Fall is a great time of the year. It kicks off the cozy season, the leaves start to change, pumpkin-spiced lattes are finally available and turkey day is right around the corner. Thanksgiving dinner is a staple among family and friends every November.
And while we all love spending the day eating, there is a lot of prep that goes into making an apartment Thanksgiving dinner. The traditional Thanksgiving menu includes roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie.
But sometimes, people don’t want to eat traditional food or have special dietary needs. So then what do you do? Fear not because there are other non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas that you can add to your dinner table this year. Whether you’re a Thanksgiving pro or this is your first time hosting don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
These are 15 non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas for you to try this holiday season.
1. Soup
Soup is a great addition to any meal, especially Thanksgiving, and it’s surprisingly easy to make. This year, why not add some pumpkin soup or pumpkin risotto to the menu? Use it as a starter before the main course. And obviously don’t forget to serve it with a delicious roll.
2. Roast beef
Don’t want to cook a turkey this year? Then consider cooking roast beef as your main course. Not only is it a fan favorite, but it also goes great with all the traditional Thanksgiving sides. Add a little mushroom gravy to the side for dipping. too.
3. Chicken stuffing casserole
If you don’t feel like cooking a meal with a million side dishes, then try this fresh twist on Thanksgiving dinner. It combines the main course and one of the most popular sides, stuffing, into one easy dish. Plus, it’s served in one serving dish so you’ll save on having to do so many dishes at the end of the evening, too.
4. Pasta
Who doesn’t love a nice big bowl of pasta? A great alternative to Thanksgiving dinner is pasta full of fall flavor. You can make butternut squash pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese that the whole family will love. And for the adults, pair it with a nice white wine to add that little je ne sais quois.
5. Roast chicken
Just because it’s a holiday meal, doesn’t mean you have to cook a roast turkey. Mix things up this year and make a roast chicken instead. Roast chicken can have incredible flavor when cooked properly. It also is great when served with mashed potatoes, green beans and even your favorite pie. Plus, you might have some leftovers for the next day.
6. Sweet potato curry
Vegan or not, this sweet potato curry is a delicious meal idea for Thanksgiving dinner. It has the flavor you grew up with and the added twist to make it special. It’s a great way to take a classic Thanksgiving menu item and a little zest.
7. Potpie
You can never go wrong with potpie. It has everything you need — the chicken or turkey, vegetables, gravy and most importantly, pie crust. Cook some of these flaky gems and your family will keep asking for more.
8. Lasagna
Just because it’s Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean you have to have turkey and gravy. This year, try out this Bechamel lasagna for dinner. It might not be what you’re used to, but that doesn’t mean you won’t love it. And if you want to make it feel more like Thanksgiving, then serve it with some roasted vegetables or green beans.
9. Potato tortilla
Swap out your traditional mashed potatoes this year for a potato tortilla. It might seem like an unconventional dish, but it’s worth the risk. It’s a fun way to include the classic potato in the meal but add a fancier twist.
10. Butternut squash salad
Instead of serving butternut squash on its own, incorporate it into a salad this year. Mix it with some goat cheese, pomegranates and whatever else you’d like. This is a perfect addition to any holiday table. Plus, it’s a tasty and healthy way to get in your greens.
11. Salmon
This Thanksgiving dinner includes the land and sea on your table. Salmon is another fantastic non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner idea. Add it to your holiday menu this year and see how quickly it’s gone.
12. Gluten-free stuffing
So what you’re gluten free like 90% of people in SoCal? That doesn’t exclude you from having stuffing at Thanksgiving dinner. There are so many great gluten-free stuffing recipes around that you won’t even know it’s not made with traditional bread. This is a great option to include on your menu if you know certain guests have dietary restrictions due to celiac disease or a gluten allergy.
13. Pork tenderloin and vegetables
Wow your family and friends with pork tenderloin and roasted vegetables this Thanksgiving. We promise it’ll be a crowd-pleaser! Plus, pork usually doesn’t take as long to cook so you’ll save on time and oven space by swapping out the bird for the pork tenderloin.
14. Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts have been all the rage the past couple of years and for good reason, too. Air fry or bake them with a little balsamic glaze and even your kids will gobble them right up.
15. Butter pecan pie cheesecake
Just when you think you can’t eat anymore, you find a little room for dessert. Whether it’s pumpkin pie, pecan pie or something new, people love a Thanksgiving dessert. Twist dessert up this year and combine your pecan pie with cheesecake.
Bring on the non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner ideas
Thanksgiving is a special time of the year for everyone. It’s the time we gather together and are reminded of all the amazing things we have to be grateful for. While there are staples of Thanksgiving dinner, always save room for new ideas.
This Thanksgiving, be daring and add something new to your cooking repertoire. Surprise people with your new dishes! They’ll be a breath of fresh air from all the expected fare. And, who knows, these unconventional dishes might end up being your favorite.
Ashley Singleton is a writer who loves following and writing about current lifestyle, DIY and home improvement trends. You can read some of her other work on the Lady Spike Media website. In her spare time, she performs stand-up comedy in Los Angeles.
Vacaville, CA offers a remarkable living experience with stunning landscapes and a welcoming community. The favorable climate with mild winters and inviting summers encourages an active outdoor lifestyle. Residents can explore breathtaking natural destinations such as Lagoon Valley Park, Lake Berryessa, and Napa Valley. Moving to Vacaville strikes a perfect balance between small-town tranquility and easy access to larger cities, providing a satisfying quality of life. However, as with every city, there are drawbacks to living there. So whether you’re searching for Vacaville apartments, homes for sale, or you just want to know if Vacaville is a good place to live, Redfin can help. So read on for the ten pros and cons of living in this city.
Pros of living in Vacaville, CA
1. Year-round mild climate
Living in Vacaville means experiencing the best of both worlds: abundant sunshine and breezes that grace the region. In the winter, the temperature averages 59 degrees Fahrenheit, which is perfect for getting outside. Whether strolling through the charming downtown area or indulging in outdoor activities, Vacaville’s mild climate provides a refreshing experience.
2. Proximity to major cities
One of the major advantages of moving to Vacaville is its proximity to major cities. Situated between Sacramento and San Francisco, Vacaville offers residents easy access to the bustling urban centers while maintaining a serene and relaxed lifestyle. This prime location provides many benefits, allowing individuals to enjoy both. Within a short drive, one can explore the vibrant cultural scenes, diverse culinary options, and world-class entertainment of both Sacramento and San Francisco. The opportunities are virtually endless, whether it’s catching a professional sports game, attending a renowned concert, or immersing oneself in vibrant arts and cultural events.
3. Access to outdoor recreational activities
Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, Vacaville is a gateway to many outdoor adventures. The city boasts a network of well-maintained parks, hiking trails, and bike paths, providing ample opportunities for strolls, invigorating hikes, and exhilarating bike rides. Moreover, Vacaville’s proximity to the stunning landscapes of Napa Valley and Lake Berryessa allows residents to embark on scenic drives or partake in water sports and fishing activities.
The nearby Lagoon Valley Park is a treasure trove for outdoor lovers, offering opportunities for birdwatching, picnicking, and even paragliding. For those seeking more adrenaline-pumping experiences, the nearby Sierra Nevada Mountains provide skiing, snowboarding, and hiking options in breathtaking alpine surroundings.
4. Great entertainment opportunities
The region is renowned for its exquisite wineries, where wine enthusiasts can indulge in tastings and tours and learn about the art of winemaking. From the picturesque Suisun Valley to the world-famous Napa Valley, plenty of vineyards exist to explore and enjoy. Vacaville is renowned for the iconic Nut Tree, a beloved attraction that provides a delightful fusion of entertainment, shopping, and dining. Guests can explore scenic gardens, shop at distinctive boutiques, and indulge in delicious cuisine at diverse eateries.
5. Great educational opportunities
The city is home to a highly regarded school district committed to providing a well-rounded education. From elementary to high school, Vacaville offers a range of public and private schools that prioritize academic excellence, personalized learning, and the holistic development of each student. Additionally, Vacaville boasts the presence of Solano Community College, offering higher education and career training programs. The college provides diverse academic courses, vocational programs, and transfer pathways to four-year universities.
Cons of living in Vacaville, CA
1. High fire risk
Like many areas in California, Vacaville faces a significant fire risk due to its geographical location and climate conditions. The region experiences hot and dry summers and strong winds, creating conditions that can contribute to the spread of wildfires. The proximity of Vacaville to areas with dense vegetation, such as grasslands and forested areas, further add to the fire risk. Residents must take necessary precautions to mitigate fire hazards, such as maintaining defensible space around their properties, learning how to heatproof their homes, following local fire safety guidelines, and staying informed about fire alerts and evacuation procedures.
