The economic downturn in Toronto is taking an unusual turn as some residents resort to listing the other half of their beds for rent, a desperate move reflecting the severity of the city’s rental market challenges.
A realtor highlighted the extreme measure through a now-removed Facebook Marketplace listing, which sought a roommate to share a master bedroom and a single queen-size bed starting from January.
Screenshots obtained by CTV News Toronto showed that the poster was specifically looking for an “easy-going FEMALE” to share the limited space.
The listing, which required an upfront payment of $1,900 as a rental deposit (covering the first and last month’s rent, along with an additional $100 for the key fob), raised eyebrows and concerns about the increasingly precarious situation in the Toronto housing marke
Realtor Anya Ettinger brought attention to the listing in a viral TikTok video posted in October, which garnered 605,000 views. Ettinger, expressing her surprise, stated that in her years in the industry, she had never encountered such a listing, although she recalled a separate listing in Oakville renting out a bunk bed in a house’s front foyer for $650 per month.
“I think it shows really how sad it is here. I mean, people are – rightfully so – so committed to staying in the city that there is a market for stuff like this,” commented Ettinger during an interview with CTV News Toronto.
“Truthfully, with the other videos I posted too of absurd rentals, people just saying, ‘Well, just don’t rent it.’ But not many people have a choice.”
Despite a recent Rentals.ca report indicating a slowdown in Toronto’s rental market, average rent prices remain among the highest in the country at $2,908 per month. The unconventional listings serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by residents navigating the city’s increasingly unaffordable housing landscape.
