#renters vs landlords

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

Happy to be a member of the Kingston Workers History Project in Kingston, Ontario. I've neglected to share some of the articles we are putting out, so here's one on tenant activism in the 1960s and 1970s:

"In 1968, a group of tenants and activists came together in Kingston to form the Association of Tenants Action in Kingston (ATAK). They opposed high rents, argued that tenants should be able to bargain with landlords, and built a wider movement to defend working class and poor people in Ontario against unjust housing conditions. Led by tireless activists, ATAK used diverse tactics to challenge rising rent prices, low vacancy, and hostile landlords. ATAK provides us with an important historical lesson about the effectiveness of grassroots organizing and the dedication of intelligent, diligent leadership to hold governments accountable and advocate for tenants, workers, the poor, and the unhoused."

- "ATAK: Tenant Action in the ’60s and ’70s," Kingston Workers' History Project. November 27, 2022.

[hyper-pixels]

How to Grow Up

A guide on how to grow up. It was originally posted by @/friendliness but half the links were broken. So I took what links weren't broken and added other links and more things to know.

This is USA based resources

Personal

Reasons to Stay Alive – A Tumblr post of 116 reasons to stay alive by @/friendliness.

How to Get Better At Asking for Help – Website is Harvard Business Review. The article is “5 Ways to Get Better At Asking for Help” by Wayne Baker.

What to do if you Can’t Afford Therapy – Website is Psych Central and the article is by Steven Rowe.

How to Quit Smoking – “The 22 Best Ways to Quit Smoking” by Debra L. Gordon and David L. Katz M.D. from the Healthy Digest.

How to Legally Change your Name – Website is Forbes.

Wanna Learn Something New? – A Tumblr post made by @/hamletthedane with various new things to try from language learning to ballet.

Free Harvard Courses – Harvard University’s free online courses.

Getting a New Computer? – A quick and dirty comprehensive guide by WIRED on what to look for.

How to Sew – Website is Autodesk Indestructibles. The article is “How to Sew” by Jessyratfink. Having a small sewing kit (that you can pick up from nearly any craft store) is super handy and has saved my life and clothes.

What to Look For in Clothes A YouTube video by Alyssa Beltempo titled “How to Identify High Quality vs. Poor Quality Clothing | Slow Fashion”. Here’s a WikiHow [x] if a YouTube video isn’t your style.

Dealing with Executive Dysfunction – A Tumblr post made by @/compassionatereminders. It's a list to more links on how to deal with executive dysfunction.

Another List Like this One – A Tumblr post made by a now deactivated account. It's a list much like this one.

Home

What’s a mortgage? – Website is realtor.com and the page is called “What is a Mortgage? Home Loan Basics Explained” by Cathie Ericson.

First Apartment Checklist – A checklist PDF. Here’s another link to a Tumblr checklist [x] 

What to Ask Landlords Before Renting? – “25 Questions To Ask a Landlord When Renting a Home” by Morgen Henderson.

What’s Renter’s Insurance? – Website is Forbes Advisor. The article is by Jason Metz and titled “How to Get Renters Insurance”.

Plant Care – A master list of how to care for plants made by @/difficults

Job

Time Management – Website is Entrepenuer and has 10 time management tips. One I personally recommend is keeping a physical calendar book on hand. I keep mine in my bag with a designated pen.

Finding the right job – Website is The Muse and it has 13 free career assessment tests.

Make a resume – Website is Resume Now. Many hirers look at your name, the middle of the page (where your experience list is) and skim the rest.

Job Interview Tips – Website is Linkedin. The article is titled “10 Job Interview Tips to Land The Career of Your Dreams” by Caren Merrick.

How to Write a Cover Letter – Website is The Writing Center. University of Winsconsin, Madison. It’s titled “Writing Cover Letters” and I can’t find the author.

Money

Couponing! – Website is Coupon Database :: Southern Savers. It has a list of mobile apps for coupons to places.

Call 211 for Help – the website leads to 211.org. It's anonymous and can help you get connected to food programs, paying bills and things like doctor appointments. Here’s a Tumblr post about it [x] by @/poessionisamyth

Groceries! – This is a Tumblr meme post, but scrolling through tags/reblogs/replies and there’s plenty of good tips. The post is by @/charlotten

What To Do if You Can’t Pay Your Bills – Website is Nolo. The article is “When You Can’t Pay Your Bills: Thiings To Know” that was updated by Amy Loftsgordon. 

Are You Paying Too Much for Your Phone Bill? – An article by Beht Beverman titled “How Much is Too Much to Pay for a Cell Phone Bill?”.

54 Ways to Save Money – Website is America Saves.

How to Do Taxes – Website is Wiki-How.

The 70/20/10 Method – Website is Business Insider. The Article is “A Beginners Guide to the 70-20–10 Budgeting Method” by Paul Kim.

Side Hustle Ideas – Website is Forbes. “30 Side Hustle Ideas To Make Extra Money In 2024” by Krista Fabregas.

Emergency

Your Rights When a Cop Pulls you Over – Website is Business Insider. Cops are allowed to lie to you, and they will, so be careful.

Hotline List – The website is DoSomething.org. Depression/Suicide, domestic abuse, child abuse and runaway/homeless/and at-risk youth hotlines.

What to Keep in Your Car – Website is MentalFloss. I live in a snowy area that gets blizzards and bad ice. I keep blankets, water and other aids in my car as well as a knife and road flare. I also own a self jumping car battery and it has saved my ass more than once. Heimlich Maneuver – A one minute video by the Mayo Clinic.

