248
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023
248 points (98.8% liked)
politics
19241 readers
1713 users here now
Welcome to the discussion of US Politics!
Rules:
- Post only links to articles, Title must fairly describe link contents. If your title differs from the site’s, it should only be to add context or be more descriptive. Do not post entire articles in the body or in the comments.
Links must be to the original source, not an aggregator like Google Amp, MSN, or Yahoo.
Example:
- Articles must be relevant to politics. Links must be to quality and original content. Articles should be worth reading. Clickbait, stub articles, and rehosted or stolen content are not allowed. Check your source for Reliability and Bias here.
- Be civil, No violations of TOS. It’s OK to say the subject of an article is behaving like a (pejorative, pejorative). It’s NOT OK to say another USER is (pejorative). Strong language is fine, just not directed at other members. Engage in good-faith and with respect! This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban.
- No memes, trolling, or low-effort comments. Reposts, misinformation, off-topic, trolling, or offensive. Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.
- Vote based on comment quality, not agreement. This community aims to foster discussion; please reward people for putting effort into articulating their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it.
- No hate speech, slurs, celebrating death, advocating violence, or abusive language. This will result in a ban. Usernames containing racist, or inappropriate slurs will be banned without warning
We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.
All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.
That's all the rules!
Civic Links
• Congressional Awards Program
• Library of Congress Legislative Resources
• U.S. House of Representatives
Partnered Communities:
• News
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
While this program doesn’t relate to my situation, I did just move to the Boston area, and know first hand how shitty the rental market is here. I’m not even talking about the overall monthly rents you need to fork over (which is insane), I’m talking about brokers fees when signing a lease. It seems like 90% of the places for rent require first + last months rent, security deposit, AND a brokers fee equaling one months rent. Sure, you can use a broker yourself, so it would make sense that you would pay them for their services, but the landlords are the ones using them, and passing the fees on to the renter.
Coming from the western US, this was shocking. No wonder so many people are at risk of losing their housing - they can’t even afford to move to a better situation.
I almost fell for that on Long Island several years ago. To even think that brokers are even necessary with tools like apartments.com is ridiculous.
I've never dealt with a broker that did anything beyond opening the door and going "here. Apartment. Look." Useless leeches, the lot of them.
A while ago me and my now wife moved out of the country for her studies. We didn't live together at the time so I was hesitant about selling my place. I also didn't want to travel all the way back for showings, maintenance or whatever. So I used a broker/realtor.
And I'm glad I did, as the last people who lived there just stopped paying rent. That economic burden fell on the realtor. They didn't treat my place nicely, and that was my cost to fix. But I still would have been in a difficult situation with potential squatters who refused to pay rent if it weren't for them.
I agree that it's more often than not pointless, but I was lucky to use them.
If Massachusetts was serious about housing reform they'd legislate away the broker's fees. But they aren't, so they won't.
they won't. broker industry is in the pockets of beacon Hill and the suits like how they somehow managed to inflate the cost of their house that's located in an arctic tundra of a state
If renters don't pay the fee, what prevents brokers from charging the landlords, who will increase rent to make it back?
Why not offer a central register where every offer has to be registered which could eliminate the need for brokers entirely?
Landlords won't increase rent just because their costs go up. If they could increase rent now, they absolutely would. It has nothing to do with costs.
If they could increase rent now, but aren't, they're shit at their job.
Landlords can increase as long as renters are able to pay more. If you remove the broker fees then there is room for higher rents.
As long as renters 'are willing' to pay more. It will take time for the market to adjust. While that happens people win out.
I'm also on this boat also. moved here from the West Coast and feel completely scammed here in Boston. it's actually insane too because most of the people here have bought into the completely corrupt politics that have caused the housing market to get to this place. if you ask people here, most will say they prefer Boston housing because of "tenant protections" and that brokers provide an essential service in such an impacted housing market. those guys are fuckin donkeys. the Boston housing market exists on the backs of students who cycle through apartments at a huge rate every year, and the broker industry makes a killing abusing poor college students into paying brokers fees when they move every year. every industry involved in the Boston housing market is in cahoots with this system. they're all criminals in my view. that on top of the fact a broker came into my apartment without permission to show my apartment and walked into my bathroom while I was showering. I was full nude and the dude waved at me and proceeded to show my bathroom to his clients on clients with me naked in the bathroom. criminals.
From Boston to Worcester it is insane. Police are starting to chase away homeless and destroy their camps. It is like They Live out there. I feel like Mass is one bad day from riots.
From someone who’s been here for over a decade: it’s a paywall, pure and simple.
I’ve never hear of a broker’s fee for rentals. That is a thing?
I have had to deal with non-refundable application fees, however. I have gone to war over those fees.