Landlord of 20 years raising rent 50%, gave us 2 months notice. (1 Viewer)

[Beef Ravioli Part 2]

Floppo and his dead beat wife

Dude! The man’s down already.

 

[zamboni]

Really sorry to hear this, Flop. I've heard of similar situations where landlords in the city are unreasonably jacking up rents in the city due to so many folks fleeing, plus the effects of general inflation. I haven't read all the posts, but I'm sure you've already explored areas just outside Manhattan (e.g., Brooklyn, Astoria, upper Manhattan, Westchester). Sadly, nothing is really that affordable in this area. I live in Rockland County myself and the cost of living is ridiculous.

Totally understand that your job and your kids' situations anchor you to the area - that makes it that much tougher. If you're committed to having to stay in the area, unfortunately it just may require a lifestyle change in terms of expenses.

Best of luck and keep us posted - you've got a great community of support here.

 

[wilked]

20 years - you’ve had a good run. Very few people get the run you’ve had, and frankly the only surprise is that you’ve made it this long without the owner selling or doing a major market correction before.

I believe you’re an architect. I get the sense that you’re underpaid relative to your peers. You also seem job insecure from your notes. Why is that? I’m not far away and around me I see cranes in the air everywhere, tons of renovations, lots of architect work. Rates are up so no one’s moving, instead people continue to renovate. Commercial construction is still cranking.

My neighbor is an architect and every week he tells me about how he has to turn work away. He’s in Boston otherwise I’d offer to network you. Unless I’m misreading things architects are pulling $250+ around here and demand is high.

What is a rent price you are seeking? $4k a month? $5k a month? With no car I think that works ok for that salary. If you need to go above that you need a second source of income or need to look elsewhere.

As for your wife not working for the last 15 years, she’s had a good ride as well. You make this seem like your problem to fix - if she’s not working today I’d say her full time job tomorrow is finding a new apartment. That means meeting agents, networking with people to get the word out you are looking for a place, talking to building supers about something opening up, looking at the bulletin boards at Starbucks, etc etc. She insists you’re not moving? Ok - go find a place that is $4k or less. The above might take 20 hrs / week which leaves another 20 to polish up the resume and apply for work.

Even if your landlord acquiesces on the rent raise it will be temporary - it’s time to move on. If you’re that job insecure at your current employer - it’s time to move on. And for your wife sitting on the sidelines of the working world - also time to move on.

Good luck

 

[hagmania]

I just want to make the point that if the rent increase is 50%, then the alleged "current market value" of the property is currently 2/3 instead of half.

 

[hagmania]

Also, sorry Flop.

Sorry that I had to give a simple math lesson to a bunch of ingrates while you're going through a true suckfest of a situation.

 

[El Floppo]

Riding a subway, so a lot of my thank yous didn't make it.... Thank you all for your thoughts and responses.

 

[supermike80]

Sorry man. That sounds horrible. Hope it works out

 

[El Floppo]

Subway also killed my multiwuote, so will just write here...

Talking with landlord tomorrow. typical rent hike is 3%/year, 6%/2year. He had stated no increase from a certain date, so we're asking to jump to what those numbers would add up to. They live in France as I've said, and I've taken on much of the property management duties over the years, including replacing and fixing things and getting burned/scarred putting out fires during our big fire, and helping oversee the apartment getting out back together.

Wife's plan is to sell everything, pare everything, ask surviving parents for help. Income... Not as black/white, as our income puts us in an area that allows us financial aid scholarships for the kids across all areas that wouldn't be there making a 2nd taxable income. That said, she also had her own issues about work and what's available to a middle aged, 15 years out if the industry woman lacking the up to date skills she'd be asked to use. Not defending or agreeing with those, just relaying, Doing any job wasnt part of the initial discussion.. part of round 2. But selling things only takes us so far, so round 2 needs to happen soon.

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants (especially as an essentially absentee landlord) and needing to put money into the place to get it ready. I will appeal to those thoughts as well as the work we've don't to keep the apartment going on our own.

I'm at the ceiling of my sector for an employee salary. Whomever posted their guesses above.. was off by 50%. We make ****. I moved to my current gig as a slight veering... Larger, with more opportunity for growth than my usual boutique firms where it's 1 or 2 people running things and that's it. But they zigged since I started and I'm doing more interior design than the architecture they recruited me for. Pace and skillet completely different, and even though I'm trying - I have 20+ years of skill doing what I've done, and none doing this, even though it's "related" . Even though I'm enjoying learning new things,my work has been nowhere near the standards of a senior designer, and I ****ing hate that... I'm ****ing good at what I do, and what I'm doing here isn't that...that grinds on me every minute. But I'm riding it out because the room for growth is there if I don't kill myself or have a mental breakdown first. Only way for more money for me is to go back to doing my own thing, which carries much greater risk that I've been trying to avoid with 2 kids and a non working wife. Architecture is the already anemic canary in the economic coalmine. We go down before most of you are even aware of trouble.

Sigh.

And don't think I'm not aware or ungrateful for having lived in our spot for so long below market value. I've long known we were screwed if we had to move.

 

[El Floppo]

My phone is oddly quiet. I'm home with covid, GB. Hit me up and let's work this.

Hope you're feeling better.

I've been meaning to call you for a while anyways... This gig,

 

[AAABatteries]

I just want to make the point that if the rent increase is 50%, then the alleged "current market value" of the property is currently 2/3 instead of half.

Math nerd has entered the chat

 

[gruecd]

I know it's been beat to death here, but I still don't understand the "non-working wife" thing. Like how do you let that be an option? What does she do all day?

Really hoping everything works out for you, GB!

 

[AAABatteries]

Most everything has been covered at this point but want to add that anybody in your situation would be stressed and it’s apparent from your posts that you are highly stressed (as I would be!). But please don’t let it get to be too much for you. Your family needs you and your wife to solve this but they need the lovable great husband and Dad they are used to. Take care of yourself GB.

 

[bigbottom]

I am so sorry that you’re having to deal with this situation. Hopefully your landlord is understanding when you speak to them, and recognizes the value of a stable tenant who takes care of the property, and even improves it. As someone do used to have renters, I cannot understate how important that is.

If you move to another borough, will your son still be able to attend the school that he is in? If so, I would think that a longer commute, while a big inconvenience, would be a necessary trade off. I imagine that there are quite a few kids that are doing similar to attend competitive programs.

Edit to correct typos (talk to text)

 

[bigbottom]

I just want to make the point that if the rent increase is 50%, then the alleged "current market value" of the property is currently 2/3 instead of half.

I interpreted it differently. If the current rent is 50% below market and the landlord is enacting a 50% rent increase, the rent will now be 25% below market, but still not feasible for the Floppo family.

 

[wilked]

Flop, your situation might be different, but if I was in my 40s with a stay at home wife and asked my parents for financial help…. It wouldn’t be received very well. They’d be pissed that I even put them in a position of having to respond, and I’m fairly certain what the focus of their response would be

 

[El Floppo]

I just want to make the point that if the rent increase is 50%, then the alleged "current market value" of the property is currently 2/3 instead of half.

I interpreted it differently. If the current rent is 50% below market and the landlord is enacting a 50% rent increase, the rent will now be 25% below market, but still not feasible for the Floppo family.

Rent is currently X.
Renting being raised to X + 0.5X

Nee rent will be roughly market value.

 

[jobarules]

Subway also killed my multiwuote, so will just write here...

Talking with landlord tomorrow. typical rent hike is 3%/year, 6%/2year. He had stated no increase from a certain date, so we're asking to jump to what those numbers would add up to. They live in France as I've said, and I've taken on much of the property management duties over the years, including replacing and fixing things and getting burned/scarred putting out fires during our big fire, and helping oversee the apartment getting out back together.

Wife's plan is to sell everything, pare everything, ask surviving parents for help. Income... Not as black/white, as our income puts us in an area that allows us financial aid scholarships for the kids across all areas that wouldn't be there making a 2nd taxable income. That said, she also had her own issues about work and what's available to a middle aged, 15 years out if the industry woman lacking the up to date skills she'd be asked to use. Not defending or agreeing with those, just relaying, Doing any job wasnt part of the initial discussion.. part of round 2. But selling things only takes us so far, so round 2 needs to happen soon.

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants (especially as an essentially absentee landlord) and needing to put money into the place to get it ready. I will appeal to those thoughts as well as the work we've don't to keep the apartment going on our own.

I'm at the ceiling of my sector for an employee salary. Whomever posted their guesses above.. was off by 50%. We make ****. I moved to my current gig as a slight veering... Larger, with more opportunity for growth than my usual boutique firms where it's 1 or 2 people running things and that's it. But they zigged since I started and I'm doing more interior design than the architecture they recruited me for. Pace and skillet completely different, and even though I'm trying - I have 20+ years of skill doing what I've done, and none doing this, even though it's "related" . Even though I'm enjoying learning new things,my work has been nowhere near the standards of a senior designer, and I ****ing hate that... I'm ****ing good at what I do, and what I'm doing here isn't that...that grinds on me every minute. But I'm riding it out because the room for growth is there if I don't kill myself or have a mental breakdown first. Only way for more money for me is to go back to doing my own thing, which carries much greater risk that I've been trying to avoid with 2 kids and a non working wife. Architecture is the already anemic canary in the economic coalmine. We go down before most of you are even aware of trouble.

Sigh.

And don't think I'm not aware or ungrateful for having lived in our spot for so long below market value. I've long known we were screwed if we had to move.

I wouldnt mention the bolded. Was your landlord supposed to put out the fire?
And I gotta laugh at your wife preferring to sell EVERYTHING and beg her parents for money rather than just get a job. Jeez

 

[gruecd]

Flop, your situation might be different, but if I was in my 40s with a stay at home wife and asked my parents for financial help…. It wouldn’t be received very well. They’d be pissed that I even put them in a position of having to respond, and I’m fairly certain what the focus of their response would be

Amen to that. It would be an entirely different story if I had young kids and my wife was staying home with them, but with teenagers? Holy hell.

