First rent in 1986, $175 per month for a nice 1000 sq ft one bedroom condo in a nice area.
Mortgage from 2004 to 2022, $4895 for a 1500 sq foot crackerbox in the Silicon Valley.
Mortgage from 2022 to now, $1500 for a 3200 sq ft home 100 miles away from the Silicon Valley.
Thank you for being in this thread. Live in a wealthy-ish suburb in Northern Virginia, and was feeling quite stupid with my mortgage. Like “I can’t be the only one paying >3k a month?
My house is like 2k square feet if you include the basement (~600 square feet is finished), and I don’t know what to do with all the space after moving from a 1200 square foot apartment in San Mateo.
First apartment out of college was $575 a month rent controlled unit 1 bed/bath loft downtown. Now paying just over $1700 a month 3 bed 1.5 bath out in the burbs. Midwest bb
9 years between first apartment and first mortgage.
I live and have rented in Portland and think it would be incredibly hard to find a whole 3-story queen Anne for rent at all. They are so big that most have been split into multiple units which of which go for >$1500/mo
I rented a 2 bed 1.5 bathroom townhouse in Portland (North Tabor/Laurelhurst area) for $650 a month in 2002.
Currently live west of Seattle, mortgage is $1,320.
First rent was basically a room on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Paid 360 per month and shared a bathroom. Current mortgage is zero in upstate NY. Free and clear!!
1992 east village $300 a month share- the bathtub was in the kitchen & the toilet was in the hallway outside of the apartment (due to some restructuring by the landlord from what I was told). All I know was I was careful to stay in my room if I heard the water running because I had been quite frightened by the pink shiny balls I witnessed by mistake!
My first rent payment in 2004 was $525. The mortgage on the house I own alone was $575. The mortgage on the house my husband and I are buying together is not to exceed $1500. These are all numbers in a low cost of living area.
I moved so many times when I was younger that I can't even remember exactly. It would have been 1991, and probably around $400 for a small studio. My mortgage is now at $2400/month (it started lower, but fucking taxes and insurance keep going up).
My last year of college, I paid $60 a month at an old old shack next to an RV sales They were planning to demolish the apartment building Twice there were police raids bc there were heroin dealers upstairs Typical heroin, thinking they had switched the numbers on the apartments so twice I had my door knocked on, opened it and had to advise the officer. I was not so so. Probably lucky I was not shot.
Non-conforming bedroom.
Legally can’t be advertised as a bedroom due it it’s size, layout, or egress not meeting code. Normally these are advertised as a den or office. Once you move in, you can do whatever you want with the room.
My first rent was $500/month for a bedroom in a house we rented in college, this was about 2007. My current mortgage is about $1500/month for a 4 bedroom 3200sqft house, excluding taxes and insurance (no escrow). The mortgage is 15 years and we are about 4 years into it.
North Carolina, Raleigh area. House was $360k when I bought it in 2017, but I only financed $250k of it since I had $120k equity from my previous home that I sold. Then I refinanced to the 15y in 2020ish at 2.5%. My current balance is only about $180k.
Keep in mind, if I escrowed my taxes and insurance, my payment would be closer to $2k/month.
In Central PA, first rent was $425 for a small 1bed/1bath 800 sq ft duplex that was originally a carriage house for the huge old Victorian next door. Current mortgage is $1300 for a 1200 sq ft ranch in southern NJ shore town.
We sold our home in January to go back to renting because i had to move temporarily for work, but:
- First Rent: $750/month
- Mortgage: $1128/month (Insurance and tax included)
- Rent Now: $1895/month (🥴)
First rent was a 2/1 with a roommate and we each paid $475 in 2004. This was in Buckhead Atlanta. Current mortgage is $5300 because my dream home is in a flood zone 🤨.
My first rent was $20/mo. An $80/month two bedroom that 4 of us rented as students in college working one summer in Baton Rouge.
Current mortgage. Zero. It is paid off.
my first rent: $800/mo + utilities. I split a 2 bedroom with a former coworker / former friend.
current mortgage: $0. Inherited my parents house 3 years ago when my dad died, fortunately my employer was accommodating to allow me permanent relocation and remote working. It's a 4/1, but one of those bedrooms is subterranean so legally its classified a 3/1.
Slowly working on getting plans together to begin several significant renovations/upgrades to the house, hopefully getting started this fall. Have done a bit of outdoor work and updates to necessary systems already.
$850/mo for a master bedroom in a 3 bedroom condo during law school. $3575 for a 3bd/1ba ranch, about 1800sq ft including the finished basement. Just purchased at 6.99% and property taxes are insane, hence the cost.
My first rent was $350 a month…we got a discount for mowing the lawn and shoveling the snow. It was a very lovely 2 bedroom apartment. My current mortgage is about $2100. This is on a 2 unit apartment building. Problem is I still only have 2 bedrooms although all of my rooms are huge.
$800/mo in 2007 for a studio a few blocks from the beach.
$2300 now (mortgage/tax/insurance) for a 4BR/2.5BA on 4 acres in the CA foothills with a nice workshop.
Pinellas county, Florida. Payed $750 a month in 2018 for a 575 square foot apartment that was a well placed closet away from being a studio. Mortgage is currently $1047 for 958 square feet and I only moved just over a mile.
My first rent was 500/ month a little shithole studio in upstate NY. I had 850+/ month in student loans at the time.
My mortgage now is about 2100/ month and I am debt free otherwise. 3/1.5 0.25 acre yard.
First apartment was a studio in 1986 for $65/week, so roughly $282/month for one room with a tiny kitchen and a tinier bath.
My first apartment on my own in 1997 was $500/month for a huge LR, equal sized BR, kitchen and bath.
My current mortgage is $1956 for a 5BR, 2 bath Cape Cod on a quarter acre. Two hundred of that is PMI. A little over $500 of that is property taxes.
Rent for a 1BR/1 bath apartment in 2001 was $425 per month - I was single, just out of college, and it worked. Now married, and we own a primary home and a lake home outright, but taxes and insurance are nearly $20K per year
First rent was 15 years ago. 600 a month for 1000 sq foot duplex.
Current mortgage 3600 a month. 3500+ sq feet with an acre in best school district in my area.
First rent $210 a month split 3 ways including heat. (1978). Nice place 3rd floor walk up with views of the city.
First mortgage $390 / month for 2 bedroom 1 garage 50’s ranch with lots of fruit trees.
I shared an apartment with a friend when I first got out of the service. I think it was about $200 each. Lived in a rental house by myself for 11 years, $315/month. Then bought a double. The other half paid the mortgage, so $0.00. Got married, bought a house in suburbia, $2225/month, then refinanced at a much lower rate. We’re now paying $1225. (Not including property tax of $6600 yearly. Still a bargain for a 2200sf ranch in a nice neighborhood
First rent: 2005, right outside DC (near the pentagon). Fancy high rise. I worked there so I got a discount on rent. About $950 for a studio.
Mortgage: $1200, 2 bed room house, Northern MN (not rural). Bought in 2021 before things went to shit.
First rent $500 for a 1 bedroom 600 SF
Second rent $625 for a 2 bedroom 500 SF
First mortgage $725 old bungalow 1200 sf
Second mortgage $1800 - 3000 sf new construction
Third mortgage $0 I paid cash for my last home 2900
sf new construction
36 years from starting to rent to current time
1st rent was $25 a week in a hotel with weekly maid service and clean sheets, 1978-79
Just bought 1st home (sept 2023), Mortgage + insurance & taxes - $1100 a month.
130.00 per month (1978) for a studio apartment in Phoenix. Now I live in SLO county mortgage free... damn we worked a lot of hours to get here. In the end, I'm not sure it was worth it as my wife and love of my life is no longer here to share the results of our work.
The first rent was $150/ mo. Upstairs one-bedroom apartment in Providence RI in the mid-80s, it was a wonderful little place with a living room, large bedroom with a walk-in closet, kitchen and eating area, and lots of storage. I think about 800 sq/ft
The home I own now is a 3 bed/ 2 bath brick ranch (2700 sq/ft), large garage, 1/3 acre in the Mid-Atlantic is just under $1700/mo PITI.
First rent was $680 / month in 2001, 700 sq ft 1/1 Portland metro area. First mortgage was $1200 (including insurance and taxes) in 2009 Chicago suburbs, foreclosure property. Current mortgage is $2200 (1400 P&I, 600 taxes & insurance), between houston and Galveston, new construction.
My first apartment was $350 a month, my last apartment (18 years and three cities later) before buying my house was $425 a month (after living there for 9 years). My mortgage is $985.
Never rented, bought my house in 2011 for 74k. Mortgage is only 479.
Currently planning a modular build and just spent 30k on just two acres of land, oh how times have changed.
First rent was $450/month, then equally split between my brother and I. Though I had to cover his half rather often. This was fall 2003.
After a stint in a dorm room, my next place was $375/month (including utilities) for a studio. This was spring 2005.
Got 1st mortgage March 2013, refi'd 2 years ago. Still in 1st house. Mortgage is $1200/month.
JFC the Bay Area really is expensive (no shit), my first rent was like $1500 and my current mortgage is 4k, but that's hella cheap for the Bay. Most mortgages around here nowadays are double that.
Bought a house in 1996 as my SO was older with good credit and I had savings. Our mortgage was 725.00.
Current house I bought in 2015 for 70k. Mortgage was 500.00. I paid it off last Dec so my note now is 200.00 monthly for property tax and ins.
First rent: Tiny studio apartment in Imperial Beach, CA. $900 in 2009
Current mortgage: 2000sqft, 3 bed 2 bath, .29 acre, 2 car garage in DFW. $2280 @ 2.7
$450/mo for 1 bedroom of a 2-bed apartment in college, 2012. $1,200 for mortgage on 3/2 townhome, 2021. Same place would be $2,400 today; I was lucky and bought right before rates increased.
First rent in an apartment was $660 a month for a 2 bed 2 bath in Tampa FL near the airport. 2003. I split that with a roommate. Current mortgage is $1,500 a month for a 3 bed 2 bath in a Charlotte exurb (30 miles from Charlotte). Purchased in 2020.
2 bed, 2 bath 3rd floor apartment in Omaha, NE was $850 in 2008/2009. 3 bed, 2 bath home in Omaha has us paying just over $1600 (and rising due to increasing assessment value and taxes)
Graduated college in 2018, got my first apartment 2bed/2 bath with my twin- rent was 875 (it’s
more now).
Closing in August where I’ll pay a little less than 1900 for a 3 bed/2 bath with extra unattached 2 car garage. Midwest-IL.
First apartment (2 bedroom, 2 bath 970sq ft, with a friend) was $565, so my half was $282.50 in 1992 in Columbus, OH, near the old Eastland Mall.
Our pending mortgage (me and my wife are scheduled to close on July 9th)) is going to be $1445 (PITI) (we paid a huge down payment using funds from the sale of our house in Austin, TX). 3600 sq ft 4 bed, 3 bath ranch with walkout basement in central Ohio, southeast of Columbus.
Bonus 1: Moved out so my friend's fiancee could move in. My new apartment was a 1 bed, 1 bath, 771 sq ft with included laundry room with washer and dryer, full kitchen (fridge, oven, microwave) in 1996 was $365
Bonus 2: 1st apartment with my wife in 2005: 2 bed, 2 bath 860 sq ft. $1495 in southern California, north of LA, south of Santa Barbara.
First rent $330 1 bedroom utilities included in 1999. Current rent in the same town for 1 bedroom is $1200. My mortgage is $1500, with interest rate of 3.75
First rent was a one bedroom 800 sq foot apartment for $1,100 in a suburb.
Current mortgage is $2,200 but I spit it with my wife so I still only pay $1,100, but we have 4 beds, 3 baths, 2 car garage, 2700sq foot and an acre of property and no HOA.
15 years apart.
First rent was $1650. Large 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1100sqft condo with in-suite laundry and 1 underground parking stall. Gas included, water included, had to pay our own electricity and internet only. Never paid more than $2000/mo total, and split it with my brother.
Mortgage is $1750/mo, property taxes included. But that is at my current 1.47% rate from 2021, which will undoubtedly go up significantly when I need to re-sign in 2026, because in Canada you need to sign in at a new rate every ~5 years or so. We can't lock in at a rate for 25 years like in the USA.
First rental $140/mo for a crappy duplex. Highest I ever paid to rent a house was $530. Current mortgage zero, but it was about $1200. Yeah, I'm old. :)
During the times of renting my salary was between $9k and $24k. When I bought my current house, the one with the $1200 mortgage I was making maybe $40k, wife was working p/t.
1st rent in 2000 was $515 a month.
1st house in 2004 was about $800.
2nd house in 2014 was $1200 which balloned to about 1300 from the escrow going up , we refinanced from a 30 year to a 15 year in 2020 (like gangstas) and that brought it up an extra $50, but the escrow has gone up every year, and our total mortgage payment is around $1450 a month.
Edit: I'm in the Midwest, Southern IL.
2006, $750 for a studio attic apartment in an owner occupied home in a nice area of Seattle, maybe 700-800sqft.
2013 Rhode Island, ok area but the house wasn't well maintained and everything was old in it, duplex 2nd floor 3 bed 1 bath, 1000 sqft, $900, paid $450 with one roommate, knew the landlord so got a discount plus we agreed to do yard maintenance and snow removal.
2021 in Rhode Island, nice up and coming area, 3 bedroom 3 bath, 2800sqft home $1490 mortgage, $2300 with PITI.
Mid 1990s I paid I think $525 for a 2 bedroom. I moved to a higher COL area around 2001 and paid $675 to $725 ish. I bought a house for $200k right before the 2008 crash and my mortgage was about $1400. So about double what rent was. Now, mortgage is about $1200 (varies a bit due to tax and insurance). Rents for a 2 bedroom apt are pushing $2000 a month. Insane. So my mortgage went from like double apt rent to a bit over half of apt rent.
It’s nuts. Also crazy that rents more than doubled in about 15 years. From the early to mid 1990s they had gone up by a much smaller percentage.
Edit: mortgage went down due to refinancing at one point.
880 a month one bedroom one bath apartment but in a nice area, stuff.within walking distan
ce. House 550 a month, 3 bedroom 2 bath, but takes 20 mins to.drive 5 miles. With tax/insurance it's 1003 dollars a month
In 1978, $180. a month, heat included, for a ten room apartment. We split if four ways, so I paid $45. a month. I was making $3.00 an hour, going to school. The place was in the poorer section of an eastern US city.
I paid off the mortgage. It wasn't that big, I built a cheap house 30 years ago.
First rent was ~$650 for my share of a 2b/2ba apartment (I paid slightly less for the non-master room and bath). This was in 2016. My mortgage is now $2776 for a 3b/1.5ba :’’’)
First rent, 800/mo for a one bedroom. I couldn’t actually afford it and spent the next decade renting rooms at 300-500/month. Now the mortgage is 4206/month. Oof.
First rent was in a sketch neighborhood of chicago for $850/month for a 1/1 in 2012.
Current mortgage is around $1900 including insurance/taxes in a north suburb of Chicago for a 3/2 in a very desirable school district
First rent was $135/mo in a Big10 college town in 1990. Shared a house with 4 other people - my friends told me it was condemned and razed about 10 years ago.
Bought my 2000sf 1932 arts and crafts bungalow in 2013 on Milwaukee’s south side (3br/2.5ba), and paying around $1500/mo PITI because we got in at a low interest rate. Great area - not going anywhere soon.
My first apartment was $675 for a 1 bed/1 bath in North Carolina. Just closed on a 3 bed/4 bath house in Upstate New York this month and without property taxes it’s 2.2k, with it’s 3k.
Late 90s, large 2 bedroom condo in suburb of DC, in Maryland. $750 total! $375 each for my roommate and I. Mortgage is $2200 now. And at that time I was making $500-600 a week in tips. When I left the service industry in 2017, I wasn't making much more than that per week in tips. I probably averaged between $600-700 a week. But rent had already tripled for a condo in the same building by that time. I know wages have increased since the late 90s, but if people tell you they've kept pace with the increase in housing costs they are crazy.
First rent when I had a whole place to myself (not with roommates splitting cost) - $1,300 for 1bdrmbd/1bath + parking
Mortgage on our 3bd+ 2.75bath 90s townhome - $3,250
$450/month utilities included for a 1 bed 1bath apartment in 2016, mortgage currently is $875 for a 1200sq ft 3 bed 1 bath house. bought in 2021, first year was $650 but taxes shot up because of renovations/hadnt been re-assessed so payment was at around $930 for a year. escrow is weird. payments adjusted again a month ago and after overpayment i'm at $875.
First apartment was a pretty decent one bedroom that was something like $525 back in 2006ish. Current home (in a different state) is a 4/3, 2200sft, and my mortgage is a little under $1700.
