The Market

They say there's no such thing as free rent. This listing proves it.

By Lucy Cohen Blatter  | July 10, 2015 - 1:45PM
image

We can see agreeing  to do 25 to 30 hours a week of housework (or selling our souls) for free rent at One57 or 15 Central Park West, but would we do it to live in a room in a house near Brewster, New York? Not likely.

Which is why we were particularly puzzled to see this ad on Craiglist (of course) for a rent-free room in upstate New York that comes with free meals, laundry, free cable, Internet and TV, but requires housework that's practically a full-time job.

We'll let you read for yourselves:

Free huge room with closets, balcony, lots of windows to a view of acres of land. Private bath with jacuzzi, skylite, marble & granite everywhere; living area with palladium windows, vaulted ceiling and wall with original museum quality art.

The listing's author seems to recognize just how shady this set-up seems:

OK, by now you're asking what the heck is this all about. Dr Frankenstein? Some Pervert? New Reality Show? Sex for rent? Not even close.

But they then proceed to ask for a photo.

We're sincerely wondering whether this is legit. Can you hire someone to work almost full-time sans pay? Even if it includes room and board? If you have answers, let us know, will you? Meantime, we're skeptical.

Related:

Last-minute vacation rental: This Craigslist haunted house -- with a vineyard

That Airbnb orgy victim? He now says he's "homeless" and on the tenant blacklist

This roommate is offering free rent—but read the fine print

New York totally needs its own "ghost realtor"

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

topics: