What will be the fate of college towns if this virus comes in waves and there is no school in the fall?

My comment about this being our chance to find something affordable might come across as insensitive. That was not my intention. I’d edit that out but it’s too late.

College town? That can mean anything from Cambridge Mass to Chadron Nebraska. Is the college pretty much the exclusive reason your town is on the map?

Madison, Wisconsin. Population 258,000.

University of Wisconsin Madison enrollment, 43,000.

In 2017 38.65% of households were renters.

I live downtown where the majority of renters are students or young professionals. We will have thousands of empty apartments if school becomes virtual. The majority of rentals in my area run their lease from Aug. 15 until the next year to coordinate with the university schedule.

I’m thinking of the cafes, restaurants and nightlife, too, how they will lose business and possibly have to close.

@jonsblond: A potential problem if you move into a bigger place because the rents are lowered, in two years or so when there is a vaccine, and schools return to normal and rents come back up, you may be unable to afford the new place.

College town? State Capital just fell off the table? But you have a case for a possible tumbling of rent—for a minute. But how long do you think the bargains will subsist? What’s the rent control situation in the capital of the dairy state? There might be an ideal window to buy a house, but if open, it will be brief.

^This is why I’m asking the question. I’m not making a statement. I want thoughts and discussion. I have no idea what will happen.

State capital didn’t fall off the table. The majority of renters are students. Quit being difficult and stay on topic please.

And I can’t buy. The discussion is about rent. Please read the details.

It’s not being difficult. It is however repetitive of what @jca2 says. The topic? When this ends, your state capital is going to be a BUSY place. Lots of money is going to be thrown around, and there will be an influx of people to hand it to. That will be on top of the kids coming back. If you can entrench yourself in a long term lease —more power to you. But I think it’s a mistake to maintain a mindset of “I can’t buy.”

It all depends on where this virus is going to take us. If social distancing stays into the fall and beyond college will have no choice to both A. go online and B. become more affordable. Then the decision of what to do with all the empty classrooms and buildings will need to be made.

The commerce that has grown up around the universities will be decimated. Finding an apartment to rent that would have otherwise been a hot commodity for students will be easy…and cheap.

If social distancing ends up being unnecessary then it’ll all mostly go back to normal. I would expect enrollment to drop off sharply though, at least for a few years.

@Jonsblond What is the impact at the store where you work? That might give you an idea of the future of rentals. I would think a portion of sales has dropped.

@stanley I’m sorry for being a bit difficult myself up above. I was arguing with a distant relative when I was answering. I was upset at the moment. Thank you for your input.

@Tropical Sales have been down in my department and hours have been cut.