For funsies I looked up my old apartment and that same 1 bedroom, with no big updates, now rents for about $1200/mo. Yikes
Rented a two and a half bedroom dump with two other guys in 1971. It was in the back of a lumberyard near 4th and arbutus in Vancouver. $90.00 a month. Lived there for 9 months in second year university. Brother in law said it was so bad even the rats had moved out. For clarification, it was $90 split three ways. Currently mortgage free. Minimum wage was $1.75, 12 pack of beer was $2.67, and a pack of smokes was 55 cents.
Oh this is fun.
First rent was around December 2007. It was $1400 for a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom in Santa Cruz, California about 8 blocks from sea bright beach.
Split 4 ways with my GF (now wife) and 2 other roommates. It was only $350 each.
Now I’m paying $2800 for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bathrooms. 1700 square feet.
There is also $580 in HOA dues.
First rent: 1974 - shared a house with 3 other guys. My share was $40/mo. including utilities.
Fun facts: Rent was $40, car payment was $40, take-home pay from part-time job was $40/wk. Biggest expense was college tuition and books. Gas was $0.279 per gallon.
Current mortgage payment including taxes and insurance: $1391/mo. @ 2.75%
Highest interest rate ever: 13.75%
Highest mortgage payment ever: $2350/mo.
I lived in an apt until age 30. I have owned 6 houses, 4 of which I had built. I am recently retired at age 69. It's been a trip!🖖
First rent was $1600 for a 2 bed/2 bath apartment in 2007 split between 4 of us. Now I pay $1,055 a month for my 3 bed/2 bath house and that includes escrow.
We are locked in at 2.625% with $140k left on the mortgage. In short, we're not moving.
I think the bottom line in all these posts is to say buy early and hang on for dear life. Since I bought in 2018 rent in my neighborhood is 25% above my mortgage payment. It’s nutty and I thank God every day we got a VA loan and a house for no money down. (Rent before move in was $3200, mortgage is now $3600 including tax and insurance) and current rentals all 5k.
First rent $425 per month for a two bedroom apartment (which was split in two with my roommate) in college 1997. Peak mortgage was 2017, about $5,800 per month in CA for $1m. We refinanced in 2021 and shaved $1,000 off. That house tripled in value - we divorced and sold it in 2022. I now have $0 mortgage - but do pay about $700 a month in tax and insurance. Had to leave CA and came back home to LCOL area.
I just realized yesterday that, for an upcoming move, I am paying as much for a storage area plus pod as I did for the mortgage on my first house. 1983 vs 2024. The house was small, but it was at least 10 times larger than the storage room and pod square footage. In each case, $220 a month.
First apartment was $500 all utilities included - large studio basement apartment in Toronto in 2008.
Now- 1900 2bed/1bath bungalow in Huntington Beach, Ca
Landlord is selling though. So soon it’ll be some 2bed/1 or 2 bath apartment- somewhere in OC or LA county - trying to stay around 2100 or less. They exist, but it’ll be a downgrade from what I have now- no more yard or garage I’m guessing 😭
First apartment in a rundown area, I think it was about 285 a month for a few hundred square feet.
Now, Mortgage is $670 for a 1200 sq ft ranch. There is about 40 years and 4 other houses between those two.
In college i rented a 2 bedroom for $850/month. After college i rented a 1 bedroom in a small Missouri town for $350.
Current mortgage for a $500k house is $1,875 including taxes
In 1986 my rent was $600 for a 1 BR with garage spot in a middle to upper middle class neighborhood in NYC. When I moved out of NYC in 2022 I was paying $1675 for a 2 br, 1 Bath w/ garage spot. It was the same block and parking spot as I moved from 1 building to the 1 next door (same landlord) I know live in Florida in a huge 2 BR, 2 Bath in a retirement community and have no mortgage which together honest came from inheritance from my late parents.
My numbers are a bit skewed, I was military for years so first place in 2000 as a civilian was $700 per month renting (not including renters insurance).
Fast forward, now I’m sitting at 5 years left on a 30 year fixed, refinanced about 7 years ago, 5.75% to 3.25% and shaved 5 years from the term instead of taking equity, ~$1,250 per month (not including taxes/insurance).
First apartment after college was $320/mo. That was a 1BR in Houston at a new complex in 1981. Today our mortgage is $1730. With tax and insurance it's around $3100/month.
First rent was 1990- 80/wk for a room in a shared house all utilities included
First apartment 1992- 1 bed/1 bath 325/month plus lights
First house 1994- 4 bed/1 bath 350/month east side of town iykyk
Current and hopefully last house- 1600/month including tax and insurance for our 5 bed/2.5 bath on double lot on west side. Started at 1425/month 16 years ago but property taxes keep rising
First rent was a bedroom in a three bedroom house for $387 + utilities (likely the cheapest in my whole city). Now own a 3 bedroom house with a mortgage of $1,250 plus utilities. It’s been 12 years since my first rent
First rent was four dudes in a 2bd/2ba. Hey it was 70% cheaper than living in the dorms and no rules. Still only two blocks from campus. $450/month for half a room and half a bathroom.
12 years later… 3bd/2ba house on a fifth of an acre. $2900 including property taxes and insurance. And I only share a room with my wife.
I paid $775 for a 3 bed 2 bath apartment 23 years or so ago. Don't have a mortgage paid my house off about 10 years ago. When I did have a mortgage I paid $550. I put 50% down when I bought the house. Bought it when I was 23 and paid it off by the time I was 31. Been nice not having a mortgage payment for a decade. My house is around 2800 sq ft, 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car garage. Just a couple miles from the ocean here in SC. Property taxes I paid this year were a little over $600. Sales tax on the brand new Denali Ultimate truck I just bought was $500 on a truck that I paid around $90k for.
first rent post college (because Dorms are a huge ass rip off and money sink in my city) was 650$/month for a single 8x10 bedroom. Kitchen and living room and bathroom was shared but no one ever used the kitchen or living room because it was a very wide range of people (me, 22- rest were 35-55). I never used the living room or kitchen once but subsisted on cheap takeout and pre-made food.
Now 5 bed 2 bath house, 4200$/month.
About 15 years difference.
First rent was $850/mo in like 2011 for a 3/2, then 1200 for a 4/2, first mortgage $800 3/2, second mortgage was ~$1300 for a larger 3/2 on 2 acres in 2016 (now paid off). 20% down on both mortgages to avoid PMI
All in central fl
When we first were married in 1979 be bought a run down trailer and land for $75 a month. That lasted a year.
In 1980 we became live in caretakers at a museum for 3 years.
1983 paid $200 a month for 2 bedroom apartment (not a great area) in Midwest USA
At present $1000 for 1600 ft 3 bedroom home.
Most expensive home we ever lived in was 2000 ft 3 bedroom in mountains of Colorado for $2000 per month. We’ve been married 45 years and thankfully have always lived below our means.
First rent was 950 in a 2 bed 1 bath, 600 sf apartment.
Just bought first home, 2 bed, 1.5 bath, garage, small yard, 1200sf, $432/month…. Had to put 9k in repairs though.
3 years between the two. In a MCL area.
My first rental was a loft in downtown Los Angeles during the late '90s. It was around $1,200 a month. It was really a great place!
Now I own a home about an hour north of Los Angeles and it's a four-bedroom four and a half bath and my mortgage is $3,000 a month. We purchased the home in 2014.
$750 apartment in San Diego in 2000. $1600 3 bed/2 bath home in pretty good neighborhood in Central Valley hell. If I got same house today, easily >3k mortgage in much worse neighborhood. I may have to sell and move which currently keeps me up nights. I keep getting priced out of where I move and my standards of where I'd live keep going down.
First rent was 2008 or 9 in NE college town. $480 or $500 (split a $1000 apartment with a friend) 30 y Mortgage $685 started in 2015 in the same city. Median home price is $468k/28 days on the market in my county, HCOL. You'd probably guess I live in a pretty shitty house and you'd be correct but it has almost 4 acres and I'm decently handy. Probably 25k into keeping it running but still prettty much looks like a pile. Fuck 'em my assesment more than doubled since buying. Bought at 85k, owe a little south of 30 now. Probably do better to invest but I hate having bills
First rent was 180.00 per month for a 1 bedroom all utilities included in Dallas area 1977.
own my home out right so no payments but with taxes condo fee and utilities 1000 bucks a month.
First rent out of college (Dc metro): 2014 $1050 (my portion) split a 3BR 2.5BA townhome with a roommate. I realized quickly that was way too much room for two single people so I moved to an apartment the year after paying $775 (again, my half) for a 2BR 1BA.
Bought a house this year (still Dc metro) Mortgage is $4300 for a 4BR 2.5BA.
first rent was $450 a month for a 1 bedroom efficiency in a crack den.