2. High housing costs
As a desirable location within California, Vacaville’s popularity and proximity to major cities have increased demand for housing, subsequently driving up prices. The median sale price is $625,000, over the national median of $419,103. The competitive real estate market may pose challenges for individuals or families looking to purchase a home or find affordable rental options. As for rent, a two-bedroom apartment averages around $2,343, which can be costly for some. Although these prices seem high, it’s important to remember that neighboring metropolitan areas like San Francisco has a median sale price of 1,400,000.
3. Summers can be hot and dry
Summers in Vacaville are characterized by hot and dry conditions, which is a potential drawback to living in the area. The region experiences high summer temperatures averaging around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and limited rainfall, creating a dry environment. The intense heat can be challenging for those sensitive to high temperatures or prefer milder climates. Take extra precautions to stay hydrated, protect oneself from the sun, and learn how to keep your house cool in extreme heat.
4. High property taxes
Property taxes are levied based on the property’s assessed value, and in regions with higher property values like Vacaville, the tax burden can be significant. The average state property tax rate is 0.81% while Vacaville is 0.93%, which can impact homeowners’ monthly expenses and overall cost of living. Potential residents must consider property taxes as part of their budgetary planning when contemplating a move to Vacaville.
5. Limited public transportation
The city’s public transportation system is less extensive and comprehensive than in larger metropolitan areas, which may pose challenges for residents who rely on public transit or prefer not to use private vehicles. The transit score in Vacaville is 20 which makes it a car dependent city. Although Vacaville City Coach offers local bus services, the routes and frequency may be less convenient and extensive than in urban areas. This limited public transportation can pose challenges for those who rely on or prefer using public transit, affecting commuting, accessing services, and exploring nearby cities.
Is Vacaville, CA a good place to live? Final thoughts
Whether Vacaville is a good place to live depends on individual preferences and priorities. The city boasts attractive features like a mild climate, close proximity to cities, and abundant outdoor activities. However, it’s crucial to weigh drawbacks such as costly housing, scorching summers, wildfire risk, and limited transportation. In conclusion, individuals should extensively research and evaluate their specific needs before deciding if Vacaville suits their desired living environment.
Jobs far outnumber people in the Tennessee tourist destination of Pigeon Forge, home to the Dollywood theme park and resort. Employers tap surrounding towns for workers but still struggle to fill roles. The challenge is made all the harder by a severe shortage of affordable housing needed to draw potential employees to the area.
Finally, Dollywood decided to do what more and more employers across the country are doing: It went into the housing business.
Employers large and small are finding that providing affordable employee housing is a highly effective recruitment tool as the extreme shortage of housing has caused rents and home prices to balloon across the nation. It’s been especially helpful for drawing workers to hard-to-staff sectors such as health care, manufacturing, and hospitality and leisure.
It can be very difficult for lower-paid workers to find homes within their budgets in expensive resort towns where they’re competing with vacationers for the few units available.
The approaches of employers vary widely, from constructing tiny-home communities to leasing entire blocks of apartments. But the goal is the same: attract and hold on to workers by providing them with a reasonably priced place to live.
Providing workers with affordable housing is even more important now as the scarcity of housing has led to rental prices rising about 25% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Realtor.com® data. On the for-sale side, median home list prices shot up 38% from May 2019 through May 2023.
Dollywood partnered with Holtz Builders, in Wisconsin, to construct a dormitory-style residence hall large enough to accommodate 750 workers on land adjacent to the park. A Holtz subsidiary manages the property and charges workers modest weekly rents of $135, including utilities.
That’s a significantly lower rent than market rates in Pigeon Forge, where Dollywood is located. There were about 50 units for rent with a median price of $1,900 a month (or about $475 a week) as of May 30 on Realtor.com. The median home list price was $690,000 in May.
The investment is paying off. After the residence hall opened, Dollywood was able to recruit twice as many college interns and foreign exchange workers to work the busy summer season. Now, more beds are coming.
“We already have Phase 2 under construction, which will take us to 1,000 residents,” says Tim Berry, Dollywood’s vice president of human resources. “And we are trying to figure out what Phase 3 will look like.”
More companies are using housing to attract workers
The trend might conjure up images of 19th-century “company towns,” where mill owners and railroad magnates provided low-cost housing for their workers—and owned all of the businesses in town as well.
The concept has come back, in scaled-back form, as the shortage of affordable housing has become increasingly acute throughout the country, says Katie Fallon, a principal policy associate at the Urban Institute.
“It’s a cost-effective way for employers to bridge the gap between housing costs and wages,” she says.
The tech giants, including Google, Meta, and Apple, are under increasing pressure to help ease the Silicon Valley housing crunch their booming industries largely created. So they are currently investing billions to develop tens of thousands of units of housing, some of which will be priced below market rate. But those units will not be reserved solely for tech workers.
In addition, billionaire Elon Musk is planning to create the utopian community of Snailbrook, TX, outside of Austin, to provide housing for employees working at his companies SpaceX, Tesla, and Boring.
Most employers dabbling in housing are focused squarely on employee retention. At Bozeman Health, a health care provider with 2,400 employees in Bozeman, MT, job candidates frequently decline an offer or back out belatedly due to the high cost of housing in the area, says Brad Ludford, the chief financial officer.
The median list price of a home in Bozeman was $1,147,500 in May, according to the latest Realtor.com data.
“We have heard so many voices telling us they’re leaving or they don’t come here in the first place,” Ludford says.
So the company is investing with a developer in a 168-unit apartment complex under construction on land near the airport in Belgrade, about 15 minutes away. Bozeman Health will lease 45 of the market-rate units from the developer—about 100 beds. They are still working out the details, but Ludford anticipates the company will reduce the rental cost for employees by giving them a rent subsidy through payroll.
The four-bedroom units are designed like college dorm suites in that each of the bedrooms can be locked for privacy and share common space. Individual workers will be able to rent just a bedroom, or a family could rent an entire apartment, Ludford says.
The big risk of employer-provided housing
However, there is a large potential pitfall for workers who secure housing through their employer, says the Urban Institute’s Fallon. If they quit or lose their jobs, that might jeopardize their housing.
“If your housing is tied to your employer, you have to think harder about leaving that job,” she says.
In Bozeman Health’s case, an employee who leaves a job for whatever reason will lose the subsidy, but not the apartment—at least not immediately, Ludford says.
Workers who purchase one of the 99 homes being built in Spencer, IN, by Cook Medical, a medical device manufacturer, will have no commitment to the company. But they will have to adhere to some covenants intended to help keep the homes affordable and available to employees, says Ron Walker, the president of workforce housing for CFC Properties, a Cook Group company.
The homes may not be converted to rentals. If an owner decides to sell within three years of buying, Cook has the option to buy it back at the original purchase price. That’s because Cook is selling the three-bedroom homes at cost—around $200,000—to make them affordable. The median home list price in Spencer was $255,000 in May, according to Realtor.com data.
And finally, owners who decide to sell in years four through eight can do so at market rate. But they must give Cook the first right of refusal, Walker says.
“If you get presented with an offer, we have seven days to match that offer or pass,” he says.
Cook’s three facilities in South Central Indiana draw employees from several, largely rural counties. Those counties have had low growth rates and, in some cases, the populations are actually declining, Walker says.
That was concerning enough that company executives decided, “Let’s build houses and market those to Cook employees first,” Walker says.
Fourteen homes are completed so far. The first buyers, selected through a lottery process, will move in this summer.
“You have to be an employee on the day you apply and on the day you close on the home, but after that, it’s yours,” Walker says. “We thought, this is worth doing because the community needs the homes.”
Fallon points out that many employers instead offer housing incentives, like help with a down payment or closing costs, rather than an actual living space. But incentives don’t bring down costs and aren’t much help in areas where supply is severely constrained, she says.
“Companies that are creating supply—that’s definitely a benefit,” she says. “It’s one of a number of solutions we need to fix the country’s problem of a lack of housing.”
Whether you’re hosting in your apartment, visiting friends or family or at a restaurant, chances are there will be a turkey on the table this Thanksgiving.
But you can’t have a holiday smorgasbord with just one item. For many renters, turkey is just the palette for a bevy of sides, the paint that is the art of the Thanksgiving plate. Believe it or not, nearly three-quarters of Americans would be happy if Thanksgiving dinner was only sides (and the turkeys would probably agree).
