These poor deluded people....

[Jester]

So I still haven't rented out the third bedroom in our apartment, which is very unamusing to both Mr. Anti-Social and myself, as the last two months, we have had to pay 50% more in rent each to cover the vacant room. (The rent for the apartment is the same no matter how many people we have living here.)

So I am trolling craigslist, looking at ads of people looking for places to live, and two amused me greatly.

One was from a guy down here to go to school who was looking for a room to rent somewhere in the lower Keys for $300/month. Now, while rents are less the more you get away from Key West, even up the Keys where he is talking about that is a rather unrealistic rent. Sure, it might happen, but I would not want to stay in the place it could happen at.

And then there was the cheery ad from a "simple, artistic couple" that wanted a place, preferably in Old Town Key West (where rents are high and places are small) seeking a place for $400/month or less. They say they are "ready to begin island living!"

I gotta tell ya, folks, for the amount you want to pay in the are you want to live, the only rentals you are going to find are going to be shitholes, and probably in the less savory neighborhoods of this fair island, where bike theft and crack sales are both prominent. Good luck with your "island living."

Sorry, but shit like this just cracks me up. Key West isn't cheap, and I love the people who move here with no clue, no job, and are shocked (SHOCKED!) to find out the reality of Key West living. My basic apartment, which is NOT in Old Town Key West, goes for $1,800 for a 3br/2ba. This is somewhat of a deal. It's not a great deal, and utitilities run high, especially electric since we live on the second floor and run the AC constantly, but ya know what? It's also not a shithole.

$400 a month. Downtown. Good fucking luck.

[Whiskey]

In a decent side of town, a 3/2 is 1300ish here. And I live in a podunk town. Go california rent rates >.>

\/ just gonna slowly back away. you win, kia. Hands down.

[KiaKat]

Pardon me while I laugh.

I'm in a 2/1, in part of Brooklyn that is nice, but definitely out of the way (I have to have a car to get to work, otherwise I spend 75 minutes on the train EACH WAY with two line transfers and a 15 minute walk), and I pay $1400 + electric (gas & water are on the landlord's dime).

And we're not even a Tourist Area. And although we're technically an island, we're not an Island.

Oh the delusion.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I'm in the middle of New Jersey and we pay almost 1200 for a 2-bedroom with a tiny kitchen. We are right on the bus line to NYC, though (there's a bus stop right behind the complex), so it's a good spot if you commute...don't have to worry about parking if you live here. I see a few people in the morning walking to the stop when I'm leaving for work.

I loved Key West but I would never expect to be able to afford to live there

[Jester]

Kia, obviously everything is relative. NYC is going to be more expensive than KW, so the normal rents here would be low for you. But then again, there are 2/2's here for $1600, so it's not that much different.

Either way, $400 is unrealistic.

[AdminAssistant]

Hell, $400/month would be unrealistic for an apartment here, and I live in college town in the Midwest. Okay, there are apartments for $400, but you don't want to live there. My 2/1 for $530 was a steal...I got very, very lucky to find something that cheap in a nice, quiet part of town.

[blas]

I'll quit complaining about my rent, then.

I just love how my friends and my bf call my place a "dump", when it's not really that horrible of a place to live or even in a bad area of town. It's simply a place where you get what you pay for. This is damn near one of the only places you will find where everything (including 70 channels of cable!) is included. It helps alot in the winter and summer, to know I don't have to worry about what temperature I keep the place at.

The neighbors suck and the maintenance people are drooling stalking idiots, but it's really not as bad as where I used to live.

[Whiskey]

^ I lived in OP for 515 for a 1/1. I dont think I ever paid more than 530 for my own apartment in a nice neighborhood.

edit: talking to adminassist

[KiaKat]

Kia, obviously everything is relative. NYC is going to be more expensive than KW, so the normal rents here would be low for you. But then again, there are 2/2's here for $1600, so it's not that much different.

Either way, $400 is unrealistic.

I was actually laughing at the people. I'm not making my points well, pre-coffee.

It's ridiculous to think you can live in a Place Everyone Wants To Live and pay such small amounts. You can live in Buffalo, NY and pay that, or in North Country, NH. Not Key West, not Washington, DC, not Seattle Washington, and definitely not Miami, FL or New York, NY.

[Jester]

Hell, $400/month would be unrealistic for an apartment here, and I live in college town in the Midwest. Okay, there are apartments for $400, but you don't want to live there. My 2/1 for $530 was a steal...I got very, very lucky to find something that cheap in a nice, quiet part of town.

Perhaps I didn't make it clear that they were merely looking for a ROOM for $400. I don't think they were so unrealistic as to expect an entire apartment for that.

[Whiskey]

You would be surprised. I know people here who think they can get an apartment on a nicer side of town for 500$ a month.

You can an apartment with no bedroom, bars on the windows, and bullet holes in the glass for that.

Some people are desperate here. If you can stand living with creepo's you can get a room by the college for 450$ maybe

[cewfa]

I pay $400 a month for rent on a 2br/1 ba. I live in East Tennessee.

[BookstoreEscapee]

I have one roommate and my share of the rent is 640 (I pay more because I have the bigger bedroom).

That's what I paid for a one-bedroom all to myself in PA (Levittown, just over the border from NJ)...9 years ago...

[shankyknitter]

You can live in Buffalo, NY and pay that.

As a native Buffalonian- No you can't. Admittedly our rent is laughable compared to some of what everyone else is paying but for a 3 bedroom 1 bath we're paying $780 a month. That's without any utilities included.

[jnd4rusty]

I live in a 1bdr/1bath, all utilities and cable included for $450 a month..granted it is pretty small but very quiet. I don't want to move until I buy a home plus this is cheap...the same owner of the complex has another complex where he charges $650 for a three bedroom, one bathroom, three story apartment. I live in one of those apartments until my roommates moved out and I had to move to a cheaper place, so he transfered me to this complex. On average apartments can run from $350 to $1400 depending on what part of the city you are renting in. Usually the South and West side are more expensive than the North and East side.