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Purchasing and Leasing Gas Stations

Once you find a service station that piques your interest, you are going to need to determine whether you are interested in leasing the property or purchasing it. If you opt to purchase the property outright, you will have more say in the way that the business is run. You will be able to choose your supplier, your promotions, and more. Any expansions that you want to do can be done on your timeframe, and you will have the final say in whether you lease the property or sell it when it comes time for you to retire.

Leasing the station will be a bit different from an investment standpoint. You will not need to have a large down payment or money to pay taxes if you lease the property. You will have to run things by the owner before doing them, but that also means that when things go wrong, the cost does not fall on your shoulders.

Before you decide to invest in a property, you need to consider:

• The Customer Base – No matter how well your planning is, a business will not do well without a solid base of customers. This could be local residents or customers who are just passing through, but if you do not have traffic in the area, your business could fail. That being said, you will want to make sure that there is no construction planned for the area any time soon because this will hinder your profits as well.
• The Competition – Make sure to consider your competition because if there are a lot of well-established companies in the area, establishing an independent station could prove to be difficult.
• What is Included – When you purchase a service station, make sure that the land that it is located on is included in the sale. You also need to make sure that if there are additions like a convenience store or a repair shop that they are included as well.

Buying a Service Station with a Convenience Store

Owning a service station can be quite profitable, but if you only sell gas, your profit margin will be much smaller than it would be with a convenience store. This addition will bring in customers who need to pay with cash as well as those who simply want a drink or a candy bar. Once they are in the store, the chances of a sale increase quite a bit, which will only add to your profit margin. One way to appeal to locals in the area is to have freshly brewed coffee in the mornings, and if space permits, you can even consider a grill to provide the option of breakfast sandwiches and a warm lunch.

Reasons to Consider this Area for Your Investment

Though this is a largely residential area of the state, there are quite a few thriving businesses in the area as well, especially in the business district, which is called Roslindale Square. There are no real sub-neighborhoods in this relatively small neighborhood, but since you are considering investing in a service station, you will find that the local traffic in the area will only benefit your business interests. For a listing of the service station opportunities in this area, give Boston City Properties a call today at 617-247-1933.

Have you set your sights on buying or leasing a gas station in Boston’s Roslindale neighborhood? You should know from the start that successfully procuring a profitable station in the city is no easy feat. Fuel stations in the area tend to generate strong sales and profits, so they typically fly off of the market rapidly. Sign up on this page for free, instant access to Boston City Properties’ huge online database of searchable Massachusetts commercial real estate listings. You can then easily check current availability for properties like these for sale or lease in this area. We can also refer you to a skilled commercial real estate agent in this neighborhood when the time comes.

About the Neighborhood

Long ago, this neighborhood was referred to as Boston’s “Garden Suburb,” and it has managed to retain much of its residential makeup. Covered by the 02131 zip code, this neighborhood borders a number of communities, including Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, West Roxbury and Mattapan. It is far enough away from downtown for commuting to be very common, and this means that fuel stations around the neighborhood tend to do a brisk trade.

What to Look For

Not all fuel stations are created equal. Some have attributes that make them more likely to generate profits than others. The commercial real estate agent we refer you to can help you in this regard, but here are some examples of what to look for in such properties:

• Appearance – If you intend to fully renovate and remodel the place and have the budget for it, buying a fixer-upper is fine. Otherwise, stick with properties that are already in decent aesthetic condition. In this neighborhood, you will have lots of competition. Customers won’t flock to a station that is rundown, dingy or otherwise unappealing.
• Size – If your budget allows, buy a fuel station that has a nice, roomy interior retail area. Many city dwellers rely heavily on such convenience marts, so it pays to own one that’s large enough to stock with a large array of products. Customers will steer clear if they regularly see long lines, so get a property that includes plenty of fuel pumps.
• Location – This is a bit of a no-brainer, but the ideal station will be conveniently situated on a major road that is heavily traveled by commuters. At the same time, it will offer easy access for local pedestrians, and there ideally won’t be too much competition in the immediate vicinity.

Considerations to Make

Buying commercial real estate in Boston is tricky in general; buying or leasing a fuel station can be particularly challenging. You are certain to encounter many stumbling blocks along the way, and your agent can help you to navigate them with ease. Some examples include the following:

• Financial records – Even if a station is ideally located and ticks all of the other boxes, it doesn’t mean that you’re guaranteed great profits. That’s why you need to analyze financial records from the location spanning back at least two years. Have them assessed by a skilled CPA or accountant to get a feel for how profitable the property is likely to be.
• What’s included? – Figure out early on if you want to buy the land and building or just the building. Some listings are for one thing but not the other. Confirm that the property has everything that you will need to open for business in short order. If expensive equipment like tanks are missing or inoperable, you will have to fork over a lot of cash to get things up and running.
• Environmental issues – If you’re leasing or strictly buying the building, this shouldn’t come into play. Otherwise, have an environmental study performed on the property to ensure that no underlying environmental issues are at work. If so, your new station could run afoul of local, state or federal environmental laws, and you could be slapped with massive fines.
• Lease and financing options – Know how you will pay for the property before getting too serious about your search. Check into loans that are backed by the Small Business Administration if you’re buying. If you’re leasing, look for landlords who are willing to negotiate lease terms.

How Boston City Properties Can Help

Don’t let the perfect Roslindale gas station slip through your fingers. The right property could be on the market right now, and the best way to find out is by signing up to search Boston City Properties’ listings. It only takes a second, and you will have a list of results before you know it. Remember too that we have connections with experienced commercial real estate professionals in this part of the city and can refer you to one when you’re ready. For more info, call Boston City Properties.

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gas stations