Properties and Housing
Happy ladder for gym, rent vs buy, PI with airstrip (base travel capacity 10→15), vaults, and when buying an island makes sense.
By Weav3r
Overview
Everyone starts in a Shack (cannot sell it). Housing exists mainly to raise happy, which multiplies gym gains. Better houses also unlock facilities (vault, airstrip, pool, staff).
Rent until travel income is stable. Full tables (happy, upgrades, staff): Property wiki. In-game: City → Estate Agent.
Climb the happy ladder
Higher max happy = better gym gains, especially early. Shack happy is terrible. Even a cheap rental (penthouse / ranch / mansion class) is a big step up. A private island with staff sits around 2,550+ happy, which is why people rush a PI rental after they can fly.
- Shack → any short high-happy rental while leveling.
- After 15: PI rental with airstrip for happy + travel.
- A swimming pool upgrade adds +2% gym gains (wiki). Unique properties vary; check live happy before you rent or buy.
Decide rent vs buy
| Rent | Own | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Lease paid in full (no daily landlord fee) | Purchase + upgrades |
| Happy / facilities | Same as that property type once you move in | Same + you can upgrade |
| Vault | Not available on rentals | Yes (after vault upgrade) |
| Staff / upkeep | You still pay staff and upkeep | Same |
| Airstrip | Works if you hire a pilot | Same |
- Leases expire at 03:30 Torn time, max length 100 days. Landlords can offer extensions.
- Owned properties can be sold on the market or back to the Estate Agent (vacant).
Rent a PI with airstrip
Once you can travel, a PI with airstrip is the standard setup. With a hired pilot:
- Base travel capacity 10 → 15. Suitcases and Excursion stack on top; see Travel.
- Flights ~30% faster and free on the airstrip method.
- High happy for gym between flights.
- Hit level 15.
- Open City → Estate Agent → Rental (or trade chat) for a PI with airstrip.
- Move in, then hire a pilot under staff. No pilot, no airstrip.
- Keep flying. Do not dump your whole travel float into buying a PI yet.
Use vaults and pay upkeep
Vault is a mug-safe stash on owned properties only. Spouse sharing is off by default. Cash stays in that property's vault even if you move out; it is still there when you move back.
Upkeep and staff accrue daily whether you rent or own. Unpaid fees eventually cut max happy toward zero. A resident working in a 7★ Lingerie Store has upkeep/staff waived on the property they live in (existing debt is not wiped). Vault habits also sit in Keeping money safe.
Buy a PI when ready
- Travel loop is paying Xanax / refill / suitcase without stress.
- You still have a float after the purchase (bank / stocks / ghost; not an empty wallet).
- You actually live there long-term: airstrip + happy every day, not a trophy.
Property scams
Properties go in the trade UI (green). Anyone who wants cash "outside the trade" to transfer a house is scamming (Avoiding scams).
Do this
- Leave the shack for a short high-happy rental.
- At 15: rent PI with airstrip → hire pilot → fly.
- Buy only when Xanax / suitcase / bank float survive the purchase.
- If you own: vault upgrade + pay staff/upkeep so happy does not collapse.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Should I rent or buy a house in Torn?
Rent early. Buy later when the cash would otherwise sit idle and buying will not wipe your Xanax / suitcase / bank float. A rented PI with airstrip after level 15 is the usual travel setup.
What does a PI airstrip do?
With a hired pilot, base travel capacity rises from 10 to 15, flights are about 30% faster, and airstrip flights are free. Full capacity stack: Travel guide.
Related guides
Leveling · Safety · Gym
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Day-1, day-3, and day-14 checklists: tutorial, housing, protection, donator status, factions, and the first money and gym habits.
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Vladar gym gains, happy drain, happy vs energy eras, whoring ratios, Xanax baselines, and interactive calculators - without treating the old 50m soft cap as current.
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Unlock flights at 15, flight methods, carry capacity (airstrip 10→15, suitcases, Excursion), one shopping-run workflow, plus Tourism Day appendix.
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Stage-by-stage income: pre-15 scrapes, travel after 15, then five midgame methods, bank, and stocks.
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Decision tree for where to park cash: ghost trades, banks, vaults, stocks, and points, plus the after-sale stash ritual.
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Employee path first: placeholder city job, job points and stars, early company picks by playstyle, how to apply, and directing as a later project.