 

[El Floppo]

Flop, your situation might be different, but if I was in my 40s with a stay at home wife and asked my parents for financial help…. It wouldn’t be received very well. They’d be pissed that I even put them in a position of having to respond, and I’m fairly certain what the focus of their response would be

Too bad for you.

But asking for help never my plan.

 

[jobarules]

I have no idea how much your rent is. Lets say its $3000. If it increased $1500/month thats $18k a year. Your wife can make that working in McDonalds. The out of work 15 years thing is a horrible excuse. But yeah sell all your possessions and beg her parents for money instead.

F'n Women.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

The important thing right now is to nail down whether the original rent was 1/2 market value or 2/3 market value.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants

...and you already "earned" another month based on the NYC law requiring 90 days notice.

 

[El Floppo]

Subway also killed my multiwuote, so will just write here...

Talking with landlord tomorrow. typical rent hike is 3%/year, 6%/2year. He had stated no increase from a certain date, so we're asking to jump to what those numbers would add up to. They live in France as I've said, and I've taken on much of the property management duties over the years, including replacing and fixing things and getting burned/scarred putting out fires during our big fire, and helping oversee the apartment getting out back together.

Wife's plan is to sell everything, pare everything, ask surviving parents for help. Income... Not as black/white, as our income puts us in an area that allows us financial aid scholarships for the kids across all areas that wouldn't be there making a 2nd taxable income. That said, she also had her own issues about work and what's available to a middle aged, 15 years out if the industry woman lacking the up to date skills she'd be asked to use. Not defending or agreeing with those, just relaying, Doing any job wasnt part of the initial discussion.. part of round 2. But selling things only takes us so far, so round 2 needs to happen soon.

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants (especially as an essentially absentee landlord) and needing to put money into the place to get it ready. I will appeal to those thoughts as well as the work we've don't to keep the apartment going on our own.

I'm at the ceiling of my sector for an employee salary. Whomever posted their guesses above.. was off by 50%. We make ****. I moved to my current gig as a slight veering... Larger, with more opportunity for growth than my usual boutique firms where it's 1 or 2 people running things and that's it. But they zigged since I started and I'm doing more interior design than the architecture they recruited me for. Pace and skillet completely different, and even though I'm trying - I have 20+ years of skill doing what I've done, and none doing this, even though it's "related" . Even though I'm enjoying learning new things,my work has been nowhere near the standards of a senior designer, and I ****ing hate that... I'm ****ing good at what I do, and what I'm doing here isn't that...that grinds on me every minute. But I'm riding it out because the room for growth is there if I don't kill myself or have a mental breakdown first. Only way for more money for me is to go back to doing my own thing, which carries much greater risk that I've been trying to avoid with 2 kids and a non working wife. Architecture is the already anemic canary in the economic coalmine. We go down before most of you are even aware of trouble.

Sigh.

And don't think I'm not aware or ungrateful for having lived in our spot for so long below market value. I've long known we were screwed if we had to move.

I wouldnt mention the bolded. Was your landlord supposed to put out the fire?

Why not?

**** went down in the year during reconstruction post fire... We were advised to sue- them and the building. We didn't want to go that route, so didn't.

I have burn scars from putting out fires that threatened their property.

Not sure why that isn't part of the conversation here... Asking you, not dismissing you.

 

[the moops]

I know it's been beat to death here, but I still don't understand the "non-working wife" thing. Like how do you let that be an option? What does she do all day?

It's not that difficult to understand when you factor in they were paying well below market rate for their apartment. Now, the non working wife moving forward may be something to discuss though

 

[fruity pebbles]

I have no idea how much your rent is. Lets say its $3000. If it increased $1500/month thats $18k a year. Your wife can make that working in McDonalds. The out of work 15 years thing is a horrible excuse. But yeah sell all your possessions and beg her parents for money instead.

F'n Women.

You may have missed the part where additional income knocks them out of financial aid for the kids schools and might be counter productive. That said, they need to figure exactly what that number is. We don’t know the specifics of their relationship. It sounds like they made a decision for her to leave her lucrative career to have kids. Face value though it certainly seems like at this point she’s team her and if there were any additional money, I’d be hiding it.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants

You could even hint how difficult it will be to evict you (and that you don't plan on leaving during the school year or at all) - how backed up New York courts are and the fees and costs associated with that.

After the two (three, really) months pass, you could buy more time by just paying your "normal" rent. They could still move to evict based on the missing 50% increase monies - but once the suit was started all you would owe to cure your default would be that 50% increase money.

This doesn't solve the problem - but buys you more time. Not sure how comfortable you'd be fighting a little "dirty" - but it's an option.

 

[fruity pebbles]

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants

You could even hint how difficult it will be to evict you (and that you don't plan on leaving during the school year or at all) - how backed up New York courts are and the fees and costs associated with that.

After the two (three, really) months pass, you could buy more time by just paying your "normal" rent. They could still move to evict based on the missing 50% increase monies - but once the suit was started all you would owe to cure your default would be that 50% increase money.

This doesn't solve the problem - but buys you more time. Not sure how comfortable you'd be fighting a little "dirty" - but it's an option.

