Small space described as ‘Harry Potter cubby’ for rent in San Jose

SAN JOSE, California. – The Bay Area’s high housing costs are a well-known fact in the region, and a South Bay man is making an unusual subletting offer to help pay the rent: For $250 and some light chores, he’s willing to sublet his “Harry Potter cubby” . space under a staircase in his San Jose apartment.

The sublet space is described as being 10 feet by 10 feet, which “will fit a crib perfectly,” according to the Craigslist ad. The area could be closed, “with some jury work,” the listing said.

SEE ALSO: This Bay Area city has the #1 most expensive zip code in the US

It is located in a one-bedroom, one-bathroom unit on 5th Street, not far from the San Jose State University campus.

The man who posted the ad, who asked to be identified only as Jason, acknowledged that his offer is “blatantly illegal,” but also said that given the high cost of housing, his options are limited.

“It’s either that, or I rent the Harry Potter room under the stairs from someone else, and probably for significantly more,” the 40-year-old handyman told KTVU in an email.

He was very open about the disadvantages of the rental space. He said the apartment is a converted two-car garage, with no insulation.

It’s in a high-crime neighborhood, and since he doesn’t allow his tenant to invite guests, it might not be a problem. “Sorry about that, but seriously, who would want to visit this place?” Jason wrote on his Craigslist advertisement.

The other restrictions that exclude a potential roommate are a criminal record and possible substance addictions. And pets are not allowed.

Jason said that ideally the person is “a nice nerdy gamer,” with no preference for male or female.

The sublessor gets access to the kitchen, internet, all appliances, his television, Xbox, utilities, plates and cutlery.

He said other benefits include that there is gated parking, the apartment has air conditioning and heating, and he can play a D&D (Dungeons and Dragons) game for the roommate.

Jason also noted, “I’m a pretty good cook and am usually willing to share.”

As for the chores portion of the lease, the South Bay resident said he asks that they be done twice a week, including sweeping, cleaning the counters and doing the dishes.

“It takes me about half an hour,” he said, adding, “All in all, $250 and 2 hours of work a month is pretty good, most people seem to think.”

Jason that he has received a lot of interest, about 30 inquiries since posting the ad. He plans to show the space to some potential tenants later this week.

The feedback was mostly positive, with a few nasty comments, he shared.

Jason said he had no intention of making any money from the deal because that would only contribute to the affordable housing problem.

“If I wanted to make a profit, I’d find someone who wanted the bedroom, and I’d pay the $250, sleep in the cubicle, and do the chores myself!” said the handyman.

He noted that he had seen ads asking $600 to $1,200 for half a living room without access to the kitchen.

“Honestly, I think most people are just baffled that I’m renting it so LOW,” Jason said.

A recent analysis shows that San Jose is the third most expensive city in the US when it comes to rent, with an average rent of $3,329. The only two cities that were more expensive than San Jose, according to the survey Real estate rentalwere New York and San Francisco with average rents of $4,035 and $3,411 respectively.

Jason expressed his frustration with the high cost of rent and said he is having a hard time making ends meet.

He said that as a graduate with multiple degrees, he is angry about being in this situation. “I didn’t expect to be here… at this stage of my life,” he said.