Moving on my own.
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I’ve been living in an apt. with a roommate for about 8years. Recently, this person told me they would be moving out without giving me much of a notice. The current rent is too high for me to afford on my own, but I know that I can stay here in the same unit once they leave because the property manager will most likely not ask for any updated information since I’ve already been living here so long. I want to move into something smaller in the same complex but this would require that they look into my income. I’m just afraid that I don’t quite make enough to be approved. For reference I make $14.25 and work about 35hrs a week. The rent for the new place is about $755. My fear is that if I try to apply, I’ll get rejected for the new unit and then asked to leave the old. To make matters worse, I really need to stay in this place since it’s so close to my job and I couldn’t get anything else like it. I guess I’m just wondering if my fears are true or if there’s a chance I could make things work.
I don’t think landlords have any hard and fast rule for how much a tenant needs to earn (some may go by the rule of three, though, and expect you to earn three times the rent) but $755/mo rent when you’re gross monthly income is ~$2100 would be tough even if a landlord is okay with it. If you need to stay in this complex, I’d not risk being put in a position where the landlord realizes you don’t even meet their requirements for the unit you’re currently in.
Thirty five hours a week? You need to add a part time job to the one you already have. Some cities have set percents that they require to rent. I would look for a new roommate and not risk it. You need to increase your income.
When I first moved out on my own, my salary was ~$35K and my rent was $725/mo. So, a bit more money than what you’re working with, LW, and slightly cheaper rent. It was rough! Rent was my largest monthly expense, but on top of that I had pay for utilities, groceries, pesky student loan payments, etc. If my dad hadn’t been helping me pay for my car at the time — a privilege I know many people do not have — I would’ve been living paycheck to paycheck.
So yeah, viable solutions include: supplementing your income with a second job, finding a higher-paying job, getting a new roommate, or finding a cheaper place to live alone.
