What is the average rent in Miles City?

How much would a two-bedroom 1904 brick home, partially remodeled go for?

Specifically, how much would you pay for the following:

Kitchen - Not remodeled, stove has 3 working burners, oven doesn't work. Fridge is single-door style, freezer melts, crisper freezes. Drawers in kitchen have no sliders and require daily wax to keep them from sticking shut. Cabinet doors no not close properly. Portable dishwasher. Cheap recent lenolium is sagging, punctured, irregular, does not line-up with walls, is patched (already) and interferes with the dishwasher.

Back Porch - sagging about 10 degrees and is literally collapsing.

Garage - Yes, but not allowed to use.

Laundry - in the collapsing basement with only access from outside.

Outside water - Only possible by running network of hoses from the basement.

Other - Some windows do not open. One window is broken. No screens on any windows. Some outlets do not work. Unfinished basement with high water table has a non-functioning bathroom.

Bedrooms - bedrooms recently remodeled, (though not yet complete).

Bathroom - Gorgeous

Livingroom - partially remodeled, (though not yet complete)

Front Porch - Slightly sagging, enclosed, not remodeled, very old paint and lenolium.

Roof - according to every single contractor that we brought to the house, the roof must be re-shingled immediately. The shingles on the south roof are over 80% destroyed.

Yard - no appreciable lawn, no work to lawn in several years. There exists a well, but no pump. The fences, where they exist, are completely destroyed.

Utilities - Paid by renter - not included in rent price.
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We moved in at $450 / month. We agreed in the contract that as remodeling was completed, the rent would increase. Phone conversation on rent with owner informed me that rent was expected to be at $600 once the inside was complete, and $700 after the porch and outside were complete. Certain inside remodeling was supposed to be completed by July 20th - I don't think it will make it.

We received a certified letter this week stating that as of Aug 1, the rent will increase to $750, and to $850 on September 1.

Am I getting a good deal, or did I get screwed?

Owner states that there are prospective renters willing to pay $850. If you are one of these people, please stop by and see what you will actually be renting for that price.

Professional and qualified opinions are requested. To see this house yourself, visit 110 North Jordan - Red brick house with destroyed shingles and dead grass :-)

[This message has been edited by Eric Brandt (edited 7/16/2008).]

Ultimately this is a contract dispute. If they are willing to concede to the facts as you laid them out then they don't have a leg to stand on. If they insist however that they are meeting their end of the agreement then there is nothing you can do but call their bluff and start the proceedings for moving out and see what they do. If the terms of the rent have changed then they legally can't hold you to some sort of "early-release" fee and you're free to break your lease at any point within (depends on your state) so many days of the official change in the lease.

If what you are saying is true however, I wouldn't want to rent from a person like that.

1. I am qualified to run an HP 12-C financial calculator, and it tells me that $750-850 would pretty easily buy a $115-120K house.

2. The property in question is right across the street from my sister-in-law (and dogs-in-law ) and I would doubt very much that the property is worth $115K.

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr (edited 7/17/2008).]

Eric,

If it is anything like Billings rental property is at an all time high and in short supply. The way you tell it the property seems high at $850.00 but may well be in line at the $700.00 range. A house across the street from me 3 bed rooms 1 bath with a nice family room and double garage goes for $1400.00 here in Billings.

Do some comparison shopping I'll bet you find things are higher than what you think. It also could be a ploy on the landlords part to get rid of you, how do you get along?

Good luck

Eric,

If you will be looking for a new place in the future I will (hopefully soon) have a 2 bedroom house for rent. It has been completely remodeled inside..
Fresh paint, new carpet in both bedrooms
Fresh paint, new carpet in living room
Fresh paint, new linoleum on front porch and hallways
Bathroom new sink and vanity and toilet, fresh paint and new flooring
Kitchen has been completely remodeled. New cabinets, sink, countertop and floor with fresh paint.
It still has to have the electric meter installed by MDU and a hot water heater installed.
It will be renting for $465.00 including garbage pick up. All utilities and water paid by renter.
If you think you may be interested please call Matt or Priscilla Jackson at 406-234-2310 for availability.

Eric,
I would say you are paying way too much for that rental. Not worth the money to me. I would start looking around. It's kind of like the housing market right now, there is nothing in the 150,000 range and everything below is crap and everything above isn't worth it either. It is so frusterating to think that people just put their house on the market and expect to get an absorbant amount of money for it in a small town like this. All those houses that are new and in the 300,000 to 500,000 range have been sitting there for a while, do these builders really expect people in Miles City to afford a house like that? Seriously people need to smarten up around here.

Looks like Regina has solved Eric's problem.

I echo what Chuck said. Here in Helena, rental space is at a premium. My wife is renting her mother's house (which is much nicer than Eric's description of his place) for $1400 a month. When she listed it two months ago, the phone was ringing off the hook.

Well, I kind of got out of one bad situation and landed in a worse one I feel.

I must have a place within the correct district, and I have two older dogs. While I defiantly feel stuck over a barrel on this, I really don't have many options.