Wouldn’t that potentially make finding another place more difficult and he’s still going to owe that extra money when judgement is passed.

 

[Desert_Power]

It's a drop in the bucket, but I would definitely grab the Bilt credit card that gives 1% back in points/cash for paying rent.

 

[El Floppo]

I am so sorry that you’re having to deal with this situation. Hopefully your landlord is understanding when you speak to them, and recognizes the value of a stable tenant who takes care of the property, and even improves it as someone do used to have renters, I cannot understand how important that is.

If you move to another borough, will your son still be able to attend the school that he is in? If so, I would think that a longer commute, while a big inconvenience, would be a necessary trade off. I imagine that there are quite a few kids that are doing similar to attend competitive programs.

Yes, to the longer commute... All options. People come in from all over for Juilliard as well as his HS (mostly by car).


A genuine wrinkle for us...typical NYC real estate requires you to show yearly earnings at 40x rent. So if an apartment is 2k/month, you need to show 80k annual salary.

Average 2BR (back to Jerry rigging something for floppinha) anywhere near our spot was 6,500 in sep.

 

[El Floppo]

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants

You could even hint how difficult it will be to evict you (and that you don't plan on leaving during the school year or at all) - how backed up New York courts are and the fees and costs associated with that.

After the two (three, really) months pass, you could buy more time by just paying your "normal" rent. They could still move to evict based on the missing 50% increase monies - but once the suit was started all you would owe to cure your default would be that 50% increase money.

This doesn't solve the problem - but buys you more time. Not sure how comfortable you'd be fighting a little "dirty" - but it's an option.

Wouldn’t that potentially make finding another place more difficult and he’s still going to owe that extra money when judgement is passed.

I don't ever want to go this route.

But he's right, and it's in our pocket if it comes to it.

Not sure how it makes it harder to find something?

 

[jwb]

That said, she also had her own issues about work and what's available to a middle aged, 15 years out if the industry woman lacking the up to date skills she'd be asked to use

Just a quick "motivational" note on this: my wife and I moved from NY to NC 2 years ago. I am self-employed / work from home. She had a 30-year job as a real estate paralegal. My job came with me, hers did not. She also had the health insurance. No kids, but we've always been two incomes (and lived it). So the plan was for her to find another job down in NC, and use the exchange/Obamacare until she got something. She was 59 when we moved. We knew exactly nobody here.

I know it's not apples to apples (my wife had current skills in her field), but we were both stunned at how much employers wanted older professional people. She had zero issue finding work - it took a bit for her to find the right fit and industry (she was adamant about not wanting to be a full-time paralegal anymore), but she secured no less than four solid jobs in a year's time - two legit/professional work-from-home (which she doesn't really like), and two in office (the second of which - her current job - seems like "the" job for her to finish out her working career). It's also not paralegal at all, but more bank/loans (which she did have experience with being in the real estate industry).

My point is, "too old" / "middle-aged" is honestly a thing of the past. My wife crushed it. I also work with countless businesses owners in my job, and to a person, they all prefer older workers who don't need hand holding and understand that coming in on time is fully expected and just something you do without issue.

I think you had mentioned that she did some consulting in her industry - there's your resume filler right there. And I'm sure there are edges of her industry where she'd fit just fine even without knowing the latest software. Again, my wife is a good example - she took some fringe skills from her Paralegal career (where she also did tons of bank/loan stuff) and parlayed that into a nice job that she really likes.

Your wife might be surprised at what's out there for her (and may even make enough to make the "too much income" thing moot). But it does take being serious about it - a good, polished resume, update the LinkedIn profile, and make "getting a job" a job in itself.

Good luck.

 

[Zow]

Thank you all.

As Larry pointed out, yes- legal, but 90 days.

This is an individual condo owned by a french business family (my wife used to d business with their company...completely random coincidence), not some big corporation. They have been great and understanding landlords over the years- post-fire, covid, not busting our asses with rent raises. Our rent is basically at least 50% below market rate right now, so they're raising it to what they should be getting for it.

Kids are HS sophomore and 6th grade, at a school a short subway ride away in the city.

I'm in a world of ****ed right now. Just looked at apartments almost anywhere for the same price... Crappy spots way out in outer Brooklyn or queens in sketch neighborhood.

And that's if I still have a job come summer time.

**** me.

While this situation very much sucks for you and I have no helpful advice, I do want to commend you for reasonably and rationally understanding where the landlord is coming from. That demonstrates how good of a person you are.

I wish you and your family the best.

 

[fruity pebbles]

I am so sorry that you’re having to deal with this situation. Hopefully your landlord is understanding when you speak to them, and recognizes the value of a stable tenant who takes care of the property, and even improves it as someone do used to have renters, I cannot understand how important that is.

If you move to another borough, will your son still be able to attend the school that he is in? If so, I would think that a longer commute, while a big inconvenience, would be a necessary trade off. I imagine that there are quite a few kids that are doing similar to attend competitive programs.

Yes, to the longer commute... All options. People come in from all over for Juilliard as well as his HS (mostly by car).