The Heimlich Maneuver on Yourself – A one minute video by The List Show TV.

What to Keep in Your Wallet – Website is PureWow. The article is by Rachel Bowie. Keep your drivers license, medical insurance card, and an emergency contact in your card. If you have a pet home alone make sure that you have a card detailing this. Free printable one here [x]

Traveling

Packing List – Website is Smarter Travel.

Traveling with Little to No Money – Website is Nomadic Matt.

How to Pack a Suitcase – Website is Real Simple. The article is by Thersa O’Rourke.

How to Apply for a Passport – Website is WikkiHow.

Making a Travel Budget – Website is Travel Made Simple. “How to Make a Travel Budget” by Ali Garland

[eightyonekilograms]

What are the left-NIMBYs' policy positions? What are the YIMBY policy positions? I mean I know what they are in a broad sense (more regulation on constructing housing vs. less), but I'm curious to know in more detail. Obviously some regulation is good (living in California, I'm glad there are standards for earthquake safety), and some is bad (I'm generally against single-use zoning for a bunch reasons you probably agree with). The basic supply and demand stuff and how it affects the cost of housing is obvious enough to me, but the weeds of how specifically regulations should be changed in light of this seems like a more complex issue.

I don't identify as either a NIMBY or a YIMBY; this discourse is somewhat foreign to me, but I probably have some mixture of NIMBY-sympathetic and YIMBY-sympathetic positions, and I'm interested in getting a better picture of the details of the debate from someone who clearly knows a lot about it.

Also as an aside, if you have any good sources of information you can recommend on the present state of housing policy in San Francisco, and/or how it's changed over the years, I'd be very interested in them.

At least from my POV, left-NIMBY policy prescriptions generally seem to fall into one of three camps (arranged from least to most radical):

non-zoning regulatory updates to try and make housing more affordable; the canonical example being adding low-income requirements to new housing developments

large expansions in government-funded housing projects, possibly to the point of having all housing construction be government-funded

"housing can't be fixed until we abolish capitalism"

Each of these has a flaw, although they need to be analyzed separately.

The people in camp 1 are well-intentioned, but unfortunately in practice they are useful idiots for the people who want less housing to be built (landlords, homeowners who want to Preserve the Neighborhood Character, the aforementioned BlackRock investors from my original post, etc.). Those people know full well that the actual effect of attaching more requirements to new housing construction is that less new housing (of all kinds, low-income, high-income, etc.) gets made, because projects which were just-barely profitable get pushed into being unprofitable, and so they don't happen. Obviously individual cases vary, but in general, if you say "you can't build those 50 new housing units unless you also add 15 low-income units in that development" is not that you get 50 market-rate units and 15 low-income units, but that you get zero new units. Which helps nobody.

This is one example of a depressingly common pattern where left-NIMBYs unfortunately make it very easy for themselves to get played like a fiddle by people who say they have the interests of low-income renters at heart, but absolutely do not. As I said, the sorts of "wealthy suburban single-family homeowners" who go to their community meetings and demand that new construction include low-income unit requirements are doing that to murder low-income housing, but because it's an invisible murder (since the development simply doesn't happen), those homeowners with their In This House We Believe signs can keep saying they want to help the poor get housed, while guaranteeing that won't happen.

With camp 2, in general it seems to me like a lot of them aren't paying attention to what YIMBYs actually say, and instead have built up a strawman in their mind of YIMBYs as diehard anti-government libertarians. Some of them are, but most YIMBYs— myself included— do want more government-funded construction and think it definitely should be a part of a comprehensive solution for housing affordability.

The issue is, if you want government-funded housing, the government still needs to pay for the land, and the construction. And if land and construction are more expensive than they could be because of limited supply and burdensome, then the government has to pay more for this housing, and gets less for its money. I know a lot of left-NIMBYs tend to scoff at fiscal/budgetary constrains, but they are a real thing, if only because eventually you'll get voter revolt, and if you have X dollars of taxpayer money to spend on new housing construction, it would surely be better to make that X dollars go as far as possible and build maybe 5,000 units instead of 1,000. This is a case where the libertarian and socialist views do not need to be opposed and can in fact work in concert: the more land reform you have, the cheaper land gets and so the more bang for you buck you get. So even if you are a Camp 2er, you should support YIMBY policy reforms anyway.

The people in camp 3, well... I wanted these posts to be as factual and non-ideological as I could, but at some point there's no getting around the fact that camp 3 is delusional. We're not going to abolish capitalism, at least not any time in the foreseeable future. It could happen in succeeding decades, but in the meantime, wouldn't it be nice if people could have an affordable place to live now? Note that there are differences in housing affordability across areas, based mostly on to what extent they have YIMBY-like policies in place, so the claim that only abolishing capitalism can help seems empirically wrong. (And if the response to that is that helping people now is bad because it would delay the revolution, that's when I start yelling and pounding on my keyboard again. Accelerationism is fundamentally a monstrous, evil ideology, gleefully throwing people under the bus for the sake of a fantasy world).

[dollsonmain]

For people that missed it (@giraffeseatingcake), because it's on my mind again, the Tina Dollyhair thing to the best of my ability to remember which we all know is not great and of course I didn't keep links to everything. I could probably find them again but you know, I don't want to. Google it yourself.

I don't know why I started looking into it again. Maybe someone mentioned Tina's supposed death somewhere, or maybe someone mentioned Ida taking over and it got me curious. I don't remember.