I certainly feel like I'm being taken advantage of, and I'm likely to pay the price simply out of desperation. ANY leads would be helpful right now.

I have a simple solution. Buy a house. Assets vs. liability. There are some houses for sale over there and the really cool thing about buying a home, you can do what you want to it.

Ah, but it is not that simple. You have to find a house you can afford, in a place you want, and then you have to get financing, which is very, very difficult just now. Even if you found the perfect house today, it would be a time before you could move in.

Scott,
I understand completely, except the houses aren't worth what people want for them. Then you have to sink in a lot of money in it to make it liveable. Then you have to look at down the road and say the housing market isn't what it is today and you decide to sell your house that you bought for 150,000 but can only sell it for 130,000. It's a really scary time to buy a house and certain realtors in town price houses way to high because they are greedy and think we live in California. Also, new houses would sell if they had it in a range that people with medium income could afford. I don't want to be married to my morgage, I want to be able to still do things with my family.

You both have good points but still I would much rather buy a house than rent one. We got one we could afford and it is only increasing in value. Housing markets nation wide are going in the dump, I agree but here the market is strong and I firmly believe it will remain strong for quite some time. I do disagree with the financing thing. Financing is still really pretty easy to find, even locally. A person finds a house, makes an offer, and if it is accepted and the person is qualified for the financing.....45 days later give or take a little...Your in. One of the biggest reasons it takes this long is because it is hard to find an appraiser who isnt backed up for that long. My opinion I guess is to buy. Its yours to do what you want with and resale if you take care of it (location depending) is going to be nice for the seller.

The Miles City market has been a seller's market for several years. While I agree that buying a house is a better investment than renting, if you buy in Milestown right now, unless your buying from an individual, your going to get raped. You'll never see your investment returned at the prices that are currently placed on these houses.

Same thing for renting, very little quality available, and the prices are outrageous, but at least you have more flexibility.

Eric, I think your best option right now would be to buy a couple of Suburbans, place them on blocks, and call that home. Or maybe an old recreational vehicle? At the current price of gas, those guzzlers can be had for a steal, and they are roomy!

Maybe Eric could rent the county ambulance.

eric, i am confused.... why do you feel you must stay in the "correct" district. seems you are creating your own dilemma in this matter by limiting your options. i understand that there may be a political agenda and motivation staying in the same district, but is it really worth the fight and frustration you are currently experiencing. seems like that should be the least of your worries.

Uhhh...because he is running for County Commisioner.

If I could afford it, I'd buy the house across the street from me. It used to be three apartments and could easily be again but I don't have the money. Rental property seems desperately needed here in the old Cowtown.

Homeownership also has its downside. When the plumbing backs up, or the roof leaks, or the furnace dies, you are responsible. I just spend $5,000 on a lovely new sewer and am awaiting estimates on furnace replacement. Plus last summer's water heater. . .

Hell Eric it sounds to me that these people are trying to force you out of this place.

I think Eric's situation brings home the message that signing a one year lease with an agreed rent rate is a good thing.

Jeff,
First, it is my best friend's sister, with whom I have had a good relationship until now. Second, we only just moved in. We have taken excellent care of the house and yard in the past two months, we have tolerated not being able to move our things in, and have even invested some of our own in making it a nice home.

I don't think there is any intent to drive us out, I just think she does not understand rental property, or even real estate for that matter. If she did, I think her original rent value would have been a lot lower.

This was supposed to help everyone. We get a safe, stable place to live and she gets her mortgage covered on a property that has been dormant for several years.

The outcome is, however, that I feel like I have become the village idiot who will donate $10,000 per year to a slumlords stockpile. I actually feel like I'm being stolen from and there is little I can do about it.

The glory of this situation is that there is something you can do about it: MOVE!!!

Here's your answer, Eric. Maybe you can persuade Eric and Glenna to rent you a spot out at Laughing Goddess for a while in exchange for pounding sand and squaring up aluminum cans.

http://milescity.com/foru...fpid=51070

I am a landlord. Please understand that there are large hidden costs to the landlord that the renters rarely see. I pay the insurance, I pay all repairs. When you move out I pay to have the carpets cleaned or replaced, the walls painted, etc. I pay for having the yard fixed up after it being overgrown with weeds or damage from animals and children. Every bit of wear on appliances is on my wallet. Renters sometimes thing we are gouging, but they really do not understand that we are the ones who replace the hot water heater and pay for the damage when they let the bathroom tub overflow or leave smoke marks above the stove covered in grease from frying. We are the ones that have to pay for the sewer to be cleaned out.

I charge enough to make renting worth it. If you don't think it is fair, then MOVE!!

Glad you aren't my landlord.

Donna,

What you provide and what my landlord has provided are two different things.

I personally paid to fix a lawn that had not been cared for in 3 years. I had it power raked, weed & seed and it is mowed weekly.

I borrowed money from my father to replace the stove because I knew my landlord didn't have the money to do so and did not ask to be repaid.