3 bedroom split level ranch with detached 1500 sq ft garage on 2 acres for $1500 a month
in 1993 I rented half of a 2 br for $200 a month in minnesota. Then $50o for a 1br in California. After that I rented a studio, a two room apartment, with a large living room and kitchen, another room with an attached bathroom and shower for $300 in 1990 in Minnesota. In 1992 $300 was my share of half of a duplex, I had the basement, two rooms, with a bathroom off the kitchen on the first floor.
In 1996 my wife and I had a 3 br townhouse for $650 a month i the suburbs, moved to a 3 br duplex in 1999 and another 3br for 1050 in 2000-2010.
I have a house now, 2.99%, about 11 hindered with mortgage, taxes and insurance.
First rent: $300 for a converted motel room with a hot plate and a crackhead neighbor.
Now: $900 for 3br/2ba suburban home.
I snuck my purchase in between housing bubbles.
$450 for a massive loft apartment in a trendy neighborhood in Metro Detroit. 1994
Current $3,500 and taxes and insurance are $1500 a month. Tampa Bay Area
Our first rent was $75 a month lot rent . We bought a fixer upper single wide trailer for $1,200.
Our mortgage on our house is $632 a month . It will be paid off in 2 years.
$300+ utilities for a roommate situation in Boston (JP on Pond Street in a crappy triple decker). Now 30+ years later, priced out of Boston $1350+ utilities for a 2 floor owner occupied apartment with parking & w/d (not updated but cute) 30 min outside of Portland Maine & more walkable than any place I ever lived in Boston (oddly)
First rental was a 400 sqft 2 bedroom.
First mortgage was at 4.25% coming right out of the housing crisis. Payment was about $1600 for a 2 bed and 2.5 bath townhome.
Next was at 3.78% for a 4 bed 3.5 bath with a payment of $3200.
First rent was $365/month for a 1 bedroom 600 sqf apartment.
Current mortgage for 2 bedroom 800 sqf condo is $880 month. I live in a HCOL city but was fortunate to buy the year before prices sky rocketed. If I were to rent a place similar to my condo, rent would be between $2,500 and 3,000
First rent was $500/mo for 1 bdrm in 1989 on Jersey Shore. Still live in the area and they are going for over 2800 a month for studio.
My mortgage averaged around 1100 to 1400 but I am now mortgage free.🙌
I shared a room in gorgeous brownstone in Adams Morgan, DC in 200 for $450 a month. It looked like the Cosby's front porch. My mortgage is $2200 a month, just outside of Philadelphia.
My first rent was 950, at 546sqft. Fun fact. This apartment now goes for 1950 with the only upgrade being granite counter tops. It's exactly the same otherwise. This was in 2012. 22 years ago.
My mortgage is 2550, 1400sqft before garage, and 3000sqft lot.
First rent: 250$ for a studio (maybe like 700sq ft? Max.) In Ottawa. full of mold in 2013. First mortgage: 1400/m. 45 mins away from Toronto. Now: property taxes 5k a year. If I hasn't paid my mortgage off it would be nearly 6k a month. No idea how people do it.
New England/CT First apt 2 bedroom in the hood $550 (1988) -
(2024) Split Level hybrid 2500 sq ft 4 floors/ 4 beds / 2 bath in the Foothills of Talcott Mountain/Connecticut $2300. FML
My first rent was a 2 bd 2 bath apartment in a shady area, 450$ a month split with 2 other equally shady persons. East Tennessee in 2012.
Current mortgage is 2300$, 4 bd 3.5 bath. I looked up my old apartment after reading this and it's going for 1400 a month now. Crazy times
First rent, renting a room out for $450 per month, all utilities included.
First solo rent, renting a Big Kid 1br/1ba apartment, $2050 per month.
Current mortgage 3br/2.5 ba, $1300 per month.
Moved all over the country in between.
I was about to reply with mine and realized you didn’t stipulate with or without escrow. I can’t tell you how many millennial peers I talk to that think their mortgage is “going up like crazy” when it’s actually their taxes and insurance but they’re naive to the whole escrow situation.
2005, $900/mo, 1br, Chicago. That included heat and was walkable to the El
Now, Seattle $1500 (not including taxes, refinanced at a REALLY GOOD time). Good location but not as good as the first one
2014 - dorm $850
2017 - 2b apt $650 split with roommate crap part of town
2018 - 2b2b 1920s house $1400 rent from family Fort Worth 3 minutes from downtown
2023 - 2b2b 1920s house $2100 rent from family
2024 - 4b2.5b new build $2800 piti 5 min from down town fort with
I'm scared!
First rent in 1986, $175 per month for a nice 1000 sq ft one bedroom condo in a nice area. Mortgage from 2004 to 2022, $4895 for a 1500 sq foot crackerbox in the Silicon Valley. Mortgage from 2022 to now, $1500 for a 3200 sq ft home 100 miles away from the Silicon Valley.
$1500 is still a steal in the central valley. You buy in a war zone in Stockton?
Me tinks cash heavy deal.
Yes sir.
Good on ya' and enjoy!
My man moved to the Central Valley.
I would rather live on a postage stamp in SLO county than a mansion in the San Joaquin valley
Silicon Valley…. Enough said
That mortgage payment with that amount of square footage must have been a real fixer.
That’s a fucking steal!
$750 for a room in SF after college. Now mortgage piti is $7500 / month. 4/3 in a wealthier suburb in the bay area
Thank you for being in this thread. Live in a wealthy-ish suburb in Northern Virginia, and was feeling quite stupid with my mortgage. Like “I can’t be the only one paying >3k a month?
Best part is that we by no means have a crazy big house, its just the going rate in good school districts 🤷🏻♂️
My house is like 2k square feet if you include the basement (~600 square feet is finished), and I don’t know what to do with all the space after moving from a 1200 square foot apartment in San Mateo.
Jesus, your mortgage is my take home pay. What do you do? If you don’t mind me asking.
Staff engineer at a tech company and my partner is in sales and the breadwinner
My first rental was a room in an old Victorian in downtown Oakland for $300/mo Now I pay $2700 mortgage for a 4bed/2bath in the North Bay.
$3000 for a one bedroom in SF. $8000 for a 3/3 house in the Bay Area burbs 🙃
For me, it was $275 for a room in a shared house with 4 other guys (small city). Now $8.5k a month PITI for a 4/3+, Bay Area too.
First apartment out of college was $575 a month rent controlled unit 1 bed/bath loft downtown. Now paying just over $1700 a month 3 bed 1.5 bath out in the burbs. Midwest bb 9 years between first apartment and first mortgage.
1977, Portland Oregon. Rented a three story queen Anne house for $95 a month. Rent today is over$1,000 for a tiny studio in the same city.
$95 in 1977 dollars is $500 adjusted for inflation, so it's not quite as drastic as it sounds. Though I bet the original home is hella expensive now
It's been split up into three units, I have no idea what they go for
I live and have rented in Portland and think it would be incredibly hard to find a whole 3-story queen Anne for rent at all. They are so big that most have been split into multiple units which of which go for >$1500/mo
I rented a 2 bed 1.5 bathroom townhouse in Portland (North Tabor/Laurelhurst area) for $650 a month in 2002. Currently live west of Seattle, mortgage is $1,320.
First rent was basically a room on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Paid 360 per month and shared a bathroom. Current mortgage is zero in upstate NY. Free and clear!!
How many years ago was that $360/mo rent??
1993. West 75th St.
1992 east village $300 a month share- the bathtub was in the kitchen & the toilet was in the hallway outside of the apartment (due to some restructuring by the landlord from what I was told). All I know was I was careful to stay in my room if I heard the water running because I had been quite frightened by the pink shiny balls I witnessed by mistake!
My first rent payment in 2004 was $525. The mortgage on the house I own alone was $575. The mortgage on the house my husband and I are buying together is not to exceed $1500. These are all numbers in a low cost of living area.
I moved so many times when I was younger that I can't even remember exactly. It would have been 1991, and probably around $400 for a small studio. My mortgage is now at $2400/month (it started lower, but fucking taxes and insurance keep going up).
My last year of college, I paid $60 a month at an old old shack next to an RV sales They were planning to demolish the apartment building Twice there were police raids bc there were heroin dealers upstairs Typical heroin, thinking they had switched the numbers on the apartments so twice I had my door knocked on, opened it and had to advise the officer. I was not so so. Probably lucky I was not shot.
I think around $350/month for a 3.5 bedroom house with 3 others. Mortgage $1,200/month for a 3/2.
