Why is it so difficult to find affordable rent as a single person in the Quad Cities? (Davenport: appointed)

[Parts of Speech]

I've been looking at apartments in the Quad Cities for two months and I am disappointed, to say the least, with the cleanliness of most of the places I've seen. I'm also disappointed with the prices. Rents have increased in the past two years even though the local economy is still not exactly booming. I also don't understand the logic of apartment prices. You can find a two-bedroom for $700 or $800 a month. That's quite common. But God help you if you're trying to find a one bedroom or an efficiency for less than $450 a month.
So landlords gouge single people but give couples and roommates a break? I don't understand that logic.

[runewell]

I haven't lived in an apartment since 1998 - and I was in a Detroit suburb.

But when I did, it wasn't unusual for 1br's to go for $500 and 2br's to go for $600 - something like that. I would think the price difference might be $100/mo, not $250/mo or $350/mo.

Maybe you should try renting out a room or getting a roommate.

[Dport7674]

Depends on what you want.

I was in town last month and helped girl I know move into a 2 br on Farnam st. in Davenport, by the Save-a-lot, for $460..Not the best neighborhood but not bad. It was the bottom half of a duplex, not an apartment.

[paiste13]

I can answer that pretty easily as I work for a municipal housing department.

When you build a one bedroom apartment you need one bathroom, a kitchen, a heater/water heater/etc. With that you can market to one person or a couple. With a two bedroom apartment, you still have those utilities but can market to a single person, a couple, roommates, or even a family. All you had to do was add one room and your entire concept changes.

If you are going through the expense to build or buy a place it only makes sense to have at least two bedrooms. It only costs a little more than a one bedroom and your market increases 10-fold. Because of this, there are very few one bedrooms and owners can charge a premium for them. Also, if a two bedroom is only $100 more/month why not just do that?

[Meemur]

I'll toss in this thought, too. In some areas, the gov't is subsidizing housing for welfare clients. When that happens, sometimes the landlords will charge higher rent since the gov't is paying.

I don't know if that's what is happening in this case, but you might try looking farther out or renting with a senior homeowner. Sometimes they have apartments over the garage or half of the house with a separate door. These aren't always advertized. If you go attend church, you might ask there for those sorts of opportunities. Be sure to get any arrangements in writing!

[Sean_CLT]

It's odd for me to wade into the Iowa forum - but I've lived in several states and 1 BR units are usually about 2/3 to 3/4 the rent of a two bedroom. Most of my life when I was younger, I'd get a two bedroom then advertise for a roommate.

But I live in a 1 BR now. I'm in my mid 40s and like being left alone. Rents for a 1 BR in my part of Charlotte are about $800 and two bedrooms are about $950. I simply accepted the price premium for a 1 BR.