I'm sure you've noticed storage units cropping up all over the place, but did you know there are seven times as many storage unit facilities as there are Starbucks?  That we now have more than seven square feet of self storage space for every man, woman, and child in America, so that it's "physically possible that every American could stand - all at the same time - under the total canopy of self-storage roofing"?  Because seriously, I didn't!  

The New York Times has a long and engrossing article about storage unit rental.  I expected it to be a diatribe against the wastefulness of self storage, the waste of money, of time, of land, and of clutter.  But Jon Mooallem has written a far more nuanced article than I would have expected.  


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Anyone who has ever been in the lower income brackets has had to deal with less than satisfactory conditions in a rental property. Negligent building managers, sub-code utilities, ancient appliances, pests, loud neighbors... it's being stuck between the rock of a low income and a hard place called no representation. One tenant going up against a property manager is a losing battle and if that tenant is forced to live in low-rent housing, he or she certainly doesn't have the extra scratch to pay court fees, let alone hire a lawyer. Even if worthy disputes did make it to litigation, where would the prosecuting tenant live in the meantime? Perhaps low-income renters ought to do what low-wage workers did in the early 20th century: Organize.

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A new law in Richmond, California is outlawing cigarette smoking in all apartments, condominiums and public places. When my family and I were in San Francisco a few years ago, I remember how hard it was for my aunt to find a place to smoke—I’m sure residents of Richmond are feeling her pain.

Apparently the big anti-smoking campaign is in response to the American Lung Association grading the city with an “F.”

The ban will be enforced by January 1, 2001, following a ban already in effect against smoking in farmers markets, parks and other public places. Fines for smoking in an apartment will begin at $100.

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If you’re faced with moving from a house to an apartment, you’ve got a lot of good things in store for you—little to no maintenance, no property taxes, and possibly even perks like free water, trash or cable services. You probably even have at least a semi-furnished place awaiting where you don’t have to buy a fridge or a stove, saving you big bucks.

But the one thing that many apartments lack is sheer space. Sure, there are some huge lofts and really great multi-bedroom digs out there, but the average apartment is pretty cramped. So the question remains—what do you do with all your stuff?

Here are a few tips and tricks to use when you’ve got a small living space. (These can come in handy wherever you live—including small houses, too.)

Use every inch in site. If you have a jumbo space not in use but you still have piles of stuff, it’s time to rearrange.

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The economy's tight right now, so in the process of apartment hunting the first thing that comes to mind is price. Why pay any extra $100 if you don't have to?

I was recently in such a position. The rent at my current apartment was reasonable, but I thought I could do better, all things considered. After sifting through ads for boarding houses and shared bathroom Single Room Occupancy listings, I thought I found a good deal. Decent location (at least geographically speaking), private bath, private kitchen, and a significantly lower price. I didn't depend on it, but I thought that it couldn't hurt to schedule a visit.

Thus began the experience I have come to call, "Visiting the Worst Apartment in My City".

Now, I've seen bad apartments before, so I think I have a pretty thick skin about these things. I've toured the likes of a dump in Ohio with ancient, rubbery linoleum floors, cracked walls and light fixtures that were being held up with little more than a rusty nail and a daily prayer.

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There are few things in this world that can be more frustrating than a grouchy, demanding, or vindictive landlord. Not having a good relationship with yours can cause undue stress and anxiety, especially around the time that rent checks are due. Being friendly and proactive can help to diffuse any landlord anxiety before it even begins.

Laying the Foundation

The first step in a good landlord-tenant relationship should occur on the day of move-in. Let your landlord know who you are and a little about yourself by introducing him or her to your family or roommate. This will help them put a face to a name and helps to humanize your room mate which will help your landlord connect to you as not only a customer, but as a person. All mature, professional business relationships begin with an introduction and a firm handshake.

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If you have ever heard from disturbed and perturbed homeowners who commonly lament that they feel like they are merely renting a home from the bank as opposed to their wiser friends who choose to truly rent a home and not be subjected to the ins and the outs of home purchase, there are ample reasons as to why. First and foremost, a home is supposed to be an investment, however when owners are dwarfed by costly repairs, dropping home values and banks that seemingly don’t really care about them, many times it is similar to renting a home, which would, in the end, cost a lot less and have no apparent contractual long term strings attached.

How the Numbers Stack up
Here is a good way to compare the costs. Let’s say you bought a home at a decent average interest rate of say eight percent on a thirty year fixed note—in the end you pay roughly a hundred or so grand in interest on a four hundred thousand dollar home.

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As the economy takes a most certain dip and turn, and the real estate market spurs on a recession, millions of homes have entered the default process, and even more have already been foreclosed upon. This recent trend has created a huge demand for loss mitigation specialists, who are needed to fill the many vacant positions in loss mitigation jobs, which help negotiate settlements between lenders and struggling home owners.

While some people may be losing their homes, others are investing in those lost homes. In many cases, foreclosure real estate is hot commodity for an avid investor who is looking to build up their portfolio with quality homes that can be acquired for some of the lowest prices in history.

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I've been renting apartments and homes for over twenty years. And because I love the freedom to pick up and move whenever wanderlust strikes, I anticipate renting for a good many more.

Renting doesn't mean that we have no attachment to our physical surroundings, though. Our living-space is important to both health and mental well-being, so it deserves a little consideration, and occasionally some extra work.

One of the beauties of renting, of course, is that you're not ultimately responsible for the maintenance of a house. In the meantime, however, you can often make arrangements with the landlord to customize your living space with small and fairly inexpensive improvements like paint, updated cabinetry, flooring, or carpet. Usually, in fact, the owner/landlord will deduct part or even all of the cost of those improvements from your rent.

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Research the Area and other Available Rentals
You always want to take a good solid look at the local area and all of the available homes for rent nearby—you never know when you are going to find a better deal on a home that may offer more amenities and a more ideal location. A good site that you can use to find home rentals which is free of charge is Craigslist.com – you can use this site to find and compare home rentals in your area. This website will prove to be an invaluable resource when you are hunting for the perfect home to rent for you and your family. Take your time. Call around and talk to landlords, and check out a few homes before making your final decision.

Call Local Utility Companies
You will also want to call around to find out who will be providing the local utilities for the homes that you wish to rent. This way you can easily find out how much your monthly utilities will be on average for the home that you are wishing to rent.

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