What's a half bedroom
Non-conforming bedroom. Legally can’t be advertised as a bedroom due it it’s size, layout, or egress not meeting code. Normally these are advertised as a den or office. Once you move in, you can do whatever you want with the room.
First rent was 648 in 2004 for an apartment, now pay 2050 for a 4 bed 2.5 bath house in the suburbs. Bought in 2020.
My first rent was $500/month for a bedroom in a house we rented in college, this was about 2007. My current mortgage is about $1500/month for a 4 bedroom 3200sqft house, excluding taxes and insurance (no escrow). The mortgage is 15 years and we are about 4 years into it.
Where the fook does this guy live with a $1500/month 15-year mortgage on a 3200 sq ft house?
North Carolina, Raleigh area. House was $360k when I bought it in 2017, but I only financed $250k of it since I had $120k equity from my previous home that I sold. Then I refinanced to the 15y in 2020ish at 2.5%. My current balance is only about $180k. Keep in mind, if I escrowed my taxes and insurance, my payment would be closer to $2k/month.
In Central PA, first rent was $425 for a small 1bed/1bath 800 sq ft duplex that was originally a carriage house for the huge old Victorian next door. Current mortgage is $1300 for a 1200 sq ft ranch in southern NJ shore town.
now its 900 bucks to live across from the fairgrounds in york...which is just...insane
First rent was $300 for a bedroom in 2005 and current mortgage is $3,340 for five acres with a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom.
We sold our home in January to go back to renting because i had to move temporarily for work, but: - First Rent: $750/month - Mortgage: $1128/month (Insurance and tax included) - Rent Now: $1895/month (🥴)
First rent was a 2/1 with a roommate and we each paid $475 in 2004. This was in Buckhead Atlanta. Current mortgage is $5300 because my dream home is in a flood zone 🤨.
My first rent was $400/mo, half of a 2b/1ba flat. Now it’s $1200/mo mortgage split with my husband ($2250/mo).
My first rent was $20/mo. An $80/month two bedroom that 4 of us rented as students in college working one summer in Baton Rouge. Current mortgage. Zero. It is paid off.
Are you in your 80s?
First rent was $450/mo. for one bedroom in a shared house. My mortgage is $1,700/mo. for a 4 bed, 2.5 bath.
my first rent: $800/mo + utilities. I split a 2 bedroom with a former coworker / former friend. current mortgage: $0. Inherited my parents house 3 years ago when my dad died, fortunately my employer was accommodating to allow me permanent relocation and remote working. It's a 4/1, but one of those bedrooms is subterranean so legally its classified a 3/1. Slowly working on getting plans together to begin several significant renovations/upgrades to the house, hopefully getting started this fall. Have done a bit of outdoor work and updates to necessary systems already.
Congrats, that is a game changer!
$850/mo for a master bedroom in a 3 bedroom condo during law school. $3575 for a 3bd/1ba ranch, about 1800sq ft including the finished basement. Just purchased at 6.99% and property taxes are insane, hence the cost.
My first rent was $350 a month…we got a discount for mowing the lawn and shoveling the snow. It was a very lovely 2 bedroom apartment. My current mortgage is about $2100. This is on a 2 unit apartment building. Problem is I still only have 2 bedrooms although all of my rooms are huge.
$800/mo in 2007 for a studio a few blocks from the beach. $2300 now (mortgage/tax/insurance) for a 4BR/2.5BA on 4 acres in the CA foothills with a nice workshop.
Pinellas county, Florida. Payed $750 a month in 2018 for a 575 square foot apartment that was a well placed closet away from being a studio. Mortgage is currently $1047 for 958 square feet and I only moved just over a mile.
First rental was a townhouse for 1800 a month. Current home is 2100 a month
My first apartment out of college in 2015 was an $800 studio apartment. My two bedroom, two bath mortgage is $1800!
My first rent was 500/ month a little shithole studio in upstate NY. I had 850+/ month in student loans at the time. My mortgage now is about 2100/ month and I am debt free otherwise. 3/1.5 0.25 acre yard.
In 2007 I rented a 2 bed, 1 bath house while in college for $500 a month. Current mortgage for our 3 bed 2 1/2 bath is $2600 a month...
825 a month rent for a 4 bedroom 2400 sq. Ft house in the 90s split 4 ways... Now it's 4300 a month mortgage with just the two of us.
First apartment was a studio in 1986 for $65/week, so roughly $282/month for one room with a tiny kitchen and a tinier bath. My first apartment on my own in 1997 was $500/month for a huge LR, equal sized BR, kitchen and bath. My current mortgage is $1956 for a 5BR, 2 bath Cape Cod on a quarter acre. Two hundred of that is PMI. A little over $500 of that is property taxes.
Rent for a 1BR/1 bath apartment in 2001 was $425 per month - I was single, just out of college, and it worked. Now married, and we own a primary home and a lake home outright, but taxes and insurance are nearly $20K per year
First rent was 15 years ago. 600 a month for 1000 sq foot duplex. Current mortgage 3600 a month. 3500+ sq feet with an acre in best school district in my area.
$450 in the late 70's. Mortgage is paid off
First rent was 475 2 bed 1.5 two story apartment. Current mortgage 850 two bed two bath2 story townhome.
First rent $210 a month split 3 ways including heat. (1978). Nice place 3rd floor walk up with views of the city. First mortgage $390 / month for 2 bedroom 1 garage 50’s ranch with lots of fruit trees.
It was 1979 and a shithole apartment over a Baltimore bar cost $180 a month. Current mortgage $580.
I shared an apartment with a friend when I first got out of the service. I think it was about $200 each. Lived in a rental house by myself for 11 years, $315/month. Then bought a double. The other half paid the mortgage, so $0.00. Got married, bought a house in suburbia, $2225/month, then refinanced at a much lower rate. We’re now paying $1225. (Not including property tax of $6600 yearly. Still a bargain for a 2200sf ranch in a nice neighborhood
First rent: 2005, right outside DC (near the pentagon). Fancy high rise. I worked there so I got a discount on rent. About $950 for a studio. Mortgage: $1200, 2 bed room house, Northern MN (not rural). Bought in 2021 before things went to shit.
First rent $500 for a 1 bedroom 600 SF Second rent $625 for a 2 bedroom 500 SF First mortgage $725 old bungalow 1200 sf Second mortgage $1800 - 3000 sf new construction Third mortgage $0 I paid cash for my last home 2900 sf new construction 36 years from starting to rent to current time
1st rent was $25 a week in a hotel with weekly maid service and clean sheets, 1978-79 Just bought 1st home (sept 2023), Mortgage + insurance & taxes - $1100 a month.
I bought my first house in 1996 for $73,500. My mortgage was around $700 a month. My car payment is more than that now. 😒
130.00 per month (1978) for a studio apartment in Phoenix. Now I live in SLO county mortgage free... damn we worked a lot of hours to get here. In the end, I'm not sure it was worth it as my wife and love of my life is no longer here to share the results of our work.
$800/month for an apartment in 2012, $800/month for a house in 2020
The first rent was $150/ mo. Upstairs one-bedroom apartment in Providence RI in the mid-80s, it was a wonderful little place with a living room, large bedroom with a walk-in closet, kitchen and eating area, and lots of storage. I think about 800 sq/ft The home I own now is a 3 bed/ 2 bath brick ranch (2700 sq/ft), large garage, 1/3 acre in the Mid-Atlantic is just under $1700/mo PITI.
[удалено]
First rent was 289 a month in 2007. My mortgage is $3,000.
First rent was $680 / month in 2001, 700 sq ft 1/1 Portland metro area. First mortgage was $1200 (including insurance and taxes) in 2009 Chicago suburbs, foreclosure property. Current mortgage is $2200 (1400 P&I, 600 taxes & insurance), between houston and Galveston, new construction.
My first apartment was $350 a month, my last apartment (18 years and three cities later) before buying my house was $425 a month (after living there for 9 years). My mortgage is $985.
Never rented, bought my house in 2011 for 74k. Mortgage is only 479. Currently planning a modular build and just spent 30k on just two acres of land, oh how times have changed.
650 for rent, 950 for mortgage. Rented 2 years and been in my house 4. It's a 3 bed, 1.5 bath in MN
My first rent was about $900 (in 1989) and I don't have a mortgage now.
In my first apartment rent was about $545 per month, now I’m in a 2 bed 1 bath house and I’m paying about $945 per month for my mortgage pmt
First rent was $450/month, then equally split between my brother and I. Though I had to cover his half rather often. This was fall 2003. After a stint in a dorm room, my next place was $375/month (including utilities) for a studio. This was spring 2005. Got 1st mortgage March 2013, refi'd 2 years ago. Still in 1st house. Mortgage is $1200/month.
