I admit I’m unnerved at how high rents are going these days. Properties that look pretty much the same style and standard floor-plan are now costing up to four hundred and ninety-nine minimum to start. That only includes SOME paid utilities. I’ve been looking to move myself and it’s getting out of control. I just wonder, what on holy mother earth is this country coming to?
You mentioned the price discrepancy between your work and that of hiring someone to do the job, it is frightening to read that even the simplest projects run into the tens of thousands.
“You mentioned the price discrepancy between your work and that of hiring someone to do the job, it is frightening to read that even the simplest projects run into the tens of thousands.
My county voted a generous $300 average reduction in property tax. They spread the resulting deficit among the landlord-owned properties because we don’t vote. Our taxes went up roughly the same amount. Landlords raised rent. There are fees on everything. Need to do work on the septic system? You must buy a $500 permit and then, because of licensing fees there are darned few people who can do the work. So, they charge thousands instead of hundreds. Everywhere you turn there is a new license or permit fee. All of that gets reflected in rent. The average rent in my rural county has gone up roughly $150/month each year and will likely continue to do so.
Beware every effort to “improve” renter’s conditions via law. For example, there have been numerous attempts to bring all properties up to the latest energy code. The cost of improving mobile home properties are more than the cost of the home. (They are also impractical.) So, all of the cheaper properties would vanish overnight.
Very quietly, as in nobody knew it was coming, the EPA changed the energy standards on water heaters this month. After the old inventory sells out they’ll go from $300 each to $500 each. Did I mention the new ones are significantly larger than the old ones and won’t fit in the same space? So, fitting a new one will require major renovations. I suspect I’ll just stick them outside and build a box around them or go from a 40 gallon to a 20 gallon.
The enemy cheap rent here is government at every level.
