Part One
As I pondered the reasons behind the considerable investment of time, money, and effort renters dedicate to creating comfort in their temporary living spaces, I came to a realization. Renters find themselves compelled to modify their rented spaces into personalized sanctuaries due to the limitations imposed upon them, effectively needing to imbue a sense of permanence to suit their preferences. The poor housing crisis, characterized by unaffordable homeownership, is driving a current trend among individuals to modify or change rented houses or apartments as a response to limited housing options and the desire for personalized living spaces.
I was scrolling on Instagram and TikTok, I came across videos and images of housing modifications that are done by those who rent. This sparked my interest because I am interested in real estate, housing aesthetics, and architecture. On Instagram and TikTok some images and videos showed rent-friendly apartment makeovers. The apartment floors were gray and lacked character, the walls and ceilings were white and had bright overhead lighting. The makeover entailed warm lighting from lamps, lots of indoor plants, many rugs throughout the apartment, art that filled the white walls, new door knobs, accent walls, new framing on doors and hallways, window replacement, and floor modifications.
This TikTok sparked my interest, the apartments I lived in throughout my years in college had gray floors, bright overhead lighting, white walls with no character, and simply lacked character. I would not put down my own money and effort into a property that I have no ownership over. Although I do understand the consensus as to why others put money and effort into places that they rent.
An article published by The Washington Post recently published stories of two renters who renovate their apartments. Their endeavors not only transformed their living spaces but also offered insight into the challenges facing renters in today's housing market.
Franchesca Ramsey, who is a renter, shared her journey of revamping her apartment to reflect herself. In an interview, Ramsey expressed her desire for her living space to truly reflect herself. On her online platforms, she documents her renovation process. However, amidst the praise for her creative transformations, some critics questioned why she didn't opt to invest in property rather than renting. Ramsey was quick to respond, asserting her willingness to purchase if it were financially feasible, highlighting the barriers many face in attaining homeownership https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2024/02/22/renter-rental-renovation-ideas/.
Another renter, Marco Zamora, garnered attention for his innovative renovation efforts showcased on social media, particularly on TikTok, where he boasts a substantial following exceeding one million. Zamora's projects included adding a stunning hallway frame embellished with Mexican-inspired stained glass to his hallway, crafting a hanging bed canopy from fabric, and introducing playful red and white sticker tiles to his kitchen floor.
Beyond the aesthetic appeal of these renovations, their stories shed light on a pressing issue: the housing market crisis. Individuals like Ramsey and Zamora are unable to afford property ownership reveals the severity of the situation. Their determination to enhance their rented spaces serves as a reminder of the challenges many face in achieving the dream of homeownership in today's economy https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2024/02/22/renter-rental-renovation-ideas/.
The experiences of Ramsey, Zamora, and countless others reveal the need for serious consideration of the housing market crisis. Their stories serve as a call to action for policymakers and communities to address the systemic issues that hinder access to homeownership opportunities for individuals across the United States.
Delving into renters 'motivation for transforming their dwellings into personalized havens, a profound realization emerges. Renters are driven to overcome the limitations inherent in their living arrangements, compelled to infuse a sense of permanence that will align with their individual preferences. This imperative to create spaces in personalized homes is not a matter of choice but a response to challenges that are posed by the contemporary housing landscape, specifically the realities of the poor housing crisis and the unaffordability of homeownership.
The nature of the housing crisis serves as the reason renters have to navigate their housing choices and aspirations. With the dream of homeownership out of reach for many, renting has become not just a temporary solution but a long-term reality for a significant portion of the United States population. Renters have to make the most of their rented accommodations, transforming them into spaces that reflect them. This transformation represents a quest for comfort in a living space but a human desire to establish a sense of belonging within one's living environment.
The phenomenon of renters investing in modifying their living spaces reveals the evolving dynamics of housing preferences. Renters are not content with the standardized housing offerings, causing individuals to assert their agency by actively renovating their living environments. This trend reflects renters' desires for authenticity and individuality in a country that relies on mass-produced homogeneity. Renters are reclaiming their living spaces, challenging the notion that homeownership is solely the pathway to achieving permanence and belonging. The decision to customize rented spaces demonstrates the adaptability of renters within the systemic challenges.