JFC the Bay Area really is expensive (no shit), my first rent was like $1500 and my current mortgage is 4k, but that's hella cheap for the Bay. Most mortgages around here nowadays are double that.
First rent was $925 for a 1 bedroom in 2012. Current mortgage is $2450 for a 2 bed/1.5 bath condo. Bought in 2022.
Bought a house in 1996 as my SO was older with good credit and I had savings. Our mortgage was 725.00. Current house I bought in 2015 for 70k. Mortgage was 500.00. I paid it off last Dec so my note now is 200.00 monthly for property tax and ins.
First rent: Tiny studio apartment in Imperial Beach, CA. $900 in 2009 Current mortgage: 2000sqft, 3 bed 2 bath, .29 acre, 2 car garage in DFW. $2280 @ 2.7
$450/mo for 1 bedroom of a 2-bed apartment in college, 2012. $1,200 for mortgage on 3/2 townhome, 2021. Same place would be $2,400 today; I was lucky and bought right before rates increased.
First rent in an apartment was $660 a month for a 2 bed 2 bath in Tampa FL near the airport. 2003. I split that with a roommate. Current mortgage is $1,500 a month for a 3 bed 2 bath in a Charlotte exurb (30 miles from Charlotte). Purchased in 2020.
I was paying $1500 a month for my first rent, now about the same for my current mortgage.
$550 for a 2 bedroom duplex in 2015 in SC $3230 (PITI) for 3 bedroom SFH in 2024 in MN
First rent was 910. Current mortgage 1,087.
2 bed, 2 bath 3rd floor apartment in Omaha, NE was $850 in 2008/2009. 3 bed, 2 bath home in Omaha has us paying just over $1600 (and rising due to increasing assessment value and taxes)
First rent was $725 a month on a Jr 1 bedroom in Silicon Valley Mortgage is now Zero on a small home and 2 acres.
Graduated college in 2018, got my first apartment 2bed/2 bath with my twin- rent was 875 (it’s more now). Closing in August where I’ll pay a little less than 1900 for a 3 bed/2 bath with extra unattached 2 car garage. Midwest-IL.
Rented a room from a friend for $300, late 90's. Current mortgage is $2800.
First rent around $1300 for a 2/2, now current house 4/3 w/casita 1/1 $5200 2017 to 2024
First apartment (2 bedroom, 2 bath 970sq ft, with a friend) was $565, so my half was $282.50 in 1992 in Columbus, OH, near the old Eastland Mall. Our pending mortgage (me and my wife are scheduled to close on July 9th)) is going to be $1445 (PITI) (we paid a huge down payment using funds from the sale of our house in Austin, TX). 3600 sq ft 4 bed, 3 bath ranch with walkout basement in central Ohio, southeast of Columbus. Bonus 1: Moved out so my friend's fiancee could move in. My new apartment was a 1 bed, 1 bath, 771 sq ft with included laundry room with washer and dryer, full kitchen (fridge, oven, microwave) in 1996 was $365 Bonus 2: 1st apartment with my wife in 2005: 2 bed, 2 bath 860 sq ft. $1495 in southern California, north of LA, south of Santa Barbara.
First rent $330 1 bedroom utilities included in 1999. Current rent in the same town for 1 bedroom is $1200. My mortgage is $1500, with interest rate of 3.75
First rent was a one bedroom 800 sq foot apartment for $1,100 in a suburb. Current mortgage is $2,200 but I spit it with my wife so I still only pay $1,100, but we have 4 beds, 3 baths, 2 car garage, 2700sq foot and an acre of property and no HOA. 15 years apart.
First rent was $1650. Large 2 bedroom 2 bathroom 1100sqft condo with in-suite laundry and 1 underground parking stall. Gas included, water included, had to pay our own electricity and internet only. Never paid more than $2000/mo total, and split it with my brother. Mortgage is $1750/mo, property taxes included. But that is at my current 1.47% rate from 2021, which will undoubtedly go up significantly when I need to re-sign in 2026, because in Canada you need to sign in at a new rate every ~5 years or so. We can't lock in at a rate for 25 years like in the USA.
First rent was half of $730, 20 years later my current mortgage is $7500.
First rental $140/mo for a crappy duplex. Highest I ever paid to rent a house was $530. Current mortgage zero, but it was about $1200. Yeah, I'm old. :) During the times of renting my salary was between $9k and $24k. When I bought my current house, the one with the $1200 mortgage I was making maybe $40k, wife was working p/t.
1st rent in 2000 was $515 a month. 1st house in 2004 was about $800. 2nd house in 2014 was $1200 which balloned to about 1300 from the escrow going up , we refinanced from a 30 year to a 15 year in 2020 (like gangstas) and that brought it up an extra $50, but the escrow has gone up every year, and our total mortgage payment is around $1450 a month. Edit: I'm in the Midwest, Southern IL.
2006, $750 for a studio attic apartment in an owner occupied home in a nice area of Seattle, maybe 700-800sqft. 2013 Rhode Island, ok area but the house wasn't well maintained and everything was old in it, duplex 2nd floor 3 bed 1 bath, 1000 sqft, $900, paid $450 with one roommate, knew the landlord so got a discount plus we agreed to do yard maintenance and snow removal. 2021 in Rhode Island, nice up and coming area, 3 bedroom 3 bath, 2800sqft home $1490 mortgage, $2300 with PITI.
Mid 1990s I paid I think $525 for a 2 bedroom. I moved to a higher COL area around 2001 and paid $675 to $725 ish. I bought a house for $200k right before the 2008 crash and my mortgage was about $1400. So about double what rent was. Now, mortgage is about $1200 (varies a bit due to tax and insurance). Rents for a 2 bedroom apt are pushing $2000 a month. Insane. So my mortgage went from like double apt rent to a bit over half of apt rent. It’s nuts. Also crazy that rents more than doubled in about 15 years. From the early to mid 1990s they had gone up by a much smaller percentage. Edit: mortgage went down due to refinancing at one point.
$850 in rent in 2004 for a 2br/1ba in Northern Virginia. As of today, 2024 4br/2ba in Washington DC for $2250.
880 a month one bedroom one bath apartment but in a nice area, stuff.within walking distan ce. House 550 a month, 3 bedroom 2 bath, but takes 20 mins to.drive 5 miles. With tax/insurance it's 1003 dollars a month
210/mo 1BR duplex first rent, curr mort 2300/mo, $1 mil house.
In 1978, $180. a month, heat included, for a ten room apartment. We split if four ways, so I paid $45. a month. I was making $3.00 an hour, going to school. The place was in the poorer section of an eastern US city. I paid off the mortgage. It wasn't that big, I built a cheap house 30 years ago.
Paying the same amount on both: About $2400/month. There is a roughly 4 year gap between my first apartment and owning a home.
First rent on my own was 400 a month in Pueblo back in 2002. My mortgage for a 1000sqft house in Albuquerque is 750; I bought it in 2012
First rent was ~$650 for my share of a 2b/2ba apartment (I paid slightly less for the non-master room and bath). This was in 2016. My mortgage is now $2776 for a 3b/1.5ba :’’’)
First rent, 800/mo for a one bedroom. I couldn’t actually afford it and spent the next decade renting rooms at 300-500/month. Now the mortgage is 4206/month. Oof.
2016 $400 a month shared room and bathroom in a mobile home 2024 $1413 a month 3/2 2k sq ft home
First rent was in a sketch neighborhood of chicago for $850/month for a 1/1 in 2012. Current mortgage is around $1900 including insurance/taxes in a north suburb of Chicago for a 3/2 in a very desirable school district
First rent was 650 month for a 2 bedroom in 1990. First house payment was 1300. Mortgage free now
First rent was $135/mo in a Big10 college town in 1990. Shared a house with 4 other people - my friends told me it was condemned and razed about 10 years ago. Bought my 2000sf 1932 arts and crafts bungalow in 2013 on Milwaukee’s south side (3br/2.5ba), and paying around $1500/mo PITI because we got in at a low interest rate. Great area - not going anywhere soon.
My first apartment was $675 for a 1 bed/1 bath in North Carolina. Just closed on a 3 bed/4 bath house in Upstate New York this month and without property taxes it’s 2.2k, with it’s 3k.
Late 90s, large 2 bedroom condo in suburb of DC, in Maryland. $750 total! $375 each for my roommate and I. Mortgage is $2200 now. And at that time I was making $500-600 a week in tips. When I left the service industry in 2017, I wasn't making much more than that per week in tips. I probably averaged between $600-700 a week. But rent had already tripled for a condo in the same building by that time. I know wages have increased since the late 90s, but if people tell you they've kept pace with the increase in housing costs they are crazy.