Anyway, we never found a public death notice or obit for Tina and that makes sense since obits aren't posted unless a family member pays for one to be printed. I didn't know that before.

What I did find was mention of Heidi with a different last name. IIRC it was through public records, I started noticing clusters of names that were showing up together often across different public record aggregation websites. Tina Amuntula/Kristina Amuntulla/Kristina Miller, Heidi Amuntulla/Heidi with a different name, and Steve Amuntula/Amuntullah who also has a different first name but I've forgotten it. He goes by Steve publicly in the US.

There was also some sort of hint that Heidi was in television or the movies in some capacity which made me wonder if there was an IMDB profile for her. There was! Then I looked her up on wiki and found that Heidi OTHERNAME was also named Heidi Amuntullah.

Also checking the ownership history of DollyHair showed that Steve's other name was registered as owner for some time.

Going around and around in circles with public residential and business records put the whole family together.

That was the first time I'd had anything even close to proof that Tina's Sister Heidi actually existed.

How this led to finding out that Tina apparently really did die is that searching about Heidi and Steve Amuntullah brought up a series of documents about a court case brought against the two of them by Melanie Chan.

I did keep a link to one of the documents but not everything else tying this document to Tina Dollyhair because of course.

Anyway, it's here:

In that document it says:

The FAC alleges that Plaintiff’s landlord, Kristina Miller, passed away in August 2020. (FAC ;41.) Defendants being decedent landlord’s father and sister are inferred to be heirs or successors-in-interest to decedent landlord.

Melanie Chan was suing the Amuntullas for wrongful eviction after Tina died, saying they didn't give her enough warning to be able to find another place to live before changing the locks on her. Heidi and Steve took ownership of Tina's house and wanted to sell it. It's recorded either in this document or some of the others that Tina was letting Melanie live in her upstairs for rent without any sort of official lease.

That's basically it.

Tina really died in 2020 (not any of those other times she said she died before), Heidi does exist and both Heidi (Tina's sister) and Steve (their father) took ownership of Tina's house, kicked out her unofficial renter, got sued for it, won the lawsuit, and sold the property.

As for Ida claiming to not know the family or not knowing any of the drama behind the DollyHair shop, she's mentioned in that document, too.

Plaintiff’s reliance upon the allegations regarding “Ida,” an employee of Heidi, is uncertain to allege a trespass in that it is only alleged that Ida entered the “house” and not specifically her “upstairs guest apartment.”

It could be a different Ida.

She could have somehow not known, I guess. It's possible she worked for Heidi without knowing anything about Tina or DollyHair and Heidi was like "Hey, you want this business because I don't...."

So, it's possible.

Either way, I do hope DollyHair as a company can build a new, better reputation with good customer service and not shorting people on their hair orders, now. They do have some hair colors that aren't available elsewhere and DollyHair has the widest selection of fibers as far as I know.

[thessalian]

Thess vs Cruelty As The Point

So, okay. This is the point at which I really have to stay away from the news for awhile.

Story I caught on the BBC. Woman, 56 years old, gets told by her landlord that she's being evicted. Why? Well, technically there doesn't even have to be a reason. It's called "no fault eviction", and while a Renters' Reform Bill was signed off last week, the abolition of no-fault evictions (which was promised to us by Michael Gove) was sort of postponed indefinitely. Anyway, the reason he gave was "I want to bring this place in line with the fire code", but ... I mean ... shouldn't it have been already? And even if it wasn't, couldn't he have just ... got her to stay in alternate lodgings for a few months while he fixed it? My thinking is that he pulled something that sounded less like greed out of his arse, and his actual plan was to slap on a coat of paint and put it back on the rental market at way more than he was getting from this lady.

Anyway. This lady is obviously distraught. She can't afford a deposit and first month's rent on a new place at this point. So she turns to her local council. See, that's how it's supposed to work. If you are in real need of housing, you are supposed to be able to apply for council housing. Thing is, Margaret Thatcher gave everybody the right to buy their council house / flat from the government ages ago. Which you'd think would be good, because everyone deserves to have a secure permanent home, buuuuuut ... she kind of didn't build any new ones to replace the ones that tenants bought. So there are very, very few council properties available, and so the queue to get one is hugely long. However, if you have sufficient need, you can get nudged to the head of the queue ... if the bean-counters at the council office agree that you have sufficient need. And their criteria is ... well.

This woman who'd turned to the council as her last hope got a letter in return, just before her actual eviction date. And it said, and I am not paraphrasing here (at least not any more than the BBC did), "We have determined that you would tolerate being made homeless or remaining homeless, and are therefore not a priority." And thus they turned her down.

They determined that a 56-year-old woman would be fine literally sleeping on the streets, and turned her down without any kind of listing of where else she might be able to receive help.

The BBC and several others called the council on this absolute horror, and are also checking with others in that council to see what kinds of letters they got. The council's response was effectively, "We could have worded that better, and will take care to do so in the future, but she really wasn't a priority".

This country makes me fucking sick. Like, literally. I had a massive discount on an order from my favourite Indian place that I needed to use, so I had my favourite Indian meal, and now I'm not sure I will be able to keep it down, because the sheer fucking cruelty of so much of the leadership of this country is literally making me want to throw up.

I can't even think what would cheer me up at this point. Suggestions on a postcard, please; I can't take the absolute sickening despair of living in a country that so actively wants people to suffer and die.

Oh, if you also want to be depressed? The article.

[pcttrailsidereader]

Which Do YOU Have?

As we look back on 60 years since the passage of the Wilderness Act and the half century plus of a recognized Pacific Crest Trail it brings to mind a concept a friend shared with me recently. As we were talking the idea of a renter's mentality vs. an owner's mentality came up. This is a concept that has numerous applications to be sure. Using the context of the PCT I found this concept really struck a chord with me.

I have, and maybe you have too, heard the tales of clusters of TP just off the trail and near campsites along the PCT. You have probably also heard about the proliferation of campsites that are not in designated areas or too near sensitive ones. Many of us have heard the phrase, "We are loving this, that, or the next thing to death." Is it love or something like not caring near enough?

Many people venture out and walk all or parts of the PCT every year. Since the publication of Cheryl Strayed's 'Wild' the numbers have exploded into what is referred to as "the Wild Effect". For so many it is the beginning or a continuation of a love affair with nature and the out of doors. So much so that it could be likened to the birth of an owner's mentality.

Having an owner's mentality informs the way one chooses to treat and respect something important enough to recognize its value over the long term. There is a felt investment in the overall care and wellbeing of this entity. Obviously the Crest trail is an eco entity. It lives, breaths, and reflects an importance for preserving and protecting. No, you and I, if you claim any kind of ownership to it, don't hold a deed or bill of sale. What we do have is a collective set of memories, feelings, and experiences that give us the agency to respect it like we are owners. To recognize its value and treat it with respect and loving care.

Renters, on the other hand take a different view. They have little to no investment in the upkeep and well being of the PCT. They happily have used it, made memories, had experiences on it, and not had any kind of mindfulness for its long term value to the next person or generation. A renter's mentality is at best, short term. Being short term it makes little to no difference how one leaves it. Someone else (the 'landlord') will fix it. A renter's mentality is not hard to understand it is just challenging to accept.

For a dedicated thru or even section hiker there can be a 'one and done' approach to walking the Pacific Crest Trail. For more and more people it is a third of a 'Triple Crown' experience. To me, that is fantastic. What an accomplishment! It is especially fantastic if we embrace the owner's mentality. Some of us may never set foot on the PCT ever again but it remains, stretching from Canada to Mexico and Mexico to Canada. The PCT doesn't disappear if enough owners claim it as their own. As owner's we sing the praises of a PCT experience. We hold dear the sights and sounds we encountered on the trail. We acknowledge the strangers that became our friends and friends that became our brothers and sisters. Owners take responsibility for the longterm health and upkeep of trail. Owner's hope to pass it on and on and on.

As owners we can't control for fires, droughts, floods, etc. but we can convey to anyone who wants to listen and see that ownership is not exclusive. All that is required is some basic caring with a dose of thoughtfulness thrown in. So, which do you have? A renter's or owner's mentality? You can go from owner to renter and renter to owner without much effort. It lies in your willingness to or lack of willingness to step up or out for the PCT. Which do you have?

Oregon PCT

[reikiajakoiranruohoja]

I have ranted about this before, but the landlord post really made me remember why this aspect of Tumblr annoys me so much. WARNING: Extreme Adulting talk.

To put it simply, a lot of people on Tumblr seem to live in this limbo where they focus on survival and short-term goals only. While I understand most of this is due to so many US LTGBAQI people here who are young and reliant only on their own paycheck, this kind of thinking is not good long term. I do not mean that one's social class will change (but it might!), I mean one's social role will. Unless you die young, which is a possibility I admit, you won't be a 20-something poor amateur digital artist forever. Life happens, you might get a lucky or unlucky break, You might inherit property, you might get married, you might find a better job and so on. Even if you try, you will not remain static because the world around you will change. You will have to adapt to a new way of living, whether good or bad. Most importantly; You won't always be the underdog. You won't always be the victim or the weakest. One day you will hold power over someone, whether simply by being older or with actual status over them. And, as the saying goes, power reveals. I say this because there are a lot of abusers, shitty bosses, etc. who still see themselves as the underdog and so what they do to others is justified in their mind. That is how shitty landlords come to be, someone inherits property/land and starts renting it. It is cheaper to not fix anything and instead invest in more poor-quality housing. Then they give these shitholes to their children and their kids continue the monetary abuse. But at any point, the landlord can choose differently. They can focus on upkeep, and they can focus on the livability of the apartments.

The difference between these two is how one treats and wields power. Shitty landlords focus on their own profit and security. Those who aren't shitty don't rely on their renters to finance them and focus the rent money on upkeep. Making broad assumptions about a person if they have been a landlord without doing any research is not helping anyone. In fact, I'd say it is doing the opposite. While I focused on landlords in this essay, this sort of simplified us vs them mentality is common on Tumblr. It is bad, because it paints the 'us' as a static young adult progressive underdog and the 'them' as the older people with more power and more conservative views.

This means that the 'us' never really give thought to any long term goals or have personal plans for the future. Instead, most plans are vague and global. As clichè as the question is, sometimes you have to ask where DO you see yourself in five years? And you should have an answer other than 'dead.' Dead is the worst case scenario, not something to count on. Because if you live your teens and young adult years thinking you will die soon anyway so the future doesn't matter, you may wake up one day and realise you -didn't- die and now you have no idea how to spend the rest of your life. Be prepared to have power, have goals, have dreams and please have intentions of living past 25.

[hasdrubal-gisco]

to those of you not following czech talkshows/twitter, a few days ago máte slovo had a landlords vs renters debate on how to legislatively solve housing issues (three panelists for each side plus an amalgam of like fifteen extras for each side to chime in) and the renters were represented by known twitter user zlatá rybka and minister of something, ivan bartoš (whom i have played mtg with and he's very unpleasant, on top of the unpleasantness implied by his appearance and politics) and it's permeated the zeitgeist so thoroughly that analysts in the national bank with 17 twitter followers are chiming in to provide data for people's unending slap fights

[newtafterdark]

Hey! I'm not sure how different the laws are in Germany vs the US, but you really, REALLY should look into your rights as a renter. Typically in the US, a repair so severe that it essentially renders you homeless is something that legally MUST be fixed by the landlord, or in the case where the landlord is refusing, you would hire the repairman yourself and (if it comes down to it) take your landlord to court over the bill, since it IS their responsibility to maintain the property. Like I said, I'm not sure if it's different in Germany.... but that feels like something that should be a thing, to some degree. I'm glad you're safe for the time being, at least.

It's pretty much similar over here - I looked into it a couple of times for various things my landlord has failed to do throughout the years.

He walks in a grey zone with how much time he can take with approaching repairs. As far as I can tell, there isn't a legally binding time frame for certain things, but especially with what I had to deal with he should've fixed that within 4 days. And not stay on holiday for a whole damn week.

I could've called a repairman myself, yes, but I was genuinely too shocked for a bit that my landlord really just left me to deal with it all on my own. I think I would've considered calling a guy tomorrow though, if I hadn't managed to fix it tonight. ("Fun" fact, I did the repairs past-midnight my time. I am tired.)

I think that man genuinely thinks he's above the law on so many levels because his main job is also being a cop. No, I am not joking. I somehow got myself the worst dual-type guy to pay rent to.

I might consider paying a bit less rent this month, because I am legally allowed to do so. Though I will double-check that before I do, just to be safe.

[g4rchomp]

Canada and the US have similar ratios (with the US having slightly more renters) that's why I'm putting them together here. reply is under the cut

it's actually 35% rent and 65% own!! I was really surprised because I definitely expected it to be much, much closer lol I thought everyone was renting 😭

A few articles for Canada: [x] [x] [x]

And for the US: [x] [x] [x]

[corundumb]

Professional cleaner and cooking lover here!

Use dish soap and a sponge for cleaning your bath tub/bathroom tile walls. It's cheaper and SAFER than using chemicals.

Go to Goodwill often for pans, plates, glass cups, etc. Just clean them well and you'll have enough for what you need, however INSPECT them thoroughly. If it's ceramic, even a little cracking in the finish is enough to reject the item.

Barkeepers Friend is the BEST cleaner for very dirty items, ranging from stainless steel to glass. Beware, it's abrasive.

Have two sets of rubber gloves- one for cleaning, one for dishes. Make sure they're different colors!!!

I cut a corner off of sponges for when they're not for dishes. Makes things easier to identify.

CONSUME DENTED CANNED GOODS FIRST. ANYTHING DENTED CAN CAUSE BACTERIA TO GROW INSIDE OF THE CAN OVER TIME. If you're really unsure, just don't eat it.

When looking at new recipes, compare the number of stars vs number of reviews. Why trust fifty people over a few thousand?

Pick a veggie you've never cooked with before, start looking at what specifically uses that veggie. Experiment for like a week.

Have a notebook in the kitchen, copy recipes you like. Bonus points for adding the average cost.

Vinegar + baking soda in a bag, use a rubber band to secure, your faucets should run better. Including shower head. Unscrew your faucets once a year to clean, sediments gets caught in it.

Clogged sink? Sometimes just pouring boiling water is enough. Sometimes not, you'll have to purchase a drain snake. Avoid washing products like sugar scrubs down your drain, and flushable wipes don't disintegrate they're bad for your pipes they'll clog.

Have different colored rags for different cleaning chemicals/surfaces. Do not wash these rags with anything else, they need their own cycles. Have specific rags for in the kitchen to dry your hands while you're cooking. It's extremely important to wash your hands during the process several times.

HAVE ONE CUTTING BOARD SPECIFICALLY FOR MEAT, EVEN BETTER ONE FOR EACH TYPE OF MEAT TO PREVENT CROSS CONTAMINATION. HAVE ANOTHER CUTTING BOARD FOR FRUITS/VEGGIES ONLY. I cannot stress this enough.

Powdered laundry detergent is cheaper, to prevent bleached spots on clothing premix the powder in some water then add into the laundry machine. DO NOT LEAVE WASHER WITH LID CLOSED UNLESS YOU LIKE MOLD/MILDEW. Most manuals will tell you to leave the lid open so it can dry from the inside properly.

Do laundry on a specific day every week. It helps to have a specific podcast or show you like to watch, only listen/watch it when doing laundry as a motivator/reward.

Once a year, have your landlord check the lint exhaust pipe from your dryer. If your dryer isn't drying very well this may be the reason. IT'S A FIRE HAZARD IF IT'S NOT CLEANED OUT.

**IMPORTANT** ALWAYS take pictures pictures of literally everything at any angle when you first move in/out. Shelves, tops of the shelves, inside of the dryer/washer, anything you can see inside and out. Scummy landlords have many tricks to claim you did damage they did after you moved out. ALWAYS protect yourself. Nobody is your friend in the apartment world. Be wary having room mates, even if they're friends. I've personally been horribly scorned by a friend turned room mate. Also, always look into your RENTERS RIGHTS for your state, and if one party consent regarding recording conversations is in your state.

You can remove and clean the trap for the air vent above the stove, I soak mine in the vinegar+baking soda combo. Check this regularly.

You know those Pumice stones ads will tell you to use on your feet? GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! They're great for Glass, Porcelain, and the inside of your ovens! DO A TINY TEST SPOT FIRST because it can scratch your shit up baaaaad. But if you have hard stains, such as on your glass stove, in your oven, and TOILETTE it's a life saver.... just, please, ffs keep the toilette one separate from everything else!!

It's important to take a bit of time for yourself, don't allow chores to build up to the point where it'll take an entire day to deal with it over five minutes. Start small like with the bathroom mirror, you'll gradually progress.

Vacuum, dust, mop, and sweep more often than you think you need to. Work from top to bottom.

Most stoves have this feature where you can lift the flat part on top to clean underneath from overboiled food stuffs. Do this unless you want cockroaches.

Degreaser helps clean the inside of fridges so well! If you must clean the freezer.... have this be a 'moving out' task, unplug the fridge and let that shit thaw, have towels ready for the melted ice and then use the degreaser.

MAGIC. ERASER. Use this for baseboards (that trim on the bottom of your walls), wall stains from your hands, cabinets and whatnot, just please wear gloves this stuff RUINED my hands when I didn't. It's way more abrasive than you think and I managed to accidentally strip paint off of the walls and stripped the sealing in the bathtub so be careful.

Use your vacuum tube extension where the base of the wall meets the edge of the floor, it does more than you think. You can also use this tool to 'dust' the baseboards.

If you're cooking something, and there's time you're waiting for something to boil or whatever, take that time to prep other veggies and foods to make the next meal that much easier.

Go to Asian Markets, buy rice in their biggest bags. It's cheaper over time, just store the open bag in a big ol tub that doesn't have holes to prevent bugs. Unless you're needing the extra crunchy protein.

Cook large batches of food, not just one meal a day. Make breakfast casseroles, big ol servings of rice, bake veggies, have meat already cooked. People used to eat leftovers for breakfast before sugary cereal, and it's soooo much cheaper/healthier than cereal! All you gotta do is store it and reheat when ready.

HAVE A PHYSICAL, PAPER CALENDAR for when you've made food. Food poisoning is the worst. Don't heat leftovers more than once unless you feel like being a geyser from both ends. Typically food shouldn't be in the fridge for more than a week at most a few days, always smell it/small taste test. If it's even a little off, it's not worth taking the day off of work.

Feel free to send asks to me directly about things I may have missed, I'm always the Mom Friend in the group and if I don't know an answer to something I'll at least help do some research to give you a head start. It does not bother me in fact I'm so happy to help others. Please take care of yourselves young loves💙

Dear people living on your own for the first time:

Here’s some advice I wasn’t told from the myriad of posts before that I wish I’d been given before

Wash the OUTSIDE of your pots and pans as well as the cooking surface. I’ve had a few roommates now who have only cleaned the inside and I’ve had to replace a $150 set of cookware twice.

“its only one time, how bad could using metal on nonstick cookware really be?” very bad. don’t do this.

Buy a rice cooker. Buy the middle tier rice cooker. Cheap ones will burn your rice, high tier ones are too expensive. Rice is good and cheap and, really, you don’t actually have to wash it if you don’t care about making gourmet food.

Buy band-aids. You don’t think you need band-ads until you need a band-aid, and by then it’s too late. (if you don’t follow this advice, a paper towel and some tape is an acceptable solution while you go get real bandages and neosporin)

You are on tumblr, which means you probably spend most of your time in one spot on a computer or phone. if this spot doesn’t have a trash can in arm’s reach, put one there.

 I spent 4 years piling trash on my desk in increasingly precarious ways until I had a designated area to put it. Trash cans can and should go anywhere there is a frequent generation of trash, typical locations be damned.

If you live with one or two roommates, discuss placing empty boxes in the back of your fridge and freezer. You probably don’t need all the space that the standard 5-person-family fridge provides, and tupperware will be shoved back there and left to stink up the entire appliance.

Get a wall calendar, put it somewhere communal, and have everyone put their household-relevant schedules on it. Communication is by far the weakest link with roommates (even good ones!) and having something to reference for appointments is always good

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"HUBBY SHOWED TEETH OF WIFE INTO THROAT,” Toronto Star. February 24, 1933. Page 2.  ---- Abraham Bornstein Warned to Keep Away From Spouse - Girl Stole Dress --- "She accused me of keeping company with a Chinaman," complained Mrs. Hazel Gauditt. testifying against Albertine Morris, charged with assault in women's court to-day. 

Both parties were placed under $50 to keep the peace.

Abraham Bornstein shoved his wife's false teeth down her throat, so Magistrate Patterson placed him under $200 bond to keep the peace and warned Abraham to keep away from his wife. He was given the alternative of six months in jail.

Charged with theft of a dress, Sadie Zulyn, 150 Franklin, pleaded not guilty, claiming that she had never been in the store in question. 

But Sadie was remanded for sentence by a skeptical court and put on probation for year. Restitution of the dress was ordered. 

"Investigations show that you're a fine fellow until you get to drinking," Magistrate Margaret Patterson told Louis Neil, convicted of assault. Court placed him under $200 bond to keep the peace. He was further put on probation for one year and ordered to abstain from alcoholic liquor. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Hunt told the court that Joseph Hutchinson and his wife Nellie had given her a black eye, but she refused to testify further because Joe was her brother. The charge was withdrawn. 

