Basement apartment

[WED]

I am looking for rental at kijiji and while looking, there are lot of basement apartments for rent.

Is basement apartment too cold during winters ?

 

[steaky]

Make sure heat source is working!

 

[WED]

I am from India. Will basement will be unbearable ? The basement house that I am looking was tile flooring. Does it make any difference compared with wooden flooring ?

 

[scylla]

I am from India. Will basement will be unbearable ? The basement house that I am looking was tile flooring. Does it make any difference compared with wooden flooring ?

Whether you like basement apartments or not is really a personal choice. Some people don't mind them - others hate them. I don't think the tile floor vs. a wooden floor will make much of a difference. It's really about if there are windows and how big there are - how much light the apartment gets. Some people find them very depressing if there isn't very much natural light.

 

[ali_aff]

I am from India. Will basement will be unbearable ? The basement house that I am looking was tile flooring. Does it make any difference compared with wooden flooring ?

tiled basement would be colder than wooden which would be colder than carpet --- I lived in basement for 8 months and found no problem.
possible area of concerns other than rent are proper pest control, carbon/smoke/fire detectors, habits of people living above you (noise, night owls, etc.), timing for shared utilities/spaces like laundry, use of backyard, car parking and your children.

 

[xylene]

I have stayed in a basement apartment for 6 months before we moved out. Couple of reasons why I do not recommend it (based on my experiences, but it really depends on you!)
1. If you have kids, it would be depressing for them as most of the basement apartments have a very small window with little or no light coming in
2. Tiles are typically colder, I would prefer one with wooden or carpet flooring
3. The landlord keeps his thermostat comfortable to the 1st and 2nd floor and typically basements are colder

I moved out because we missed the natural light. But with budget restrictions for a new immigrant, basement would be the best bet for the initial couple of months as generally there is no contract and you could move out anytime.

Also you can ask the landlord to share wifi password which most of them would do and save on expenses there too.

 

[mgnlky]

I would caution you to make sure the basement suite is up to buildling codes. Regardless of how cheap the rent is, if there is clearly shoddy/unsafe work done to build the basement suite, don't rent it. The risk isn't worth it.

 

[WED]

Thanks. I want to go to apartment. Their rent are costlier. I am ok with the rent but they are asking 4 months rent in advance which is the one, I am very reluctant with. Further, most of the apartment rental been outsourced to realtors is what I had observed.

 

[Wolverine17]

I have stayed in a basement apartment for 6 months before we moved out. Couple of reasons why I do not recommend it (based on my experiences, but it really depends on you!)
1. If you have kids, it would be depressing for them as most of the basement apartments have a very small window with little or no light coming in
2. Tiles are typically colder, I would prefer one with wooden or carpet flooring
3. The landlord keeps his thermostat comfortable to the 1st and 2nd floor and typically basements are colder

I moved out because we missed the natural light. But with budget restrictions for a new immigrant, basement would be the best bet for the initial couple of months as generally there is no contract and you could move out anytime.

Also you can ask the landlord to share wifi password which most of them would do and save on expenses there too.

What are the average rental prices for basement apartments?and which city did you rent in?

 

[parttimebasement]

I am looking for rental at kijiji and while looking, there are lot of basement apartments for rent.

Is basement apartment too cold during winters ?

Basements are traps where new immigrants fall in after they have landed.
Avoid them at all cost.

 

[WED]

What do you mean by traps ? Realtors asking for four month rental as advance for immigrants.

 

[Nobatia]

While I didn't end up renting a basement apartment, from my own experience while looking, some were pretty OK, especially the ones which you basically had the entire basement floor to yourself. The basements which were divided up into rooms on the other hand were more of a miss for me. I couldn't imagine living in those gloomy looking boxes even if it was only temporarily. They were popular with students though.

 

[parttimebasement]

I am looking for rental at kijiji and while looking, there are lot of basement apartments for rent.

Is basement apartment too cold during winters ?

Basement = Equivalent of slum in Canada where newly landed immigrants end up just like the big cities in asian countries where migrant workers from small villages end up.

 

[steaky]

Basement = Equivalent of slum in Canada where newly landed immigrants end up just like the big cities in asian countries where migrant workers from small villages end up.

No, tent city is the equivalent of slum in Canada where even basements are unavailable, homeless people end up in tents and camp in city grounds.

Basements are not bad. At least, you might have your own washer and dryer, kitchen, etc. Would you rather avoid it anyways and set up your own tent, hoping one day you are invited to live in a modular housing complex meeting your requirements?

 

[parttimebasement]

No, tent city is the equivalent of slum in Canada where even basements are unavailable, homeless people end up in tents and camp in city grounds.

Basements are not bad. At least, you might have your own washer and dryer, kitchen, etc. Would you rather avoid it anyways and set up your own tent, hoping one day you are invited to live in a modular housing complex meeting your requirements?

Sorry but you are underestimating the slums in big Asian cities as each slum dweller has own lot, own house, washer, dryer, kitchen etc but one could argue the area is small & have different defination of house.

Secondly the land cost of slums in a big Asian city will be much higher than that of Canada expect the downtown area of few major canadian cities.

So, technically the net worth of a slum dweller in a big asian city is more than that of an average canadian.

But again tent city is a luxury when you a ask a homeless person or substance abuser spending mornings in the library, spending afternoons in the transit and evenings and nights outside in the downtown. To them having a tent will be like buying a house as at least its fixed. To them actually tents are not bad.

Finally you just dont become poor by earning less yourself but it also happens when people around you start earning more and get better facilities. In this case living in basement defines entry into poverty as people around you live better.

In conclusion I agree with you as what you have said is correct but so am I. In the end its upto the immigrant-tenant & what are their priorities. I can only empower them by sharing facts :-

Why avoid basements as an immigrant:-#
1. No naturtal light,air and moulds are common as you end up in boxed hole.
2. If landlord has dogs or kids then you are humped as the noises will be unbearable.
3.Apart from that you will hear all kinds of noises like running tap water, mobile vibrating, people walking etc.
5.The landlord can only access & will keep the thermostat comfy to his levels and your basement = freezer.
6. Again because landlord can only access thermostat, there is no advantage of having heating included in the rent.
7.Basement landlords often say its cool during summers but the fact is majority of the year its going to be either cold or winter.
8.As an immigrant you need a lot of focus and concentration. But you will have distrtactions 24/7 because of the sound above and will not be able to apply for jobs, do interviews, work and even sleep.
9. Now because of point above (8), you will have bad health and career.
10. Forget the word - PEACE

After all those disadvantages does it make sense to live in a basement and ask yourself if it is worth it risking your health and career ?​