General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why not outlaw landlordism? [View all]steve2470
(37,457 posts)1- Are there bad landlords ? Of course. Laws can be written and tweaked to deal with them. Are there good landlords ? Yes, I've had several.
2- Are rents too high in some areas, like San Francisco ? Yes and that's why there's been rent control laws. Of course, "too high" depends on your income, wealth, and whether you're the landlord or the tenant.
I was a tenant for many years, partially because I moved many times. I'm GLAD I was a tenant. Anyone who has ever bought a home knows, despite the eventual pleasures, what a PITA it is. As someone said, there's no such thing as a fast real estate transaction. Renting is different. If you have the money, a good credit record and there's space available, in some cases you can move in TODAY. Try buying a home in one day. Not gonna happen.
I think tweaking the laws and writing decent new ones is a much better idea. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.