"He broke the drain, he broke the sink, he pulled the paper off the walls," complained Mrs. D. Ginsler, testifying against John McMaster, whom she accused of damaging the house which she had rented to him. The place was so filthy I thought I would be suffocated. I swam in the cellar." 

"Did the medical health department tel! you the place was not habitable before you went into this man house?" "No." 

McMaster, married, with 10 children, denied that the house was in good condition when he took it over. He was ordered to repair the drain. "For the other damage the complainant will have to sue in division court," ruled Magistrate Patterson,

[annoyingthingfan]

“Buying vs Renting: Insights from a Paradise Valley Real Estate Agent”

Introduction

Deciding whether to buy or rent a property is one of the most significant choices many individuals face, particularly in desirable locations like Paradise Valley, Arizona. With its stunning landscapes, luxury homes, and vibrant community, Paradise Valley attracts many prospective homeowners and renters alike. But what should you consider when weighing your options? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the ins and outs of buying versus renting from the perspective of a seasoned real estate agent in Paradise Valley—Jonathan Leaman Realtor. This article aims to provide valuable insights that can help you make an informed decision.

Buying vs Renting: Insights from a Paradise Valley Real Estate Agent

The choice between buying and renting can significantly impact your financial future and lifestyle. As a Realtor Scottsdale AZ, I’ve seen countless clients grapple with this decision. Here’s what find a local realtor you should know:

Understanding Your Financial Situation

Before diving into the specifics of buying versus renting in Paradise Valley, it's crucial to assess your financial health. Here are some questions to consider:

What is your current debt-to-income ratio? Do you have enough savings for a down payment? What are your long-term financial goals? Debt-to-Income Ratio Explained

Your debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is a measure of how much of your income goes toward servicing debt. A lower DTI often indicates better financial health, making it easier to qualify for a mortgage if you choose to buy.

Importance of Savings for Down Payments

Having a robust savings account is essential for homebuyers. Typically, lenders require at least 3% to 20% down on a mortgage. Understanding these requirements can help you gauge whether you're financially prepared to buy.

The Pros and Cons of Buying Advantages of Homeownership Equity Building: Every mortgage payment contributes to building equity in your home. Stability: Owning provides long-term stability; you're less susceptible to market fluctuations. Customization: Homeowners have the freedom to renovate and personalize their space. Disadvantages of Buying High Upfront Costs: The initial costs of buying can be daunting. Maintenance Responsibilities: Homeowners must handle repairs and upkeep. Market Risk: Property values can fluctuate based on economic conditions. The Pros and Cons of Renting Advantages of Renting Flexibility: Renting allows for greater mobility; it's easier to relocate. Lower Initial Costs: Generally requires less upfront cash than buying. Maintenance-Free Living: Landlords usually take care of repairs. Disadvantages of Renting No Equity Building: Rent payments do not contribute towards ownership. Rent Increases: Rental prices may rise ov

[miropasic]

Investing in rental properties is a great way to generate steady income, but deciding how to manage these properties can be challenging. Property owners must choose between self-managing their rentals or hiring a professional property management company. Each approach has advantages and drawbacks, depending on the landlord’s resources, experience, and goals.

Self-Managed Rental Properties

When landlords choose to manage their properties themselves, they have full control over every aspect of their rental business.

Pros:

Cost Savings: Self-managing eliminates management fees, which typically range from 8% to 12% of monthly rent. For landlords with tight budgets, this can significantly improve profitability.

Personalized Approach: Direct interaction with tenants allows landlords to build stronger relationships, increasing tenant satisfaction and retention.

Complete Control: Landlords can handle repairs, choose tenants, and make decisions about rental policies without third-party influence.

Cons:

Time Commitment: Managing a property requires substantial time for tasks such as marketing, screening tenants, collecting rent, and addressing maintenance issues.

Limited Expertise: With experience, landlords may be able to handle legal compliance, lease agreements, or tenant disputes, which can lead to costly mistakes.

Stress and Responsibility: Being on-call for emergencies can be overwhelming, especially for landlords managing multiple properties.

Professionally Managed Rental Properties

Professional property management companies offer comprehensive services, from marketing rentals to handling maintenance and legal matters.

Pros:

Expertise and Efficiency: Professional managers are well-versed in tenant laws, lease drafting, and tenant relations, reducing the risk of legal issues.

Time-Saving: Landlords can focus on other pursuits while the management company handles daily operations, tenant communication, and repairs.

Higher Tenant Retention: Experienced managers know how to address tenant concerns promptly, keeping renters satisfied and minimizing vacancies.

Cons:

Costs: Management fees can be a significant expense, reducing net rental income. Some companies also charge additional fees for tenant placement or lease renewals.

Less Control: Landlords must rely on the manager’s judgment, which may not always align with their preferences or priorities.

Variable Quality: The effectiveness of a property management company depends on its reputation and performance, making it crucial to vet companies carefully.

Key Considerations

The choice between self-management and professional management often depends on factors like property size, location, and the landlord’s experience. Owners with a single property close to home may find self-management feasible, while those with multiple or distant properties might benefit from professional help.

Ultimately, landlords should weigh the time, cost, and level of expertise required for effective property management. A hybrid approach, such as self-managing but outsourcing specific tasks (e.g., maintenance or legal issues), might also balance control and convenience.

By understanding the pros and cons of each option, property owners can make informed decisions to maximize their rental income and minimize stress.

[rotationalsymmetry]

Somehow this got over a thousand notes while I wasn't looking?

