Ridiculous Rent Prices!

[Yehonala]

I was going through, calling apartment complexes, and despite the fact that rents are sky high, they don't include electricity and heat! It's disgusting! With one place, they charge up to seven hundred and they also make you pay 1/3 water bills and heat and electricity. As if they were helping, they said they didn't charge through garbage services! Has anyone else had bad times finding a place that doesn't bleed you alive?

Here comes the worst part: this place that has a one bedroom, small apartment requires that you have an income of 1,660 in order to be able to rent and I have SSD, which limits what I recieve and how much I can pay! It's obscene! Considering what they offer, it's stupid. A one bedroom apartment shouldn't cost any more than five hundred at MOST with everything included. It's like these places are out to take you for all they can get!

So many of these places are all the same really, same structure, same amount of room space, same everything and yet they demand you also pick up the tab for heat and electricity. This is total gouging!

[grasswire]

1. I don't know where you live...

...but in most places I've ever lived, utilities were not included. Usually just trash and water.

I agree that rents are outrageous, especially considering that there is now a glut of rentals on the market.

Best of luck to you. Finding a place to live shouldn't be so stressful.

[Yehonala]

8. Thank you for understanding

Thanks. All these places available and they're charging so freakin' much. Even during prosperous times, it's insane.

[SoCalNative]

2. It's not really about being affordable for renters

it's about what it costs the owners in mortgage payments, utility bills, other monthly upkeep and property taxes that dictates the cost of rents.

And honestly, I've never seen a rental in my area that includes electricity and heating costs.
IF you're lucky the price of rent includes water, trash pick-up and sometimes natural gas.

[Warpy]

5. Buildings in the northeast typically include heat and hot water

which is fired by a boiler in the basement that's older than dirt. Electricity was never included. Trash, water, and sewer charges were.

Rents are skyrocketing in a lot of cities as pressure from people who have lost their homes and are looking for housing rises.

Unfortunately for people on fixed incomes, this means lowered expectations if they need to move: going from a 2 BR to a 1BR and a 1 BR to a studio.

BTDT.

[shireen]

3. i posted something about this a few days ago

see http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=114x70713

I was able to get a significant reduction by doing my own comparisons of other apartments and presenting the data to my current apartment managers.

Good luck!

[angstlessk]

4. I googled Apartments in Pontiac and found rent.com

they have 277 1+ bedroom apartments for up to $600.00 Link: http://www.rent.com/rentals/michigan/detroit-and-vicinity/pontiac/

[mudplanet]

6. If you're living on SSI you should be living in public housing or

a section 8 apartment.

And since you are on SSI, I assume you are elderly or disabled (or both). Many communities have a separate public housing facility for the elderly and disabled, which is nice as it tends to be much more livable than standard public housing.

Section 8 housing and public housing rent is based on your income. If you are getting SSI you are living on an income of approximately $700 a month, and your rent will be approximately $160. Many older public housing facilities have gas, water, sewage and garbage paid, generally not electricity.

I have some experience with this so if you need help reply to me directly and I'll see if I can help.

[SoCalNative]

7. Have you seen the waiting list for these locations

It's not possible to immediately move into one of these places.

Depending upon where one lives you can be on a waiting list from several months to many years.

[mudplanet]

11. Yes. I'm aware. There isn't as much publicly subsidized housing

as there should be. However, often people that are disabled get priority and go to the top of the list.

[ieoeja]

9. I charge $1700 and only pay water.

It is a luxury apartment where my mortgage is $2300.


Conversely I rent my upstairs to a friend for $500 and pay for everything except electricity. And his electricity has been hooked up to mine, so all he is paying is a monthly service charge for a meter. This is because of a rehab in process (for about 15 years). I switched him over to the electric to help him build a credit rating. I do plan on switching his electricity over in the near future. I just spent $11k having a kitchen installed upstairs, so he can damn well start paying for his own electric.

I rent a room in my basement to another, unemployed, friend for $0. Given the conditions of that room, I'd say he's still being overcharged. But I draw the line at actually paying someone to live in my house (with the possible exception of a really friendly maid).

[dysfunctional press]

10. you're dreaming.

"A one bedroom apartment shouldn't cost any more than five hundred at MOST with everything included."
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

we sold our two-flat in chicago two years ago- but when we had it- we lived in the bottom two-bedroom unit, and rented out the top floor one-bedroom for $800/month...and we included everything except electricity(it had a gas stove). by 'everything' i mean: heat, water, cooking gas, directv with ALL the premium channels, broadband internet connection, and free use of the laundry in the basement. when we purchased it, we put all new appliances in the rental unit, and installed a dishwasher. we also allowed pets- (one dog or two cats) at no extra charge or deposit(when one of our tenants went on vacation, or away for the weekend, we'd watch their dog for them). we let our tenants take up to 4 months to pay the security deposit($200/month)- so move-in costs were only $1000(first months rent and 1/4 deposit). after the first year, we only charged 1/2 rent in december. in the lease, we gave the tenants the option to break the lease with no penalties by giving a 45-day notice, and we let them use the security deposit to pay their last month's rent.

we were good landlords, and our tenants loved us.

btw- have you considered getting a roomate(s) to share a two-bedroom or more..? :shrug: