Is it worth it for a Rent man to rent in one city anymore?

[TallMuscl37]

I’m just asking myself this question, after spending the past 5 months searching for a place: only to end up empty handed. My criteria wasn’t super strict, but I was working with a budget in a few particular area. Either they had strict income criteria or have dozens of applicants all trying to get the same place. Whoever has the best criteria, and the money upfront; gets it.

I’m just like, fuck this shit. This is fucking bullshit. It’s been a waste of my money and time searching for places, not realizing that there’s little chance of actually getting it unless you have pay stubs and hundreds/thousands upfront to pay for deposits. Not to mention the application fees/background/credit checks. I’ve come to realize the housing/rental industry is set up for failure. 
 

The biggest thing as it relates to this industry; many cities seem to slow down or change from being profitable. Especially lately with rise in COL and more guys advertising on the sites. These property management companies want prospects to come up with a slew of things to get in the door, which I’ve done before: only to then be there a year or 2 and business slows down. Then I’m forced to struggle to pay the rent or move. And many local clients don’t become regulars often enough. The particular city I been looking in is Kansas City area, but I feel stupid fighting to reside in a STATE that I really don’t care to be in because, business has been terrible for a couple years, it’s oversaturated with foreign traveling guys, and the clients are overall unreliable.

I’m from Florida originally: there, it wasn’t just Miami and Orlando to meet clients. There were SEVERAL cities on both coasts to connect with clients. In Missouri: the only towns to get clients are Kansas City and St. Louis: both of which have become over saturated with providers, so there’s hardly any business in either one. All the other towns are racist/homophobic and have nothing to offer. 

I’m now thinking to just start doing something like, live in a city for a week or a month, and then move on to the next. Or just go home after that time. Which I been doing for the most part, but it’s just been mostly couple/few days in hotels. However it’s hard to not have a “home” base at all because: living on the go and/or with family is hard. I have to keep medical appointments, maintenance, sometimes I come down with seasonal illness and have to take a few days off. And I find traveling especially prone to getting sick because of staying between hotels and eating differently than usual sometimes.

Regardless, I’m just thinking it’s not worth renting anymore. I just am not really thrilled with hotel/air bnb living either. However, it’s easier to just throw down a credit card for incidentals/deposit: than to search and wait months for a place, only to end up not liking the city after all. 
 

I wish I had enough to just buy a house outright. But that is another issue in itself. I find many gay guys are so uptight and selfish about their personal space. Everybody wants to live alone, or they already have 2-3 roommates. If they live alone, it’s because they WANT to live alone. Or they’re so jaded by past experiences and can’t trust anybody else. I’m just over it. 
 

I can say, there are some select clients who have offered staying arrangements: and those are the type of people I prefer to deal with. However, it’s not my “goal” to live with a client. I just want to have a regular place to host, that’s not going to be a money pit every month. And that’s what I feel most apartments have become: money pits. They want us to pay more, despite business being less than it was 10 years ago 🤷🏾‍♂️ 

Edited October 3, 2024 by Jarrod_Uncut

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

5 hours ago, Jarrod_Uncut said:

Everybody wants to live alone, or they already have 2-3 roommates.

Yes, this pretty much sums it up.  People either want to live alone or with others.  I, personally, feel the same way.

Edited October 3, 2024 by Vegas_Millennial
Added my personal view: which is that I want to either live alone or with others

[+ Gar1eth]

I hadn't realized Missouri was so oversaturated with providers. I'd say come back to Dallas, but apartment rentals here are bad. If by some chance you did come back to Texas, while I don't hire anymore, I def wouldn't mind standing you a meal. Chicken-fried steak at the Cotton Patch anyone?
 

( Brandon-you might remember a chain called The Black-Eyed Pea from your sojourn years ago in Texas. It's mostly defunct. The Cotton Patch is a current reasonable facsimile). 

[TallMuscl37]

On 10/4/2024 at 12:06 AM, Gar1eth said:

I hadn't realized Missouri was so oversaturated with providers. I'd say come back to Dallas, but apartment rentals here are bad. If by some chance you did come back to Texas, while I don't hire anymore, I def wouldn't mind standing you a meal. Chicken-fried steak at the Cotton Patch anyone?
 

( Brandon-you might remember a chain called The Black-Eyed Pea from your sojourn years ago in Texas. It's mostly defunct. The Cotton Patch is a current reasonable facsimile). 

Funnily enough, I've actually re-considered DFW area as a potential relocation, and have put out some feelers in the meantime. I wasn't a huge fan of Texas when I lived there (I had just moved from Florida, and hadn't really been to as many places then as I have now). I like that DFW has an extended warm season, but I just wasn't a fan of the winters. However, I realize winter is the same in pretty much every state except Florida, New Mex, Arizona, and California/Vegas. 

But beyond the weather, living in Missouri versus living in Texas: I definitely see the difference in how living in a "smaller" market can be. Patrick Mahomes has gotten Whataburger to make its way to the Kansas City and even surrounding burbs. Saltgrass has a location. But that's the thing: It's a great town for foodie/restaurants. But when it comes to high end fashion and freelance: there just isn't the market like some of the bigger cities have.

On 10/3/2024 at 4:44 AM, Vegas_Millennial said:

Yes, this pretty much sums it up.  People either want to live alone or with others.  I, personally, feel the same way.

I know that sounds cliche. But think about the most recent "natural" disaster. Miss "TS" Helene. Lots of people are displaced thru no fault of their own. Some don't even have flood insurance. Do you think those people can rely on some gay guy off Grindr or RentMen for a place to stay for 6-12 months while they get their lives together? No: because that gay guy on Grindr either has 2-3 roommates or lives alone and doesn't want to share any of his space for longer than a few days. If at all.
 

And I've at times, been where things were going great renting somewhere: But then a website goes out of business, or some temporary economic change slows business down: and the greedy landlord/property management owners doesn't want to wait more than a couple weeks for rent. So rather than go thru the proper court proceedings, or be patient and wait: they resort to daily harassment until they get their rent.

And not to call bluff but, people booking don’t always do us justice either. I've had situations where clients have bailed just days before rent is due. Earlier this week, a client cancelled (albeit with a deposit and a day in advance notice so...it didn't mess me up necessarily) an overnight session we planned. I had anticipated to combine that towards a place I hoped I was going to get. He had to postpone understandably due to illness, and the place fell thru too so: didn't matter either way. But if it did: I may have been short of what I was going to use towards getting the place. 

At the same time: I been out of town now for 2 weeks: I been doing better financially than I would be if I was at home, even with hotel overheads that I been able to keep low thru being resourceful. But I can only do it when I'm getting booked throughout the week. I don't even need to see multiple clients a day, just a steady stream (no pun intended) throughout the week. But when I'm home, I'm going 1-2 weeks without bookings. And it makes it hard to get ahead.

Edited October 5, 2024 by Jarrod_Uncut

[jeezifonly]

Jarrod, don’t worry! You’ll see a sign telling you before year’s end, I bet.

You’re not being tested beyond what you can handle. So many of us here know what that feels like.