Housing boom redux?

[wanderer03]

I'm becoming increasingly alarmed at the skyrocketing cost of housing. In 2008, it was the real estate market. Now, in 2015, it is the rental market. People have a need for shelter. I can see this boom in rental housing prices effecting the most vulnerable. If it weren't for the state assistance that I am getting due to my Autism, I would be paying 90% of my income towards housing. This is just not sustainable because the state assistance could be cut off at any given time.

 

[AsheSkyler]

True that, rent is ridiculous! The last place we rented took up over half of our monthly income, and with my husband working as an installer we had to put out all the gas for his truck to go 75-100+ miles a day. Rent is pretty much money out the window too, you don't have a chance of taking it off on your income taxes like you do when you have a mortgage. There's another insult to injury.

Similar principals apply to lower income families and bank fees. Overdraft fees only incur when you have to take out more money than is in the bank, and guess which end of the social hierarchy is more likely to do that? And with it nearly impossible to pay all your bills in person anymore and cards becoming almost mandatory, it's one slippery slope to spending all your money on fees, utility reconnects, and other wasteful things like that.

 

[Beverly]

So true, a one room (two if you count the tiny shower only bathroom, near me used to rent for 150/mo. It came vacant two months ago and, now they want 350 for the rat hole cabin. It has mildew issues because it's among a lot of trees and on the river bank, in a humid climate.

I am so glad my home is bought and paid for, but even it's value has gone up. Used to be a 15000.00 home, nothing has changed except the year and, I now have a 25000.00 home. I'm homesteaded so, it doesn't kill me on taxes but, I feel for anyone that has to rent, is trying to buy or, can't homestead.

 

[Ste11aeres]

I'm amazed that most people manage to avoid homelessness.

 

[Progster]

It depends where you live, but rent is ridiculously expensive. Plus the pressure of having to find the money for the deposit and month's rent when you fist start renting, and having to find to money at the end of each month to pay it. So much stress.

 

[wanderer03]

In better times, I owned a home but that was honestly a lot of expense as well. In many ways, renting is an underrated experience. In times long gone, putting up roots on a neighborhood was doable because of the unwritten social contract of employment. One had work so long as they were loyal and hard working. In present day, the loyalty is quarterly profits and the social contact has been torn up. Home ownership can be an encumbrance, making it difficult to go where the work is.

 

[wanderer03]

I'm amazed that most people manage to avoid homelessness.

I count myself there. It may still happen yet, so I'm trying to save enough money for a pickup truck and trailer. This means no more cable and Internet. I depend on my phone for that and there is WiFi at the library. If I have to follow a design for a canvas wall tent and stay in a campground, I will.

People in my present socio-economic stratem live perilously close to the edge of homelessness. All it will take will be one or two irresponsible politicians seeking self-promotion to wage a holy war on those on state assistance, thereby causing ear-marked monies to vanish. It's a sad state of affairs.