A genuine wrinkle for us...typical NYC real estate requires you to show yearly earnings at 40x rent. So if an apartment is 2k/month, you need to show 80k annual salary.

Average 2BR (back to Jerry rigging something for floppinha) anywhere near our spot was 6,500 in sep.

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants

You could even hint how difficult it will be to evict you (and that you don't plan on leaving during the school year or at all) - how backed up New York courts are and the fees and costs associated with that.

After the two (three, really) months pass, you could buy more time by just paying your "normal" rent. They could still move to evict based on the missing 50% increase monies - but once the suit was started all you would owe to cure your default would be that 50% increase money.

This doesn't solve the problem - but buys you more time. Not sure how comfortable you'd be fighting a little "dirty" - but it's an option.

Wouldn’t that potentially make finding another place more difficult and he’s still going to owe that extra money when judgement is passed.

I don't ever want to go this route.

But he's right, and it's in our pocket if it comes to it.

Not sure how it makes it harder to find something?

You have an eviction and can’t use your current landlord of 20 years as a reference?

 

[Zow]

A lot of times in a situation like this you're looking at a landlord that's getting up there in years and the heirs are moving into a position to take over their assets. They look at a rental property like this, recognize that it's not going for fair market value and raise the rent. Seems like something like that may be at work rather than someone who hasn't raised rent in 20 years suddenly screwing a longtime tenant.

I've done my fair share of eviction work, and what you state here is a pretty common story. It sucks, but the landlord's position is somewhat understandable given that they realize they are "losing" money and the new landlord doesn't have the emotional tie.

In a perfect world a gradual and manageable increase in rent would be reached through agreement, but the world isn't perfect and a landlord isn't naturally and automatically "evil" if he/she/they just want to start grabbing fair market value for their place.

 

[El Floppo]

You have an eviction and can’t use your current landlord of 20 years as a reference?

True.
Tbh, I've never been asked for a reference before. Not sure if that's a NYC thing, or just my own random experience.

 

[Warrior]

That's a pretty douchey move for them.

I feel terrible for El Floppo, but if this a privately owned place, it wasn't exactly "fair" to the landlord to be losing 50% (of the market value) all this time. Not every landlord is loaded or wealthy. They need to live as well.

Hitting anyone with such a huge increase on such a short notice is not right. Of course the Landlord deserves to get whatever the market will bear. But there are ways to do this without such an unpleasant, sudden surprise.

@El Floppo if I were you I’d ask to meet the landlord and beg for 6 months and or an incremental rent raise over time. Explain your exact situation and put yourself at their mercy. Worst thing they will do is say no, which puts you in no worse a situation than you are now. And if you’re lucky they might just give you a break.

Zoom call to France scheduled already, gb.

The wife is insistent were not going anywhere until our son graduates HS in 2025.

I'm hoping to stay at current rent until the end of this summer and hope we find something else. As it is, they're asking us to leave before the end of the school year, which would be awful.

Would be great if the wife pulled in what's needed to cover the bump. She's insanely talented and should make more than me in her field (which pays more than mine). But she's been out of the work force for essential 15 years (consulting not withstanding) and not sure she'll even get offered anything, let alone at any kind of useful level. But we need to explore it more deeply.

Honestly, it sounds like a situation where she shouldn't be picky. If she makes $15/hr at some low level retail job, that's definitely gotta be her focus right now. Being out of the workforce for 15 years has probably been great, but it's time to buckle down.

 

[Zow]

That's a pretty douchey move for them.

I feel terrible for El Floppo, but if this a privately owned place, it wasn't exactly "fair" to the landlord to be losing 50% (of the market value) all this time. Not every landlord is loaded or wealthy. They need to live as well.

Hitting anyone with such a huge increase on such a short notice is not right. Of course the Landlord deserves to get whatever the market will bear. But there are ways to do this without such an unpleasant, sudden surprise.

@El Floppo if I were you I’d ask to meet the landlord and beg for 6 months and or an incremental rent raise over time. Explain your exact situation and put yourself at their mercy. Worst thing they will do is say no, which puts you in no worse a situation than you are now. And if you’re lucky they might just give you a break.

Zoom call to France scheduled already, gb.

The wife is insistent were not going anywhere until our son graduates HS in 2025.

I'm hoping to stay at current rent until the end of this summer and hope we find something else. As it is, they're asking us to leave before the end of the school year, which would be awful.

Would be great if the wife pulled in what's needed to cover the bump. She's insanely talented and should make more than me in her field (which pays more than mine). But she's been out of the work force for essential 15 years (consulting not withstanding) and not sure she'll even get offered anything, let alone at any kind of useful level. But we need to explore it more deeply.

I absolutely do not want to interject myself into another person's marriage, but it's very challenging to read that your wife is insistent you stay while at the same time not pulling in any income. Making that sort of a demand requires the demander to pull some weight financially. Enough said. GLGB, you know I think you're terrific.

I thought the same. I'm glad you said it (and not me).

