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Why Some Condo Floors Are Never Rented—Even in Booming Cities

June 24, 2025 By Teri Monroe Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered why some condo floors are never rented? You’re not imagining things! Some condo floors remain unrented, even in high-demand, booming cities. This is usually for a mix of economic, regulatory, and psychological reasons. Here’s a breakdown of the key factors.

1. Developer-Owned Inventory

Have you heard of shadow holding? In this speculative holding, developers or investors may hold onto certain units, especially on premium floors, waiting for prices to rise. This shadow inventory is not listed for sale or rent. So, units could remain vacant for a while, until the market is right. Especially in volatile markets, holding high-value units can be a strategic move to avoid flooding the market and lowering prices.

2. Luxury Floors

Sometimes luxury floors are just too expensive. This can price out many tenants. Top floors often command luxury premiums because of views and amenities. Consequently, they may be too expensive to rent. Owners may prefer to sell them as luxury residences rather than rent at a discount. Plus, wealthy owners may not need rental income and are more interested in long-term capital gains.

3. Foreign Ownership & Vacant Units

Sometimes, foreign owners invest in a park. This means that foreign investors sometimes buy condos as a store of wealth and leave them empty. It’s especially common in global cities like Vancouver, London, and New York. It’s also important to consider that some units are used only a few weeks per year as second homes or vacation properties. That doesn’t mean that they are completely vacant.

4. HOA or Condo Board Restrictions

Some owners aren’t able to rent out their units due to homeowner’s associations or condo board restrictions. Many condo associations limit how many units can be rented at a time to maintain a certain owner-to-renter ratio, preserve property values, or comply with mortgage insurance requirements. Even if owners want to rent, they may be placed on a waiting list due to these caps.

5. Market Perception and Stigma

Some floors may be seen as unlucky. In some cultures, like East Asian, certain floors are avoided due to superstitions, like the 4th floor or 13th floor. Because of this stigma, tenants may be hesitant to rent on these floors. Some buildings even skip the 13th floor for this reason! Some other reasons that some units don’t get rented are for practical or aesthetic reasons. Noisy or unattractive units are much harder to rent. There also may be some units near HVAC systems, have low-light or are awkwardly shaped. All of these factors can make a unit less appealing and make it sit empty longer.

6. Construction Defects or Legal Issues

There may be other factors that are leading to vacancies. Some buildings are involved in legal disputes that deter potential renters or buyers. Plus, some buildings may not be completely finished. Top floors may remain incomplete due to budget overruns or changes in project scope.

7. Tax and Accounting Strategies

Sometimes, depreciation and write-offs play a role in units not being rented. Wealthy owners might leave units unrented for tax reasons, like using depreciation or capital loss strategies in complex real estate portfolios. By not renting, they can also avoid triggering certain tax events or reclassification of the property. These strategies are often used to optimize long-term financial positioning rather than maximize short-term rental income.

Understanding Why Some Condo Units Are Never Rented

While it might seem puzzling to see empty condo units in bustling cities, there are often strategic, financial, or cultural reasons behind the vacancies. From investor tactics and HOA restrictions to superstition and tax planning, these unrented spaces reflect a complex mix of motivations beyond simple supply and demand. So next time you pass by a seemingly vacant building, remember, there’s likely more going on behind those dark windows than meets the eye.

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Does Anyone Have Privilege Any More? The Answer No One Is Ready To Hear

June 5, 2025 By Teri Monroe 1 Comment

What is privilege? — Image Source: Pexels

When you think of privilege, you probably think of someone who has been fed with a silver spoon. We use it to describe everything from race and gender to wealth and education. If you have invisible advantages, you’re privileged. But does privilege really exist anymore, or are we all just trying to get by? Has privilege disappeared among economic instability, political polarization, and cultural fragmentation? The answer is yes, but not in the way we are accustomed to.

Is Privilege a Thing of The Past?

In 2025, as inflation eats away at middle-class stability, job markets are reshaped by AI, and even the wealthy grapple with climate anxiety and social unrest, some ask: Does anyone actually have privilege? The uncomfortable answer is that privilege hasn’t disappeared. It’s just become more layered, more hidden, and more complex than the culture wars allow us to admit.

Thinking about privilege is often ignored today. Many of us don’t have this conversation because of fatigue. We’re so tired of hearing about privilege when we are struggling. But it’s important to get to the truth and not look at privilege as a dirty word for someone who has never struggled in life.

In fact, the very idea of privilege has been politicized, weaponized, and oversimplified. People hear the word and shut down because they associate it with blame or guilt. But privilege isn’t always something you choose — it’s often just something you were born into. And acknowledging it doesn’t mean you haven’t worked hard.

