Author Topic: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?  (Read 6064 times)

Bearblastbeats

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Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« on: November 19, 2012, 10:24:38 AM »
Kind of a sticky situation I have here.

Currently, I am living with two of my friends in a not so desirable situation we're are all living rent free, but sharing utilities in the bottom half a duplex, in a bad part of the city. I have the largest room and have it set up as close to a studio apartment as I could. The entire apartment is only 5 rooms, roughly under 1000 feet total. We do not have  a stove or washer and dryer so we resort to a few George Foreman Plug-IN Grills and going to a friends house to do laundry. It's generally a squater's paradise, if you wouldn't mind the neighborhood and the two other roommates living like animals and being uncleanly.

Now on the other hand: My girlfriend just moved into a nice house with 2000sf on two floors, with 2 full bathrooms and has energy efficient front loading washer & dryer, dishwasher and gas stove.

First Floor Has: Living room, Dining room, Sitting room, One of the full bathrooms, 3-season screened in porch, a large walk-in pantry and a large kitchen with appliances.

Second Floor Has: The second full bathroom with energy efficient front loading washer and dryer, and the 3 bedrooms with eaves for storage in each room.

I would be paying somewhere between 70-100 dollars weekly and share of utilities, but we would have so much space for our two Labrador Retrievers, big fenced in back yard and a completely re-done basement where I can have band practice whenever I wanted. She all ready has a roommate since it is a three bedroom house, but they are respectful human beings.

Would the trade off of paying rent for a safe, secure home with luxuries be justifiable instead of a free place where it is pretty uncomfortable.


Sylly

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2012, 10:27:31 AM »
Would the trade off of paying rent for a safe, secure home with luxuries be justifiable instead of a free place where it is pretty uncomfortable.

Seems like individual preference to me. What do you want?

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2012, 10:43:15 AM »
Shacking up with my girlfriend and the benefits of that pretty much outweigh the idea of living with 2 dudes who can't flush the toilet regularly.

The Taminator

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2012, 10:47:49 AM »
I don't know your financial situation but where I come from, what you would be paying to share that huge house is a steal! And regularly flushed toilets always get my vote.

Posthumane

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2012, 10:51:38 AM »
Since you described your situation as "uncomfortable" and "not desirable" in your post, I would say it's pretty clear that you would prefer to be living with your GF. I think if you can afford it (i.e. are not broke/starving) then it is worth it. Saving money is good, but you have to look at the impact on quality of life. Also, if this is a serious relationship or is likely to become one, then moving in with her will allow you two to learn a lot more about each other before any other potential future commitments.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2012, 10:54:17 AM »
Plus, the safety of being able to walk outside of the house and not have to worry about drug dealers and other types of street trash while I take my dog for a walk. Piece of mind comes with a price and helping my girlfriend financially and being there for her when she needs me will only strengthen our relationship.

twinge

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2012, 11:06:18 AM »
Chances are if there's such a quality of life difference between the places you'd be staying with her a lot anyway--might as well formalized the situation and contribute financially. 

Jack

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2012, 01:08:19 PM »
If she's a serious girlfriend (i.e., there's a decent chance of combining finances with her at some point in the future), then you could discount the money you'd be spending in proportion to that chance because you could think of it as paying rent to yourself.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #8 on: November 20, 2012, 11:07:33 AM »
This does sound like a good idea, however, she is looking to fill the third bedroom. She has the idea of having her friend and boyfriend move in, or some random stranger off Craigslist. As mentioned before, her current roommate I know and we get along. But would adding another couple or a complete stranger be too much to handle, too many cooks in the kitchen?

Jack

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #9 on: November 20, 2012, 11:14:00 AM »
If moving in with your significant other results in filling an additional bedroom, then you're operating under a completely different set of assumptions than I was.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #10 on: November 20, 2012, 11:17:52 AM »
I won't be filling the additional bedroom, the bedroom is vacant at the moment and will be rented out soon. I would just be sharing her living quarters and moving my stuff in since it's her house.

Sylly

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #11 on: November 20, 2012, 11:29:02 AM »
This does sound like a good idea, however, she is looking to fill the third bedroom. She has the idea of having her friend and boyfriend move in, or some random stranger off Craigslist. As mentioned before, her current roommate I know and we get along. But would adding another couple or a complete stranger be too much to handle, too many cooks in the kitchen?

Just want to say, if it's going to be a stranger off Craigslist, you can always make sure you chat up the person and get a feel whether it'd be someone you're comfortable with. I've gotten a couple of roommates through CL, and while I had varying degrees with chummyness with them, I at least get along well enough to share the common living areas and do the hi/how's your day/bye daily pleasantries.

Jack

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #12 on: November 20, 2012, 11:29:38 AM »
So the choices are between her, her friend, and a stranger occupying each of three bedrooms, or her+you, her friend, and a stranger occupying the three bedrooms?

Based on your description in the first post it sounds like the house is plenty big enough for the four of you (assuming the stranger roommate is chosen with care), especially given the conditions you're used to.

By the way, how is it you're living rent-free now? Are you literally squatting?

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #13 on: November 20, 2012, 11:32:17 AM »
Yes, that is correct for the house occupancy.

Where I am living now, a friend of mine's parent passed away. The bank I guess has not done anything with the house so we have been just keeping up with the utilities.

Jack

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #14 on: November 20, 2012, 11:52:01 AM »
Where I am living now, a friend of mine's parent passed away. The bank I guess has not done anything with the house so we have been just keeping up with the utilities.

Doesn't that just mean your friend owns the house now, and should have been responsible for the taxes and mortgage (if any)? That doesn't sound like a sustainably rent-free situation to me: either the bank is eventually going to send the sheriff to kick you out, or your friend is going to wise up and start charging you rent.

Bearblastbeats

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Re: Live rent free vs. Move in with Significant other and pay rent?
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2012, 12:11:37 PM »
Oh, I know it is not sustainable. He notified the bank almost three years ago (when she passed), I guess there is about 10,000 in back taxes and 162,000 left on the mortgage. He never got approved for a loan or anything so he pretty much washed his hands of it and is letting us crash until the bank or sheriff kicks us out.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!