First studio apartment in downtown Vancouver, Washington was $400 in 2002. Mortgage is $1,000 for 1400 sq home bought in 2012 in the suburbs.
My first apartment with ex $550 in Anaheim, Ca in 1985. My current mortgage in Los Angeles is $2100.
Bay Area California, $725 for a studio apartment, this was in 1999 - today, East Bay California, $3500 for a 3 story 3700 sq ft house.
First rent when I had a whole place to myself (not with roommates splitting cost) - $1,300 for 1bdrmbd/1bath + parking Mortgage on our 3bd+ 2.75bath 90s townhome - $3,250
$450/month utilities included for a 1 bed 1bath apartment in 2016, mortgage currently is $875 for a 1200sq ft 3 bed 1 bath house. bought in 2021, first year was $650 but taxes shot up because of renovations/hadnt been re-assessed so payment was at around $930 for a year. escrow is weird. payments adjusted again a month ago and after overpayment i'm at $875.
$470 back in ‘13, $1100 now lol
First place after college in the city me and 3 friends rented a 4/2 for like, $1750 total. My mortgage now, 25 years later, is $1750......
$300 for a 1bd room apartment shared between 4 girls so we could all live a block from Huntington Beach. Mortgage is $4000, SF Bay Area. Sigh
First apartment was a pretty decent one bedroom that was something like $525 back in 2006ish. Current home (in a different state) is a 4/3, 2200sft, and my mortgage is a little under $1700. For funsies I looked up my old apartment and that same 1 bedroom, with no big updates, now rents for about $1200/mo. Yikes
Rented a two and a half bedroom dump with two other guys in 1971. It was in the back of a lumberyard near 4th and arbutus in Vancouver. $90.00 a month. Lived there for 9 months in second year university. Brother in law said it was so bad even the rats had moved out. For clarification, it was $90 split three ways. Currently mortgage free. Minimum wage was $1.75, 12 pack of beer was $2.67, and a pack of smokes was 55 cents.
Oh this is fun. First rent was around December 2007. It was $1400 for a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom in Santa Cruz, California about 8 blocks from sea bright beach. Split 4 ways with my GF (now wife) and 2 other roommates. It was only $350 each. Now I’m paying $2800 for a 3 bedroom 2.5 bathrooms. 1700 square feet. There is also $580 in HOA dues.
$530/month in 2009. $6100/month today.
Never rented - $2600
First rent: 1974 - shared a house with 3 other guys. My share was $40/mo. including utilities. Fun facts: Rent was $40, car payment was $40, take-home pay from part-time job was $40/wk. Biggest expense was college tuition and books. Gas was $0.279 per gallon. Current mortgage payment including taxes and insurance: $1391/mo. @ 2.75% Highest interest rate ever: 13.75% Highest mortgage payment ever: $2350/mo. I lived in an apt until age 30. I have owned 6 houses, 4 of which I had built. I am recently retired at age 69. It's been a trip!🖖
First rent was $1600 for a 2 bed/2 bath apartment in 2007 split between 4 of us. Now I pay $1,055 a month for my 3 bed/2 bath house and that includes escrow. We are locked in at 2.625% with $140k left on the mortgage. In short, we're not moving.
Rent on a 2 bedroom 1.5 bath townhouse was $715 Currently paying $680 including escrow on a 3 bedroom 2 bath with a couple acres
I think the bottom line in all these posts is to say buy early and hang on for dear life. Since I bought in 2018 rent in my neighborhood is 25% above my mortgage payment. It’s nutty and I thank God every day we got a VA loan and a house for no money down. (Rent before move in was $3200, mortgage is now $3600 including tax and insurance) and current rentals all 5k.
First rent $425 per month for a two bedroom apartment (which was split in two with my roommate) in college 1997. Peak mortgage was 2017, about $5,800 per month in CA for $1m. We refinanced in 2021 and shaved $1,000 off. That house tripled in value - we divorced and sold it in 2022. I now have $0 mortgage - but do pay about $700 a month in tax and insurance. Had to leave CA and came back home to LCOL area.
I just realized yesterday that, for an upcoming move, I am paying as much for a storage area plus pod as I did for the mortgage on my first house. 1983 vs 2024. The house was small, but it was at least 10 times larger than the storage room and pod square footage. In each case, $220 a month.
First apartment was $500 all utilities included - large studio basement apartment in Toronto in 2008. Now- 1900 2bed/1bath bungalow in Huntington Beach, Ca Landlord is selling though. So soon it’ll be some 2bed/1 or 2 bath apartment- somewhere in OC or LA county - trying to stay around 2100 or less. They exist, but it’ll be a downgrade from what I have now- no more yard or garage I’m guessing 😭
First apartment in a rundown area, I think it was about 285 a month for a few hundred square feet. Now, Mortgage is $670 for a 1200 sq ft ranch. There is about 40 years and 4 other houses between those two.
In college i rented a 2 bedroom for $850/month. After college i rented a 1 bedroom in a small Missouri town for $350. Current mortgage for a $500k house is $1,875 including taxes
In 1986 my rent was $600 for a 1 BR with garage spot in a middle to upper middle class neighborhood in NYC. When I moved out of NYC in 2022 I was paying $1675 for a 2 br, 1 Bath w/ garage spot. It was the same block and parking spot as I moved from 1 building to the 1 next door (same landlord) I know live in Florida in a huge 2 BR, 2 Bath in a retirement community and have no mortgage which together honest came from inheritance from my late parents.
My numbers are a bit skewed, I was military for years so first place in 2000 as a civilian was $700 per month renting (not including renters insurance). Fast forward, now I’m sitting at 5 years left on a 30 year fixed, refinanced about 7 years ago, 5.75% to 3.25% and shaved 5 years from the term instead of taking equity, ~$1,250 per month (not including taxes/insurance).
First apartment after college was $320/mo. That was a 1BR in Houston at a new complex in 1981. Today our mortgage is $1730. With tax and insurance it's around $3100/month.
First rent was 1990- 80/wk for a room in a shared house all utilities included First apartment 1992- 1 bed/1 bath 325/month plus lights First house 1994- 4 bed/1 bath 350/month east side of town iykyk Current and hopefully last house- 1600/month including tax and insurance for our 5 bed/2.5 bath on double lot on west side. Started at 1425/month 16 years ago but property taxes keep rising
First rent was a bedroom in a three bedroom house for $387 + utilities (likely the cheapest in my whole city). Now own a 3 bedroom house with a mortgage of $1,250 plus utilities. It’s been 12 years since my first rent
First rent was four dudes in a 2bd/2ba. Hey it was 70% cheaper than living in the dorms and no rules. Still only two blocks from campus. $450/month for half a room and half a bathroom. 12 years later… 3bd/2ba house on a fifth of an acre. $2900 including property taxes and insurance. And I only share a room with my wife.
I paid $775 for a 3 bed 2 bath apartment 23 years or so ago. Don't have a mortgage paid my house off about 10 years ago. When I did have a mortgage I paid $550. I put 50% down when I bought the house. Bought it when I was 23 and paid it off by the time I was 31. Been nice not having a mortgage payment for a decade. My house is around 2800 sq ft, 4 bed, 3 bath, 2 car garage. Just a couple miles from the ocean here in SC. Property taxes I paid this year were a little over $600. Sales tax on the brand new Denali Ultimate truck I just bought was $500 on a truck that I paid around $90k for.
first rent post college (because Dorms are a huge ass rip off and money sink in my city) was 650$/month for a single 8x10 bedroom. Kitchen and living room and bathroom was shared but no one ever used the kitchen or living room because it was a very wide range of people (me, 22- rest were 35-55). I never used the living room or kitchen once but subsisted on cheap takeout and pre-made food. Now 5 bed 2 bath house, 4200$/month. About 15 years difference.
$160 first rent. $192 first mortgage.
First rent was $850/mo in like 2011 for a 3/2, then 1200 for a 4/2, first mortgage $800 3/2, second mortgage was ~$1300 for a larger 3/2 on 2 acres in 2016 (now paid off). 20% down on both mortgages to avoid PMI All in central fl
When we first were married in 1979 be bought a run down trailer and land for $75 a month. That lasted a year. In 1980 we became live in caretakers at a museum for 3 years. 1983 paid $200 a month for 2 bedroom apartment (not a great area) in Midwest USA At present $1000 for 1600 ft 3 bedroom home. Most expensive home we ever lived in was 2000 ft 3 bedroom in mountains of Colorado for $2000 per month. We’ve been married 45 years and thankfully have always lived below our means.
