Why is it so hard to find housing?

[Deleted member 19606]

This winter I've decided that I need a break from the road after 3 years on full time. My idea is to stay in Portland, because I know a few folks that live there, but I'm having trouble finding a place to live. It's already hard for me to justify paying rent after being rent free for so long, but all the available rooms I've been seeing are demanding a lot of bullshit to even be considered. Background checks, huge deposites, a steady income of 2.5x the cost of rent, limits on having dogs, needing to commit to a year long contract, lifestyle requirements, the list goes on.

Where can I look to find an affordable room, where I'll be living with like minded individuals? Or at least people that aren't so goddamn uptight about everything. Craigslist is a bust, none of my friends have any leads for me, and I've even looked at Facebook marketplace. Anybody have any experience with this situation that could offer some advice?

 

[Deleted member 23824]

It’s funny you brought this up, as I am at my sisters’ in N.C. just now. She lives in a house that was previously her rental. Just last night we were looking at photos of the house right after the tennants she had to evict were booted. If I could show you those photos, and what those tennants and their dogs did to the place, and talley up the costs she incurred in having them evicted, not to mention at least 15 K in repairs to make it liveable again, you would not need to ask about income verification, background checks, pet policies, and all the rest . It is not, as you termed it “bullshit”.These are imperative if you are a landlord. I am glad I’m not, as I wouldn’t want the headache, but would take each and every one of those steps if I was renting to others.

 

[AyeAaron]

Yeah it's an unfortunate reality, moving into a place isn't typically something you can do casually anymore.

My ex used to stay in extended stay hotel a lot, maybe that could be an option, theyre usually in shit neighborhoods though.

Personally I just crash out of my car, I'll cross that bridge if it comes up.

 

[Hudson]

Being a landlord myself to the one house I own I completely understand where homeowners are coming from.

On the other hand the west coast especially in California is screwed. I'm looking at getting out of here when i can because the cost of living is bizarre. Its bad out here. Best of luck.

My advice; get away from the big cities because the cost of living in the cities are going to go nowhere but up.

 

[CouchPunx]

In big cities if i cant find a preexisting punk house where i can pay two hundred to sleep in the garage or something then i pretty much just give up.

 

[CouchPunx]

Also not to derail things, but fuck landlords in general

 

[Matt Derrick]

Also not to derail things, but fuck landlords in general

agreed, rent is theft. when i tried to find a place in pdx in 2016 or so i think, it was so bad that i ended up paying like 200/mo to live in a shack someone built in their back yard.

 

[MetalBryan]

When I move to a new place, I focus on the sublet section of craigslist. These short term arrangements won't have nearly as many barriers because they are usually handled by the tenants instead of the landlord/owner. You may need to jump through some social hoops because they can be competitive, but if you're only staying short term pretty much every situation with roommates is the same. Be honest about your situation too - a lot of folks looking for temp roommates prefer somebody bouncing between projects over roommates trying to "move to the city".

Protect yourself from scams by only exchanging money for a key that you've tested in the door.

 

[Deleted member 26656]

This winter I've decided that I need a break from the road after 3 years on full time. My idea is to stay in Portland, because I know a few folks that live there, but I'm having trouble finding a place to live. It's already hard for me to justify paying rent after being rent free for so long, but all the available rooms I've been seeing are demanding a lot of bullshit to even be considered. Background checks, huge deposites, a steady income of 2.5x the cost of rent, limits on having dogs, needing to commit to a year long contract, lifestyle requirements, the list goes on.

Where can I look to find an affordable room, where I'll be living with like minded individuals? Or at least people that aren't so goddamn uptight about everything. Craigslist is a bust, none of my friends have any leads for me, and I've even looked at Facebook marketplace. Anybody have any experience with this situation that could offer some advice?

This in a nutshell is EXACTLY why I chose to stay homeless and just travel and camp.

 

[Dameon]

Portland is way gentrified is the problem, so rents are sky-high there and generosity is low. Unfortunately, you just basically gotta go somewhere that isn't popular, but is still cool, and get there before it gets gentrified.

