Some places charge for reserved parking. A discount may not be needed. I’d go based off the surrounding properties overall.
If a 1-bedroom apartment at the Acorn on Person is priced at $1,400 with on-site garage parking, would a renter be willing to consider a similar 1-bedroom unit on Watson Street for $1,300 despite only offering street parking?
I’m trying to determine the perceived value of parking to renters to decide whether it makes sense for an upcoming project to forego parking entirely and focus solely on building units or if the potential revenue loss from not offering off-street parking makes including parking a necessity.
@John If not dollar amount, a percentage amount perhaps.
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Just my two cents… When I first moved to Richmond in 2004 I really wanted to live in the Fan near downtown. All the apartments I looked at (that were in my measly price range) in the Fan had on street parking only. Given that my first job was an evening position on the north side of the city, by the time I would have gotten off work and driven home, parking would have been very difficult to find. I ended up opting for a more suburban location b/c parking was not a problem there.
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The challenge is that institutional-grade apartments like Lincoln, Metropolitan, Acorn, and Edison all include attached parking facilities because most renters in this market expect off-street parking. However, in cities like DC, Seattle, Boston, or LA, it’s common for buildings to omit parking, reflecting a shift in renter preferences or urban design norms.
Realistically, comparing a 4-plex building to a 200+ unit property isn’t apples-to-apples—the former lacks amenities, daily staffing, and the scale of a larger building. Hypothetically, if I developed a 200-unit building identical to The Metropolitan but without any attached parking, forcing renters to rely on city garages, street parking, or forego a car altogether, how would renters perceive the value of this fictional apartment given the lack of parking?
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Thank you for the insight, @Nickster—that’s exactly my concern. While Raleigh has eliminated parking minimums, the market doesn’t seem ready to embrace buildings without off-street parking. It’s a tough cycle to break; as long as people prioritize having a car, whether for their job or personal preference, we’ll continue building infrastructure to accommodate cars, which in turn limits the density needed to make car-free living viable.
A consideration I’m weighing is whether a reduced rental rate could entice renters who can adopt a car-lite lifestyle, especially those who work downtown/remote a few days a week and wouldn’t be significantly impacted by not having immediate access to their car.
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Also being alone in a new city (with not the greatest reputation at the time) was a bit daunting for the first serval months until I figured out the lay of the land. If it had in Raleigh or Winston, it would have been much easier to adjust since I had familiarity with both cities.
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Parking is unbundled from the rent at Skyhouse (and perhaps The Edison) on a per-space basis since it is provided within the adjoining city-owned Blount Street parking deck.
As a data point the monthly cost was maybe $60/space six years ago and had risen to $90/space the last year I was there. I considered that a more than fair price since it was semi-secure and handy for access.
Parking within a deck is included in the rent at the Village District apartment complex where I currently live. However wish it was unbundled since I currently do not have a vehicle to park.
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I moved downtown a few years ago, a move that coincided with a switch to working from home full time. After maybe a year, I realized having a car just didn’t justify the parking and maintenance cost, resulting in me selling my vehicle and relying entirely on walking, public transit, and ride share. I’ve been car free now a couple years and do not regret that decision at all.
Over the last few years, I have been open to purchasing a condo downtown, but overall lack of inventory and in turn higher prices compared to other metros has meant I have remained a renter. I have seen in other cities, Durham included, where developers include enough parking for maybe half to two thirds of the buildings residents and price those into a unit if desired by a buyer. I think something like this is ideal, as it offers most people the typical on premise parking and an often significant cost savings for those who choose to go car free.
I do however recognize that this does have its downsides. Using my situation as an example, I would initially choose to not opt for a spot and take the cost savings. However, if I switch jobs years later that requires the need of a vehicle, I am likely now SOL since all the spots have been bought up.
The real solution here to this example and the case of reducing our societies overall dependence on cars is better public transit. For me, I don’t see this improving fast enough in Raleigh. Combined with a lack of affordable housing, whether that’s with or without parking, it will likely mean I move elsewhere in the next year or so if I’m serious about finally purchasing something.