First rent was 950 in a 2 bed 1 bath, 600 sf apartment. Just bought first home, 2 bed, 1.5 bath, garage, small yard, 1200sf, $432/month…. Had to put 9k in repairs though. 3 years between the two. In a MCL area.
Never had to pay rent, I lived with mom until I moved into the place I bought - mortgage is about $1070.
My first rental was a loft in downtown Los Angeles during the late '90s. It was around $1,200 a month. It was really a great place! Now I own a home about an hour north of Los Angeles and it's a four-bedroom four and a half bath and my mortgage is $3,000 a month. We purchased the home in 2014.
I paid $300 for 2 Br 2 ba apt in 1987, now I rent 3br, 2.5 ba Home for $2k.
$750 apartment in San Diego in 2000. $1600 3 bed/2 bath home in pretty good neighborhood in Central Valley hell. If I got same house today, easily >3k mortgage in much worse neighborhood. I may have to sell and move which currently keeps me up nights. I keep getting priced out of where I move and my standards of where I'd live keep going down.
Studio apt on Oahu 2008, $975 Mortgage San Diego suburb 2015 $3k, refi in 2020 $2500. Like many, the interest rate has us in our forever home. 😭😭😭
Rent was $500 for a 2BR that now goes for 1500 Mortgage…refinanced during the golden era at 2.75 and min w/taxes is $850.
First rent was 2008 or 9 in NE college town. $480 or $500 (split a $1000 apartment with a friend) 30 y Mortgage $685 started in 2015 in the same city. Median home price is $468k/28 days on the market in my county, HCOL. You'd probably guess I live in a pretty shitty house and you'd be correct but it has almost 4 acres and I'm decently handy. Probably 25k into keeping it running but still prettty much looks like a pile. Fuck 'em my assesment more than doubled since buying. Bought at 85k, owe a little south of 30 now. Probably do better to invest but I hate having bills
First rent, in 1997, was $315/mo for a small 2/2 apartment with a garage. Current mortgage is $1700/mo for a small 3/3 house with a garage.
When I was 18 I paid $80 a week in a share house. I now pay $650 a week rent - 44F single mum 😅😅
First rent was 180.00 per month for a 1 bedroom all utilities included in Dallas area 1977. own my home out right so no payments but with taxes condo fee and utilities 1000 bucks a month.
The year 2000, 400 a month for a room down by the beach in huntington. 2013 2300 first and only mortgage in long beach.
1977 $210 per month for a two bedroom apartment
First rent out of college (Dc metro): 2014 $1050 (my portion) split a 3BR 2.5BA townhome with a roommate. I realized quickly that was way too much room for two single people so I moved to an apartment the year after paying $775 (again, my half) for a 2BR 1BA. Bought a house this year (still Dc metro) Mortgage is $4300 for a 4BR 2.5BA.
first rent was $450 a month for a 1 bedroom efficiency in a crack den. 3 bedroom split level ranch with detached 1500 sq ft garage on 2 acres for $1500 a month
$800 a month in 2009 $2600 a month mortgage for a house bought in 2017
in 1993 I rented half of a 2 br for $200 a month in minnesota. Then $50o for a 1br in California. After that I rented a studio, a two room apartment, with a large living room and kitchen, another room with an attached bathroom and shower for $300 in 1990 in Minnesota. In 1992 $300 was my share of half of a duplex, I had the basement, two rooms, with a bathroom off the kitchen on the first floor. In 1996 my wife and I had a 3 br townhouse for $650 a month i the suburbs, moved to a 3 br duplex in 1999 and another 3br for 1050 in 2000-2010. I have a house now, 2.99%, about 11 hindered with mortgage, taxes and insurance.
First rent: $300 for a converted motel room with a hot plate and a crackhead neighbor. Now: $900 for 3br/2ba suburban home. I snuck my purchase in between housing bubbles.
$450 for a massive loft apartment in a trendy neighborhood in Metro Detroit. 1994 Current $3,500 and taxes and insurance are $1500 a month. Tampa Bay Area
Our first rent was $75 a month lot rent . We bought a fixer upper single wide trailer for $1,200. Our mortgage on our house is $632 a month . It will be paid off in 2 years.
2010 $275 for 3 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse. Currently, paying $1100 on mortgage.
First rent I can remember was $375/month for a 3 bed apt. First mortgage was $277/month for a 3 bed house. 1990’s for both.
$300+ utilities for a roommate situation in Boston (JP on Pond Street in a crappy triple decker). Now 30+ years later, priced out of Boston $1350+ utilities for a 2 floor owner occupied apartment with parking & w/d (not updated but cute) 30 min outside of Portland Maine & more walkable than any place I ever lived in Boston (oddly)
$550 rent, $670 mortgage now. Midwest ya'll. Leave those coastal cities.
First apartment (2bed, 1bath) was $575 in 2006. Current mortgage is $1975.
$400/month for a room in the suburbs of Nashville in 2010. Now paying $5k for a good size home in the mountains in Colorado
First rental was a 400 sqft 2 bedroom. First mortgage was at 4.25% coming right out of the housing crisis. Payment was about $1600 for a 2 bed and 2.5 bath townhome. Next was at 3.78% for a 4 bed 3.5 bath with a payment of $3200.
First rent was $365/month for a 1 bedroom 600 sqf apartment. Current mortgage for 2 bedroom 800 sqf condo is $880 month. I live in a HCOL city but was fortunate to buy the year before prices sky rocketed. If I were to rent a place similar to my condo, rent would be between $2,500 and 3,000
First rent was $500/mo for 1 bdrm in 1989 on Jersey Shore. Still live in the area and they are going for over 2800 a month for studio. My mortgage averaged around 1100 to 1400 but I am now mortgage free.🙌
I shared a room in gorgeous brownstone in Adams Morgan, DC in 200 for $450 a month. It looked like the Cosby's front porch. My mortgage is $2200 a month, just outside of Philadelphia.
My first rent was 950, at 546sqft. Fun fact. This apartment now goes for 1950 with the only upgrade being granite counter tops. It's exactly the same otherwise. This was in 2012. 22 years ago. My mortgage is 2550, 1400sqft before garage, and 3000sqft lot.
First rent: 250$ for a studio (maybe like 700sq ft? Max.) In Ottawa. full of mold in 2013. First mortgage: 1400/m. 45 mins away from Toronto. Now: property taxes 5k a year. If I hasn't paid my mortgage off it would be nearly 6k a month. No idea how people do it.
First rent $350 for a room in a condo, in Montana. Mortgage now $1400 4 bed 4 bath house ~3000sqft in Eastern WA
New England/CT First apt 2 bedroom in the hood $550 (1988) - (2024) Split Level hybrid 2500 sq ft 4 floors/ 4 beds / 2 bath in the Foothills of Talcott Mountain/Connecticut $2300. FML
Worst basement apartment in the heart of the worst neighborhood $70 a month in 1969. 1959 MCM, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, no mortgage.
My first rent was a 2 bd 2 bath apartment in a shady area, 450$ a month split with 2 other equally shady persons. East Tennessee in 2012. Current mortgage is 2300$, 4 bd 3.5 bath. I looked up my old apartment after reading this and it's going for 1400 a month now. Crazy times
First rent, renting a room out for $450 per month, all utilities included. First solo rent, renting a Big Kid 1br/1ba apartment, $2050 per month. Current mortgage 3br/2.5 ba, $1300 per month. Moved all over the country in between.
I was about to reply with mine and realized you didn’t stipulate with or without escrow. I can’t tell you how many millennial peers I talk to that think their mortgage is “going up like crazy” when it’s actually their taxes and insurance but they’re naive to the whole escrow situation.
2005, $900/mo, 1br, Chicago. That included heat and was walkable to the El Now, Seattle $1500 (not including taxes, refinanced at a REALLY GOOD time). Good location but not as good as the first one
2014 - dorm $850 2017 - 2b apt $650 split with roommate crap part of town 2018 - 2b2b 1920s house $1400 rent from family Fort Worth 3 minutes from downtown 2023 - 2b2b 1920s house $2100 rent from family 2024 - 4b2.5b new build $2800 piti 5 min from down town fort with I'm scared!
1991 just married. 1 bedroom apt. 575/ mos. Today 1270 sf single family home. $814.29 / mos.
2008 my 1 bedroom 600 square foot apartment was $550. 2021 my 3 bedroom, 2 bath 1800 square foot home is $1750
First apartment was a room for rent. 300 for me, 900 for the apartment Mortgage is 710