I’m not sure if people are aware but ageism is considered a form of discrimination. Myself and my partner have been looking for a nice place to call home for 3 months now and have been rejected multiple times. One lady refused to even show us a flat because we weren’t married however that is beside the point. Today I seen an amazing place, fell in love with it and asked to apply. Keep in mind we are both uni grads and hold steady employment, have good references including landlords, AND are non smokers (not that I personally have anything against smokers it was specified in the ad). After many inappropriate personal questions and multiple repetitions of ” This is a NICE neighborhood, its RESIDENTIAL” we agreed on a time when my partner could view it because he worked today but trusts my judgment… apparently a concept this woman could not grasp. Before she even met him she called and canceled by literally saying not to waste our time because 23 (my partners age I’m older) is too young and the fact that they have a 20 year old son allows them to know enough 23 year olds to know what they are like. WTF ! I’m totally disgusted at much of a struggle it has been to find a nice place to live in this city. If your going to reject us at least let us apply first, consider calling our references and do it by just saying “sorry we picked someone else”.
—Disappointed & underage
This article appears in Jul 23-29, 2009.
I’ve been having a similar issue looking for an apartment OP. While my roommate and I aren’t a couple, we’re still around the same age as you guys (24) and having the hardest time getting apartment outside of the student core. We both have jobs, are non-smokers, have always paid our rent on time yadda, yadda, yadda. We’ve been getting the same kind of shit, especially the whole “sorry we picked someone else” line. All I want is a nice, moderately priced apartment on a bus route a little bit outside downtown. Is that too much to ask?
the place where i’m at is cool,young and older are here.old as 73,young as 19.it is located at fairview and the rent for a two b.r. is only $600.00 a month,plus your utilities.anyone interested,there is now a 1 b.r.,and a 2 b.r basement that just opened up.owner is real easy to get along with,seeing as he is around 80 years young himself.
Unfortunately all the party dicks ruin it for everyone else. Not a lot of landlords are going to take a risk on you alienating their other residents if they could just as easily rent to someone a bit older. It’s not fair, but until young people stop thinking that childhood extends into their 20s, that’s what you’re stuck with.
Yes I am aware of ageism and went almost thru the same thing with my first apartment so long ago,almost 3 decades ago. I got the first apartment because the super, not the landlord, was so impressed with my maturity but did admit she was concerned I would be partier when I told her my age on the phone.
Conversely, when the landlord refused to give me back my deposit and I took him to court he laughed…until he lost….He thought he could blame me for things that I never did because of my age.
It really is about the person making the decision.In my case while she/they admitted she had a concern she was willing to change her POV from the evidence.
It really is tough being in that youth category: damned if you do damned if you don’t.
When my mom was 50, her application wasn’t “chosen” for an apartment because the floor was all ‘seniors.’
Some landlords are picky as hell with apartments. Back in the early 80s you’d be hard pressed to find an apartment that took kids. Even now, some buildings will restrict kids to the first floor because of “safety concerns,” but they really mean “we don’t want tenants below them complaining when they run around all the time.”
Anyway, finding an apartment is a shitty shitty thing to have to go through, but keep hanging in there — you’ll find something from people who don’t suck (because if they’re going to give you a hard time before you even rent based on your age, I can guarantee they’ll harass you about every little thing once you get in there).
Good luck with your search!!!
It just sucks that a few very vocal frat party type douche bags have to ruin it for the rest of us.
Having lived with plenty of male and female roommates in my time I always laugh when I see people open a room in their family home and stipulate to a female roommate only. There is this misconception that females are quieter and cleaner than males. From my experience gender has nothing to do with what makes a good living situation any more than age does., it comes down to that individuals character and lifestyle
The messiest loudest and most disruptive roommate I have ever had was female.
I will say again, stereotypes and misconceptions aside, age and gender have nothing to with being a suitable roommate/tenant.
As a youngish ( 26 ) single male I find you sometimes have trouble finding living accommodations in this city. People assume i am going to be throwing wild parties every night and dragging a new woman home from the bar every night like I live in a 50 cent video. I usually have to get face to face with someone before I even have a chance so they can see I am not a knuckle dragging asshole that is going to put sheets up for curtains.