 

[wilked]

Flop, I truly think you're underselling yourself on the above. If you are a 20 year experienced architect you are marketable. I understand you moved into a new niche recently and it appears like it's not working out. You are not trapped there. You alluded to your salary above - again, I truly think you are limiting yourself in your mind. Again, my architect neighbor and I chat - he tells me that he is looking to add an architect with 3-5 years experience and he mentions he is having a hard time hiring them at the $120K mark, that the good candidates are seeking more than that. He's being patient and continuing to look for the right combo of person/price but it signals to me that you are underpaid.

Overall your family needs an income boost, whether it's from you taking a new position, your wife entering the workplace, or some combination thereof. Inflation has cranked up COL in the last 3-5 years and it's key that employees do what is needed to keep pace. Your posts come off that you don't believe in your skills but I challenge you to raise your internal standards. You are worth more than they are paying and there is work out there. You are not restricted to niche work. Even if it meant you have to come up to speed a little as a senior design architect you come across as the person who can learn quickly and give it 120% to get there. I wonder if you worked your professional network if you couldn't find a stone to turn over with a new opportunity.

Put another way - I think you are mentally imposing limitations on yourself/your career that may not truly exist.

 

[Keerock]

Florida is fine if you like car washes and storage facilities on every block and infinite billboards featuring either strippers or car accident lawyers.

I mean it was 75 today all day and cloudless so that part rules but there’s a lot to dislike here too. It’s a great place to be outside, surrounded by either your neighbors from up north or the strangest guy you’ve ever seen in your life whose skin resembles fried chicken. He’s holding a Miller lite bottle and mumbling something you can’t hear. Chances are he’s on the run for crimes.

For me it's the heat and mosquitos. Lived there a long time but can't do it anymore. Heck my business is in Florida and I don't even live there.

I look at it like May through September sucks, and I just try to be inside or go swimming. The other 7 months are usually pretty great, and I don’t have to deal with snow and winter. But to each their own.

I live in Michigan. I look at it like January through April sucks, and I just try to be inside or go driving. The other 8 months are usually pretty great, and I don't have to deal with sweltering heat, humidity, bugs, and hurricanes. But to each their own.

 

[Capella]

Florida is fine if you like car washes and storage facilities on every block and infinite billboards featuring either strippers or car accident lawyers.

I mean it was 75 today all day and cloudless so that part rules but there’s a lot to dislike here too. It’s a great place to be outside, surrounded by either your neighbors from up north or the strangest guy you’ve ever seen in your life whose skin resembles fried chicken. He’s holding a Miller lite bottle and mumbling something you can’t hear. Chances are he’s on the run for crimes.

For me it's the heat and mosquitos. Lived there a long time but can't do it anymore. Heck my business is in Florida and I don't even live there.

I look at it like May through September sucks, and I just try to be inside or go swimming. The other 7 months are usually pretty great, and I don’t have to deal with snow and winter. But to each their own.

I live in Michigan. I look at it like January through April sucks, and I just try to be inside or go driving. The other 8 months are usually pretty great, and I don't have to deal with sweltering heat, humidity, bugs, and hurricanes. But to each their own.

I have spent a lot of time in Michigan. That “sucks” part extends out to October imo. There’s no sun for 7 months there. You all look like Casper.


I do love visiting there though.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Florida is fine if you like car washes and storage facilities on every block and infinite billboards featuring either strippers or car accident lawyers.

I mean it was 75 today all day and cloudless so that part rules but there’s a lot to dislike here too. It’s a great place to be outside, surrounded by either your neighbors from up north or the strangest guy you’ve ever seen in your life whose skin resembles fried chicken. He’s holding a Miller lite bottle and mumbling something you can’t hear. Chances are he’s on the run for crimes.

For me it's the heat and mosquitos. Lived there a long time but can't do it anymore. Heck my business is in Florida and I don't even live there.

I look at it like May through September sucks, and I just try to be inside or go swimming. The other 7 months are usually pretty great, and I don’t have to deal with snow and winter. But to each their own.

I live in Michigan. I look at it like January through April sucks, and I just try to be inside or go driving. The other 8 months are usually pretty great, and I don't have to deal with sweltering heat, humidity, bugs, and hurricanes. But to each their own.

The great lakes are awesome

 

[jobarules]

Subway also killed my multiwuote, so will just write here...

Talking with landlord tomorrow. typical rent hike is 3%/year, 6%/2year. He had stated no increase from a certain date, so we're asking to jump to what those numbers would add up to. They live in France as I've said, and I've taken on much of the property management duties over the years, including replacing and fixing things and getting burned/scarred putting out fires during our big fire, and helping oversee the apartment getting out back together.

Wife's plan is to sell everything, pare everything, ask surviving parents for help. Income... Not as black/white, as our income puts us in an area that allows us financial aid scholarships for the kids across all areas that wouldn't be there making a 2nd taxable income. That said, she also had her own issues about work and what's available to a middle aged, 15 years out if the industry woman lacking the up to date skills she'd be asked to use. Not defending or agreeing with those, just relaying, Doing any job wasnt part of the initial discussion.. part of round 2. But selling things only takes us so far, so round 2 needs to happen soon.

