This St. Louis studio apartment has been all across the Internet over the last few days–and it’s not because everyone wants to rent there.
First posted in a Craigslist ad, the apartment is located in a building finished in 1907. It has a layout you might expect to find in an efficiency apartment in New York City–a combined kitchen and bathroom. You’ll find your stove and oven, cabinets, and sink on the left, your toilet in the middle, and the tub on the right in this picture taken from the Craigslist ad.
Have to love the St. Louis housing market. Combo kitchen/bathroom, $525/month pic.twitter.com/T4TskfWxHD
— Jarel Loveless (@jarelloveless) September 1, 2018
Despite disgust from people all over Reddit, property leasing manager Harold Karabell informed the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the property had indeed past city inspection.
And in fact, the unit’s already been leased out to an apparently happy tenant, who is “thrilled to live in the neighborhood,” the trendy Central West End, for such an affordable price. At only $525 for the studio, some might consider the tiny 200-square-foot studio a steal, but is it?
St. Louis, Missouri is already an affordable city and there’s arguably no reason to squash yourself into a 200-square-foot studio to save money. According to an analysis of the area, the average rent of a studio in the St. Louis metro is $555, just above the cost of the unit.
In fact, this unit, along with several others in the building, violated city code back in 2015 because it lacked a separate bathroom and kitchen. The building owner was able to appeal in 2016 and get permission to rent the units.
What do you think? Do you think this tiny 200-foot apartment is a gross monstrosity or a cheap option for city living?