The issue surrounding the whole age thing is that this is really a university town when it comes to renters, especially in the city core (where I’m assuming that the OP is looking) and that usually means trouble. Blame the university kids for ruining it, especially the people who are looking for the places that are “just outside of downtown and on a bus route”. That’s not to say that I haven’t been bitten by it either; I’ve recently been on the hunt for a new place for the fiancee and I, and we’re a younger couple, but I’m a professional and she’s a student. We’ve been turned down at some of the nicer places, but some of these nicer places are chock full of old people (which usually means that the property owners are looking for a specific group to cater to). That didn’t stop us however, as we just looked a little out of the box and found a great flat on the Dark Side literally a stone’s throw away from Sullivan’s Pond. Sometimes you need to just expand your horizons a little.
Try 444-rent, I hear nothing but praises with these guys.
If you can afford rent, you can afford mortgage payments – look into buying a condo or small house. That’s what I did and no one can tell you how old you have to be, whether or not you can have pets or kids and you build equity while you’re at it.
Ahhh, Jenn, that’s a shit response- what about the $10K to $13K it costs to BUY the house?? THAT is what some of us don’t have.
I’m with you, Guyute. If you can afford rent, which in a lot of cases means HEAT and HOT WATER included, it does not necessarily mean you can afford mortgage payments. Perhaps the bank payments, yes…but what about the down payment, condo fees (if in a condo), ALL of the utilities (if you own your own house, this means property taxes and municipal water, oil, power, etc.), maintenance and upkeep of said condo/house…the list goes on. The mortgage payment to the bank is only ONE part of the monthly cost of owning real estate…just so nobody can tell you what to do? Nice to dream…but not a practical reality for a lot of people out there nowadays.
First time home buyers program. You will be surprised at how they can help you can get yourself into your first home…Might be a fixer upper, or not your dream home but its better than nothing, & it’s Yours & the banks 😉
Also jennier, I’d really like to see a monthly mortgage payment that is below $900, in the HRM. For example, the average house price is approx. 250K, meaning smaller houses, even condos/small houses are about 180-190K. Given a mortgage rate of about 3.75, which is a variable rate mtg, your payment would be about 850-900 dollars on a 35 year mortgage, which is the longest you can take a mortgage out for. That value doesn’t include condo fees if you own a condo, or property taxes, or any amount of utility bill. Your income to support the household would need to be about 70K a year. Most students and young couples do not make 70K a year. Not to mention too, in this sort of unstable housing market, if you barely have the down payment, and the market shifts, you risk exposing yourself to negative equity. But hell, what do I know? I just work in the industry.
And don’t forget the lawn mower, rakes, shovels, tools (You’re the one who will have to make repairs or hire a contractor $$$$$$$). Possible decline in property values (either the market tanks or your neighbourhood does). The grass is not always greener.
Listen, my monthly mortgage payment, condo fees, electricity, taxes and all that other crap totals less than what I was paying rent when I lived in an apartment. You do some research, you pick the right situation for you, and you’d be really surprised how affordable owning a home can be. I’m just suggesting it as an option, I’m not saying that it’s necessarily what’s going to work for them. It’s just an idea that doesn’t occur to a lot of young people.
As for the market tanking, it’s a possibility, but you’re still going to get more back than when you move out of your apartment, right? And as for this “unstable market”, you would be surprised how steady the halifax market has been holding. Talk to a first-time buyer specialist at your bank and a good realtor and talk about what kind of options you have.
And I most certainly do not make $70k a year (though to be fair, most dual income homes would probably bring in that much). The OP said they were both employed and uni grads.
Then, jennier, you must have been paying close to 1300 a month in rent, which is on the high side for rent in HRM. Secondly, for you to even come close to have a mortgage, most banks won’t approve you unless you have that 10% down payment, and your income supports it (that being a 35% GDSR calculation). I work as a FA, so I know exactly how stable the housing market has been in Halifax, but I also know that the market is a bit over valued. So there is a possibility that the market can go sour. Do you understand the concept of negative equity? That’s a very scary thig for most new homebuyers.
I’m with Jennier – we paid $215,000 for our house in the North End. Our mortgage is $1200 per month, with property tax built into that payment. We’re also doing 25 year, bi-weekly, expediated payments. If we chose to do monthly, non-expediated payments, it would be even cheaper. Our utilities are roughly the same as they were when we were in an apartment. The only extra bill we have now is water, so we chose not to get cable to even everything out. Did we have to make some sacrifices in the beginning? Absolutley. We didn’t go out to eat as much, and we bought a case of beer rather than going to the pub for pints with friends. However, the bank and our mortgage specialst went out of their way to help make it feasible for us. Like More said, there are lots of incentives for first time home buyers. If you can’t swing it on your own, buy a place with a friend, sibling, etc. Buying your first place is totally scary, but it’s sooooooo worth it. Paying rent is flushing money down the toilet.
