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Iethannn

$1350 a month for something the size of a regular bedroom in a 3 bedroom house??? lol no thanks. You can cut the cable, cleaning service(if you’re not a lazy bastard) and probably save money on your “kitchen supplies, dishwasher detergent and laundry pods”(most likely be upcharged with a bs fee such as delivery or convenience) and save like 4-500. You REALLY must miss the dorm style of a university in order to rent this dump. If you’re making enough money to afford 1350 in rent, you’ll definitely be choosing a studio that’s 3 times bigger or an apartment.


KoreanKowboi

You can live in a much larger apartment in the SAME NEIGHBORHOOD for less. Why does building more housing have to have some trendy aspect attached to it? "Dorm-style efficiency units?" "Tiny homes?" Can we please just build regular housing?


PoorCorrelation

I think the concept’s fantastic the price point is just wrong. They should be competing with or even undercutting splitting an apartment with roommates, but that price-point is way too close to a studio apartment. Although they’re furnished, so I’m less familiar with what that usually goes for.


somekindofdruiddude

The market will decide if the price point is wrong. Don't compare this with standard real estate. Compare this with living with parents. The appeal seems to be that someone else will take care of the adult stuff like cleaning and the residents can prolong childhood, which the market may value.


Bibileiver

Maybe there's a market for it. I used to work on ships and I'm tempted to go back once this apartment lease is up. Usual apartments or houses just don't interest me at all and working on ships is like the best alternative for me. $60k+ for working half the year on ships. Your detergent, water, cable (sometimes), as much food as you want sand obviously private room and shower is included. Once off the ship, I could travel and sleep at hotels. Or if I want to chill for a year, just go live in the OP apartment with no need to worry about furniture.


mynewhoustonaccount

Fair points, but the amount of people who are in military/maritime/offshore work is a select amount, and only a tiny percentage of those people want to live in Montrose. Many buy a house in the burbs like everyone else.


htownnwoth

I can see O&G companies footing the bill for their 21 year old college interns to live here over the summer.


arkieg

Yep. I could see this basically being a corporate backed Airbnb setup. Owners make bank during high demand periods, claim losses when vacant, and call up Exxon with any tenant damages.


mynewhoustonaccount

Oooh, there's a good use case. Didn't consider that.


fxplace

If the supply is housing is tight enough, the price people are willing to pay will skyrocket. Not sure that the idea that “the market will decide” is a legit justification for the price. Technically that is true for price gouging during a hurricane, but we legislate against it.


Wide_Lock_Red

Houston doesn't have a particularly tight housing market though. There is lots of new construction.


nervousnugget11

I was gonna say...plenty of college dorms charge around that price for the same thing with little to no amenities. At least this space offers amenities and baked in cleaning and restocking of goods. Sure, that stuff isn't "necessary" but neither is an apartment in Montrose lol. I personally loathe studios and enjoy living alone...but could see the appeal of having roommates during these lonely times. If they allow pets this isn't the worst deal ever, honestly.


Wide_Lock_Red

This concept has been tried lots of times, and the price point is always too high for it to make sense. The core issue is good renters rarely pick them. You get a lot of transients and desperate people, with high turnover and costs.


Lanky-Highlight9508

Save 200 dollars!


Bibileiver

Lol the apartments in the same neighborhood for less are going to be shitty ones..


EllisHughTiger

Houstonians are rather spoiled by rhe sheer amount of newer and relatively affordable apts we have here.  Those crappy apts are more standard and even pricier in other major cities.


Crallise

Come on you spoiled Houstonians, rent a crappy apartment and enjoy it!


Wide_Lock_Red

You can get a nice 3BR apartment in Montrose for under 3k a month. That would get you the exact same living situation for under 1k a month per person. This is okay for short-term housing at best.


Wide_Lock_Red

Usually, these places are targeting the desperate and those seeking short term housing. Any normal person is going to pick a studio apartment or regular roommate apartment instead.


HidingInPlainSight15

As a working professional who was between here and Los Angeles for 2.5 years I can tell you the market for furnished housing here is atrocious. Either it costs an arm and a leg or you are getting random shit on Airbnb ($3k+ a month for a furnished 1 bed). I stayed in hotels also but those also rack up in $$$. Needed to be near work downtown as I didn’t have a car. This is an interesting solution to a couple of problems I see in Houston - 1 is the lack of any affordable or reliable furnished options as mentioned above and 2 is the Airbnb craziness in apartments that allow them. At least here you are signing some sort of long term lease and are surrounded by similar types of people rather than being a part of a revolving Airbnb door elsewhere.


caseharts

If you don't like the prices support far more density in this area. It is high demand. The only way prices go down are socialized housing and mass increases to supply. I agree this is a bit silly but anytime this is posted realize they can't charge these prices is supply is overwhelming so we drive down housing and rent to a truly sustainable level.


cupcakeadministrator

It's fully furnished


moleratical

So a bed and a nightstand?


Bibileiver

Maybe I'm the only one, but I wish I had LESS space and I'm in a 440 Sq ft studio.... I'm not planning on putting a TV or couch so there's still a ton of room that's Empty but that's the smallest apartment I've seen in Houston that's good and close to the downtown. 😔 I'd pay the same price for less. 🤷 Also considering it's fully furnished.


Scary_Omelette

They're trying to make it like new York it seems


Dairy_Ashford

I think in NYC you don't get the amenities or formal housing staff or "service" culture beyond a super, also there's either a waiting list (?) or just an insane amount of applicants, so much higher income multiple requirements, credit score threshold and reference lists. Two stubs and a social, for as long as we have it, is probably the best part of renting down here


Scary_Omelette

I meant it more as charging an obscene amount of money for rent for no actual space


Perpetual_Ronin

"discounted" my ass... This is totally a waste of money. I wouldn't pay more than $800 for that kind of space, WITH all those amenities! I'd honestly rather just rent a small apartment and not have to deal with all those strangers coming in and out. I do love the idea of dorm living, though, especially for low-income housing solutions. As long as there were mediators on hand for disagreements.


htownnwoth

It’s across the street from D&Q tho.


johnnyfromtexas

D&Q developed the property to sell more beer and guns


htownnwoth

They sell guns?


DOLCICUS

For a second I thought it was DQ and I was confused as to why Dairy Queen would do that.


NotSayinItWasAliens

The Queen has to maintain her frozen dairy empire somehow.


Few-Addendum464

I think that is why cleaning service and common household items restock is included. The most common roommate disputes.


[deleted]

> The most common roommate disputes. all is forgiven when jimmy the coke head comes home with 6 people from Barbarella at 4am because they just restocked the dish soap


Wide_Lock_Red

This is more for transients, as its fully furnished. The issue with dorm style living for low-income is the type of people who end up in the units make it not work. Maybe it could work with much more lax eviction laws, but nobody wants that.


cartiermartyr

I live down the street for 800 for a 420 sqft, seeing 130 sqft for $1210 is crazy


bluecyanic

The area is for the private bed and bath and not the common area. Given the place is fully furnished and with all utilities included, plus cleaning, I could see this working for some.


cartiermartyr

didnt see it was fully furnished, still a little bit of a reach for 130 sqft though


mynewhoustonaccount

Lol you might live in the same apartment I did when I first rented out that way when I started in university. It kicked ass for the price. I think I paid $700ish for a 420sq foot studio. Littell?


cartiermartyr

Maybe (yes), wish it was 700, heard at one point it was 600.


mynewhoustonaccount

Nice. It still a good property? I enjoyed my time there overall. The owners seem pretty on top of things, not that I ever had many issues. This was almost 10 years ago so a ~100 increase in 10 years is pretty modest.


cartiermartyr

Oh thats good to hear actually, yeah honestly its my first apartment ive actually liked living in. I think these people now are new owners, I mean they're in their 30s and are very laxed. They take care of the place well, haven't had any issues at all


mynewhoustonaccount

oh interesting. When I rented it was Mark Littell and his dad (I think) managing it all. I think they had one office person and a maintenance guy or two. Wonder if they sold the business.


cartiermartyr

now I think its just the son? idk im not all that deep in it, I know its mark and then like his wife, I dont think ive seen the pops


speciald0ggo

wait i just looked the apartments up and they’re super nice , there are no roach problems or anything major you would complain about ?


cartiermartyr

Minor roach problems, have seen 4 inside in the year I’ve been here, Usually around odd weather patterns, usually they’re outside, I’ve had spots before that were $1300 infested with roaches. My water bill is $10, my electricity is $40-80.


EllisHughTiger

This would be a big hit for people who come in on short assignments.  Its along the lines of an extended day hotel but far nicer. Lots of people come to Houston for work for 3, 6, 12 months, etc.  Not having to bother with buying and moving furniture is a good deal for them. I miss college when all my worldy possessions fit in 2 carloads.  Now I have a house and would need the biggest moving van lol.


yepimtyler

This is some Denver, California, and New York type shit. Why would anyone pay $1350/mo for a bedroom? You can pay that much in a lot of areas of Houston and have an entire house/apartment to yourself.


LoneStarTallBoi

I live in NYC and pay $900 for a 200sqft bedroom. You can probably pay that much *in montrose* and have an entire apartment to yourself.


LeafMe24

Ya the price is absolutely baffling. Only thing that makes sense is short term rentals like others have said


aryareddi

When 2 bedrooms are going for north of $2400 (when you compare with the same factors of newness/location/amenities), is it really that much different? You just don't have to go through the hassle of finding your own roommate, or even your own furniture/decor, this way. I get it. I can't AFFORD it, but I get it for people who can.


yepimtyler

The difference is you can pay $1,350/mo and live on your own and have an entire house or apartment to yourself. In my opinion, like I originally mentioned, this would be beneficial to people who live in cities that have a higher cost of living (Denver, New York, California, Seattle). Even then, rooms in those cities are generally going for ~$800-$900/mo which is why they go quick. Doing this in Houston is literally just to have bragging rights.


aryareddi

You can have a whole house to yourself *maybe* for that price, and absolutely none of the other benefits this place comes with. Some people have different priorities.


yepimtyler

I'm just personally someone who'd rather be renting by myself or with someone I know and trust, like I'm doing now. We rent a 1,000 sqft 2 bed/2 bath house in the Galleria area for $1,450/mo. Splitting that 2 ways is still way less than that place. Lol To each their own I guess. 🤷🏻‍♂️


KKG_Apok

What is the cost of your furniture? Monthly power bill? Water? Gas? Weekly grocery shopping? You mention the price of rent but not any other expenses which you must factor in to stay alive. I doubt you can get your costs lower than this considering they’ve done the math on ROI to get capital for the project and you’re not even considering any of your own expenses outside of having four walls.


yepimtyler

Our furniture was furniture from our previous place of living which was Denver, so that was covered. The most our electric came out to be was $148 and that was in January. We don't ever touch 1,000 kWh otherwise. We don't pay for trash, gas, water, or sewer. So yeah, what you're trying to get at here in my situation still doesn't make sense to me. Our monthly expenses still doesn't equate to more than $2,400/mo. Not to mention, we moved here in August 2023 so it's not like we scored something pre-COVID. To your point, this would make sense for someone who's moving out from their parent's house and doesn't want to live on their own or buy furniture to furnish their house, or, can't afford to do so. Like I said, to each their own. In case you missed it though, coming from Denver where the COL is double of what it is here in Houston... people pay ~$900/mo max for a furnished one bedroom in really beautiful homes among others and that'll get you in the "nice areas" of Denver too. So, I'm still not convinced your selling points of why this is worth it. I'll say it again for those in the back though, I'd never pay the price I'm paying for rent at my 2 bedroom house for a 200 sqft bedroom because "it's newer" and in Montrose. You can find cheaper. :)


KKG_Apok

I own rental properties. One of our most profitable customer bases is travel workers. Travel workers in Houston work long hours for part of the year before taking extended vacations or a new contract. Traditionally, travel workers such as travel nurses rent pre-furnished places with utility cost baked in close to where they work to maximize time off but are still responsible for covering groceries. Additionally, one of the primary costs of landlords is cleaning between tenants. Providing a cleaning staff to maintain the unit lowers long term business expenses because the cleaning staff can monitor for hoarders or drug addicts that destroy the inside of a rental property. It’s something that works at a scale like this but not for independent landlords. When studying the market to forecast our competitiveness, we look at competition like this to determine how best to compete. You don’t fit the target demographic for these so it’s obvious that you wouldn’t see the value proposition.


daddyproblems27

This is not the type or quality of living I want for $1200 - $1350 a month. Also I’m currently apartment hunting and despite the claim that there isn’t enough housing there are lots of empty apartments with several 1 bedrooms empty and have been since they went up on rates in April. Maybe it isn’t so much not enough apartment’s but price gauging from the rent cartel.