Some good comments above about some of the difficulties they'll face getting and keeping new tenants (especially as an essentially absentee landlord) and needing to put money into the place to get it ready. I will appeal to those thoughts as well as the work we've don't to keep the apartment going on our own.

I'm at the ceiling of my sector for an employee salary. Whomever posted their guesses above.. was off by 50%. We make ****. I moved to my current gig as a slight veering... Larger, with more opportunity for growth than my usual boutique firms where it's 1 or 2 people running things and that's it. But they zigged since I started and I'm doing more interior design than the architecture they recruited me for. Pace and skillet completely different, and even though I'm trying - I have 20+ years of skill doing what I've done, and none doing this, even though it's "related" . Even though I'm enjoying learning new things,my work has been nowhere near the standards of a senior designer, and I ****ing hate that... I'm ****ing good at what I do, and what I'm doing here isn't that...that grinds on me every minute. But I'm riding it out because the room for growth is there if I don't kill myself or have a mental breakdown first. Only way for more money for me is to go back to doing my own thing, which carries much greater risk that I've been trying to avoid with 2 kids and a non working wife. Architecture is the already anemic canary in the economic coalmine. We go down before most of you are even aware of trouble.

Sigh.

And don't think I'm not aware or ungrateful for having lived in our spot for so long below market value. I've long known we were screwed if we had to move.

I wouldnt mention the bolded. Was your landlord supposed to put out the fire?

Why not?

**** went down in the year during reconstruction post fire... We were advised to sue- them and the building. We didn't want to go that route, so didn't.

I have burn scars from putting out fires that threatened their property.

Not sure why that isn't part of the conversation here... Asking you, not dismissing you.

I dont know the whole fire story but it sounded like you were putting out a fire in your apartment. Maybe I just misunderstood. Sorry about that.

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

Florida is fine if you like car washes and storage facilities on every block and infinite billboards featuring either strippers or car accident lawyers.

I mean it was 75 today all day and cloudless so that part rules but there’s a lot to dislike here too. It’s a great place to be outside, surrounded by either your neighbors from up north or the strangest guy you’ve ever seen in your life whose skin resembles fried chicken. He’s holding a Miller lite bottle and mumbling something you can’t hear. Chances are he’s on the run for crimes.

For me it's the heat and mosquitos. Lived there a long time but can't do it anymore. Heck my business is in Florida and I don't even live there.

I look at it like May through September sucks, and I just try to be inside or go swimming. The other 7 months are usually pretty great, and I don’t have to deal with snow and winter. But to each their own.

I live in Michigan. I look at it like January through April sucks, and I just try to be inside or go driving. The other 8 months are usually pretty great, and I don't have to deal with sweltering heat, humidity, bugs, and hurricanes. But to each their own.

I have spent a lot of time in Michigan. That “sucks” part extends out to October imo. There’s no sun for 7 months there. You all look like Casper

You must be referring to the Ann Arbor area, in which case, yea the suck never ends...

 

[jobarules]

I am so sorry that you’re having to deal with this situation. Hopefully your landlord is understanding when you speak to them, and recognizes the value of a stable tenant who takes care of the property, and even improves it as someone do used to have renters, I cannot understand how important that is.

If you move to another borough, will your son still be able to attend the school that he is in? If so, I would think that a longer commute, while a big inconvenience, would be a necessary trade off. I imagine that there are quite a few kids that are doing similar to attend competitive programs.

Yes, to the longer commute... All options. People come in from all over for Juilliard as well as his HS (mostly by car).


A genuine wrinkle for us...typical NYC real estate requires you to show yearly earnings at 40x rent. So if an apartment is 2k/month, you need to show 80k annual salary.

Average 2BR (back to Jerry rigging something for floppinha) anywhere near our spot was 6,500 in sep.

There are TONS of two family homes in Staten Island where you can rent and not show yearly earnings. 2 br would probably run you around $2k.

 

[Keerock]

Florida is fine if you like car washes and storage facilities on every block and infinite billboards featuring either strippers or car accident lawyers.

I mean it was 75 today all day and cloudless so that part rules but there’s a lot to dislike here too. It’s a great place to be outside, surrounded by either your neighbors from up north or the strangest guy you’ve ever seen in your life whose skin resembles fried chicken. He’s holding a Miller lite bottle and mumbling something you can’t hear. Chances are he’s on the run for crimes.

For me it's the heat and mosquitos. Lived there a long time but can't do it anymore. Heck my business is in Florida and I don't even live there.

I look at it like May through September sucks, and I just try to be inside or go swimming. The other 7 months are usually pretty great, and I don’t have to deal with snow and winter. But to each their own.

I live in Michigan. I look at it like January through April sucks, and I just try to be inside or go driving. The other 8 months are usually pretty great, and I don't have to deal with sweltering heat, humidity, bugs, and hurricanes. But to each their own.

I have spent a lot of time in Michigan. That “sucks” part extends out to October imo. There’s no sun for 7 months there. You all look like Casper.


I do love visiting there though.

October is one of THE BEST months in Michigan! I'll concede parts of November and December, but April can be beautiful as well. Sun is shining bright in my face right now. 8" of snow on the ground though

FWIW... I love to visit Florida.

