Apartment Acquisitions · Cambridge
Sell Your Commercial Property In Cambridge, MA
Own a commercial apartment building of five or more units in Cambridge? We purchase multifamily properties around Central Square, Kendall Square, and the rest of Middlesex County, and we review every deal against a clear buy box.
- Clear feedback on your deal, typically within 48 hours
- 5 to 100+ units, stabilized or distressed, listed or off-market
- Owners, agents, and brokers welcome — every conversation is confidential
We buy:Tired landlordsEstate & trust sales1031 exchangesDeferred maintenanceHigh vacancyPartnership splits
Cambridge Submarkets: Central Square · Kendall Square · Porter Square · East Cambridge — Middlesex County, MA
Market Snapshot
Renter Demand In Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts is a renter city: 66.5% of occupied homes are rented, and 54.5% of all homes sit in buildings with 5 or more units (ACS 2020-2024). Harvard University and MIT together employ 23,090 people in Cambridge, per the city's 2025 top employer data. Owners who sell commercial property in Cambridge, MA face FY2027 tax rates of $6.95 per $1,000 residential and $16.99 commercial. This profile covers rents, taxes, landlord rules and local drivers for anyone ready to sell multifamily property in Cambridge.
Harvard and MIT
Harvard University employs 13,583 and MIT 9,507 in Cambridge, the city's two largest employers in 2025 top employer data.Biotech and life sciences
Seven biotechnology firms on Cambridge's 2025 top-25 employer list, including Takeda and Sanofi, together employ 12,965 people.Red Line access
Six MBTA Red Line stations serve Cambridge: Alewife, Davis, Porter, Harvard, Central and Kendall/MIT.Our Buy Box
What We Buy In Cambridge
Asset Type
Multifamily, 5+ Units
Apartment buildings and income-producing residential.
Size
5 – 100+ Units
Sweet spot: 15–25 units.
Condition
Stabilized To Distressed
Value-add, mismanaged, and high-vacancy properties welcome.
Deal Types
Listed Or Off-Market
Direct-to-owner, pocket listings, portfolios.
Local Market Data
Cambridge Apartment Market
Figures gathered October 2026 from public market data.
Who rents in Cambridge
Cambridge is a renter city: 32,897 of 49,444 occupied homes are rented, a 66.5% renter share (ACS 2020-2024). Buildings with 5 or more units hold 29,910 of Cambridge's 54,840 homes, or 54.5%. The median Cambridge home was built in 1950, and 67.9% of homes predate 1980. Cambridge's median household income is $130,748, against $103,960 statewide.
Cambridge rents and affordability
Cambridge's median gross rent is $2,787 a month, 1.58 times the Massachusetts median of $1,762 (ACS 2020-2024). Middlesex County's median is $2,201. In Cambridge, 43.0% of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent, and 20.3% pay 50% or more.
HUD FY2027 FMR for the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area, which covers Cambridge:
| Unit size | HUD FY2027 FMR (monthly) |
|---|---|
| Efficiency | $2,440 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,518 |
| 2 bedroom | $3,008 |
| 3 bedroom | $3,584 |
| 4 bedroom | $3,953 |
Rent levels like these set what a buyer pays when you sell commercial real estate in Cambridge, MA.
Property taxes in Middlesex County
Cambridge's FY2027 rate is $6.95 per $1,000 of value for residential property and $16.99 per $1,000 for commercial and industrial property, per the City of Cambridge Finance Department. The Massachusetts Department of Revenue property type codes place apartments of four or more units in the residential group.
On a $2,000,000 assessed value, the residential rate gives $2,000,000 / 1,000 x $6.95 = $13,900 a year. A property taxed at the commercial rate would owe $2,000,000 / 1,000 x $16.99 = $33,980. Anyone planning to sell commercial property in Cambridge, MA should model the correct class first.
Landlord rules for Cambridge owners
Massachusetts caps a security deposit at the first month's rent under M.G.L. c.186 section 15B. The deposit comes back within 30 days after the tenancy ends, with 5% annual interest. Under M.G.L. c.186 section 11, 14 days' written notice to quit is sufficient to end a lease with unpaid rent.
Chapter 40P is titled The Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act.
What this means for a Cambridge owner
Cambridge owners of 5+ unit buildings hold the housing type that 54.5% of local homes use, taxed at the $6.95 residential rate. Buyers weigh that rate, the $2,787 median rent and the 1950 median build year.
Skyline Capital Investments buys 5+ unit apartment buildings. To sell your apartment building in Cambridge, start with the cap rate calculator to test value. Owners ready to sell commercial property in Cambridge, MA can then see how we buy apartment buildings.
Good To Know
Cambridge Seller Checklist
More about selling in Massachusetts →Investing in Cambridge? See apartment syndications in Cambridge →
- Apartments of four or more units fall in the residential group, taxed at $6.95 per $1,000 in FY2027.
- Owners who sell commercial real estate in Cambridge, MA face a $16.99 rate on commercial class property.
- Buyers read the $2,787 median rent against a housing stock with a 1950 median build year.
Seller Guides
Selling A Building In Cambridge
Learn More
Taxes & Rules For Cambridge Property
The Massachusetts rules that shape any deal in Cambridge: what a sale costs in tax, how buildings are taxed, what landlords must follow, and how to defer gains.
Cambridge Seller FAQ
How do I sell commercial property in Cambridge, MA?
Start with the figures a buyer underwrites: rent roll, expenses and the FY2027 residential tax rate of $6.95 per $1,000. Cambridge has 29,910 homes in buildings with 5 or more units, 54.5% of its stock (ACS 2020-2024).
What do buyers pay to sell commercial real estate in Cambridge, MA?
Buyers price from net operating income. Cambridge's median gross rent is $2,787 (ACS 2020-2024), and HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $3,008 a month in the Boston-Cambridge-Quincy metro area. Buyers compare both against operating costs.
What is the property tax on a $2 million Cambridge apartment building?
At the FY2027 residential rate of $6.95 per $1,000, a $2,000,000 assessed value owes $13,900 a year. Taxes matter when selling commercial property in Cambridge because buyers capitalize them. The commercial rate is $16.99 per $1,000, which would raise the same bill to $33,980.
How much security deposit can a Cambridge landlord hold?
Massachusetts General Laws chapter 186 section 15B caps a security deposit at the first month's rent. The landlord must return it within 30 days after the tenancy ends and pay 5% annual interest, or the bank rate if lower. Penalties for late return can reach three times the deposit.
Is rent control in effect for Cambridge apartments?
Massachusetts General Laws chapter 40P is titled The Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act. Cambridge's median gross rent was $2,787 a month in ACS 2020-2024, and 43.0% of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent.
Do I need to fix up my Cambridge building before selling?
No. We price in deferred maintenance, vacancy, and below-market rents ourselves, so you can sell the property as it stands.
Do you work with Cambridge brokers and agents?
We do. Agents can bring us listed or pocket-listing deals in Cambridge, and we keep every conversation confidential.
Who buys occupied rental property in Cambridge?
We do. Skyline Capital Investments is a commercial real estate buyer of 5+ unit multifamily, and we buy apartment buildings with tenants in place, including properties with below-market rents.
Do I need a broker to sell my apartment building in Cambridge?
No. You can work with us directly, or your broker can bring the deal to us. Either way, conversations stay confidential.
Submit A Deal
Get An Offer Review In Cambridge
A few details are enough to start. We respond to every Cambridge submission, including off-market and pocket listings.
