In other news...

[spritechan]

Steve and I have begun seriously looking for places. We have a list of places jotted down and this weekend visited an apartment and its neighborhood. The apartment was okay. It had a good kitchen, met my closet space needs, and had a large bedroom. It even had a sort of nook where we could keep the litter box. The living room was tiny. The lady was a bitch for no reason, and asked very snarkily if I've rented before (I have, like three times. And I have good credit.). She said that two people can't live in a studio - that it must be a 1-bedroom. Wtf, no. Steve and I want a studio because we've basically been living in a tiny studio for a year now. Why waste space with extra walls?

My criteria:
-Lots of closet space (sharing a closet right now is KILLING us)
-Room for shelving
-A kitchen that is not suffocatingly small
-Place for litter boxes that is inoffensive
-Prefer garage

Steve's criteria:
-Not too busy, but not too in the middle of nowhere (not urban, but not 10+ minutes to a highway)
-Preferably in or around Oakdale (he's so gai for that city)
-Shorter lease for option of relocating
-Enough overall space to not feel suffocated (very much would like a big studio)
-Doesn't want to live in a "ghetto" or "white trash" area

We both want a ground floor place and prefer heat/water/trash included in rent.

So.. we don't conflict on the issue, but location is FARRR more important to him than me, and my need for closets and a garage are lesser to him. XD His parents will inevitably cry about wherever we move, because they're... ah... somewhat prejudiced, and consider anywhere outside their cul-de-sac a dangerous area. Especially if there is a black person sighting -_- Having worked in North Minneapolis (quite a dangerous area) and where I work in St. Paul now is also considered seedy, I'm not really afraid unless I got mixed up in drugs, which I won't. So there!

We're looking to move any time between now and April. We originally planned for April since the snow will be melting by then (whereas we got another few inches YESTERDAY) and it would be less hassle. But I think we're both quite itching to be on our own! We're gonna look at another apartment/neighborhood today. The area is by Lake Phalen, and Steve has some fears of the Lake Phalen area, especially in terms of ghetto-ness, so we're gonna scope it out.

I just threw this together on a print-screen because I <3 it: ^_^

Comments

[silver-tiamat.livejournal.com]

No, no, I don't mean that it would suck to argue about these points. I mean, it's hard to argue with someone who says, "I want to not have to keep the litter box next to the bed." But, having different priorities can make one person go, "THIS apartment fits what I must have perfectly" while the other still says, "Yeah, but it's got like none of what I must have, even though I also wouldn't mind all of your list." My mom and my step-dad had to go through that when they were first picking out a house--they had enough slightly different priorities, without disagreeing on any major point, that they had to look at DOZENS out houses before finally compromising for the house that we did get. By the time they chose the house in FL though, they'd become in perfect sync.

I've lived in apartments for now 8 years of my life, and...I've just come to accept the fact that you've got to roll with what's around you. We tried to be so quiet when we first moved in...but, we have douche baggy neighbors, including a DOUCHE BAG DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR, who make noise at totally inappropriate times (though, thank god, not all the time, or we'd have requested to move apartments by now), so whlie I don't set out to deliberately make noise, I don't think about either. And none of us have ever had to go to the other's door. I still haven't actually met any of my neighbors (unless you count the whole stepping-outside-to-chase-off-the-next-door-neighbor's-bully as "meeting").

In Oregon, the in-unit (private) laundry isn't noticeably more expensive. I couldn't even FIND one in Irvine, but that's because every single apartment complex is owned by The Irvine Company (no joke--the entire city is essentially owned by The Irvine Company OR fully controlled through completely legal ways), and they know that coin machines cost more for the consumer than in-unit ones. But, here, when I made that on the bottom of my priority list (willing to just deal with it for a low enough price), I checked dozens of places that have an In Unit laundry, and as I've said before, we pay $550/month. In Irvine, for a single bedroom decent place with about 850sq ft, it was $1485/month. NOTHING included, laundry external but within the apartment complex. So...*shrug*

[vixenofflames.livejournal.com]

Ugh, if only it were like that here! So jealous! It sounds like where I live is inbetween your current living situation and Irvine. I would guess that most apartments that have in-unit laundry are closer to $800 or $900 :/ Steve and I are looking at an apartment on Saturday, and it's pretty standard:

$600/mo. (apparently this place is running a special where the first three months are $400 - a way so they can claim we get one month free)
650sq ft
Water/Heat/Trash included

It's got wood floorings (honestly hard to come by these days. I HATE cheap nasty carpet), is literally 30 seconds from the highway but not in a way that is loud/dirty, and is a good area for biking/by a park.

When I lived in North Dakota, I lived in a 3-bedroom duplex for $650/month, but I don't think anything was included. I can't remember. But for comparison, it was incredibly cheap. I'm still holding out that one day I'll be where you are!!! <3

[silver-tiamat.livejournal.com]

Yeah--living really does vary greatly from state to state. People are NOT joking when they say that living in CA is inherently more expensive. It is. I mean, my friend Sara, who lives in a small town, dot-on-the-map in Northern California, was in a small apartment for $1600 for a 2-bedroom. Milly has only never been able to afford her own single bedroom place, because they're alll $800+. In fact, in that area, expecting to pay $500-600/month for renting out a room in a house is "acceptable." In Irvine, the apartments really close to campus went from $2000 to $2400 per month for a 2-bedroom apartment.