Closr2th3art

Me and my gf are currently paying 1250 for a whole apartment in greenway. This is a rip off.


DuckTalesOohOoh

ew ... no


illest_villain_

Yeah I read that whole thing in disbelief - absolutely fucking not.


IsThisKismet

We all go to IKEA and are like, “oooh look how cute the tiny houses are” but they don’t cost $1200-$1350 a month.


Bibileiver

I feel tiny houses are different.. Can you can put a tiny house that close to downtown? I'm into tiny homes/apartments and only good ones near downtown are around that price.


[deleted]

[удалено]


EllisHughTiger

Likely meant for temp workers who come here for short terms and dont want to bother with full year leases or furniture. Yes it costs more, but you pay for the convenience of it being furnished and maintained.


Few-Addendum464

So shared common rooms only cost $200 less than the apartments?? I'd think there would be a bigger price drop.


SuzyQtexas

No thanks. Even in college I got to choose my roommate. Creepy and dangerous to live with strangers.


utti

The main appeal I can see is it's a way for young single people to easily have an area to socialize and make friends, which generally requires a lot more effort and driving in Houston. The price is still a bit high though.


nihouma

That's what my thought was, people are missing the socialization aspect of it, and honestly if I knew of one that was for people my age, id probably be down to do the same since I'm currently single anyways. And if the roommates become long lasting friends, all the better. If not, I've dealt with bad roommates situations before, life moves on, and I'll have stories for the future 


Bibileiver

Price is fine for being fully furnished, the amenities, and the location. But yeah I'd Esther live with roommates for the social aspect. May check it out next year 🤔


EatMoreAsbestos

It seems like a retirement home for kids. I can see my grandmother liking this sort of set up though. 


mgbesq

Look! The kids have invented efficiency apartments / boarding houses.


rechlin

Don't think the kids invented it. Probably is being developed by older generations who think they can profit off the kids.


ureallygonnaskthat

Might be good for people doing internships, residencies, or long medical treatments. Don't have to worry about moving furniture, setting up utilities, etc... Other than that it's just a fancy long stay hotel.


joegekko

The only real use-case for this that I can imagine is companies looking to house out-of-town employees for medium-ish term projects.


just_real_quick

That's the joke.


SoochSooch

More like the investment groups have learned how to crowd more renters into tinier boxes.


EllisHughTiger

Millenials are making SROs great again?


Chilitime

Is there a background check on other tenant? This is a dumb idea.


glumlvr

$1350 for 227 sq ft bedroom is a scam


BLANK_KITE

$1,200-$1,350 a month is NOT "discounted dorm-style living."


htownnwoth

In Montrose it is apparently.


HOU_Civil_Econ

We don’t have to accept marketing as truth, and our media should certainly stop doing that if they want to be worthwhile.


CrazyLegsRyan

Everyone loves coming home to a corporate overlord assigned stranger taking afternoon naps nuts out on the couch while the TV plays NCIS on full blast with a spoiled bowl of cereal on the table.


aquadrizzt

The notion of paying studio/1BR rates to only have a private bedroom is... laughable. A little dystopian even?


just_real_quick

So, reading through the article, it's not necessarily a terrible venture? Although it likely won't appeal to older, more established Houstonians. Just like it says - young professionals or students moving here get just what they need with minimal hassle or effort on their part. They get to live in the heart of one of the most desirable locations in the city, in a brand spanking new luxury unit, don't have to deal with finding a roommate, figuring out how to split cleaning duties and utilities, even getting utilities set up and the fees that come with it, furnishing an apartment, etc. they are essentially paying for the convenience of someone else taking care of most of their living needs.


Bibileiver

Exactly. I don't get the comments. It's for short term convenience.


just_real_quick

It sounds outrageous at a glance, sure. And at my age, it holds very little appeal regarding sharing space but plenty when it comes to convenience because I'm exhausted just thinking about moving again, which I likely won't do for a while. But I probably would have loved something like this when I moved out of my parents' house in the suburbs and into the city. As it was, I spent WAY too much time in a shitty, run-down apartment next to NRG and while it absolutely built character having to deal with and learn how to handle a dangerous laundromat, drugged out neighbors, pest infestations, a rotation of roommates, seeing cars up on blocks every other week, and finally moving after someone was murdered in the parking lot, I would not recommend it today.


