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  1. I’ve been to the man hole, I didn’t see him.

    …and I still fail to see how security (knowing what your rent will be) is somehow a trap. Is it an inducement to stay in an apartment? Sure. But you still have a) more money left over to save for whatever else you intend to do, b) just as much actual literal freedom to move and do whatever you want.

    I also don’t see what the big deal is with (whoever it was back there’s) relatives who were making money, and yet were SO perverse as to not spend it on a different living arrangement. Maybe they don’t care about where they live. Maybe that’s not a priority. Maybe they would rather go out to eat. Maybe (gasp) they would rather save than consume. Maybe they’re just weird. I know lots of people who live in the burbs in houses that make my skin crawl. I don’t think of them as being ‘trapped’ by their stucco shitbox, that’s just where they want to be.

    I also don’t understand how an apartment being RS causes you to not keep it up (to the degree that that’s your responsibility). It’s just like any other apartment.

    My wife and I moved into our (RS) apartment with the full intention of staying here until the kids leave the house. Because otherwise, there is no way in hell we’d be able to give each kid a room (or a room-ish space) and still lead normal fulfilling lives. Is it stainless steel granite countertops or crown molding working fireplace? No, but it’s an apartment with windows and doors and stuff (and some moldings and fireplaces, they’re just all dinged and painted over). All the other tenants are normal people like us (some more hipster, some more old school). No hoarders, crack addicts, etc.

    If you want to talk about trapped, talk to the folks who lost their job but can’t move because their house that they own is underwater and they can’t move. That’s trapped. Dropping $250k on a downpayment is a WHOLE lot more trapped than saving $900 a month in rent. I just don’t buy it.

    I think rents should be universally regulated insofar as the amount they can rise each year should be controlled. It would give security to renters and prevent landlords from being totally capricious (unusual, but does happen). It would also allow people who rent to think of their future and plan around it. Which is different from being trapped.

  2. “I tend to see the short snippet posters as lacking in mental rigidity or discipline, an unfortunate characteristic of this “texting” age. :o(”

    Says the man of the long posts.

    🙂

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