What I Rent: Chelsea and Tyler, $2,045 a month for a two-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg, Florida

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - chelsea, dog, and cat in living room
Chelsea rents an condominium in St. Petersburg, Florida, together with her boyfriend (not pictured), her canine Olive, tuxedo cat Dexter, and fluffy orange cat Archie (additionally not pictured) (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

Welcome again to What I Lease, our weekly collection that takes you inside individuals’s rented properties and has a correct nostril round.

Final week we had been in Balham, London, the place Gemma and Josh lease a one-bedroom flat for £1,560 a month.

This time round, we’re hundreds of miles away, in St. Petersburg, Florida, within the US.

That is the place Chelsea, 28, her boyfriend Tyler, their canine Olive, tuxedo cat Dexter, and fluffy orange cat Archie dwell.

Chelsea works for a pharmacy expertise firm that enables her to do business from home, so the condominium she rents with Tyler has to double as an workplace.

She grew up within the Tampa Bay space then moved to Orlando earlier than transferring again after commencement. She’s been right here ever since.

Right here’s what the couple lease.

We truly simply re-signed our lease and it went up a bit because of the loopy market situations right here proper now.

We had been paying $1,829 a month nevertheless it has elevated to $2,054. On prime of that, we pay about $130 a month for electrical, $90 for utilities (water/sewer/trash/upkeep and so on.) and $50 for web.

In complete, we’re paying about $2,324 a month now. Our unit is taken into account the very best improve stage, and can also be a lakefront unit, so we're paying a little bit of a premium for that. 

We now have a two-bedroom/two-bathroom unit. We even have a big kitchen with an island, semi-walk-in pantry and built-in desk, a eating room, in-unit laundry, a screened patio and eight good-sized closets.

I've to say, it’s the nicest condominium I’ve ever lived in!

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - Chelsea and Olive the dog sitting on the sofa
Lease is $2,054 a month (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

I feel the market is unquestionably inflated proper now and we’re not getting pretty much as good a deal as we'd in any other case, however in comparison with different properties within the space with related models, I feel we're paying a good value.

Our lease didn’t go up as a lot as we feared, so we're very completely happy about that!

I dwell in St. Petersburg, FL, which is true subsequent door to Tampa, FL. It’s just about in the midst of the state alongside the Gulf Coast.

I’ve lived on this space my complete life and undoubtedly have an enormous delicate spot for it, however I’m unsure I wish to keep right here without end. I wish to dwell someplace with actual seasons!

It’s additionally getting loopy costly right here and I’m unsure we’d be capable of afford it long run. 

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - storage an decoration on table
Chelsea says that is the nicest place she’s lived (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

We used to dwell throughout the road in a tiny condominium that Tyler rented from a personal proprietor. Once we had formally outgrown the house, we began taking a look at surrounding properties as a result of we preferred the realm and wished to remain shut by.

This was the primary property we toured and we fell in love. It’s not excellent, as leases not often are, however the location and the facilities bought us.

This property has a fenced in turf canine park that's open 24/7, which actually is useful with a feisty mini Aussie!

Oh gosh, how haven’t I? I'm at all times doing tasks!

My favourite renter-friendly hack up to now is peel and stick wallpaper. You will get actually reasonably priced peel and stick wallpaper off Amazon and create the look of paint with out inflicting any injury to the unit.

I’ve additionally hung a bunch of artwork, and many wall cabinets. I like using vertical house, particularly as a result of we've excessive ceilings right here and I wish to showcase that.

Apart from that, it’s actually been a variety of late evening Amazon purchases and thrift finds. And many pretend vegetation as a result of I've a black thumb!

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - Olive the dog sitting on a yellow sofa
She’s apprehensive she would possibly quickly be priced out of the realm (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

It could actually undoubtedly be irritating making an attempt to design an area while you’re a renter. Not with the ability to materially alter the unit limits your prospects and forces you to actually get inventive.

I haven’t requested my administration firm for permission to do the issues I’ve achieved up to now, however I do know what I’ve achieved hasn’t triggered any lasting injury apart from some holes that can must be stuffed after we transfer out, which is allowed per our lease.

