6 million renters face eviction in 8 days when a Trump-era ban expires. Biden is poised to let it ha

[Revoltingest]

Before or after taxes?

I offer my personal guarantee on that.

 

[Trailblazer]

Before or after taxes?

I would imagine it is before. We all have to pay taxes.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I would imagine it is before. We all have to pay taxes.

For me the real figure, hence my own earned money, is always after taxes.


It's terribly sobering once people realize just how little they earn for themselves after others willfully extract and grab from a person's labor to keep for themselves without doing a thing aside from grabbing the money as a tribute* without any effort at all.


*I think tribute ought to replace the word tax as a term.

 

[Kooky]

Salary Ranges for Grocery Store Workers

The salaries of Grocery Store Workers in the US range from $17,440 to $34,760 , with a median salary of $21,010 . The middle 60% of Grocery Store Workers makes $21,010, with the top 80% making $34,760.

Grocery Store Worker Salary | Comparably

That is enough to pay my rent of 1200. He has no other expenses except his water and electric and cable bill since he has no car payments or credit card debt. He does all his business in cash, he does not even have a bank account.

Do you expect a person to use the overwhelming portion of their earnings to pay for rent?

People have grocery bills, and I assume in a country like the US - where healthcare is still considered a luxury - there would be healthcare and insurance bills to pay as well. Not to mention the absolute destitution of having to use one's entire earnings to pay for food and shelter with nothing else left...

 

[Trailblazer]

Do you expect a person to use the overwhelming portion of their earnings to pay for rent?

Yes I do because they signed a contract, so if they cannot afford to pay they need to find a cheaper place to live in or get assistance from the county. Why should they live in my house for free?

 

[Kooky]

Yes I do because they signed a contract, so if they cannot afford to pay they need to find a cheaper place to live in or get assistance from the county. Why should they live in my house for free?

Have you considered lowering your prices?

 

[Trailblazer]

Have you considered lowering your prices?

My rent is already far below market. He only pays $1200 a month and the house is a 2500 sq ft house with an ocean view, so I could easily rent it for $2000. He has been living there for 8 1/2 years and I have never raised the rent. He is a single man so he does not need a house that large, he could live in a one bedroom apartment, but the rent would not be much less.

 

[Stevicus]

Yes I do because they signed a contract, so if they cannot afford to pay they need to find a cheaper place to live in or get assistance from the county. Why should they live in my house for free?

Are there cheaper places available in your area?

As an example, here in Arizona, minimum wage is $12.15 per hour.

12.15 x 40 hrs per week x 4 weeks per month = $1944 gross income

Taking into consideration taxes (both state and federal), along with health insurance (another huge bite out of people's paychecks), let's say they get to keep 70% after taxes. That's $1360 a month.

Ideally, people shouldn't have to pay more than 1/3 of their disposable income on housing, so that amounts to about $453 to consider it affordable. Anything higher than that, then it would be considered unaffordable and put a hardship on anyone renting.

Looking up on Zillow to try to find something for $453 or less - "No matching results."

 

[Shaul]

There is no free lunch housing.

 

[Stevicus]

There is no free lunch housing.

Who said anything about free?

 

[Trailblazer]

Are there cheaper places available in your area?

As an example, here in Arizona, minimum wage is $12.15 per hour.

12.15 x 40 hrs per week x 4 weeks per month = $1944 gross income

Taking into consideration taxes (both state and federal), along with health insurance (another huge bite out of people's paychecks), let's say they get to keep 70% after taxes. That's $1360 a month.

Ideally, people shouldn't have to pay more than 1/3 of their disposable income on housing, so that amounts to about $453 to consider it affordable. Anything higher than that, then it would be considered unaffordable and put a hardship on anyone renting.

Looking up on Zillow to try to find something for $453 or less - "No matching results."

My tenant does not live in my area, he lives in another county about 80 miles away from where I live . I briefly looked at the rental listings in the county he lives in and the cheapest rent I could find was $750 for a one bedroom apartment that is 600 sq ft.

I do not know what my tenant's income actually is because he has his own business and clients pay him for his services. He is a single man with no children and he works from home on the internet so he could live anywhere. He does not have to live in a 2500 sq ft house overlooking the Pacific Ocean, he just wants to live there, but unless he can afford the rent he should vacate. I would rather live where his is living than where I am living but it would be too much hassle to move and I would not want to displace my tenant so I remain in my present residence.

The county rental assistance program has promised to pay all of his back rent through the end of August, in the amount of $18,000, so don't you think he should pick up the ball and pay the rent after that? If he doesn't I cannot allow him to stay in that house anymore because he has caused me undue stress for the last seven years, since he has been behind on rent all during those years, in various degrees.

 

[Shaul]

Who said anything about free?

Trailblazer for one “Why should they live in my house for free?”

 

[Stevicus]

My tenant does not live in my area, he lives in another county about 80 miles away from where I live . I briefly looked at the rental listings in the county he lives in and the cheapest rent I could find was $750 for a one bedroom apartment that is 600 sq ft.

I do not know what my tenant's income actually is because he has his own business and clients pay him for his services. He is a single man with no children and he works from home on the internet so he could live anywhere. He does not have to live in a 2500 sq ft house overlooking the Pacific Ocean, he just wants to live there, but unless he can afford the rent he should vacate. I would rather live where his is living than where I am living but it would be too much hassle to move and I would not want to displace my tenant so I remain in my present residence.

The county rental assistance program has promised to pay all of his back rent through the end of August, in the amount of $18,000, so don't you think he should pick up the ball and pay the rent after that? If he doesn't I cannot allow him to stay in that house anymore because he has caused me undue stress for the last seven years, since he has been behind on rent all during those years, in various degrees.

I can see your point. If he's a single male, then he probably doesn't need a 2500 square foot house overlooking the ocean. I don't know what his circumstances are. Maybe he really can afford it and is just being a weasel - or maybe he's facing some kind of financial or emotional hardship. I realize that if he's going through emotional problems, it's not really your problem, but if he's eligible for mental health services, he might qualify for some extra assistance to help him relocate if that's the ultimate option. (Although I don't know what services are available in your state.)

Or maybe he's just a weasel - a lowlife scammer, chiseler, or whatever word you'd want to use. But if you've known him for 8 and a half years, those qualities might have shown themselves sooner. Hard to say.

 

[Stevicus]

Trailblazer for one “Why should they live in my house for free?”

Yes, she did say that, but I haven't seen anyone in this or any related threads arguing that they should live in anyone's house for free. It's a non-issue. The government has promised reimbursement for the owners of rental property. It may be a big gripe for the taxpayers, but if the property owners get just compensation, then their problem is solved.

Of course, with so many millions facing eviction all at once, I don't know if the local court systems can process it all - and they've been operating on a limited basis anyway, due to the pandemic.

 

[Trailblazer]

I can see your point. If he's a single male, then he probably doesn't need a 2500 square foot house overlooking the ocean. I don't know what his circumstances are. Maybe he really can afford it and is just being a weasel - or maybe he's facing some kind of financial or emotional hardship. I realize that if he's going through emotional problems, it's not really your problem, but if he's eligible for mental health services, he might qualify for some extra assistance to help him relocate if that's the ultimate option. (Although I don't know what services are available in your state.)

Or maybe he's just a weasel - a lowlife scammer, chiseler, or whatever word you'd want to use. But if you've known him for 8 and a half years, those qualities might have shown themselves sooner. Hard to say.

No, I do not think he is a weasel or a lowlife scammer or chiseler. Nevertheless he has taken advantage of me because I have let him stay there even though he has been behind on rent for most of the time he has lived there, long before Covid.

I can only go by what he tells me and hope it is the truth. I think he is telling me the truth but how can I know? He has been telling me his business is slow because of Covid but that he is starting to get new clients now. All I can so is wait ans see if he pays the rent come September.

 

[Stevicus]

No, I do not think he is a weasel or a lowlife scammer or chiseler. Nevertheless he has taken advantage of me because I have let him stay there even though he has been behind on rent for most of the time he has lived there, long before Covid.

I can only go by what he tells me and hope it is the truth. I think he is telling me the truth but how can I know? He has been telling me his business is slow because of Covid but that he is starting to get new clients now. All I can so is wait ans see if he pays the rent come September.

Well, maybe he'll be able to pay. For some reason, I'm reminded of the story told in the George Thorogood song "One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer."

Wanna tell you a story,
About the house-man blues
I come home one Friday,
Had to tell the landlady I done lost my job
She said that don't confront me,
Long as I get my money next Friday
Now next Friday come I didn't get the rent,
And out the door I went

So I goes to the landlady,
I said, "You let me slide?"
I'll have the rent for you tomorrow
Or the next day I don't know
So said let me slide it on you know people,
I notice when I come home in the evening
She ain't got nothing nice to say to me,
But for five year she was so nice
Lord she was lovey-dovey,
I come home one particular evening
The landlady said, "You got the rent money yet?",
I said, "No, can't find no job,
Therefore I ain't got no money to pay the rent"
She said "I don't believe you're tryin' to find no job"
Said "I seen you today you was standin' on a corner,
Leaning up against a post"
I said "But I'm tired, I've been walkin' all day"
She said "That don't confront me,
Long as I get my money next Friday"
Now next Friday come I didn't have the rent,
And out the door I went

So I go down the streets,
Down to my good friend's house
I said "Look man I'm outdoors you know,
Can I stay with you maybe a couple days?"
He said "Uh, let me go and ask my wife"
He come out of the house,
I could see it in his face
I know that was no
He said "I don't know man, ah she kinda funny, you know"
I said "I know, everybody funny, now you funny too"
So I go back home
I tell the landlady I got a job, I'm gonna pay the rent
She said "Yeah?" I said "Oh yeah"
And then she was so nice,
Lord, she was lovey-dovey
So I go in my room, pack up my things and I go,
I slip on out the back door and down the streets I go
She a-howlin' about the front rent, she'll be lucky to get any back rent,
She ain't gonna get none of it
So I stop in the local bar you know people,
I go to the bar, I ring my coat, I call the bartender
Said "Look man, come down here", he got down there
So what you want?

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
Well I ain't seen my baby since I don't know when,
I've been drinking bourbon, whiskey, scotch and gin
Gonna get high man, I'm gonna get loose,
Need me a triple shot of that juice
Gonna get drunk, don't you have no fear
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

But I'm sitting now at the bar,
I'm getting drunk, I'm feelin' mellow
I'm drinkin' bourbon, I'm drinkin' scotch, I'm drinkin' beer
Looked down the bar, here come the bartender
I said "Look man, come down here"
So what you want?

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No, I ain't seen my baby since the night before last,
Gotta get a drink man, I'm gonna get gassed
Gonna get high man, I ain't had enough,
Need me a triple shot of that stuff
Gonna get drunk, won't you listen right here,
I want one bourbon, one shot and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

Now by this time I'm plenty high,
You know when your mouth a-getting dry you're plenty high
Looked down the bar I say to my bartender
I said "Look man, come down here", he got down there
So what you want this time?
I said "Look man, a-what time is it?"
He said "The clock on the wall say three o'clock.
Last call for alcohol, so what you need?"

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer
No, I ain't seen my baby since a nigh' on a week,
Gotta get drunk man, so I can't even speak
Gonna get high man, listen to me,
One drink ain't enough Jack, you better make it three
I wanna get drunk, I'm gonna make it real clear,
I want one bourbon, one scotch and one beer
One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Why do certain people believe they deserve to live in places they can not afford?

They probably caught it from the landlords who think that they're the only class of investor who's entitled to a positive ROI every month without fail.

 

[Trailblazer]

entitled to a positive ROI every month without fail.

How about 15 months with no rent? How is a homeowner supposed to pay a mortgage with no rental income?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

How about 15 months with no rent?

It happens sometimes. If it wasn't a non-paying tenant, it could have been a 15-month vacancy. It's not beyond the realm of possibility.

How is a homeowner supposed to pay a mortgage with no rental income?

Investing with borrowed money magnifies your risk. You ought to have realized that.

If you, looking for higher returns, over-leveraged yourself to the point that you can't afford your carrying costs in down times, then... well... too bad. You rolled the dice and you lost.

Next time, instead of investing with borrowed money, put the money you actually own into a REIT or something.

Edit: and if you really can't afford your mortgage, well, you still have an asset that you can sell before the bank forecloses on you. The market's hot right now, so hopefully you aren't upside down on the mortgage.

 

[Shaul]

Yes, she did say that, but I haven't seen anyone in this or any related threads arguing that they should live in anyone's house for free. It's a non-issue. The government has promised reimbursement for the owners of rental property. It may be a big gripe for the taxpayers, but if the property owners get just compensation, then their problem is solved.

Of course, with so many millions facing eviction all at once, I don't know if the local court systems can process it all - and they've been operating on a limited basis anyway, due to the pandemic.

So therefore you agree with my original statement, there is no free housing.