 

[bigbottom]

Flop, I truly think you're underselling yourself on the above. If you are a 20 year experienced architect you are marketable. I understand you moved into a new niche recently and it appears like it's not working out. You are not trapped there. You alluded to your salary above - again, I truly think you are limiting yourself in your mind. Again, my architect neighbor and I chat - he tells me that he is looking to add an architect with 3-5 years experience and he mentions he is having a hard time hiring them at the $120K mark, that the good candidates are seeking more than that. He's being patient and continuing to look for the right combo of person/price but it signals to me that you are underpaid.

Overall your family needs an income boost, whether it's from you taking a new position, your wife entering the workplace, or some combination thereof. Inflation has cranked up COL in the last 3-5 years and it's key that employees do what is needed to keep pace. Your posts come off that you don't believe in your skills but I challenge you to raise your internal standards. You are worth more than they are paying and there is work out there. You are not restricted to niche work. Even if it meant you have to come up to speed a little as a senior design architect you come across as the person who can learn quickly and give it 120% to get there. I wonder if you worked your professional network if you couldn't find a stone to turn over with a new opportunity.

Put another way - I think you are mentally imposing limitations on yourself/your career that may not truly exist.

Are experienced architects working remotely these days? Maybe he could get a Boston job and stay in NYC? Maybe it would be good to have personnel on the ground in New York if firms in other parts of the country do any work there.

 

[bigbottom]

P.S. Similar thread algorithm is spot on.

 

[fruity pebbles]

That's a pretty douchey move for them.

I feel terrible for El Floppo, but if this a privately owned place, it wasn't exactly "fair" to the landlord to be losing 50% (of the market value) all this time. Not every landlord is loaded or wealthy. They need to live as well.

Hitting anyone with such a huge increase on such a short notice is not right. Of course the Landlord deserves to get whatever the market will bear. But there are ways to do this without such an unpleasant, sudden surprise.

@El Floppo if I were you I’d ask to meet the landlord and beg for 6 months and or an incremental rent raise over time. Explain your exact situation and put yourself at their mercy. Worst thing they will do is say no, which puts you in no worse a situation than you are now. And if you’re lucky they might just give you a break.

Zoom call to France scheduled already, gb.

The wife is insistent were not going anywhere until our son graduates HS in 2025.

I'm hoping to stay at current rent until the end of this summer and hope we find something else. As it is, they're asking us to leave before the end of the school year, which would be awful.

Would be great if the wife pulled in what's needed to cover the bump. She's insanely talented and should make more than me in her field (which pays more than mine). But she's been out of the work force for essential 15 years (consulting not withstanding) and not sure she'll even get offered anything, let alone at any kind of useful level. But we need to explore it more deeply.

Honestly, it sounds like a situation where she shouldn't be picky. If she makes $15/hr at some low level retail job, that's definitely gotta be her focus right now. Being out of the workforce for 15 years has probably been great, but it's time to buckle down.

Judging by conversation #1 she doesn’t want to get a job. She‘d rather sell everything not bolted down and ask the parents for money. It does sound like a second income would cause issues with financial aid etc. Feel bad for the guy, 90% of the stress of this situation is going to remain on his shoulders.

 

[bigbottom]

Do you have experience with Building Information Modeling? A friend of mine in the construction industry says there is a big time demand and a fair number of the positions are remote.

 

[jobarules]

That's a pretty douchey move for them.

I feel terrible for El Floppo, but if this a privately owned place, it wasn't exactly "fair" to the landlord to be losing 50% (of the market value) all this time. Not every landlord is loaded or wealthy. They need to live as well.

Hitting anyone with such a huge increase on such a short notice is not right. Of course the Landlord deserves to get whatever the market will bear. But there are ways to do this without such an unpleasant, sudden surprise.

@El Floppo if I were you I’d ask to meet the landlord and beg for 6 months and or an incremental rent raise over time. Explain your exact situation and put yourself at their mercy. Worst thing they will do is say no, which puts you in no worse a situation than you are now. And if you’re lucky they might just give you a break.

Zoom call to France scheduled already, gb.

The wife is insistent were not going anywhere until our son graduates HS in 2025.

I'm hoping to stay at current rent until the end of this summer and hope we find something else. As it is, they're asking us to leave before the end of the school year, which would be awful.

Would be great if the wife pulled in what's needed to cover the bump. She's insanely talented and should make more than me in her field (which pays more than mine). But she's been out of the work force for essential 15 years (consulting not withstanding) and not sure she'll even get offered anything, let alone at any kind of useful level. But we need to explore it more deeply.

Honestly, it sounds like a situation where she shouldn't be picky. If she makes $15/hr at some low level retail job, that's definitely gotta be her focus right now. Being out of the workforce for 15 years has probably been great, but it's time to buckle down.

Judging by conversation #1 she doesn’t want to get a job. She‘d rather sell everything not bolted down and ask the parents for money. It does sound like a second income would cause issues with financial aid etc. Feel bad for the guy, 90% of the stress of this situation is going to remain on his shoulders.

Is the increased rent not part of the financial aid equation?