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Do The Double-up! As Rents Rise, More Renters Turn to Doubling Up (L.A. The Worst!)

This is a syndicated repost published with the permission of Snake Hole Lounge. To view original, click here. Opinions herein are not those of the Wall Street Examiner or Lee Adler. Reposting does not imply endorsement. The information presented is for educational or entertainment purposes and is not individual investment advice.

Zillow has a fascinating, yet troubling study.  It says that rent consumes a growing share of household income in many cities, some people must relocate or find ways to offset rising prices. An increasingly popular way to cut costs is by adding a roommate. Nationally, 30 percent of working-age adults—aged 23 to 65—live in doubled-up households, up from a low of 21 percent in 2005 and 23 percent in 1990.

Doubing up is a close relative of young adults continuing to live with their parents. Even though U-6 unemployment is at 8%, wage growth continues to be considerably lower than before the financial crisis. This offers a partial explanation for the doubling-up phenomenon.

Of course, doubling-up is typical is high cost of living areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago and Washington DC. Not surprising is the doubling-up trend in Mexican border cities like El Centro California, Tucson and Yuma Arizona and El Paso and Laredo Texas.

zillowdoubleup

This nice graphic shows the trend over time, with Los Angeles leading the way.

Doubled-350180

And yes, The Federal Reserve’s super low rate policies have contributed to rent growth (but not wage growth).

effrent

So, let’s do the double-up with Archie Bell and the Drells from Houston Texas.

Even The Dude (aka, Jeffrey Lebowski) didn’t have to double-up with Donnie or Walter Sobchak in the film The Big Lebowski in 1998. Likely all three would have to live together if filmed in 2017.

-the-big-lebowski-the-room

 

 

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