Quote:
Originally Posted by benp
Even if half the people are not qualified, that's still means 93% of the applicants won't even get on a waiting list, let alone find an affordable place to live.
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Not true. The "affordability" data can only ever include
reported rents. They probably can now scrape Zillow Rental data as well as some other landlord software (especially free management software that sells its data) as well as large landlords who, for whatever reason, agree to share lease data.
Even with the advent of free management software, and possibly inferences made by Craigslist and other online ads, analysts have no access to most rental rates since most rentals are owned by small-time landlords and/or people who are in improvised living situations with friends, family members, and coworkers.
I, for example, have collected less than half of the rent that I have collected in my "career" as a landlord through management software. Most payments have been cash. Some were personal checks. Some were through Venmo. Recently, I have had decent luck with Zillow Rentals, meaning my rental data is now being scraped. But I also get emails from Zillow telling me the average rent for properties like mine in the area and can see that I'm charging
way under what I could get if I booted the current tenants. But I'm sure people here will still find a way to act like they know more than me and that they're morally superior.