The New Privileged Class

So who is the privileged class? Maybe it’s just people who haven’t endured as much hardship. It’s not to say that they have avoided the chaos of life altogether, but have struggled less than some. Privilege today can look like having access to private insurance and good health. It can be a college degree with no student debt. It may even be citizenship in a country that has a strong democracy and no war. Maybe for others, it looks like having a stable job where you can afford childcare.

It could even mean something as simple as generational wealth, like having parents who could help with a down payment on a home, or who didn’t pass down debt. In today’s world, even time and mental space are privileges. The ability to plan ahead, rest, or pursue personal growth is not universal.

Respecting Each Other’s Experiences

We shouldn’t write off each other’s experiences and situations. Just because someone is privileged in one area of their life doesn’t mean that their experiences aren’t valid. No one today is privileged in the same way we once thought about it. Maybe only the ultra-wealthy are truly privileged. In reality, the middle class has all but disappeared in the US, and we all struggle to some extent. Ignoring privilege doesn’t eliminate inequality. But reframing the conversation may help. When we truly walk in each other’s shoes, we can find common ground and understanding.

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5 Hidden Barriers That Quietly Punish the Working Poor

June 3, 2025 By Teri Monroe Leave a Comment

Why the working poor are stuck in poverty — Image Source: Pexels

In 2020, 37.2 million people, or 11.4 percent of the nation’s population, lived below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. With many Americans considered the working poor, it’s important to consider why so many can’t get out of poverty. The reality is that it is extremely difficult to escape the cycle when the system is inequitable.

The working poor face a number of challenges that often go unnoticed or are misunderstood. These barriers aren’t always immediately obvious, but they can have a profound impact on their ability to break free from poverty. Here are five hidden barriers that quietly punish the working poor.

1. Lack of Affordable Childcare

Many working parents in low-income households face the challenge of finding affordable, high-quality childcare. For example, the cost of childcare in 2022 for one child ranged from $6,552 to $15,600. This high cost isn’t feasible for many American families. In addition, many parents living in poverty don’t have a strong support system of family or friends that can help watch their children. Without this support, parents may be forced to choose between working to make ends meet or staying home to care for their children. Plus, if childcare is unreliable, parents may get their hours cut or lose their jobs altogether.

2. Inaccessible Transportation

Transportation is another hidden barrier that can trap people in poverty. Many low-income workers rely on public transportation, which is not available in all areas. In other cities, public transit is antiquated, and it’s hard to get from place to place on time. Workers may spend hours on public transit trying to get to their jobs.

For those who own a car, the costs of maintenance, fuel, registration, and insurance can quickly add up, leaving little room for savings. In addition, if an individual has their license revoked because they couldn’t pay for a driver’s license renewal, insurance premiums, car inspections, or registration renewal, they often are left high and dry with nothing to fall back on. If someone who is poor can’t pay their car payments, their car can also get repossessed. All of these issues tend to be overwhelming and hard to dig out of. Without reliable transportation, workers can lose jobs or miss out on better-paying opportunities that are located farther away.

3. Inadequate or No Health Insurance

Even though many working poor individuals may be employed full-time, they often lack access to affordable healthcare. Some jobs don’t offer health insurance, or the premiums and out-of-pocket costs are unaffordable for low-income individuals. Plus, policies may have high deductibles that workers can’t even afford. This means that minor health issues are often ignored and can lead to serious conditions. Workers may delay seeking treatment until the problem becomes catastrophic. Medical debt can be crushing and hard to pay off. Ultimately, this can lead to bankruptcy or financial ruin.

4. Debt Traps

Many working poor individuals turn to payday loans or high-interest credit cards to make ends meet. These financial products often come with astronomical fees and interest rates, which make it nearly impossible for borrowers to pay off their debt. Plus, these lenders are very predatory and are illegal in some states. If individuals don’t pay back these loans on time, they can owe interest of as much as 300%-400%. This cycle of borrowing and never-ending debt can leave workers stuck in poverty for years, as they pay off loans that barely cover the interest, let alone the principal.

In addition to predatory loans, it can be extremely hard to pay off high-interest credit cards. Missed payments and accounts in collections can destroy your credit for years to come. The working poor often can’t afford more than the minimum payments, and if that, then interest continues to compound.

5. Lack of Access to Assistance Programs

In some cases, some of the people who need assistance the most don’t qualify. For example, you may not qualify for programs, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), if you don’t have a permanent address. Without assistance, the working poor often have to choose between feeding their families, paying bills, or other essentials. This can continue the cycle of poverty. When the poor need it most, there is often nowhere to turn.

Escaping Barriers for the Working Poor

These barriers don’t just affect an individual’s ability to succeed; they also create a cycle of poverty that’s difficult to escape. Solving these issues would require coordinated policy changes, community support, and a reevaluation of how society treats its most vulnerable workers.

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