Woman braves deadly heat after move into $2K shed amid rent surge
She may have beat the market, but she sure didn’t beat the heat.
This homeowner has gone viral for finding a loophole to Houston’s pricey rental market — albeit one that leaves her dangerously exposed to the elements.
“POV: you’re in a shed you spent about 2,000 dollars that you got ripped off by the builders and you’re in the Houston heat actually dying and all you can think about is how nice a shower would be,” wrote TikTok user Elizabeth Rishforth, alongside a video tour of her dire situation.
The clip, which Rishforth hashtagged #homelesslife, has racked up over 1.7 million views since she posted it last month.
In other recent videos, in which she recounts the experience of buying and living in the small shack with her boyfriend, Rishforth has detailed some of the unprofessional interactions with shed builders, including one who she claimed tried to use her “to cheat on his wife.”
The new shed-owner also alleged that contractors sold her on the idea of a much more spacious layout.
“POV: everyone thought you weren’t going to get any help but your father drove all the way from South Carolina to Texas to come fix your shed!!!” Rishforth wrote in another video, showing the air conditioning unit. Her father also helped her install lights.
Rishforth’s story is an extreme example of how some Americans are responding to the nation’s out-of-control rental prices. While New Yorkers’ are facing a uniquely out-of-control market, tenants in other cities are far from easy street, although the future holds some hope.
According to data from real estate company Zumper, the median national rent for a one-bedroom rose just 0.5% from its May median, and the median national rent for a two-bedroom fell 2.9% last month.
“Renters are sending a clear message to property owners that they’re not able to pay sky-high rents, and they anticipate a recession,” Zumper spokeswoman Crystal Chen reflected, The Post previously reported, although unfortunately for renters “We likely won’t see a significant decrease in prices since we’re still facing a housing shortage and the labor market remains strong,” she added.
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