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You definitely shouldn't be living in a place with pests and neglected maintenance. But $4k a month for rent is way too much. There has so be more options; renting in a different neighborhood, finding a roommate, purchasing a house in a different area.
You should spend some time evaluating your needs vs. wants and really dive into what you're willing to give up and what is non-negotiable.
I should have said:
The non-negotiable is the neighborhood because I have a special needs kid who needs to stay at his school.
The only family support is in Austin, so leaving the area means leaving grandparents who can provide care, but aren't always comfortable driving in city traffic
Income: $180k
You would think there'd be more options, but in the zip code I'm looking in, there are 19 homes available under $5k, almost half of which get tossed immediately for having no garage and/or not enough space for a home office.
The homes with rents in the $2800-$3k range are for properties that are comparable to what I'm currently in - much older and dated; I've lived in the area for years and have toured most the properties on the market. What's available are true rent houses that get turned over as quickly as possible, which to me signals I'd likely find myself in a similar situation as now.
At $3500 there are two properties available that are nicer, but their location is on the outside edge of the zip code and so in one instance the property backs up to a heavily wooded area, whch makes me worry about critters; and, the other is in a very hilly area that has caution signs all around so that doesn't put me at ease either. For the most part, prices jump to $5k+ after that. The house that I found doesn't necessarily tick all the boxes (no yard); and, it's a row house so doesn't feel super private either.
I found a place & it's closer to my kid's school and extra curricular activities. Home is about 4 years old, so I don't have the same worries about a bunch of stuff being broken. Bad financial move or worth the peace of mind? Just me (mom) and my kid so the stress of ongoing pests (was actually stung by a scorpion in my bed a few weeks ago!) and now mold just wears on me. We've moved twice this past school year. Talk me into or out of pursuing this rental.