How can people afford rent in big cities nowadays ?

@cherokeepatti spare rooms..basements

@revenant I don’t live in a big city, it is a university city though. My neighbor that lives behind me had her grown son living with her. Last year in late spring he put a large tent in the back yard and it stayed there till around the first of October. I believed he was sleeping in that tent unless the weather was extreme, probably saved a lot of rent doing that. I think he has moved out.

@cherokeepatti wow

@revenant shortage of affordable (efficiency) apartments here and anyone making lower wages can’t afford those and other expenses. They are saying that housing costs shouldn’t be any more than 28% of our income and there is nothing available for renters who are working in lower-paying jobs unless they are working themselves to death and maybe don’t even have a car. So many at Walmart couldn’t afford a car when I was working there.

@cherokeepattiyes that is those people who do not earn much I was thinking of.

@revenant I know someone who is living in the Seattle area working for Microsoft as a software engineer living in a 1000 square foot apartment that sold for $325,000, and the whole family lives in it. I used to rent a 1000 square foot apartment here and can’t imagine 4 people living in one and paying that much damned money. For that much money here you could buy a nice brick home with a decent sized yard, even after the housing prices have surged.

@cherokeepatti I am in Toronto and the prices of rent keep going up. Medium room apartment $2,500

@revenant

I rent out a nice room downstairs with a private full sized bathroom, living area, dining room, kitchen and free washer and dryer so you don't have to leave the property. Parking spot right next to the room. All bills paid (cable tv, water, electricity). Guess how much I charge? $650 but I'm suburban near the city limits.

@PatKirby This sounds totally great but you might live in a desolate place with no jobs around.

@revenant

Thanks, but it's the opposite. I live in a large city with a variety of jobs in tech, oil & gas production refineries, health care industry, high tourism, etc... Renting to a good old friend of my uncle's but I wonder if I should raise the rent?