There are nearly endless options of Thanksgiving side dishes and accouterments for the turkey — and they vary by state and region. Among those are gravy and cranberry sauce, tuber dishes like mashed potatoes, yams and sweet potato casserole, vegetable options such as green bean casserole and corn, desserts including apple pie and pumpkin pie and of course stuffing and dressing.
Stuffing or dressing, the king of Thanksgiving sides
Let’s pause for a moment to discuss stuffing vs. dressing since our statistics require it. Essentially, they are the same food with the same ingredients creating the same plate. But the difference is where it is cooked. Traditionally, stuffing is when the carb-rich bread and herb mixture is baked inside the turkey (ergo, stuffed) and dressing is baked outside the turkey (thus, dressed). But generally, both options are called dressing in the Deep South, and stuffing everywhere else (with pockets even calling it filling), regardless of the cooking process.
Stuffing or dressing is the most popular side in 37 of 50 states and Washington, D.C. Indeed, it’s the side that Americans most believe Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without, and it’s served on 85 percent of Thanksgiving tables. Conversely, no state chose cranberry sauce or sweet potatoes/yams as their favorite. No surprise as those are ranked as the top two most overrated Thanksgiving side dishes.
The most popular side in every one of the top 18 most populated states is stuffing or dressing. You have to go all the way down to Missouri to find a dissenter. The favorite Thanksgiving side dish in the Show Me State is green bean casserole. And you have to go all the way down to Utah, the 30th biggest state, to find something other than stuffing and “GBC.” The favored side in the Beehive State? It’s pumpkin pie, served with or after the meal.
Stuffing specifically, in the bird, is the most popular side in every single state in the Northeast and all six states west of the Rockies, save for Alaska (where green bean casserole rules the late November meal). It’s a sweep in the South, as well. Five Southern states prefer stuffing and eight choose “dressing” (essentially the same thing). Whether dressing is being used as a general term or literally being baked inside the turkey is each individual to decide, bless their hearts.
Other beloved sides around the table
The same is true around the Great Lakes, with stuffing preferred in each lakeside state. Except one. Wisconsin, the lone dissenter among Great Lakes region states, is all in for green bean casserole over stuffing. Adjacent to the Badger State, each of the five Great Plains states agree. The notorious GBC is most popular in Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.
Along with Utah, as mentioned above, four other states — Arizona, New Mexico, North Dakota and Wyoming — also select pumpkin pie as the favored side, despite it being a traditional dessert. Pie may seem an odd choice, but there’s something different about pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Nearly 60 percent of all pies consumed on Thanksgiving are of the pumpkin variety. That’s 50,000,000 pumpkin pies.
And then there’s Montana. Up in Big Sky Country, they enjoy their sides on top rather than on the side. The favorite Thanksgiving side dish in Montana is…gravy. That may seem a strange choice, but maybe Montana is onto something. Gravy is the only side that can go atop every other side. On the turkey, mashed potatoes, on the stuffing, on green beans. But probably not on the pie.
Wondering where the mashed potatoes are? Not a single state chose the staple as their fave side. However, the good folks in New Jersey and Connecticut both picked the smashed ‘taters as second-most popular. And sweet potato casserole came in third in both North Carolina and Louisiana.
Each state’s most popular Thanksgiving side dishes
Below is the most popular Thanksgiving side dish in every state, and Washington D.C., based on Google search interest.
Alabama: Dressing
Alaska: Green bean casserole
Arizona: Pumpkin pie
Arkansas: Dressing
California: Stuffing
Colorado: Stuffing
Connecticut: Stuffing
Delaware: Stuffing
DC: Stuffing
Florida: Stuffing
Georgia: Dressing
Hawaii: Stuffing
Idaho: Green bean casserole
Illinois: Stuffing
Indiana: Dressing
Iowa: Green bean casserole
Kansas: Green bean casserole
Kentucky: Dressing
Louisiana: Dressing
Maine: Stuffing
Maryland: Stuffing
Massachusetts: Stuffing
Michigan: Stuffing
Minnesota: Stuffing
Mississippi: Dressing
Missouri: Green bean casserole
Montana: Gravy
Nebraska: Green bean casserole
Nevada: Stuffing
New Hampshire: Stuffing
New Jersey: Stuffing
New Mexico: Pumpkin pie
New York: Stuffing
North Carolina: Stuffing
North Dakota: Pumpkin pie
Ohio: Stuffing
Oklahoma: Green bean casserole
Oregon: Stuffing
Pennsylvania: Stuffing
Rhode Island: Stuffing
South Carolina: Dressing
South Dakota: Green bean casserole
Tennessee: Dressing
Texas: Dressing
Utah: Pumpkin pie
Vermont: Stuffing
Virginia: Stuffing
Washington: Stuffing
West Virginia: Stuffing
Wisconsin: Green bean casserole
Wyoming: Pumpkin pie
Methodology
The most popular Thanksgiving side dishes were determined by looking at Google search results from November 2021 by each state. We analyzed 15 different Thanksgiving side dishes as selected by our team. The dish with the highest search interest in each state was determined to be that state’s favorite.
Michael is a Philadelphia-based writer with a variety of interests, including music, concerts, TV, politics, travel and sports. His background includes a decade as a programming executive in network television, six years as a marketing executive at a technology company, and time at two magazines and two advertising agencies. He currently works as Craft Beer & Brewery contributor for the Visit Philly Greater Philadelphia Tourism Bureau and sits on the board of a non-profit law firm that assists veterans with disabilities. Michael is a proud Syracuse grad (Newhouse) who has lived in Wichita, Albany, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston and beyond.
Have you heard of house hacking? With house hacking, you may be able to learn how to live for free!
If you’re new to house hacking, it’s finding ways to make money while you live in your house. You hack your costs to possibly live free and maybe even make money.
House hacking can be a great way to save money on your monthly living costs and even build equity in the property that you own.
After all, your housing costs are probably one of your highest monthly bills, if not the highest. Most homeowners spend around 30% of their monthly income on housing costs, which is a lot!
So what if you could find a way to lower your housing costs or use being a homeowner to your advantage?
Now, perhaps you recently put a down payment down on an investment property with the sole intention of house hacking it in order to better afford your monthly mortgage payment. Or maybe you are currently looking for ways to lower your monthly mortgage payment and you have some spare bedrooms that you could rent out.
Whatever your reason may be, as a homeowner, you may be able to save a lot of money and start house hacking.
Back when we were living in a traditional house, we house hacked for a little while and had a few different roommates live with us. The monthly rent we collected allowed us to lower our house payment and put more money in savings.
We house hacked with our first house, and it was really great for us. Being able to set more money aside even helped me get ready to quit my job to become a full-time blogger.
I only house hacked for a short amount of time, but it was such a great experience, and I’ve heard the same thing from many other house hackers.
Because house hacking can help you save money, make money, offset your mortgage payment and other housing costs, I wanted to create a post that explains what house hacking is and how to get started.
So if you are interested in house hacking, then please continue reading this article. Today, I will answer some of your common questions so that you can get started as soon as possible as a house hacker.
Related content on house hacking:
Guide to House Hacking for Beginners
What is house hacking?
House hacking is when you find ways to make money from your home. You can do it with a multi-family property, house, apartment, additional dwelling unit, and so on.
Typically, house hacking means that you live in one room or unit, and then you rent out the other rooms/units and put that money towards your mortgage.
Depending on the situation, you may be able to earn enough to completely cover your monthly mortgage payment (plus more), or you may choose to earn just enough to cover some of your monthly housing bills. Whatever you decide to do, as a house hacker, you are lowering your monthly housing expenses and freeing up more of your money.
Is house hacking profitable?
Yes, house hacking can be very profitable!
From house hacking, you may earn a little bit of extra money to help pay down your mortgage, enough to cover your entire monthly housing costs, and perhaps even more so that you are able to save some money on top of paying down your mortgage.
Because there are so many different ways to house hack, it would be hard to say exactly how profitable it will be for you.
If you decide to start house hacking, I recommend starting an emergency fund as soon as possible.
An emergency fund is exactly what it sounds like – it’s money you set aside in case of an emergency. Because house hacking means you’ll have other people living in your house, there may be a greater chance of repairs, and it will be your responsibility as the landlord to deal with them as quickly as possible.
Having an emergency fund can help you cover any unexpected expenses that may come up, such as rental property repairs or even needing to replace appliances. While house hacking can be profitable, it can also be expensive if you are not careful.