I feel being a renter has allowed me to broaden my vary as a hobbyist designer and DIY-er. I like arising with hacks and methods to remodel an area with out breaking the principles!

Sure and no. I've truly been on an actual organizing kick recently as a result of I really feel like the difficulty right here isn't lack of house however lack of environment friendly use of house.

In any case, we've eight closets not together with our pantry, together with two enormous walk-in closets, in addition to ample cupboard house in each the kitchen and bogs.

We actually simply have an excessive amount of stuff! I’ve been engaged on purging unused gadgets and reorganizing to make our space for storing as efficient as potential. I’m studying that what your areas appear like behind closed doorways is simply as essential as what everybody sees out within the open!

What I Rent Chelsea and Tyler St. Petersburg in Florida - books on shelves
Chelsea reckons that the restrictions of renting have made her a extra inventive DIY-er (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

The one points we've are very minor.

We now have a washer and dryer however they aren’t very environment friendly and we've suspicions that the washer doesn’t at all times drain utterly as a result of it can typically odor a bit mildewy.

We now have a pair cupboard baseboards coming unfastened and our bathroom within the grasp rest room is sluggish to flush, however that’s actually it! We’ve been very fortunate.

We simply re-signed our lease this month, so we’ll be right here for not less than one other 12 months. After that, I’m probably not certain what our plans will likely be.

I don’t assume we wish to preserve paying this a lot a month on residing bills if we are able to keep away from it. I do know we’d love to purchase a home however we’re ready for the market to relax earlier than we take that leap.

We might contemplate transferring to the suburbs nearer to household after our lease is up right here. 

We undoubtedly wish to personal sometime! We’re simply not fairly certain what that can appear like but.

We wish to type out our financials first and determine what we are able to realistically afford, and the place we wish to actually put down roots.

I’m excited for the long run and what it can deliver, however for now I’m content material with renting and benefiting from it!

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - living room sofa
Welcome in (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - living room with cat tree
The primary room is that this open-plan residing, eating, and kitchen house (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway
You’ll discover a variety of pet merchandise (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - the tv in the living room
Interiors-wise, the couple have gone for clear, traditional design (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - home office space
Right here’s the desk setup for home-working (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - dining area
There’s sufficient house for a correct eating desk (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - olive and chelsea standing in the kitchen
Spot the cat (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - chelsea in the kitchen
Chelsea says any issues with the condominium are minor (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - home bar area
Generally there’s a little bit of a mildew-y odor (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - kitchen
We like that kettle (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - labelled containers of food in a cupboard
Now that’s organisation (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway
Apparently the washer and dryer aren’t tremendous environment friendly (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway
Good views (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - chelsea sitting on yellow sofa in second bedroom
There are two bedrooms (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - records on walls plus yellow sofa
Are you able to inform this couple are into their music? (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - bed in the bedroom
A really hotel-esque mattress (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - headboard of bed
Take a look at that headboard (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - bathroom
Lastly, the lavatory (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - bathroom shelves with sign that reads: wash your hands ya filthy animal
An essential observe on the letterboard (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Rent - St Petersburg, Florida - Chelsea Holloway - toothbrushes in blue jar by sink
And a really fairly toothbrush jar (Image: Zack Wittam/Metro.co.uk)

What I Lease is a weekly collection that’s out each Tuesday at 10am.

Examine again subsequent week to have one other nostril round a rented property.


The right way to get entangled in What I Lease

What I Lease is Metro.co.uk’s weekly collection that takes you contained in the locations persons are renting, to present us all a greater sense of what’s regular and the way a lot we ought to be paying.

In case you fancy participating, please e mail whatirent@metro.co.uk. You’ll have to take photos of your kitchen, front room, rest room, and bed room, plus a number of images of you in your bed room or residing space.

Be sure you get permission out of your housemates! You’ll additionally must be okay with sharing how a lot you’re paying for lease, as that’s fairly essential.

We're not simply after the prettiest locations on the market, by the best way. We wish the truth of renting, so for those who're at present renting a spot you hate, we might like to see that too (and sympathise enormously!).

This text incorporates placements with affiliate hyperlinks.  We might earn a small fee on purchases made by certainly one of these hyperlinks on these placements.

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