Hey there NC peeps! My Kid is moving there and we need help...

[FirstLight]

We're in Tahoe in CA, the kids are currently renting my parent's cabin (cheap so they could save) and have been there for three + years. Well my daughter and roommate are moving to North Carolina to start a life with her fiancee too.

We've got $$$ for deposit, pet deposit and a couple months rent...But getting into a place when you aren't THERE is hard. Not to mention most places want proof of income and they have to get there to get jobs.

The fiancee already has work and is in Forest City. They are looking all over the western NC area, Asheville too. Yes, they have 2 dogs and cat, so that's another difficulty.
I was encouraging them to try and get some remote work set up so they can have that income to show. My daughter still has an in-person job here at hotel front desk and roommate is in retail.

These are 20-year olds who have been through Community College, and are hardworking, but the market is so brutal. Here in Tahoe it's out of price range for them to even consider. AND she wants to be with the fiancee asap too.

Don't know whether to tell them to take a leap and live in a hotel till they find a place (which may have worked in the old days but now is dangerous and they could end up sleeping in the car)...or work on getting a remote gig and THEN move.
Times are so different then when I was just starting out in 1990, I don't even know where to start.

So I'm reaching out to my DU Family...anyone in North Carolina with a friend who's renting out a 2BD with a yard?
Anyone got any helpful advice?
I was hoping that having the $ saved up to cover them for a few months would help...


(please don't bash, if you don't have anything nice to say, scroll on...thanks)

[SheltieLover]

1. Tell them to get work first. Landlords want 3 times the rent in income.

In TN now, but lived in NC for a few years. Asheville is gorgeous, but ridiculously expensive.

Sorry, I don't know anyone with a rental unit.

And 3 pets will cut deep into their savings. Many places charge $600-800 nonrefundable pet fee, per pet, in addition to $25+ per month "pet rent." Also, most places have a limit of 2 pets & weight limit & breed restrictions.

Best of luck to them!

[FirstLight]

2. Ya, the pet thing kills me...I TOLD them they were gonna be up the creek, but one is a service dog

I'm actually blown away by rents there cuz compared to No. Cali it's cheaper. But I guess wages are probably lower too...

Thanks, I've been pushing the JOB first train of thought. Even though either one of them will have no trouble getting work...

Thanks for the positive thoughts!

[SheltieLover]

3. What kind of work do they do?

Maybe fiance can help on his end?

It's a really tough rdntal market, tbh.

I had nothing but major trouble with drug addict apartment maintenance guys. Medications & computer parts stolen. Grrrr.

Have them call several realtors in the area & get it straight from the horse's mouth. (No job, no rental.)

When I moved there, I had a new job that paid very well. Still had difficulty renting (no pets at tge time either). I even offered 6 mos cash up front & only 1 would rent to me. (An efficiency for $650/month (years ago).

Good luck!

[FirstLight]

4. Front Desk/Hotel, retail, office work etc

I really feel for the kids coming up right now, it certainly isn't the world from my time. No wonder so many are still at home or stuck.
My son traded in his car for an RV and he was boondocking for a while till he and his GF got stable...took them about 6 months to figure it out (and I was sending them $ for emergencies all the time...)

I wish I could just build another floor on top of my house and let them stay here...but they really want to get out of Cali.

[SheltieLover]

5. That might be tough for them to qualify for rent.

I don't mean to be a downer, but in 2013, I was paying $1k/ month for a 1BR in Asheville. That's likely much higher now.

Can the fiance help them on the NC end to find a place to live?

Also, salaries are quite likely much lower in NC than in CA. When I lived there, teachers with a bachelors degree were getting $20k/year. How anyone could live on that, I have no idea. Just overheard coworkers talking about teacher salaries one day.

I hope the fiance can help.

Personally, I'd keep saving & buy a home. I could tell you horror stories about renting from rednecks, but I'll spare you.

[blm]

7. Biltmore is hiring.

Asheville is steep, but, surrounding areas like Hendersonville, Fletcher are more affordable.

[MiniMe]

6. The service dog shouldn't be a problem

Note, I said shouldn't. But proving that is why they wouldn't rent to you is the hard part. Service dogs are usually very well trained. The other pets could be a problem. Hoping everything works out well for them.

[Earth-shine]

8. In 2008, I rented a 2br in Asheville for $850 a month. In 2018, the rent was $1200,

and expected to continue climbing rapidly.

While there, I enjoyed a lower cost of living than my previous time in New York. My NY money went further.

But, lower cost of living also means lower salaries and a lower min wage. (The price of that new car is the same in NY and NC.)

My wife and I then bought a condo in Florida. Auto insurance more than doubled from NC to FL.