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]

OH GOD, I love that quote by Sokka. It's one of my favorite odd Random Character interactions that I adore. (Like the random guy in "Zuko Alone" who says, "Give him a left!" and the woman responds, "This isn't a fist fight." And he rejoins: "He's got a left SWORD, doesn't he?!" XDDD Yes. Yes, he does.)

Wow--I feel kinda spoiled in terms of being able to have almost everything on my Priority List be what's on my partner's same list. It was really funny when we were talking about it, because one of us would say something like, "Okay, this is going to sound odd...but, one of the big things for me is that in the kitchen, you have to be able to open up the fridge AND the dishwasher at the same time. It's just too annoying when someone's in the kitchen, trying to put away dishes or whatever, and then someone has to WAIT for food, and no one can get by in the kitchen..." And the other one would go, "It's like...you're reading my mind. O_O" In our kitchen, we do have a small problem with the fridge/dishwasher BUT, it is possible to get into the fridge for, say, milk for tea, even with the dishwasher open, AND! The hallway leads around the kitchen, so you can actually go all the way around...

The things that become important to you after living in the wrong type of place are sometimes so odd. XD

Like, a MUST for me is having an in-unit washer and dryer. I hatehatehate the laundry mats. -_o

But, I think the only thing that we had different was that after years of living on the bottom floor, while I can admit that there is a lot of convenience in living without stairs, I appreciate more not having upstairs neighbors to listen to. He wanted the bottom floor a little more because of the convenience as well as not feeling not like an ass when he made noise on the floor. In the end, we ended up on the second floor of a three story building, so neither of us got what we wanted. XD We don't really care though...it was pretty low on our priority lists. One of those, if they have it, okay. If they didn't, meh.

[miss-ljv.livejournal.com]

Our separate lists aren't disagreements, at least. I mean, he ALSO would like the catboxes to be in a place where it doesn't ruin the whole apartment, and he also wants closets. But the trump card for him is LOCATIONNNNNUH! He's pickier because he's never lived outside of home before, so he thinks he can find the perfect apartment in the perfect location for the perfect price, no problem! :P

The reason why I like the first floor, besides not having to worry about stairs, is that I'm HUGE with people being able to hear me. I don't want anyone to hear me play DDR, I don't want people to be annoyed by all the sex I'm having, and I don't want people to be mad if I play music. It just makes me uncomfortable knowing that people can hear me living. I don't mind hearing other people's tvs/music, and hearing them walk all the time is annoying, but doable. I'M the one who doesn't want to worry about inconveniencing THEM. And I am NOT good at reacting if someone comes to yell at me for something. I try very hard to be considerate, and if you feel the need to come bitch at me for being home, I will not be very pleasant to you (that is, they'll get the patented "you are an idiot why are you wasting my time" face that seems to upset people and make them stfu).

I've never been able to afford an apartment with in-unit laundry facilities. I don't think that's the way Minnesota runs it. Unless you mean, in the apartment BUILDING vs in the apartment itself. Because most apartments have coin-operated facilities. They suck, but they're better than going to a laundromat (HAAAAATE). That's probably not a concern for me at this time because wherever we move, we'll be within like 10 minutes of his parents' house, and they're not home on weekends, so TA DA! Laundry day. XD

[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*

[miss-ljv.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

[miss-ljv.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

[miss-ljv.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.

[miss-ljv.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....~_~

[miss-ljv.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. :)

[namidanotsuki.livejournal.com]

We apartment hopped a lot buying our first house (don't get me into that saga). The first one we lived in when I moved out here we stood at for a year. It was nice, basically a town house. At $1600 a month, it better have been. It was the area; lots of amenities, 5min commute to all public transportation, less than an hour from Chicago.

I hated renting from land lords. The situations where the properties are corporately owned are better, in my opinion. The main differences were price (you're going to pay more) and reliability of the staff. There's also nice things like large club houses, full and free gyms, pools etc. But I don't care too much about that stuff. What I did like was, when something broke and I lived at the aforementioned complex, they sent someone within the hour and it was fixed or replaced that day. Landlords tend to duct tape things together and hope they don't break again. There's good ones who employ reliable, qualified handy men, but that's not too common. Ask if your landlord has a handyman. If they don't they're likely one of those people who just want to collect a rent check every month and don't care about their renters.

Photograph every single dent, scratch and stain in your apartment as soon as you can. Most places require a deposit of some kind. For every place I've ever rented, they wanted a month's rent in advance. That's a lot of money to lose, so you should protect yourself.

I'm pretty sure you already know this but, you should read your lease thoroughly. I would never ever rent month to month for a variety of reasons, but that's another story.

Other than that, your list seems reasonable. Don't forget that you actually can talk to a real estate agent to help you find the best living situation; they don't just do houses.

[miss-ljv.livejournal.com]

I too hate renting from landlords. I've only ever come across crazy ones who have specific rules for their lawn ("Plant this tree and make sure it doesn't die" was one) or other weird things, shitty response time or none at all to fixing stuff, and who have pegged me as "leader" so when other douches don't pay their share of rent, I get the call. -_-

I definitely read every word of my lease. My last apartment charged me $20 to replace the linoleum flooring, which I did not damage in any way (and when I went to rent the place I was told it was the "old" linoleum aka "going to be replaced when you leave"), but I got the majority of my deposit back, even though my cats tore the shit out of the carpet in one place, I never paid the pet rent, and I added new stains to the horrific old ones. I was told at the start I wouldn't be charged for my carpet because it was so bad - the guy before me had anger issues and apparently liked throwing coffee around and punching walls and the fridge. As for the pet rent, I was told once I paid the pet deposit I could start paying the pet rent, so... I just never paid the deposit and no one ever said anything ^_^

I don't want to rent month-to-month, but I AM okay with 6- or 9-month leases, simply because I want the freedom to move in a shorter period of time if need be. I would like to move out of state ASAP, so I wanna be ready! :P

I've wondered about real estate agents. Really, if my boyfriend didn't have to pay $700 in loans every month, we could probably afford a small house, townhouse, or trailer (if needed). Ugh!