• n2burns@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Not really. In a system where demand is fairly inelastic (everyone needs somewhere to live and the only real flex is having roommates/living at home/homelessness or renting two apartments) and where the supply is currently extremely constrained, expenses are going to have next to no impact on rental prices.

      For example, I was fortunately able to buy a townhouse two years ago (when interest rates were low) to live in. My mortgage is ~ $1,200/mo. Other units have been going on the rental market pretty consistently for ~$2,000/mo. Even with the increased interest rates, new landlord’s would still have a net positive of ~$500/mo between the rent they receive and their mortgage payments. There might be a loss of profit, but with profits already so high, it’s not going to affect rates on a macro scale.

    • LeFantome@programming.dev
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Mostly no. The major drivers of price are supply and demand, not cost and demand. However, the “most profitable price” ( which is rarely the highest for those unfamiliar with economics ) does increase with the marginal cost. So the cost of production does play a role.

      • Ironfist@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        I’m not an economist so I could be wrong, but this is my thought process about it: If a product becomes too expensive to produce for some companies, those companies will stop selling it. Less companies selling the product = less offer less offer = higher price.