Rather than resigning themselves to the limitations that are imposed by their housing circumstances, renters nowadays are creating spaces that resonate with them and allow them to feel comfortable. In doing so, they are reshaping the notion of what a home is. There are many complexities of the housing crisis in the United States, and addressing the root causes of the housing crisis requires structural reforms and a shift in how we conceptualize and approach housing in the United States.
It is admirable to see a rented space reflect the unique character and personality of its renter. It is disheartening to witness the despair among Millennials and Generation Z, who often find themselves grappling with the prospect of never attaining their own home. The longing for a place to call their own resonates within these generations, as they navigate through a world where property prices place the notion of homeownership further out of reach. I believe that the curated rented space serves as a reminder of the unfulfilled aspirations and the yearning for stability in an uncertain future. Despite the vibrant individuality that adorns these rented homes, there lingers a bittersweet dream of homeownership remains elusive for many.
Part Two
Daily, I scroll on various social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, and videos and images of apartments or home designs always catch my attention. I was shocked at how many renters decorated and modified their homes that they did not own. I do not have the desire to modify a place that I am renting because I do not want to add modifications to one property that I do not own. Although, I could understand why one would have the desire to change and modify a place they are renting for their comfort. The genre for writing project three that I chose is an Op-Ed that attracts a wide, but yet specific sort of audience. I wanted to reveal my opinion on the current topic of renters modifying and decorating their homes that they don’t own. I questioned why they would spend money on modifying a place that they do not own and do they care that they would not receive a security deposit back. Many of these videos I was seeing were adding wallpaper throughout the apartment, changing the beams of the framing throughout a hallway, changing door knobs, modifying the lighting throughout the apartment or house, adding doors to separate rooms, painting an accent wall, adding stain glass windows, temporary following, new material for a chimney, modified faucets, and there were many more tweaks that I noticed that people added to their rented places.
The genre I chose is an Op-Ed. The stylistic format is a thesis, body paragraph, evidence, and examples, a conclusion, and a word count. I state in my thesis that there is a poor housing crisis that is impacting young adults. Examples that I demonstrated throughout the Op-Ed are what I witnessed on social media, what people are doing to places that they rent, the reason why they are doing it, sources that have revealed this topic, and my opinion of this topic. I abided by the conventions when writing an Op-Ed, by sharing my opinions on the topic of a current trend of modifying or changing a house or an apartment that an individual is renting. Firstly, I abided by the formatting conventions because I gave a story of when I came across the topic of renters modifying their homes or apartments and I share why this caught my attention. Throughout the Op-Ed, I mentioned that renters have been creating videos of what they modified in their spaces, and how they modified it, there are videos of individuals sharing their thoughts about knowing that they will not be able to own a property of their own, I assert in my Op-Ed that many renters do not care too much about receiving their security deposit back, and I reference and used sources that mentioned these videos that are going viral. The audience that I aim to attract are millennials, Generation Z, property owners of rental, and renters.
This Op-Ed reveals that millennials and Generation Z are aware that they will not be able to own property, therefore are making the apartment or home that they rent comfortable for them and a place that is permanent residence. The Op-Ed I conducted will attract a demographic that is experiencing the current housing dilemma, people who are experiencing it firsthand, witnessing this dilemma, and those who are causing the housing crisis. People will read what attracts them and it can be based on a variety of reasons. I aimed for a specific audience that will take an interest in reading the topic of renters modifying houses and apartments that they solely rent.
I aimed for an audience of Generation Z, Millennials, renters, and property owners because the housing market affects a variety of people and is an ongoing issue in society today. Owning a property has become unattainable for most people today, the Op-Ed that I wrote is for a wide demographic of individuals. I hope that readers will continue to inform themselves about today’s housing market because it is an important issue at hand. Both Millennials and Generation Z are experiencing a poor housing market. Many fear that a house is unattainable. According to the Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Qualtrics in May and June 2023, the housing market statistics depict that one out of ten Generation Z believe that a house is unattainable and one out of five millennials believe that they will not be able to obtain a house in the future. This goes to show that an Op-Ed that surrounds a topic directed to an audience will attract the audience that I am aiming for.
Work Cited
Anderson, Dana. “Redfin Survey: 1 in 5 Millennial Respondents Believe They’ll Never Own a Home.” Redfin Real Estate News, 7 Sept. 2023, www.redfin.com/news/gen-z-millennial-affordability-barrier-to-homeownership/.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2024/02/22/renter-rental-renovation-ideas/.