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Would You Rent an $1,850 Apartment With No Bathroom Sink?
The next time you're kvetching about your apartment's shortcomings, consider 27-year-old Atossa Movahedi's one-bedroom Chelsea apartment. The New York Times tells the story of Atossa's search for something within her price range that wasn't a studio and located in one of her preferred neighborhoods. After living with roommates in various Manhattan neighborhoods, she was determined to find a place to call her own for about $1,600 a month.
Where It Costs Less to Own Than Rent
We got some good economic news during the past week with announcements that July's new and existing home sales jumped significantly, beating analysts expectations. While buying a home isn't the best choice for everyone and not every American considers home ownership part of the dream, lower prices have made it an option for more people who want it.
Because the market has sunk deeply in certain areas, owning a home can cost nearly the same as renting.
Ask Savvy: What Are Your Tips For Renegotiating Rent?
Dear Savvy,
My boyfriend and I have been considering downsizing into a cheaper apartment. I was looking online and noticed that a similar apartment to ours in our complex is being offered for $300 less a month than we pay. Our lease is up in two months.
NYC Hot Dog Cart Monthly Rent: Guess How Much
Street meat is a staple on New York City streets, and like any other business, some vendors pay pricey rent for primo locations. The steps leading up to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most lucrative spots for a vendor because it's a tourist hot spot without many other places to eat.
The Parks Department auctioned the right to sell hot dogs from the steps last year, and the highest bidder was evicted from the space Friday because of failure to pay rent.
Your Two Cents: Should Parents Charge Adult Children Rent?
Layoffs have sent young working adults packing for their parents' houses, and recent grads having trouble finding work have gone back home for shelter while they job search. Many of these parents are picking up the pieces of their retirement portfolios, having to work for more years than expected, and some are even attempting to reenter the workforce themselves.
It's not an easy situation for any parties involved when an adult used to living on her own returns to her parents' turf.
Guess How Much: Coolest Teeny-Tiny Apartment in Manhattan
It's amazing what can be done with small spaces. Every year, Apartment Therapy holds a Smallest, Coolest Home Contest with five divisions that account for different definitions of small. The teeny-tiny division represents apartments with the least square-footage, in other words, seriously small.
Raising Money For Rent Parties Becoming All the Rage
It used to be that you asked your landlord for an extension when you couldn't make rent, but some renters are taking a different route. ABC News profiled people who recently threw profitable parties in the name of raising rent money, blaming their monthly shortfall on economic forces.
The idea is to charge guests about $10 for snacks, drinks, and a place to party.
What Percent of Your Salary Is Used For Rent / Mortgage?
A general budget rule of thumb is that your rent or mortgage payment should be less than 30 percent of your income. If a homeowner spends 30 percent or more of her income on housing costs, the government and most lenders consider her to be financially burdened.
Source
What Percent of Your Salary Is Used For Rent / Mortgage?
10 Most Affordable Big Cities For Renters Looking to Relocate
Job hunting is a more tedious process than ever, and if you're living in an expensive city your rent may be increasingly unmanageable the longer you're unemployed. Relocation is one way to cast a wider net on available jobs and it's possible you'll score a job in a city that's less expensive than your current address. A tough job market is all about compromise, so ruling out a move probably isn't the smartest decision.
Would You Take In a Roommate to Cover Your Costs?
Having roommates has its financial and social benefits when you're in college or a young professional, but most of us expect the time will come when we live alone or just with our nuclear family. The recession seems to be changing that. According to CNN more and more professionals (often homeowners) are taking in roomies to help cover the cost of a mortgage and make up for frozen salaries and unexpected health care cost increases.
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