Is house hacking legal?
The rules for house hacking depend on where you live.
House hacking is legal in many places, but there may be simple rules that you need to follow, these may be city or even subdivision specific.
For example, some cities or neighborhoods may not allow Airbnbs and other short-term rentals, or they may have occupancy limits. You need to find out what the local laws in your area are before you start.
That being said, many people house hack all over the world, so it is likely that you will be able to find a way to make it work for you while also staying legal and following the rules.
Plus, you will have to comply with federal and state housing laws. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. You can learn more about this here.
What is a good house hacking book?
If you are looking for a good book on the subject of house hacking, then I recommend reading The House Hacking Strategy: How to Use Your Home to Achieve Financial Freedom by Craig Curelop.
This is a great book on house hacking and teaches you many different house hacking strategies, how to start house hacking for beginners (even if you don’t have much money), how to find the best property to house hack for your situation, and much more.
There is a lot of information packed into this book, making it a must-read if you’re interested!
Pros and cons of house hacking
Of course, like with anything, there are pros and cons. This is your home after all, and you want to make sure that you are fully prepared for what the reality of house hacking will be like.
You may have never lived with roommates before or have been a landlord, and that will affect your experience, so let’s talk about the advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits of house hacking include:
You can build home equity.
You can lower your housing costs significantly.
You can earn extra money and improve your cash flow.
You can have more freedom because your housing costs are covered. Perhaps, you’ll feel more free and flexible to pursue a passion project now?
Now, I will admit that I am a little biased because I had such a great experience.
But there are reasons why you shouldn’t house hack, and it definitely is not for everyone.
Here are the most common disadvantages to house hacking:
You will likely lose some privacy, especially if your situation involves renting out a room in your home.
Being a landlord can be incredibly stressful for some people.
There will be more wear and tear on your property.
When I was house hacking, I thought privacy would be more of an issue than it was. Fortunately, we had a basement to rent out that had a bathroom in it, and for the most part, our spaces felt very separate.
However, if you are in a situation that involves sharing a bathroom or other living spaces, such as a kitchen or living room, that can be too much for some people. If you like your privacy, then this is a big thing that you should think about before you rent out space in your actual home, and you may want to look into owning something like a multifamily property instead. This could make the experience far better for your personal situation.
As far as being a landlord, you will have to deal with problems with tenants. This may include covering the costs if something on your property breaks.
Keep all of those things in mind before you get started!
House Hacking Ideas
There are many different house hacking strategies that you may be interested in, and below are some house hacking examples.
1. Rent out rooms in your home
If you’re not interested in purchasing new real estate in order to get into house hacking, then the easiest way to get started may be to rent out rooms in your single-family home.
Yes, this means getting roommates.
So if you have a three bedroom home, you can decide to rent out the other two bedrooms, and then live in the third bedroom yourself. If you are renting out the home that you live in, then it means you may be sharing your kitchen, bathrooms, living room, and other spaces with someone who is a stranger at first.
Another option you might consider is to rent out rooms in your home on a short-term basis, such as through Airbnb or VRBO.
If you don’t currently have an extra bedroom or living space, you may need to convert a space into an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) such as a basement, a room above a garage, building a guest house, and more. You may decide to add a kitchenette or even a full bathroom in order to get a higher monthly rent from your tenants.
You can learn more about this at What You Need To Know About Renting A Room In Your House.
2. Multi-family home
A multi-family home can be a duplex, triplex, or apartment building. It simply means that it’s a structure built for multiple families to live in separate units. As far as house hacking, you would buy the whole building with the intention of living in one unit and renting out the other units.
One positive of this situation is that you would not be sharing personal space with anyone else. You would have tenants, and you would be their landlord.
The money that you earn from your tenants may be enough to cover your monthly mortgage payment for the whole building that you own, which means that you may be able to live for free. That’s a major perk!
Some people like to house hack this way because they are close to their tenants and can keep an eye on the building they own, but they are still able to maintain their own private and personal space. Not having to share common areas, such as your kitchen and bathroom, can be a great thing after all.
3. Rent out an RV on your property
Another possible form of house hacking is to rent out an RV that you have on your property or rent it out to others to travel in.
If you have an RV that you aren’t don’t use all of the time, then you may be able to earn $100 to $300 a day, or more, by renting it out to others through RVShare.
RVshare is like Airbnb for recreational vehicles.
You can rent all kinds of RV on the RVShare website, such as:
Camper vans
Travel trailers
Pop-ups
Class C Motorhome
Class A Motorhome
Toy hauler
RVshare has a secure payment system to accept payments from those renting out your RV and then securely releases the funds to your bank account one business day after the start of each rental.
The money that you earn from renting out your RV can help you lower your housing costs, which can be quite easy if you have an RV that you aren’t using all the time. Or perhaps the RV you rent out just covers your RV payment, which would be like “RV hacking” instead of house hacking, and you can then pay off your RV much faster in this scenario.
Related: Have an RV that you want to rent out? Check out How To Make Extra Money By Renting Out Your RV.
4. Closet, driveway, storage space
Do you have unused storage space? If so, you may be able to earn money with it.
Neighbor is a peer-to-peer rental platform and is like the Airbnb of storage space.
With Neighbor, you would not be renting out space for someone to live in, instead you are renting out your space so that people can store their stuff!
You can use Neighbor to list your unused space for rent and earn up to $15,000 per year. With Neighbor, you can rent out your garage, driveway, basement, or even an unused closet that you have. You can even rent out parking spaces, a shed, or room in your backyard.
You can set your own prices and decide for yourself what storage reservations you want to approve. You also reserve the right to know what the people are storing in your house and approve it before they rent space from you.
Because so many people pay to store their stuff, so this can be an in-demand business to get into. It’s also generally more affordable than traditional storage units, making it more appealing to renters.
You can sign up for Neighbor for free here.
You can also learn more in my Neighbor Review.
How to know if house hacking is right for you
Before you start renting out space in your house to save money or pay off your mortgage, there are a few questions I recommend asking yourself. It’s a big decision, and these questions will help you decide if this is the right choice for you.
What to ask yourself before house hacking:
What is my short-term goal for house hacking? Do I hope to make enough to pay my monthly mortgage? Or do I want to make a little extra each month to save or offset some housing expenses?
What is my long-term house hacking goal? Do you want to own rental properties one day?
Do you currently have extra space in your house to rent to someone? Or will this require purchasing a new property?
Are you in a good spot financially to start house hacking? At the very least, you will need to have an emergency fund. But if you need to purchase another property, consider all of the costs associated with that.
Will your house hacking plans require that you sell your current property? Some people may decide to keep their current home and rent it out as well. But if you are selling, what are the steps and costs associated with selling your house?
How do you feel about having roommates? Do you know anyone who would be a good fit, or would you be okay living with a stranger?
How do you feel about becoming a landlord? This involves collecting rents, repairing things, replacing things, and more.
How you answer those questions will help you decide if house hacking is the right choice for you overall.
Is house hacking possible? Is house hacking worth it?
Yes, house hacking may be possible for you, and you may find it to be well worth it.
If you already own a home, then one of the easiest ways to start house hacking is by renting out spare space that you already have in your home. That could be to store other people’s stuff or like a bedroom for someone to stay in.
House hacking is a real estate investment strategy that can allow you to lower your expenses, improve your cash flow, and save money.
The rental income that you earn from your tenants as a house hacker can help you to pay down the mortgage on your primary residence, retire early, and possibly even allow you to purchase another rental property (if that’s a goal of yours – if not, you can simply just save more money!).
Through house hacking, you can live for cheaper or even free by simply using your owner-occupied investment property to your advantage. This may allow you to better afford the purchase price of a home, as well as lower your risk.
Who knows, maybe house hacking will even allow you to save enough money to put a down payment on your next investment property as well. This could put you on the right path to reaching your goal of becoming a real estate investor.
Are you interested in house hacking? Why or why not?
The COVID-19 pandemic could result in waves of people moving from the city and into the suburbs in search of more space, forecasts show.
While 30% of American say they’ve browsed real estate listings recently, those who live in urban areas are twice as likely as those living in the suburbs or rural areas to actually be interested in buying or renting a home or apartment, according to a new Harris Poll conducted last month. Almost a third of American say they’re considering a move to a less densely populated area due to the coronavirus, the same poll shows. Moreover, nearly four in 10 of those respondents were urbanites who say COVID-19 is what has prompted them to consider such a move.
