Episode 185: Rental Roundtable Table Topics Style with Dan Dyble and Karen Hall Part 5
Summary
Today we amp up the anxiety by talking about helping people public speak AND talking about awkward conversations with tenants. Today is part 5 of a very dynamic discussion-based way to talk about rentals: Table Topics Style. What is that you ask? It is a game in an organization called Toastmasters, designed to make you think on your feet and gain confidence in very short responses.
Dan Dyble and Karen Hall join me in today’s rental roundtable discussing the social and cultural aspect of providing rentals, with an international twist.
https://moneymatters.toastmastersclubs.org
Listen to the full episode :
This Week’s Blog Post:
Exploring Global Social and Cultural Housing Differences
Hi friends! I’m Dr. Jen, and in this episode of My Life as a Landlord, we wrapped up our five-part Rental Roundtable Toastmasters-style series with my favorite duo, Dan Dyble and Karen Hall. This final installment dives into the social and cultural aspects of providing housing, and it also comes with an international twist. As always, we pulled our questions from the Toastmasters game “Table Topics,” which forces you to think on your feet. Throughout the series, we’ve covered ethical dilemmas, landlord duties, rental affordability, and power dynamics—and today’s episode was all about what happens when culture and geography shape the entire renting experience.
Renting Around the World Looks Very Different
We kicked off by comparing landlord–tenant dynamics across different countries. Dan shared stories from friends who split their time between Canada and Panama, where tenancy rules can be shockingly laissez-faire. In some parts of Panama, if you leave a property vacant long enough, someone can move in—and claim ownership. I added my own examples, like how the United Kingdom requires both the landlord and tenant to be licensed, and the rental unit to be certified annually. Then there’s Berlin, where the city itself owns more than 300,000 apartments. Meanwhile, places like British Columbia, Hawaii, California, and Australia have wildly different rules, forms, and expectations. The biggest takeaway? Every assumption landlords make is geographic—and often completely wrong once you cross a border.
Making Renting More Dignified
The next question explored how renting can be made more dignified or less stigmatized. Karen shared that renting has already become normalized for younger generations in Metro Vancouver, simply because homeownership is out of reach for many. Lifestyle choices—travel, freedom, and location—drive decisions more than owning a deed. Dan agreed, noting that in his friend circles, renting is the sensible default, especially for people who value flexibility or live globally mobile lives. When it was my turn, I challenged the question itself. Instead of focusing on stigma, I talked about how renting should be made more valuable. I’d love to see systems where tenants can build a verifiable history of being responsible—something like a “renter credit trail.” And on the flip side, landlords should also be reportable, allowing renters to see which housing providers treat people well. If good tenants can demonstrate their track record, everyone wins.
Is Homeownership Still the American Dream?
Our final question asked whether owning property is still the American dream or if that ideal is outdated. I shared that I believe the dream has shifted. It’s no longer about the three-bedroom house, two-car garage, and white picket fence. It’s about designing a lifestyle you actually enjoy instead of being locked into a mortgage that leaves you stressed and overextended. Dan talked about countries like China where ownership is evolving, and Karen shared how affordability has become the real dream now—not ownership for its own sake. Across cultures, people increasingly choose lifestyle over long-term property commitments. And as we discussed, in many dense cities worldwide, owning a vehicle is now more of a luxury—or burden—than owning a home. Everything comes back to location, economics, and cultural norms.
Wrapping Up and Looking Forward
This was such a fun and enriching way to end our five-part Toastmasters-inspired series. Dan and Karen bring so much wisdom, humor, and perspective, and I know we’ll do more of these conversations in the future. If you’re curious about Toastmasters or want to join the Money Matters Club that sparked all of these episodes, check the links below—there are clubs all over the world, and it’s an incredibly affordable way to improve your communication, leadership, and confidence as a landlord.
We recorded this episode in Maui, Hawaii. Why? Because real estate takes you places. Where do you want real estate to take you? Join me next week for Episode 186, where I literally reach across my desk and show you what’s on my personal landlord library shelf. I’ll see you there!