It fits a twin-sized mattress and a night stand, and it will cost nearly $800 to rent.
A Craigslist ad posted this week advertises that a “small room” in a condo is available June 1 in downtown Vancouver.
“The den is a bit small but the apartment is big,” the ad reads.
The window-less den is used as a bedroom and it seems to serve its purpose, as it just fits a mattress for one person in the narrow space.
The rest of the condo is shared with two roommates. It costs $750 a month, not including internet and utilities.
The highrise is located above the Granville Skytrain Station and boasts of its location and amenities.
The ad highlights the compromise some renters are willing to make in a rental market with high prices and limited supply.
“You’re trading off privacy and space for cash,” said Tom Davidoff, an associate professor at UBC’s Sauder School of Business. “It’s a terrific location in a place where there’s not enough homes. It’s an indicator that high prices are forcing people to make sacrifices – and no windows, and probably not great ventilation, and lousy privacy is a sacrifice people have to make.”
Other furnished rooms in the downtown area are advertised between $1,000 and $1,550, so the den for $750 may be appealing for some.
Erika Ohashi, an international student from Japan, said she responded to more than 70 ads and will soon be moving into a room similar in size for $1,100 a month.
“It’s enough for me because it’s big enough to sleep and stay safe, so it’s good,” she said, giving a thumbs up.
Advocates for renters said there is a desperate need for affordable housing.
“We need to look at public investment in public and social housing, investment in incentivizing other non-market housing types like housing co-ops, things that make sure we don’t just get more units on the market but current affordable units available,” said Robert Patterson, a lawyer at the Tenants Resource and Advisory Center.
Until that happens, the cost to rent will likely continue to climb, said Davidoff.
“Mortgage payments have gotten more expensive, so making payments on a home is going to get worse. And I would presume unless something dramatic changes in the economy and with respect to general migration patterns, I think the rental market is going to get worse here too,” he said.
CTV News contacted the person who posted the Craigslist ad for an interview but did not hear back by deadline.