John Downs, a real estate pro with Berkshire Hathaway in Connecticut, told The Wall Street Journal he’s expecting to see much greater demand for McMansions in more remote locations, once the coronavirus has passed. He said that he’s already noticed an increase in inquiries about properties in remote areas from city dwellers.
A separate report by CNBC shows an uptick among New York’s wealthiest residents who’re looking to move into the suburbs or exurbs in order to enjoy a less crowded lifestyle. Most are seeking more space and distance from their neighbors and crowds, real estate professionals say. For some, it may be they’re interested in buying a second home that’s still close to the city. For others, it may be more permanent.
“It seems like everyone wants to leave the city,” said Steve Magnuson, a broker with Douglas Elliman in Greenwich, Connecticut, in an interview with CNBC. “Our problem is not enough inventory for sale. We’ve been on the phone 24/7 and on email.”
Magnuson recently rented a five-bedroom home with an infinity pool in Greenwich for $55,000 a month—a record high for the town. The rental is now available again but is listed at a more expensive price—$65,000 per month—and has a waitlist of 18 people desiring to rent it.
People in the city who are eyeing suburbia are looking for a more spacious place to run, walk, and ride bikes. Wealthy buyers are also focusing on homes with a pool, large home office, and strong internet and cell services, Magnuson notes.
Could the rush from city to the suburbs be temporary, as it was following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks? Brokers report a momentary shift in the market during that time as more people fled the city. But they quickly returned, driven by overseas buyers and young professionals. Even without an exodus, brokers are still banking on a desire for second homes to grow among the wealthy after the pandemic.
“Being able to go someplace not far from your home, where you have a home office and can keep your friends and family safe—that’s number one,” Magnuson told CNBC.
Mike Wheatley is the senior editor at Realty Biz News. Got a real estate related news article you wish to share, contact Mike at [email protected]
It’s almost time for Dodger baseball. You’re rolling west along Sunset Boulevard, visions of Mookie Betts and Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías happily dancing through your mind.
You’re one block from turning onto Vin Scully Avenue and into Dodger Stadium when you notice a black billboard, looming ominously above an auto repair shop called Fernando’s Tires. The billboard features this name, in bright white letters: Frank McCourt.
That guy?
Yes, that guy, the one who traded two Boston parking lots and what one of his attorneys said was “not a penny” of his own cash for ownership of the Dodgers. Yes, the one who dragged the storied team into bankruptcy amid Major League Baseball allegations he had “looted” $189 million from team revenues for personal use. And, yes, the one who laughed all the way to the bank, selling the Dodgers for a billion-dollar profit in 2012.
He did not, however, sell the parking lots that surround the stadium. In 2018, he pitched a gondola that would transport fans from Union Station to Dodger Stadium.
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Five years later, the proposal is still alive, now shepherded by an environmental organization delighted at the prospect of the gondola taking cars off the streets and keeping pollutants out of the air. That Sunset Boulevard billboard and others like it are brought to you by opponents of the gondola, taking aim at the project in part by relentlessly associating it with McCourt.
The Dodgers are guaranteed to play 81 games at Dodger Stadium every year, with playoff games traditionally added in October and concert dates sprinkled throughout the year. That leaves skeptics within the community to wonder why McCourt would promote a gondola ride to a stadium parking lot that would be empty three out of every four days during the year.
Unless, of course, the lot would not be empty.
McCourt’s company, now known as McCourt Global, highlights this slogan: “Building for tomorrow.” McCourt did not sell the Dodger Stadium parking lots because he anticipated building something there, some day.
What might that be? And is the gondola intended to carry us to that day?
The pursuit of those answers took me to Dodger Stadium, to City Hall and to a meeting of MLB owners. First, however, I stopped at a weathered red brick building in the Arts District, an old furniture and fabric warehouse reimagined as a laboratory for energy innovation.
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Three colorful banners greeted visitors, one with the hue of a bright blue sky. “Welcome,” that banner read, “to the Cleantech Future of Power and Water.”
The interior comes alive with vibrancy and urgency, and with work on dozens of concepts. Any one of them, building managers say, could emerge as “the next big idea to fight climate change.”
The Dodger Stadium gondola represents such an idea, according to its proponents. Climate Resolve, a nonprofit based in that building, agreed to take the reins from McCourt in leading the project.
“From my perspective,” said Climate Resolve founder and executive director Jonathan Parfrey, “to have a gondola transporting people from Union Station to Dodger Stadium, and to have that exciting, beautiful conveyance identified as a climate action?
“It changes the way people approach public transit. So it was very attractive to us.”
With baseball’s new hurry-up rules, you could miss half the game if you get stuck in Dodger Stadium’s oft-snarled traffic and get to your seat an hour after the first pitch.
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The gondola alternative: get to Union Station, hop aboard a spacious cabin that could arrive every 23 seconds, soar high above the city, and arrive at Dodger Stadium in seven minutes.
The climate benefit is easy to envision: fewer fans in cars powered by gasoline; more fans in gondolas powered by electricity.
A promotional video for the proposed Dodger Stadium gondola project released by Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit.
The climate downside is easy to envision too: massive development at Dodger Stadium, with neighborhood disruption for years of construction, and with cars converging upon the stadium every day, not just on game days.
“I’m involved in this project,” Parfrey said, “and I brought my organization into this project, predicated on there not being development on that land.”
Not now, or not ever?
“Not for the foreseeable future,” he said.
Parfrey said he had been given “assurances” that the gondola was not a first step toward Dodger Stadium development. I asked who had given him those assurances, or who I could ask to get those same assurances.
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“Ask Frank,” he said.
Near Lot G at Dodger Stadium, along the long slog from the outer reaches of the parking lots to a stadium entrance behind left field, a colorful model of a gondola cabin awaits you. You can step inside the 24-seat cabin, then imagine a ride that would allow you to skip traffic to the ballpark and instead, as the signage reads: “GET THERE BY AIR.”
You can even find a helpful decal, showing you where to stand to take a picture with the gondola cabin in the foreground and the stadium in the background.
The display of a model cabin takes a page from the playbook for pitching a new stadium or arena. Models and renderings can excite fans, but they also can obscure a critical question about any big project: Looks cool, but who is going to pay for this?
The cost of building the gondola was estimated at $300 million in 2020 and is expected to rise by the time a financing plan is finalized, said David Grannis of Point C Partners, a transportation and land use consultancy working with Climate Resolve.
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The McCourt entity that originated the gondola concept, LA Aerial Rapid Transit, has agreed to fund the approval process, including environmental studies and permit applications, project spokesman Nathan Click said. It is up to Climate Resolve to figure out how to pay for construction, as well as for annual operating costs Grannis estimated at between $5 million and $10 million.
The gondola won’t make money, at least not under the current plan of free rides for fans with a Dodgers ticket and neighborhood residents with a Metro pass.
Parfrey said taxpayers would not be asked to subsidize the gondola.
The hundreds of millions would come from private financing, Grannis said, and largely from sponsorships and the purchase of naming rights.
In 2012, the airline Emirates agreed to pay about $60 million for a 10-year sponsorship of a London gondola — then called the Emirates Air Line — that carried riders above the River Thames and cost $96 million. The current one-way adult fare on the London gondola is $7.50.
“In this case,” Grannis said, “you have a venue that happens to be the best attended in Major League Baseball, and therefore the iconic nature of this cabin flying to Dodger Stadium and taking you there is going to attract a lot of sponsors, a lot of people who want naming rights or sponsorship.
“That’s the big revenue.”
Jeff Marks, the founder and chief executive of Innovative Partnerships Group, brokers naming rights and sponsorship deals between companies and teams, leagues and venues. He said it “could be doable” to cover the cost of building and operating the gondola through corporate sponsorships, but he said even the most generous sponsor might not be willing to strike a nine-figure deal without exposure beyond simply slapping the company’s name on the side of the gondola.
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Marks, speaking generally because he is not involved in the project, said a title sponsor might also want a benefit such as the company name on the field. A hypothetical example: Verizon Field at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers have hired firms to solicit corporate offers for naming rights to the field and patches on the team jerseys.
Or, Marks said, a primary sponsor might prefer naming rights to whatever development might rise atop the parking lots: Take the Verizon Gondola to the Verizon Village at Dodger Stadium!
Rick Caruso, the developer behind the Grove and Americana shopping and entertainment centers, pursued the Dodgers when McCourt put them up for sale. Caruso commissioned studies on how to improve the notorious congestion for cars getting into and out of the Dodger Stadium parking lots.