 

[Deleted member 26656]

Yep yep...but where would that be?

Portland is way gentrified is the problem, so rents are sky-high there and generosity is low. Unfortunately, you just basically gotta go somewhere that isn't popular, but is still cool, and get there before it gets gentrified.

 

[Breck]

The more time wears on the more Murica gets like great depression. Im in the same boat...fulltime job and no housing. Im pretty much sqautting my bosses garage ( at least i have the bunnies for company) until i get enough money to move on. This shit is really starting to remind me of the grapes of wrath.

 

[Deleted member 26656]

Where's that guy that was squatting in New Mexico, hopefully he can chime in here?

 

[japanarchist]

If you're talking about Portland Or then its as Dameon mentioned, its gentrified and its getting worse and worse. Rising costs are pushing ppl out, cheap punk houses really can't survive anymore, so many people are living pay check to paycheck so requesting that a new roommate for instance has a deposit or steady source of income is kinda important. One of my friends ex-roommates unexpectedly moved out if their place without paying the rent he owed and he didn't leave a deposit. My friend had to cover the bill by himself and he barely had the money to do so.

I can point you to some places to squat if all else fails?

 

[Hazardoussix6six]

Even in downtown Cincinnati these days rent is ridiculous. A one bedroom apartment I used to rent back in 2016 on main street downtown entertainment district was 350 a month. 3 years late exact same apartment is going for 925 a month. Gentrification is happening all across the country in major cities. Going through the same situation again now trying to find an affordable place in cincy.

 

[Jackthereaper]

For a grand you could purchase a cheap mini van to live in. It may be a high barrier to entry, but i wouldnt be surprised to hear even a sublet room in portland was a grand to move into after first last deposit etc are paid up.

 

[Stiv Rhodes]

Only place I've ever found what you're looking for was an abandoned house.

 

[AyeAaron]

For a grand you could purchase a cheap mini van to live in. It may be a high barrier to entry, but i wouldnt be surprised to hear even a sublet room in portland was a grand to move into after first last deposit etc are paid up.

Yeah for a sublet Id expect $1300+ up front in Portland or more other cities, a van would cost the same, with insurance and registration

After that the Vans way cheaper, and more useful overall.

 

[roughdraft]

In my experience... I've rented from a few different places in a couple of these smaller (30 - 60,000 people) "cities" / "college towns" - and while they have clearly not been Portland or even Eugene size/potential goings-ons - I have never had to show proof of income let alone xxxx.xx amount, never needed renter's insurance and I don't recall even needing to do a credit check, let alone a background check.

It may be in yr best interest to look away from Portland; there are many opportunities, don't get hung up on one spot.

I did have jobs lined up (why would I commit to pay rent in one spot if I didn't?) so I did always have a true story to tell the people I was "interviewing" to rent from/with and they knew I had something going for me. It helps to establish trust in whatever way you can.

Security deposits are hard to get around and just awful to deal with. I've gotten lucky a couple of times avoiding them but how common that is I cannot say.

I've had two positive experiences through Craigslist, one in a town like mentioned above and another in a small suburb (15,000 people) who have turned out great honestly compared to what one might be used to. You say it's a bust right now - but keep camping on it and searching.

One - This was a homeowner looking to fill a room & make some money; she was more flexible. The key is that you have more leverage when you are in a less desirable area. This was a "month-to-month" lease. I got her to dial down the price a bit because she had been searching for a while, and I knew I needed the money more than she, so I took a fairly-sized slice of advantage, and when I left my seasonal job to travel for six months, I came back, she had space and since she knew I had been responsible, she let me back in without a deposit.

Another thing with her was that she had seven dogs in a small house which I didn't mind, but apparently kept a lot of potential tenents away. Maybe tailor your search for these sorts of people somehow.

Two - where I currently live - I just lucked out completely, good people, no deposit, no lease. It can happen, but again it's a lot less likely in certain places, and where I currently am is not the lamest place but it's kinda shit. Something about competition, supply & demand.

 

[Des]

Theres some pretty solid large scale squats going on rn. Drop me a line