Here, there are so many places that are in reasonable ranges, especially considering that Oregon is far from "the middle of nowhere." Portland is a huge place, and Seattle is a three-hour drive away, should you be inclined. I really have to say that it's probably the best of both worlds between being out in nature, with reasonable living expenses, while still being close to big cities. =D

[vixenofflames.livejournal.com]

That last sentence will probably be what gets me to convince Steve to move out there, pending a job opportunity for him. For real! It's like exactly what he's looking for!

I'm a city girl, and I'm very adaptable to different locations. He is picky for the time being, but I think it'll either ease up as he gets out into the world, or he'll have better than vague ideas of what he likes.

And holy god, I know. I don't know how ya do it in California! The reason my friend Nate is able to live there is because he was in the Army, so he gets paid and gets to go to school for free.

[silver-tiamat.livejournal.com]

You know, I never thought I'd be able to say that I wouldn't move back to CA. I had said my whole life that even if I left during my many years, that eventually I'd always come back to CA. It was my Home, in a big way. But, that's changed. Not only did I see a lot of America, and what it has to offer, but I also had the experience of moving out of CA for an extended period of time. And, I'm here to say that where I belong is in the Pacific Northwest. That does include Nor Cal, which is where I always thought I'd return, but...Nor Cal is either "the bay area" or "Sacramento area" if you want cities. I love San Francisco, but...the culture there isn't entirely my groove. And I really don't like Sacramento (that's the big city I grew up nearish).

Here, it's all about eating healthy, eating reasonably, and eating locally. Trees and the preservation of nature are Number 1 priorities to so many people, including corporations. The concept of cohabitating with the surrounding nature is a goal that essentially everyone shares. The public transit was thoughtfully built, and made to help eliminate the need for "commuter traffic." We don't see real "rush hours" on our major freeways, because why sit in a car for 2-hours getting from inner Portland to where you live in Hillsboro, when MAX gets you there in 25 minutes?

It really is incredible here. I've never lived in a place this in tune with its natural surroundings, even while still being not only a large metropolitan city like San Diego or Boston, but a huge, sprawling metro area that allow you WALK around places. You can WALK to shopping, unless you really go out into the country areas. Even then, there's a huge emphasis on being able to bike places, and bikers are considered very important to the state.

I really can't stress enough how wonderful it is to be able to love where I live. =D It makes even the downsides of things like no job, no friends, etc, feel manageable. Because I can go to the over 5,000 acre nature reserve right next to Portland, or I can go into the city itself and go to a local coffeehouse, then check out to see if I can get a last-minute cheaper ticket for an opera or ballet or concert. =D NORTHWEST PRIDE!!! <3

/this advertisement brought to you by the Pacifici Northwest

[vixenofflames.livejournal.com]

Ah, sounds so nice! I appreciate the PSA :D It makes me excited for when I really can get out there! It sounds really awesome.

[vixenofflames.livejournal.com]

Oh, and to add - we could totally afford a classier place if his student loans weren't so damn high!!!

[silver-tiamat.livejournal.com]

Same here! =/ Stupid student loans! It's like it forces you to feel the weight and shadow of college for so much longer than the degree is useful to you....~_~

[vixenofflames.livejournal.com]

Haaaate! And, Steve's got the added frustration of his parents promising to help him pay them down, but then reneging when they bought their second house and deciding they wanted to retire in a few years so the money's more important to save now D: He feels even worse because he feels like he's holding me back - without him and his loan and job fears, I'd probably be on the road right now. Either in Montana with Suzi or in a place like Portland, or even with my friend Nate in Daly City.

He's planning on asking them to give him some of the money when they sell their Oakdale house, but he's not banking on a lot, if any. Poor guy. I'd have thrown a major hissy fit at my parents if they did that too me, not to mention bringing it up whenever they made major purchases, LIKE A SECOND HOUSE. That's just... so mean! And they're not mean people! I just don't get it!

[silver-tiamat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, well...I still have the whole issue of getting out school with NO student loans and NO money. And my parents could have helped me get back onto my feet, if they hadn't been such stingy bastard rich people. Brian's parents helped to co-sign on his loans when he was getting them and had been helping to pay bits, but after he graduated, they told him that he was now responsible for paying for the whole thing. So...*shrug* I guess it's just best not to think of your parents as perfect people who will always keep their promises to you, or always want to help you out.

I still think that Steve should work on feeling like he's to blame with "holding" you back. The only person who can ever really hold you back is yourself, and the choices you make. If you're choosing Steve over moving around the country, then that's YOUR decision to make, not his. Obviously, being able to be completely free to move everywhere isn't your first priority--being happy in a relationship with a loving, caring person is. He should work on accepting that. :)