Without control of the lots, however, Caruso believed he might not have been able to implement any changes. McCourt insisted he would not sell the lots, and Caruso withdrew from the bidding.
Guggenheim Baseball Management, the winning bidder, took a different approach. Guggenheim, led by Mark Walter and Stan Kasten, bought the Dodgers and their stadium from McCourt. In a separate transaction, a Guggenheim entity formed a joint venture with a McCourt entity to control the parking lots.
In land use documents filed by the joint venture in 2012 and intended to “facilitate the orderly development” of the Dodger Stadium parking lots, the potential property uses cited include homes, offices, restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, medical and academic buildings, a separate sports facility and a hotel and exhibit hall.
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“It is an ill-conceived concept that the highest and best use of Chavez Ravine is 260 acres for parking,” an attorney for McCourt, Tony Natsis, said at the time. “I consider that to be an ill-conceived notion for the owner of the parking lots and the owner of the stadium.”
Walter, the Dodgers’ chairman and controlling owner, said McCourt cannot develop anything on the property without Guggenheim’s consent. What might Walter be thinking in terms of development now?
“I haven’t been thinking about it at all,” Walter said.
Kasten, the Dodgers’ president and chief executive, said the Dodgers support the gondola project but are “really not involved” in it. Walter had a simple explanation for why the Dodgers would back a project that would chew up a chunk of the parking lots in the stadium.
“Hopefully, it will make it easier for people to get there,” he said.
Of the 18,889 parking spaces at the stadium, the gondola station at Dodger Stadium would result in the loss of 194 spaces, according to the environmental impact report for the project.
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To the Dodgers, that would not be a big deal. But this might be: The report projects 10,000 people would ride the gondola to each game by 2042, which could translate to a loss of about 20% of parking revenue.
Kasten called those figures “hypotheticals that I don’t have an answer for,” and project opponents dismissed the ridership projections as unrealistically high, citing a UCLA study.
But a person familiar with the Dodgers’ business model, speaking on condition of anonymity so as not to jeopardize his professional relationships, said the team likely would not agree to give up millions in annual parking fees without some way to recoup that money.
“It does not make sense for the Dodgers to do it if they’re going to lose parking revenue,” the person said. “It does make sense if the gondola is serving a larger development.”
The California Endowment, a nonprofit with offices that would sit beneath the shadow of a 195-foot gondola tower, is leading and largely funding a coalition opposing the project. In court papers, the Endowment cited the Dodger Stadium development proposal McCourt unveiled when he owned the team and alleged the gondola would be “a loss leader for the future development of parking lots at Dodger Stadium.”
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What would Kasten say to Angelenos who would like to know whether the gondola comes first and development comes next?
“That’s a question you’ll have to address to someone else,” Kasten said.
To the people proposing the gondola?
“Yes,” Kasten said. “That’s where I would direct my questions.”
I had. And what had I been told? Ask Frank.
On April 9, 2021, for the first time in 32 years, the Dodgers raised a World Series championship banner. The Dodgers bestowed the honor of hoisting the treasured flag upon five people, including three of their own: Dodgers co-owners Magic Johnson and Billie Jean King, each decorated champions in their own right, and Hall of Fame broadcaster Jaime Jarrín.
The other two: Eric Garcetti, then the mayor of Los Angeles, and Gil Cedillo, then the city councilman representing the district that includes Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers forged a strong working relationship with Cedillo. The team and nine of its senior executives combined to make $13,800 in campaign contributions to him from 2013 to ‘22, according to city records.
Cedillo lost his bid for re-election last year, defeated by community activist Eunisses Hernandez. Kasten and Hernandez each expressed a desire to work together for the benefit of the fans and the community.
Garcetti, who has backed the gondola from the time McCourt first pitched it five years ago, said the Dodgers never have hinted to him that mass development would be in the works at Dodger Stadium.
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“I think there is a vision of trying to make it less of a once- or twice-a-year kind of a place for a family, when you go to a game,” Garcetti said before he left office last December, “and more of an asset: the best view in L.A., a place for more special events, a place where baseball history can be celebrated.
“I think their core business is baseball, and they want to protect that.”
The environmental impact report does not contemplate development at Dodger Stadium. The report states “no housing units are proposed” as part of the project and “additional approvals requiring further environmental review would be necessary” for any development at the stadium or elsewhere along the gondola route.
For Hernandez, that language is not enough. The councilwoman said she has “a lot of concerns” about the gondola.
“I am not convinced that this is an effective solution to reducing vehicle congestion,” she said, “and I share the neighborhood’s concerns about displacement and disruption.”
Hernandez said she is not necessarily opposed to development at Dodger Stadium, provided affordable housing is a priority. She is opposed to considering the gondola on its own, without any consideration of whether development might follow and what it might involve.
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“I don’t think it’s appropriate to undertake such large-scale projects without a full and clear understanding of long-term plans,” Hernandez said. “This shouldn’t be piecemealed out, and I want to see additional development plans made clear.
“That is the honest approach, and that’s what will allow the community, the city, and all involved entities to make a clear-eyed decision.”
Steve Soboroff, who was the mayoral point man on the construction of Staples Center and later president of the Playa Vista development near LAX, worked briefly with McCourt in the final year of his Dodgers ownership.
Soboroff is not involved in the gondola project. He said the most effective way to build community support for the project would be to offer transparency about the long-term plan, even if the gondola would come first and any development would come later.
“That would be the path that I would choose,” Soboroff said.
It was time for me to do what Parfrey had suggested: Ask Frank.
The Dodgers have prospered without McCourt, and McCourt has prospered without the Dodgers.
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He bought the storied French soccer club Olympique de Marseille. He donated $200 million to what is now called the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University. He launched Project Liberty, an initiative to reform the Internet in the interest of serving “people, not platforms.”
As McCourt told Leaders Magazine: “Our technology today is great if you want to support autocracy, but it is not so great if you want to support individual rights and the freedoms and liberties assorted with democracy.”
McCourt still owns the Los Angeles Marathon, which starts at Dodger Stadium. During the past two months, as Urbanize LA reported, McCourt entities revealed plans to construct 502 apartments in three buildings on two sites along Stadium Way and another one block south, overlooking the 110 Freeway. The apartment buildings are planned regardless of whether the gondola is approved, said Brin Frazier, a spokeswoman for McCourt.
The applicant for the apartment projects is listed in city records as Jordan Lang, president of two McCourt entities: McCourt Partners Real Estate and Aerial Rapid Transit Technologies.
Lang’s company biography makes no mention of any experience in other transportation projects but touts his leadership in completing “millions of square feet of office, hotel, residential and mixed-use projects.”
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The prospect of developing such a large site on the outskirts of downtown is so rare that the city’s movers and shakers have floated concepts for decades. Caruso and I talked about some of them 18 years ago, long before McCourt put the team up for sale or Caruso ran unsuccessfully for mayor.
Peter O’Malley, the revered former Dodgers owner, proposed building an NFL stadium in the Dodger Stadium parking lot in 1995. McCourt revived the idea in 2005.
The other four MLB teams in California all have pursued mixed-use developments surrounding their ballparks. The Angels’ most recent proposal — since killed by the city of Anaheim amid a corruption scandal — would have included more than 5,000 homes on a site roughly half the size of the Dodger Stadium property.
“We need more housing,” Garcetti said. “We need it to be centrally located. We need it to be affordable. I think, if you meet those criteria, you can start a conversation with the city.”
Or, perhaps, development at Dodger Stadium could mean a selection of food halls, restaurants and bars, enticing enough to lure fans to arrive long before the game and stick around after it ends. That in itself could ease the neighborhood traffic bottlenecks on game days, gondola or no gondola.
Parfrey, who said his nonprofit agreed to take the lead on the gondola project based on what he said was a promise of no development on the land, said his organization would not support a ballpark neighborhood arising on the property but would support a plan to put a restaurant here and there within the parking lot.
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“We would go early and go to the restaurants,” Parfrey said.
Parfrey, remember, was the guy who told me to “ask Frank” about the “assurances” that the arrival of the gondola would not trigger development. I mentioned that to Frazier, McCourt’s spokeswoman, and asked if I could speak to him about that.
“Frank,” she said, “is not available.”
Watch L.A. Times Today at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 on Channel 1 or live stream on the Spectrum News App. Palos Verdes Peninsula and Orange County viewers can watch on Cox Systems on channel 99.
