What age did you move out of your parents house/leave home?

[Bunk]

19, then back a year at 22-23 between undergrad and grad school.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

I'd disagree. Plus, it depends how you define as decent. RentFaster.ca returns a ton of results for 2 bedroom / 1 bath places between $800 - 950/month, including in Downtown, Beltline, and surrounding inner city neighbourhoods.

Sure, you're not getting a fully updated apartment with granite counters, stainless appliances, forced air heat and A/C, but you can find something very livable all the same.

If I used my own living accommodations over the past six years as 'decent', then sure, you can't find anything 'decent' for $950 a month. But 21 year old me would have been very happy with what I found today perusing RentFaster in response to your post.

Yeah, I just checked out what you could get for $950 on RentFaster and they're exactly the kinds of places me and my friends rented in our 20s. I come back to the idea that early adulthood was assumed to be a big drop in living standards compared to your middle-class parental home.

Modern kitchen > 17 year old linoleum and plywood cupboards
Sparkling bathroom > 15 year old toilet that doesn't flush properly
Nice carpet > Industrial carpet that smells of smoke and cleaning products
Nice furniture > Lazyboys grabbed out of the alley on moving day.
2 year old TV > 10 year old TV
Nice bed > Musty futon
Force air heating > electric baseboard heating

There's no way I would want to live in the places I lived in when was 20-27. That's why I've worked hard to get where I am now. But I wouldn't have wanted to skip that stage in my life either. When you're young, freedom is more important than material comforts.

It's like travelling. Is it better to backpack, stay in hostels, and live the bohemian life when you're 21, or wait until you're 32 to go to Europe and then stay in comfortable hotels? You're going to miss out on a lot of tremendously rewarding experiences if you choose the latter.

Edit: Holy crap, my second apartment, the place I was thinking of when I cited $550/mo, is for rent for $895. So adjusted for inflation, it's the same cost on the nose. Two bedrooms. Great location in a five-suite complex in Altadore.

Spoiler!

[Huntingwhale]

20. I was making $9.36/h at the time, but had a roommate to split the bills.

[Street Pharmacist]

17. Was done high school and I was indignant that my mom wanted me to do stuff around the house and help out.

I made $10 an hour and thought I was doing really well. Me and a buddy rented a decent apartment for $350

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Yeah, I just checked out what you could get for $950 on RentFaster and they're exactly the kinds of places me and my friends rented in our 20s. I come back to the idea that early adulthood was assumed to be a big drop in living standards compared to your middle-class parental home.

Modern kitchen > 17 year old linoleum and plywood cupboards
Sparkling bathroom > 15 year old toilet that doesn't flush properly
Nice carpet > Industrial carpet that smells of smoke and cleaning products
Nice furniture > Lazyboys grabbed out of the alley on moving day.
2 year old TV > 10 year old TV
Nice bed > Musty futon
Force air heating > electric baseboard heating

There's no way I would want to live in the places I lived in when was 20-27. That's why I've worked hard to get where I am now. But I wouldn't have wanted to skip that stage in my life either. When you're young, freedom is more important than material comforts.

It's like travelling. Is it better to backpack, stay in hostels, and live the bohemian life when you're 21, or wait until you're 32 to go to Europe and then stay in comfortable hotels? You're going to miss out on a lot of tremendously rewarding experiences if you choose the latter.

Edit: Holy crap, my second apartment, the place I was thinking of when I cited $550/mo, is for rent for $895. So adjusted for inflation, it's the same cost on the nose. Two bedrooms. Great location in a five-suite complex in Altadore.

Spoiler!

The thing you're failing to take into account is that place that was a dump back then is now 30 years dumpier I for one would hope that over 30 years living conditions for everyone, students included would be better.

PS that shower is hilarious

And we're in a lul in the rental market right now due to the economic conditions which has brought down prices significantly, a few years ago that same place probably was running $1100 or more. It's had the strongest effect on the bottom of the market as when prices came down people could afford to move up leaving a glut at the bottom.

My current place i pay 1350 for i know was rented out at 1600 by 2 different tenants for over 5 years between them previous to me.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Dan02

The thing you're failing to take into account is that place that was a dump back then is now 30 years dumpier I for one would hope that over 30 years living conditions for everyone, students included would be better.

PS that shower is hilarious

And we're in a lul in the rental market right now due to the economic conditions which has brought down prices significantly, a few years ago that same place probably was running $1100 or more. It's had the strongest effect on the bottom of the market as when prices came down people could afford to move up leaving a glut at the bottom.

My current place i pay 1350 for i know was rented out at 1600 by 2 different tenants for over 5 years between them previous to me.

Whether or not it's thirty years dumpier depends on the level of maintenance by the management company. Some are great, others... ehhh. It can't be broadly applied to the rental market or property in general. My fiancée's townhouse she's selling was built in the 70s, but you could easily say it is in nicer shape inside now than it was when it was built, given that it was completely renovated.

As for the fact that we're in a rental market lull, sure. But markets ebb and flow anyway, so basically skudr248 should have made his argument three years ago, except that Cliff probably wouldn't have made the claim he did back then, either.

My old place in Vetro (Victoria Park) was $1,800 a month for a one bedroom when I first started renting it in 2013. By the time I moved out in 2016, I had easily built a case to send the landlord -- using suites available for rent just in my building alone -- that my rent should come down to anywhere between $1,450 and $1,600. I then decided I wanted a bigger, more baller place, and left.

[jwslam]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

Edit: Holy crap, my second apartment, the place I was thinking of when I cited $550/mo, is for rent for $895. So adjusted for inflation, it's the same cost on the nose. Two bedrooms. Great location in a five-suite complex in Altadore.

Spoiler!

Have they done any interior updates over the years?

edit: I found it. Doesn't look THAT old. Reasonably priced for what it is.
https://www.rentfaster.ca/ab/calgary...-bedroom-62912

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by jwslam

Have they done any interior updates over the years?

edit: I found it. Doesn't look THAT old. Reasonably priced for what it is.
https://www.rentfaster.ca/ab/calgary...-bedroom-62912

Sounds like yes.

Features new paint, Fridge, stove and dishwasher, laminate flooring. Can’t beat this price for this location!!
Recently painted plus BRAND NEW CARPETS!

It was a great place. I was actually the building super, had friends living in the units beside and across the hall. Can't beat the location - 2 min walk to River Edge Park, 5 minute walk to Marda Loop, 15 minute walk to 17th Ave.

[FireFly]

That's quite the tub.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by FireFly

That's quite the tub.

Looks like one of these Bathfitter jobbies where they basically put in a giant liner over the old tub in in the interest of speed.

Doesn't mean it looks good....

[CliffFletcher]

How are people seeing pictures of the shower and tub? All I can see is a photo of the exterior of the building.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

How are people seeing pictures of the shower and tub? All I can see is a photo of the exterior of the building.

What are you talking about? We physically went there to check it out, didnt you?

I-Hate-Hulse even drove and we carpooled. Didnt you get the E-vite?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by FireFly

That's quite the tub.

Must have been installed in the 70's with that gawd awful colour

[Violator]

Moved out at 20 from the lowermainland to canmore.kind of regret it never liked canmore.