My flat by the bay
View from the building’s west corner
I live in a nice apartment in the bay of Luanda. Without digressing on how many types of “nice” there could be, let me say that it is with pleasure and a sense of gratitude that I stay in an ugly, dirty and very noisy building often filled with very annoying smells, and with no organized condominium to clean it or otherwise take any form of care for it; in a flat with no electric water pump or functioning generator, with walls that have mould where paint used to be, with water infiltrations, a refrigerator that does not refrigerate, and a laundry machine whose door now demands that I heavily lay against it in order not to have the whole place flooded. And yet I like it, oh how I like it... I like that it’s big enough to have guests over. I like that I know a nice bunch of neighbours who will join me for a beer at practically anytime. I like that view from the building’s west corner, which is basically the Luanda Bay postcard from the 60s. And most sincerely, I like that I can walk to work, for sure the biggest of luxuries in this city. Oh, and wait… yes, I also like the rent. The flat currently costs 2500 USD per month plus utilities, paid in quarterly advances which I share with my housemate. I must tell you this is a very reasonable price in very reasonable advances for a 2 bedroom apartment in Luanda. So reasonable, in fact, that I have been living in constant fear of the day that has now arrived. The rent is suddenly 10000 USD per month. The sudden new occupant will pay one year in advance. And I have to suddenly find another place. Is this a crazy house market? Yes, this is obviously a crazy house market. Thinking of it, this must be the craziest house market I’ve ever seen. Now, the really, really crazy thing will actually be to find a landlord who is so out of his head that he has no clue as to the money his crappy flat is worth. And oh, what the heck, lets go Santa Claus on it; can I please have a place that isn’t 5 hours of traffic away?