Couches are some of the biggest, most awkwardly shaped and heaviest pieces of furniture in your apartment, which makes them a real pain come packing and moving time. Even if you can break it down and disassemble it into separate pieces, those individual sections can still be unwieldy and heavy. To avoid injury or damage to yourself or the couch, moving it requires patience, preparation, the right equipment and some willing helpers.
How to move a couch while moving apartments
Follow these steps on how to transport your couch safely to your new apartment. If you don’t want the hassle, you can always donate it.
1. Get the right supplies like furniture sliders and a flat furniture dolly
Transporting couches requires specialized equipment to protect yourself, the couch and any other people helping you move it. Not only does it help prevent serious injury or damage, but your back will thank you.
In lieu of a hand truck, a flat furniture dolly is best for handling and maneuvering bulky furniture like couches. Comprised of a flat, square platform on four wheels, furniture dollies can handle up to 1,000 pounds, allowing you to roll or slide bulky items across rooms or down hallways with ease.
You can also affix cushioned furniture sliders to the bottom of the couch’s legs, allowing you to push or pull it without damaging it or the floor. Sliders are especially handy if you’re moving out of an apartment that doesn’t have stairs or difficult sections requiring lots of lifting. If you can’t find the right size, you can buy oversized sliders and trim them down.
In addition, you’ll need lifting straps, tie-down straps, tape measure, shrink wrap and a moving blanket.
2. Pack the couch for moving
You can’t just throw your couch onto a furniture dolly, roll it onto a moving truck and call it a day. The smaller and more compact you can make your couch, the easier it’ll be to move.
If it’s possible, disassemble bigger couches like L-shaped sectionals into smaller sections to make them more manageable. If you can’t disassemble the couch or sofa into smaller pieces, follow these packing tips.
Detach couch legs and arms
If you can, remove any parts of the couch that stick out or aren’t part of the main body of the couch. Usually, these are the legs and arms of the couch. In some cases, you can simply twist the legs off. Otherwise, you’ll likely need a screwdriver.
Be sure to keep all the loose screws and other hardware in a labeled Ziplock bag so you don’t lose track of them during the move.
Remove cushions, pillows and blankets
Take any cushions, loose pillows and blankets and store them in giant plastic bags or trash bags. That way, the cushions won’t get dirty or lost. Be sure to label the bags so they don’t accidentally get thrown out!
Wrap the couch in plastic wrap
Once you’ve stripped the couch of everything not permanently attached to the body of the couch, completely wrap it in plastic wrap. As you’re moving the couch, it might bang against walls, door frames, staircase and other parts of the apartment. Wrapping it up protects the house from damage and will keep the couch from getting scratched or dirty. If you can’t find plastic wrap, you can use moving blankets or old sheets in the same way.
3. Measure the couch and the spaces it will need to fit through
This is arguably the most important step in moving a couch. All your preparations will be for naught if the couch won’t actually fit through your apartment’s narrow door or hallway.
Measure both the height and length of the couch, as well as the depth and width. Make sure that you measure all sides, corners and padded areas so you have a complete picture of the couch’s dimensions.
Then measure all the spaces it will need to fit through, like doorways, hallways, staircases and elevators. You’ll likely need to tip, tilt, pivot, shift or swivel the couch to fit through narrower openings and spaces, which is why you should measure the complete dimensions of the couch so you know if it will fit or not. This will also help you strategize the best way to orient the couch for moving. Should it be vertical or horizontal? When will you need to tilt it to fit through a narrow door versus when can you use a furniture dolly to push it across the room?
By taking measurements in advance, you’re saving yourself the trouble of getting the couch stuck in a too-small doorway or being halfway through moving it only to realize it’s too big for your apartment elevator.
4. Take down doors
If your couch will fit through all the openings in the path to the moving truck, now it’s time to remove any obstacles from that path like doors. When moving couches, every inch counts, and removing doors from their hinges will help you gain precious inches of space. Luckily, doors are pretty easy to remove and you can reinstall them once you’re done.
Along with doors, remove other obstacles that could trip you up like hallway carpets and moving boxes so you have a free and clear path.
5. Figure out a game plan
Come moving day, you should have a plan of action ready in advance so you’re not left scrambling at the last minute. That means knowing the exact route you’ll be taking and having enough helpers to safely lift and maneuver.
6. Have enough people to safely lift the couch
If you’re not hiring movers to help, you’ll likely need to enlist some pals to help. If the couch is small and not too heavy, you probably only need one extra person, with at least one person on one end and another on the other end. But for heavier, bigger couches, your task may require at least four people.
7. Take your time while moving the couch
Whether you’re moving the couch a short distance from living room to truck or bringing it down multiple floors from your top-floor apartment, take your time and be patient. Communicate with your helpers in case someone needs to adjust positions or take a break. Slowly maneuver at all times, taking particular care around tight corners, narrow openings and points of access. If you hit a problem spot, don’t force it. Take a beat to analyze the situation and search for a solution. If possible, have someone walk ahead of the group to give feedback about upcoming obstacles. Slow and steady is the best bet.
8. Carefully load onto the moving truck
If you’re using a moving truck, odds are it’ll have a loading ramp. Using the dolly, roll the couch carefully up the ramp onto the truck. Then, remove the dolly and position the couch for moving. Use tie-down straps to secure it in place so it won’t move around during transit.
How do I move a couch up and down stairs?
As much as we all love that one scene from Friends (PIVOT!), it’s much less fun to recreate in person. Taking a couch up and down stairs is particularly tricky, especially if you live in an older apartment building with narrow staircases. You can’t use dollies and sliders on staircases, so you’ll be relying solely on your helpers.
You should never move a couch up or down stairs by yourself. Always have help, whether by hiring moving services or asking friends. Position someone at each end, make sure everyone has a solid grip and lift from the bottom of the couch. Maneuver slowly and go step by step, communicating with each other. Having someone act as a navigator, informing you when you need to pivot or shift, works well too.
Can I move a couch by myself with a dolly?
If it’s small enough, not too heavy and you don’t need to navigate any stairs, it is possible to move a couch by yourself. For safety’s sake, make full use of your tools so you don’t have to lift too much, relying on the dolly and sliders to push the sofa between rooms. We also recommend disassembling the couch into manageable pieces you can handle on your own. You can also put some pieces in storage if need be.
What is the cheapest way to move a couch?
Since you’ll only need to pay for supplies and the moving truck, it’s more affordable to move couches and sofas on your own. But because of their size, weight and awkward shape, for your own safety and peace of mind, sometimes it’s best to turn to the pros.
Hire a moving company to do the heavy lifting
While the cost will be higher, you’ll find hiring professional movers worth the extra expense. They’ll know exactly how to handle and maneuver your heavy furniture, and you can spare your back the strain.
If you’re on the fence about hiring movers, most moving companies will give you a free moving quote that you can use to see if it fits your budget.
Whether with a moving company or on your own for free, moving a couch requires special preparation
Even if you’ve hired professionals to help, prepping your couch for the moving process makes it easier and safer for everyone.
Zoe Baillargeon is an award-winning writer and journalist based in Portland, Oregon, where she covers a variety of beats including travel, food and drink, lifestyle and culture for outlets like Apartment Guide, Rent., AFAR.com, Fodor’s, The Manual, Matador Network and more. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, reading and spoiling her cat.
You might not put Ohio at the top of your list when thinking about ideal places to live, but don’t discount Columbus. It’s an accommodating and friendly city full of food, culture and fun. All the amenities are there for any seasoned city dweller, but it’s also a perfect spot for families and those just heading out into the world.
The cost of living in Columbus is 11.1 percent below the national average and also significantly below the state average, making it one of the least expensive cities in the state.
If you’re ready to investigate Columbus’ potential for your next place of residence, check out how the cost of living really breaks down and what your estimated monthly costs might look like.
Housing costs in Columbus
Although prices are rising, housing costs in Columbus are pretty accessible. Overall, housing is 20.5 percent below the national average. This aligns with other Ohio cities, which, even with a higher overall cost of living, still keep housing prices on the lower end. Columbus is almost even with Cincinnati in this area, and it’s less than a percentage point below Dayton.
This percentage puts Columbus rent and housing prices in a good place for those seeking a new apartment. The average one-bedroom is up 9 percent since last year but is only about $1,300 per month. For a two-bedroom apartment, prices are up 3 percent, with the average monthly rent being $1,470. These prices are relatively similar to Columbus’ housing cost partner, Cincinnati, where a one-bed apartment has an average price of $1,390.
If home ownership is on your to-do list, the median sale price in Columbus is $253,000 up about 6 percent over last year.
Apartment hunting in Columbus
Even with median rent prices leaning toward the more reasonable side of one’s budget, you’ll find a lot of variety in cost when looking at different neighborhoods. What’s nice though is that there are popular Columbus communities at almost every price point.
Toward the higher end, you’ll find Short North. Far from the most expensive spot (that honor goes to Victorian Village), Short North has an average one-bedroom rent of $1,530. Considered the city’s arts district, and sitting beside Downtown, you’ll find a lot of art galleries, boutiques and lively restaurants.
For rents that stick closer to the average, check out the Arena District and the University District. Also close to Downtown, one-bedroom apartments in the Arena District average out at $1,350. Another vibrant neighborhood, full of bars and restaurants, the Arena District gets its name because Nationwide Arena, home of the local NHL team, is here.
By comparison, one-bedroom apartments in the University District average out to $1,545 per month in monthly rent. This community includes the Ohio State campus and a ton of places that cater to a college population. It’s a busy spot to live in, but with a lot of potential for fun.
Food costs in Columbus
Food is pretty important to Columbus locals, and serving up dishes associated with the area means great food is coming your way. Of course, the area is all about its buckeye candy, but it also has other signature items such as the Ohioana. This hot dog comes with spicy corn relish, sweet corn, pickle relish, jalapeño and celery salt. Yum.
The cost of living in Columbus when it comes to food, is 4.1 percent below the national average. This puts the city in a pretty good place when it comes to your grocery bill. For comparison, Cleveland is almost 10 percent higher with a rate that’s 5.4 percent over the national average.
What this means, when you need to go shopping to stock your fridge and pantry, is that a dozen eggs will cost you $2, while a bunch of bananas will go for $0.58. A loaf of bread will ring up around $4.14, and a box of cereal will cost $4.49.
Utility costs in Columbus
Columbus weather is a bit of a lesson in the extremes. Summers can be long and humid, and very warm, while winters are cold and snowy. Temperatures can vary from the mid-to-high 80s in the summer, down to the low 20s in winter.
What this impacts, besides your need to own a snow shovel, is your gas and electric bills. Overall, the utility costs in Columbus are 6.3 percent below the national average. This is about five percent less than the cost of living index in Cleveland and Dayton. Even with this more affordable rate overall, you’ll still pay an estimated electricity bill of $163.96.
Transportation costs in Columbus
Another perk of living in Columbus is its high bike and walk scores. This means, at least in certain parts, you can rely on your own two feet (or two wheels) to get around town in your new city, reducing your transportation expenses. Columbus’ bike score is 63 and walk score is 61.
The city also has a decent public transportation system. The Central Ohio Transportation Authority, or COTA, operates almost 80 bus lines throughout the area. The single-trip fare is $2, but you can buy a day pass for $4.50 or a 31-day pass for $62.
If you can’t part with your car, Columbus recently got rid of its parking meters in favor of mobile payments. You now pay by plate either through an app or using a kiosk. Expect to pay about $1 per hour.
All combined, the cost of living in Columbus when it comes to transportation is 13.1 percent below the national average. This is exceptionally affordable considering the percentage dropped by 3.8 points over last year.
Healthcare costs in Columbus
In Columbus, one of the most affordable pieces to your cost of living is healthcare. Here, it’s 16.5 percent below the national average, with a 2.9 percent dip over last year. This puts healthcare expenses in Columbus at some of the most affordable in the state. Dayton, for example, has healthcare costs that are 18.2 percent higher.
You can expect to pay an average cost of $117.90, without insurance, to see a doctor in Columbus. For a teeth cleaning, the average cost is $87.63, and an optometrist visit is $60.27. If you have prescription medication, the average monthly cost, without insurance, is $399.60.
Of course, every person’s specific healthcare costs will vary based on personal health, pre-existing conditions and insurance coverage, but understanding what the averages are can help make it easier to estimate an individual budget.
Goods and services costs in Columbus
So many items fit into the goods and services category of the cost of living in Columbus. The easiest way to sum this category up is to think of all the things you budget for that you enjoy doing, but aren’t absolutely necessary. Many goods and services are what you pause doing when money gets tight.
Thankfully, at 5.8 percent below the national average, and at the lower end of costs for Ohio, you should still be able to enjoy most of your extras. This could include your regular trip to the salon ($42.50), a weekly yoga class ($18.60), a ticket to see the latest action flick in theaters ($11.56) or even that six-pack of beer ($10.49) that you’re taking with you to a friend’s house.
Taxes in Columbus
While sales tax varies in Ohio by county, each area starts off paying 5.75 percent, the state rate. In Columbus, there’s an added county tax and a small special tax, bringing the total up to 7.5 percent. This isn’t the highest sales tax in Ohio, as Cleveland wins that award at 8 percent, but it comes close.
What this means for you while you’re shopping is that for every $1,000 you spend, $75 of it goes straight to taxes.
How much do I need to earn to live in Columbus?
If you look at what the experts tell you about crafting a budget, your biggest expense will always be rent. In fact, around 30 percent of your income should go to this one expense each year.
To calculate what that means for someone living in Columbus, let’s assume you’re a single person renting an average one-bedroom apartment at about $1,315 per month. With that number as our starting point, you’d need to make an average salary of $52,600 a year.
This is most certainly doable given that the median household income in Columbus is $54,902. However, if you want more specific numbers for crafting your own budget, make sure to use our rent calculator.
Free things to do in Columbus
Another great thing about Columbus is the city’s ability to offer up unique and fun experiences without costing you a penny. If you do crunch those numbers and realize your budget may be tight for a while, enjoy some free fun in the city, and maybe learn a little something new.
For some free outdoor fun (and a little exercise) visit Goodale Park in the Victorian Village neighborhood. This 32-acre park is the oldest in the city.
If you love cartoons, you can get into the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum for free. This special place is home to the largest comic and cartoon collection in the world.
Tour the Ohio Statehouse and get a taste of some local history. The building is beautiful both inside and out.
Stop and smell the roses at the Park of Roses. This public park has around 12,000 roses landscaped into three gardens. You’ll also find perennials and herb gardens within the park’s 13 acres.
There are also a variety of museums with free admission or free admission days on the Ohio State University campus. The Billy Ireland Museum is one, but you can also get free access any time to the Orton Geological Museum and the Wexner Center for the Arts. The downtown area of Columbus also offers a variety of free places to visit including those that explore the arts, local history and culture.
Living in Columbus
So, are you surprised at how much Columbus has to offer at such an affordable cost of living? These aren’t all the city’s important secrets either, and the best way to get to know somewhere like Columbus is to go. Are you ready?
The Cost of Living Index comes from coli.org.
The rent information included in this summary is based on a calculation of multifamily rental property inventory on Rent. as of November 2022.
Rent prices are for illustrative purposes only. This information does not constitute a pricing guarantee or financial advice related to the rental market.
The loft is currently undergoing a MAJ nesting overhaul. We’ve flipped floors around quite literally, our bedroom is now on the ground floor!, repainted, reorganized and sadly, had to get rid of our team Apartment 34 office in the process.
While the room was a great for an office space, now our bedroom occupies the only room in the loft with uncarpeted cement floors and things are feeling more than a little cold! And needing to get up a million times a night to care for a newborn eek!!, we need a solution to this situation asap! A rug is the answer – it instantly warms up a space, adding texture and dimension, but finding a well made, timeless option isn’t always so easy. So we’re on an intense hunt for the perfect rug!
But what to do? We could go graphic with a bold print. Or be uber “now” and go Moroccan. I love the way some rugs instantly bring color or pattern to play into the space! I’m slowly turning the corner on the idea of injecting color into the loft, but per usual I’m leaning towards something in a neutral color palette at the moment. The great thing about a neutral rug is that it could quite literally more from one room to the next. From the bedroom to the living room, play room or dining room, investing in something that can be a utility player around the house and in my case, from one house to the next! is so important. I’m really loving the options that Loloi Rugs has to offer. The sophisticated prints will stand the test of trending times and they have quite the selection from tribal to contemporary!
Now, just to pick one! Which rug do you vote? I’m leaning towards #5. I’d love something really graphic with a hint of black, but they’re all so gorgeous it makes it hard to decide. I would so appreciate your help on this one. I can’t wait to get something soft over that concrete.
Our feet thank you for your advice in advance!
image 1+ 3 via Home Adore // 2 via Artek
This post is in partnership with Loloi Rugs. All thoughts and opinions are 100% our own. Thank you for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34’s doors open.