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And this is beautifully sums up the situation we are currently in. We need better transit of some type that is reliable and that runs more often and is also geared to not just the homeless population or those who have all day to get to a given location.
I am currently in DT Boston. I have taken the transit to and from everywhere I wanted to go. No issues. It runs every five minutes. All sorts of people from all walks of life use it. Work people. Visitors. Homeless. No one bothering anyone else. I have also used the bus system in various cities I have visited. Love using the transit. Total buy in.
But not in Raleigh. And I live DTR. But am I going to wait 30 min to get on a bus? With sketchy people because no one else is riding the bus but sketch people? When I can take my car? Not gonna happen. So step up your game Raleigh. I worked for Triangle Transit in 2000. I quit because it was all talk. And we are still talking about it. Dreaming about it. Doing zero about it. When I moved DTR I made sure I bought TWO parking spots for my TWO cars.
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Realistically, it will take decades for Raleigh to develop the kind of transit infrastructure you’re envisioning. Building a multi-modal system similar to Boston’s could easily take 50+ years. The timeline for Charlotte’s Blue Line and its expansion is a clear example of how long these projects can take.
What can start happening now, however, is the continued push for higher density, which Raleigh is already achieving at a healthy pace. Numerous areas inside the beltline are seeing significant densification. This shift will hopefully lead to reduced car usage and increased reliance on public transit, but there will inevitably be a degree of inconvenience during this transition as transit systems lag behind population growth.
If we focus on allowing and building 40 dwelling units per acre, achievable in most R-10 areas with frequent transit, and encourage more neighborhood retail, we can foster a balanced live-work-play ecosystem. Raleigh already has the office space downtown to anchor this vision. With intentional planning, these steps can lay the groundwork for a transit-oriented future, even as the infrastructure itself takes time to catch up.
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We are well on our way with more dense development. One step in the right direction at least. And I agree. We are years away from being a Boston. Sigh. But dang - when you come to a place like this it sure slaps you in the face with what is missing in Raleigh. Not giving up my cars any time soon.
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To be fair, Boston has been a real city for like 300 years and Raleigh for basically 30… I’m sure we’ll catch up long after we’re all dead.
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Well I have two choice live another 259 years or move to Boston lol 
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Have you enjoyed the frigid cold of the last 2-3 days? Well, that’d be your Spring. You don’t wanna move to Boston 
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I specifically moved here from outside Boston because I hated the weather there 8 months of the year. I like the city itself though. But using public transit and then walking everywhere when it’s 15° and the sidewalks are a narrow path of ice bordered by frozen snowbanks covered in trash and (hopefully) pet waste… yeah no thanks.
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Yeah it’s just a few days. Fever dream. Back to Raleigh. No transit. But better weather. All is good. There’s no place like home……
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one option…my parents were blind and couldnt drive. they developed good relationships with a long time taxi company. used them for large grocery runs and some job commuting near bus stops. it was a good relationship.
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also i worked for an early grocery delivery company in north raleigh circa 93? delivered to Ric Flar in durham…its likely a much better non car option now for urban dwellers.
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I’d like to understand what would be required for Zip Car or a similar hourly car rental service to start operations in downtown Raleigh.
If you’re not using a car daily, it can be surprising to realize how much car ownership costs on a per-mile or annual basis. Beyond the vehicle’s price (including interest payments, if applicable), there are ongoing expenses like insurance, maintenance, fuel, and parking fees. Many people are likely paying $600+ per month for their vehicle. When you factor in alternatives like taking an Uber 2-3 times a week at $20 per ride, a few bus rides, and some scooter use, the total cost of transportation could be half that. Even for a weekend trip to the mountains, renting a car at $75 per day can be the lowest-cost option, which is surprising.
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if i recall correctly there were some routes in raleigh prior to cat when cp and l operated the busses…they ran to near 11pm at night.