I simply wanted floors and electrical wiring done so that the wires didn't stick out of the walls. Even for $450.00 a month I didn't think that was to much to ask.

The rent is being raised 300-400 dollars because she put in floors, trim and windowsills.

I don't believe I am being the unreasonable one.

So if you provide housing with flooring that doesn't have nails showing and you get slivers when you walk barefoot, have no live exposed wiring, provide working appliances, ie stove that works fully and a fridge that doesn't freeze lettuce and thaws ice cream, and you take care of all lawn care, then you may have every right to charge a larger fee for rentals.

I don't know who Eric rents from and frankly, don't care. Yeah, it's a lousy situation, but problems are inevitable when there's no written agreement in place.

It seems unwise for someone who is running for public office to be airing his problems with other citizens and businesses in such a public way. It doesn't inspire much confidence in the ability to run the county when one's personal affairs appear to be in disarray.

A landlord who back out of her agreement has nothing to do with my personal affairs, Mr. Spaghetti. It has everything to do with hers.

What should inspire confidence is my willingness to be candid, upfront and honest; my willingness to confront corruption, deceit and foul-play; my willingness, despite the obvious personal suffering I will endure, to stand up for what is right and fair - not just for myself, but for my entire community.

Would you rather I hide my personal affairs than to clear the air? Would you rather I confide in darkness than to seek community input? Would you rather I fill my own pocket rather than give the thousands I do?

No, my life is not perfect - but no one should be that lucky. In the face of adversity lies opportunity; challenge breeds creativity; and honesty bestows honor. My residence my be in turmoil today, but this too shall pass. In the end, I have my integrity, and I stood up for what is right.

If, Mr. Spaghetti, you are asking for closed, quiet, self-serving, dark-dealing, own-purse, hush-hush politics that have cost us hundreds of thousands of waste in just the last year, then you already have your man.

If, however, you are looking for someone who is willing to share, willing to ask for help, willing to stand up - beside you, and do the right thing even when it hurts, then I shall ask for your confidence, and your vote.

Eric Brandt

I thought this was a thread about rent in Miles City. I guess it was rant in Miles City, my mistake.

Heck, I thought the musical "Rent" was coming to Miles City.... Imagine MY disappointment!!

[This message has been edited by J Scheuering (edited 7/22/2008).]

[This message has been edited by J Scheuering (edited 7/22/2008).]

John, too funny!!!!!!!!

I think this is an excellent place to expose our community's issues. It seems some hope to bury ones head in the sand and pretend all is well, while your neighbor asks for an opinion, you can claim ignorance and simply go on your merry way. I too am glad to not have Donna as my land lord. 850 per month is fine if it is located with the golf course out your back door. If any place else, and you must charge 850 per month just to 'make it worth renting', then you as a landlord made a poor business decision and should try refinancing at a much lower rate, or try not making your living on one rental. How true the saying, 'one bad apple....'. There are a few here I cant see life from their point of view, because I just can't get my head that far up my ass. Most folks here are however genuine, honest, hard working people. To them, my apologies. I mean no disrespect.

I have a daughter to think about, and personally, considering what you have said is "wrong" with this house, I wouldn't even pay $250 per month! Sounds like this house is in such bad shape that it should not be lived in--maybe condemned OR totally remodeled BEFORE allowing ANYONE to live there!
Maybe I'm just naive...who knows, but that's just my opinion, and therefore, I'm entitled to my opinion. You asked, I gave! LOL Good luck to you!

Eric did you look at the house before you rented it!!did you agree to pay X amount!! well None of my bissness but DA!!

Anyone know of a place to rent in Miles? Having a hard time finding a place.

"Eric did you look at the house before you rented it!!did you agree to pay X amount!! well None of my bissness but DA!!"

Yes, we not only looked at the house, but I have even helped my friend with some of the work before we were looking to rent it. The entire house was gutted and there has already been a lot of work done over the past several years. Unfortunately, not enough for virtually any standard of living.

The landlord (my friend's sister) agreed to get the work done. It is now 4 months later. Not only do we not have floors completed yet, but there is not one single room that is finished; not one solitary room is complete and we have yet to move in our furniture and belongings. She missed an important and critical deadline, then she missed another one and now we have problems because we are hosting an exchange student with no completed bedroom.

The lease allows her to increase the rent "as remodeling is completed" and she verbally agreed that once everything was complete (including the removal of a collapsing porch) that the max rent would be $700. (not $850 for uncompleted junk). To me "as remodeling is completed" means that something is actually done.

The contractor she hired for certain parts of the work has done a great job of the work. Unfortunately, he is constrained by the landlord and his other schedules. He did complete his required work before deadline, however. The fact is that we tried to hire this contractor and offered to foot the initial bill. He was our contractor of choice and I would still choose him.

The parts that remain are primarily HER responsibility, or limited by HER resources - not the contractor. Thanks to John (Resistal Construction) for his professional role in this matter and his excellent work under pressure.