Originally Posted by
Artkansas
And noted that he paid less rent than average. There are many reasons to rent. As the other poster noted, one bedroom houses may be scarce, or his financial state precarious, or he may be thinking of moving out of the area.
As he probably has, I've looked around, my apartment is cheaper and there are a multitude of reasons to not buy right now. I think that for both of us, neither fits into your sweeping statement of people paying too much in housing just so they can afford a car-free lifestyle.
All reasons that can be valid and were mentioned in other posts. But if the high cost of a car is posted as the reason and that cost is taken from a site based on what they say is average then wouldn't the average US income be part of the reasoning as well? The posted 5 year cost of the car wouldn't open any eyes because the person they were talking about was frugle, paid cash, or kept the car for 10 or 20 years. It was based on a percieved benchmark. If someone opens their eyes to that benchmark then average rent should open their eyes even farther shouldn't it? Average car cost, average rent cost, average income. Apples, apples, apples. Change the car, rent or income and then it is Apples, oranges, and peaches.
Maybe more to the point is the post by gerv on Kunstler. The assertion might be that the high cost of transportation would be eleminated and there would be joy in the world if everyone lived in walkable high density places where people can sit all day and drink coffee and bad mouth people living in the mountains or valleys (my feelings about Kunstler's comments only.")
but one need to simply look at the cost of rent in places much like that in New York, Chicago, Cleaveland, Boston. People are paying way over $8800.00 a year for rent and while they can move without strings when they need to the move with nothing to show for whatever that were forced to spend a year to live. So I say again, people are willing to value. If someone values more room and a safe place for their children to play they might be willing to spend time to drive into work and drive homes for pay 3000 square feet and a pool. For people that prefer a high rise close to downtown and all the night life they might be willing to pay $2500.00 to $4500.00 in rent for a Studio on the tenth floor. That is the difference between Living in Downtown LA at the Roosevelt apartments and a $1500.00 a month walk up in North Long Beach.
How others spend the money they earn is always based on what they value and to some a car is no more expensive or unatractive than high rent. But I am glad you said this: "
one bedroom houses may be scarce, or his financial state precarious, or he may be thinking of moving out of the area." I find people in this forum get touchy if someone suggests they are car free for any reason other than simply because they are the average American and they don't want to waste money on a car. And didn't you just say the same thing ILTB said a few posts ago?