Couple people disagreeing in the notes. I'm aware it's not a complete solution but we may have to just disagree on some things. I've known many people who found a rent control apartment, I haven't always asked them how because I tend to err on the side of respecting people's privacy, but it's not this impossible thing that nobody can ever find unless they've been around for the past 30 years, and for a lot of people it's the difference between being able to continue living in a place like San Francisco vs being forced to move far away. (Not like move to a suburb, move out of the entire area.) Whereas new market rate housing has an unfortunate tendency to get bought up by rich people who don't even live locally but want a pied a tierre.

And yeah I know sometimes landlords get shitty about the maintenance, but you know what? Sometimes they're shitty about maintenance in non-rent-controlled apartments too. That's a landlord thing, not a rent control thing.

But more to the point? I believe in renters organizing. And when you get renters organizing, rent control tends to be one of the main things they want to organize for. So unless you're involved in your local tenants' union and trying to talk people out of rent control and into other organizing goals in that context, I kinda don't want to hear it. I'm not a landlord, and I don't side with them.

Rent control is on the ballot for California voters this November.

I uh, get that tumblr isn't exactly sorted by geography, but this is a huge deal.

It's a huge deal even for people who don't expect to be personally affected by it -- rent control is a protection against the poorest people living in a city being forced out, and that's just bad for everyone. When you have a city where only medium well off to rich people live, you get their service employees coming in from a suburb an hour and a half away (blech) or else you get people stacked three to a room. Or people holding down a job or three while trying to earn enough to get off the street or, well, out of their parents' place or away from the abusive partner they can't afford to break up with. Point is, a lack of housing that people can just keep living in at the same price, means a lot of bad things for society, and we probably aren't going to socialize housing within the next ten years but maybe we can get rent control back.

[retailshop25]

Rent vs Buy a Living Space in 2025

Moving deeper into 2025, the ever-rising discussion of which is better between renting or purchasing a house appears to pull the crowd again, especially in metro cities. Renting is good while buying also has its own advantages, but what suits the lifestyle, way of life, and plans in the future is to be considered. Well, let’s consider these arguments, so that you will be able to make the decision you wanted – without any unnecessary stuff!

Advantages of Renting

Undeniably, renting a property offers flexibility that appeals to the younger professionals and transitional life phases. Here's why:

1. Flexibility to Move


Renting enables you to pack up and leave with relative ease. Perfect for those trying out different cities for job opportunities or for someone who craves change every few years.

2. Lesser Initial Costs


Purchasing a home calls for a significant down payment; it is common for a tenant to be asked only for a security deposit and advance rent of several months. This is therefore affordable for those who start their careers at a tender age.This makes renting cheaper for the still-evolving worker.

3. No Maintenance Headaches


Creaky faucets? Broken windows? When leasing, the burden is usually left on the landlord, not you.

4. Optimal Locations at Economical Prices

Renting allows you to own that prized real estate, in sectors of Gurgaon for instance, but without having to make a financial decision about being the owner.

Advantages of Buying

On the other end of the seesaw stands owning your home; it is the dream of most, and for good reasons:

1. Long-term investment



This would secure you financially for the rest of your life. It is an appreciation asset and could be your financial safety net later on.

2. Security and Customization

Home ownership is not like renting. In owning a home, its possession is yours to do whatever you want. Change that colour of the walls, renovate that kitchen, your house, your call!

3. Tax Benefits

Home ownership confers gigantic tax advantages: interest on your mortgage may lighten the load.

4. A Legacy for Generations

For many, a home is much more than a roof over one's head-it's a family asset passed down through generations.

What will the 2025 outlook be?

Post-pandemic urbanization and evolving work trends have completely altered how we perceive living spaces. As a result, hybrid work models and the need for more experiences over ownership shape the balance of preferences. On one hand, it is being accepted with an upward trend in property investments indicating the importance of security that owning a property offers.

Where Does Tapasya 70 GrandWalk Fit In?

While it does not provide residential or office space, Tapasya 70 GrandWalk has the perfect complementary mixture of premium service apartments and retail hubs for both lifestyles. For its renters, here's a chance to live near vibrant commercial activity. For its buyers, it's an investment opportunity in a buzzing food court and retail haven.

Tapasya 70 GrandWalk stands out as an experiential hotspot, offering easy access to luxury shopping, gourmet dining, and seamless connectivity in Gurgaon. Whether you are renting nearby or thinking of a strategic commercial property investment, it's a location that appeals to dynamic urbanites.

Consider the Following While You Decide Between Renting or Buying that Suits Your Pocket in 2025

1. Financial Health

- Rental: Good if one saves for other goals, such as travelling or education.

- Purchase: Better if one is ready to commit for a long term.

2. Lifestyle

- Rental: Best suited for a nomadic and agile lifestyle.

- Purchase: Suitable for those who want stability.

3. Market Trends

Study the prices of properties and yields of properties in your preferred locality. Tapasya 70 GrandWalk, for example, is an emerging location in Gurgaon: an area of high demand ensures steady returns for investors.

The Verdict

Renting vs. buying remains a deeply personal choice and depends on the priorities of each individual. Flexibility and freedom always represent one option, especially in thriving hubs like Gurgaon; security and long-term value are by and large represented by another.

For those who are not willing to completely move to the extremes of luxury, Tapasya 70 GrandWalk has established a premium rental project that has everything one needs in today’s world. Alongside the rich commercial environment, it is beneficial for both the renter and the investor.

Whether you're buying or renting in 2025, keep this in mind: your space should reflect your goals, your lifestyle, and your dreams. Choose wisely!