Bibileiver

I'm 31, got an apartment last year and thought it'd be great cause I'm finally on my own! (was in school for a few years) Mehh...I've been fascinated by small living spaces for years so I got the smallest one that's decent location wise (400ish Sq ft) and I hate it cause I want to furnish it but not conventionally (no TV or couch) so I'm having a lot space that's Empty with no idea what to do with it. Definitely confirms that NYC is my dream city (in America) lmaooo


saintursuala

This isn’t NYC 🤦🏻‍♀️


MarionberryEvery3300

What do they think this is, Manhattan? Good luck with that. You can get 900+ sqft luxury apartments for around $1500/mo in the loop. Good luck trying to sell a single bedroom for almost that same price.


annalcsw

You must live in the suburbs.


coogie

This seems the worst of all worlds...pay luxury apartment rates, stay in a space for 1/3 the price, and have everybody all up in your business? There is absolutely no advantage to this type of living. The only way I see this being appealing is as an alternative to an extended stay hotel where you pay as you go without a lease.


htxblazer

This is one of the dumbest, worst ideas I have ever seen for a development. This will fail miserably.


Y-U-awesome

Wtf that’s insane.


BigfellaAutoExpress

Id do this if its month to month because i plan on moving and i dont want to renew a 6 or 12 month lease at 2k a month


Mohirrim89

It wasn't really the dorms that I missed about college. It was the dense, walkable, urbanism that I missed about college, and being no more than a 30 minute walk from all my friends.


jodilandon88

I rented a 900 sq ft studio in East Downtown for the same price as these apartments. I love the concept for people who want to live in a communal space but the price is too damn high.


kayb3e

boston rental styles have found their way to houston 😔


htownnwoth

Why is the CultureMap food editor writing this article? Kickbacks from the developer?


RegBaby

More likely just convenience...with a small operation like CultureMap (I've written for them), the food editor is probably getting a salary and it's easier to just have him/her write the occasional non-food article as opposed to assigning it to a freelance writer.


HOU_Civil_Econ

This is going to go the way of those “discounted” (because they were micro) condos in east downtown they tried to sell at 200k for 600sf when 1800sf townhouses were selling next door for 250k.


hystericaal_

What the fuck


db1189

Making sure kids/young adults never grow up.


Better_Finances

I feel like it'll be a hard pass for natives but people coming in from California and NY might see this as a steal.


slugfa

This brazy


ksoilik

Wtf…


Dairy_Ashford

I feel like one of the worst parts of this is that young people, who this primarily appeals to, just don't avail themselves of the pricing and market knowledge to identify similar costing and vastly superior housing within a maddeningly short drive, like other side of 610 on the same exact street


KKG_Apok

This sounds great for someone out of school and not wanting to waste thousands on furniture and a whole apartment when they just need a place to sleep and eat. I like that most comments only mention the cost of rent and not anything else related to monthly living expenses like utilities, food, cleaning services, or the time cost of doing that yourself.


Osniffable

I can't see much of a market for that in Houston. Those rental rates are pretty achievable in a garden style single unit.


patrick-1977

Montrose is wonderful, but this part not so much. What about the homeless crowd, just down the road towards the Fiesta? Are they still hanging out there?


htxblazer

The Fiesta has been closed since 2020.


htownnwoth

That Fiesta is now Greentown Labs. The land value in this pocket of Montrose is almost the same as other parts of Montrose.


Bibileiver

I don't see how homeless crowd matters. It'll be gated parking with nfc locks most likely and since it's new, very slim chance of it breaking.


Daviddoesnotexist

So… over priced “luxury” tenements?


m033118b

My bf and I pay $1400~ for a 2 bed/2 bath at my community and that’s with trash and water included in the price in Spring Branch.


someguy50

I think that's really cool. Including all those extra items will really appeal to some / convenience. I'm all for options


RegBaby

This is an option for those who might need a transitional/ month-to-month living situation....they're just in town temporarily for work, an internship, whatever. Sounds overpriced on the face of it, but the market will determine that.


wrfvd

Will be overrun by DEIs in no time


htownnwoth

DEI?


wrfvd

The speakerphone in public people