Trailers for Sale or Rent.....

…..Rooms to rent, fifty cents. Well, it’s not that bad….yet. But, in another sign of how bad things are, and how much worse some people think they will get, many recession-pinched homeowners are looking for paying boarders to share their space.

Apartment sharing is not uncommon among the 20-something set, especially in cities like New York, Philadelphia and Boston, where the rent for a decent apartment can easily run well over $1,000 a month. But, homeowners needing and looking for paying guests is a recent occurrence and a repeat of the depression era of the 1920’s and 1930’s. Actually, renting out part of the family house was a very common practice in the late 19th century, but as more Americans moved into single-family homes, the arrangement became less popular, and by 1950, boarders and roomers were largely out of the picture. The current economic troubles seems now to have brought it back, and the whole process has of course been updated considerably through the use of Craigslist and other online web sites.

Listings for housemates on the various classified and house-sharing web sites have ballooned in the past year. On Craigslist alone in the Philadelphia area, roommate wanted ads have risen by 60% in the past year, according to company figures.

If you are thinking about possibly renting out part of your house to help meet expenses, needless to say, check out the persons very carefully. Unless you have completely separate living spaces, the boarder will have full access to your house and everything in it. Also, check with your local municipality for any special rules and regulations and licenses.