Oh, and we bought a small house with an even smaller yard, so the maintenance is very minimal.
I, too, am getting out of the rental game. Can’t wait. Too many years of flushing money down the toilet and being under the thumb of various Landlords whims…. Save the money for a down payment folks, and get on it. My costs are going to be maybe 100-200 bucks more a month, but I’m not paying someone elses mortgage. I think the housing market, while inflated somewhat, is not succeptable to the up and downs of economies west of here. Recession? What recession? We’re in Maritimes!
As a uni grad, I can tell you right now, that despite having a good job and steady income, paying back student loans and paying a mortgage is out of the question for me. I’m currently renting in the North End – might be an option for you, OP, if you get in the right area your rent can be fairly inexpensive, and mostly everyone up here are either young professionals or working class families. There are some sketchy areas, but that can be said for anywhere in Halifax.
In Sept I’ll be moving into my 3rd apartment since moving to Halifax, and although the search was extensive, I didn’t have a problem with age (I just turned 25, and am often told I look about 22). Most of the attitude I got was from people who don’t like pets (even small pets), and some of the places that say they are happy to allow pets are total dives.
Don’t despair – there are landlords out there who want your business, and who are fair people. If a landlord balks at the idea of getting your partner to look at it another time, chances are they aren’t going to be flexible in other ways either, so I wouldn’t bother.
Yeah, try 444-rent is you can’t find anything else. They’re decent landlords, and they didn’t even question who old I was – as long as you have a previous landlord and good credit they’ll pretty much approve you instantly.
I don’t think it’s ageism. Maybe but I actually went through the same thing until I found the place I live in now. I’m 32 and when I was looking for a new place, some people wouldn’t even call back. I have no idea why, the funniest thing is when you’re asking for a 2 bedroom apartment, they try and force you to see a 1 bedroom. I then would say: “Thanks, if you’re not willing to listen to my request, you’re no worth renting from.”
I had someone ask for my banking information. When filling out the application, I wrote in the corresponding space: fuck you that’s who my bank is. I stopped putting up with bullshit around here. Not many nice landlords and supers left in this city.
Jennie, regarding this whole home buying thing, I agree that you must have been paying at least $1100 a month for rent excluding your phone, power, heat and water. I checked into all that and I was looking to purchase a house, then I realized by the end of the 25 year term, I end up paying close to $405,000 for a $225,000 home by paying $1300 a month to the bank.
I decided I’ll pay myself $1300 a month and save that money, then build the house I like within 15 years.
I’d rather do that than pay the bank $180,000 for sitting on their asses!
I’m assuming you’ll end up paying an additional 140,000 for your house, by the time it’s done, it’s not going to be worth what you put into it.
Also not to mention, you’ll never own your property here. We’ll see how fast who owns is as soon as you stop paying your taxes and bills! I think the only things you own here are your meager possessions, like a car or a bike or any equipment. But once again, stop paying your bills and taxes and see who owns those. You never own anything in North America, the government owns you. Same as the old Robin Hood days.
We’re still living in the old days!
Yes, but Randomness, that’s how almost everyone does it. It’s the cost of borrowing money. Like most people, I didn’t want to sit around and wait for 15 years. I wanted my own home, on the penninsula, and I made it happen.
Not to mention, Randomness, that VERY few people can afford to put away $1300 a month. I don’t know anyone who has that kind of cash to sock away in savings every month after all the bills are paid. Most of us accept that when you borrow money – be it for a house, a car, whatever – you’re going to have to pay interest.
I also highly doubt you’re going to be able to build a house without taking out a mortgage of some sort.
I try to understand from both perspectives, the tenant’s and the landlord’s (what if it were MY investment property), but I fail to understand why a landlord can legally solicit exceedingly personal information and then legally(?) discriminate. They don’t even have to give you a reason why you’re not selected to rent the premises but when they do and it’s the result of discriminatory practice these people should be held accountable. They get to mess with our lives! This is no different than applying for a job and NO, my credit score is of NO CONCERN TO YOU and NO, my martial status and sexual orientation are IRRELEVANT and what I smoke is MY BUSINESS not yours… I could go on and on… grrr
Are you the same brainless young people that call anyone over 25 “old?” If so, I’m glad you’re having a hard time…juvenile.