How to Find an Apartment That Matches your Taste
Posted on July 27, 2008
Filed Under Apartment Living | 18 Comments
I am excited to try out one of those new culinary pseudo-classes that let you show up and prepare your own meals that are supposed to last you for about a month.
The only reason I have hesitated is I’m a bit of a picky eater. I don’t care for vegetables, and I also don’t care for seafood (an unpopular decision in this era of sushi, so I tell people I’m allergic).
Another words, I don’t want to show up expecting chicken and find out that half the menu is seafood. So, in essence, I am chicken to show up. Stop with the booing…that’s funny.
Well, apartment shopping is the exact same thing for me. I’m a bit chicken. I need to find an affordable place, but I want to make sure I end up in an apartment that I really like. I want it to match my tastes, my life. Basically, I want it to be perfect.
Not much in life is perfect, so how can I get close?
Tip 1: Think through the specifics
Think through your location: location to family, friends, work and nightlife. Who do I need to live by? Who do I see weekly? Can I stand to commute 40 minutes if it means I save $75 a month? Do I need to live downtown or will the suburbs suffice? Do I go out three times a week, or twice a month?
Think through your budget: financial planners say only 30% of your income should be spent on your housing costs. Not a big problem if you make $6,000 a month. A little bit more of a problem when you make $1,600 a month. What’s your realistic, total budget? And even though I may want a one-bedroom with a den, can I only afford an efficiency?
Think through your pet situation: I have a dog. He’s a miniature poodle. Would I be willing to part with Ziggy? Never. Can I afford to shell out $500 for a pet deposit. Never. Could I afford $250 if I saved up beforehand? Possibly. Think through if you plan on getting that bulldog you’ve always wanted. First, does the community you want to live in even accept pets? If so, how much will the deposit cost? You may need to save up, or bow out.
Tip 2: Research your options
Now it’s time to compare. I like this catalog for a quick reference, but I also like to go online to look at virtual tours and compare amenities. At apartmenthomeliving.com, I can fill out a personality profile that matches me to the apartments that are right. It even goes a step further to find out what else I like. Do I want a pool? Do I work out? You betcha. There’s a match out there and I want to see all the choices.
Tip 3: Visit your top choices and enlist the help of friends
Seeing is believing. I know that the product itself is terribly important to me. I have to visit to know it feels good to me when I drive in. I want lush landscaping. I want good lighting in the living room, and a pool with a nightlife around it. I want a clean apartment. I can only find out these details by visiting.
While I’m visiting, do I like my leasing professional? Does she seem knowledgeable? Friendly? Does she answer my questions about maintenance to where I feel comfortable? Do I trust this person? Because this is who I’m going to get on the phone when something goes wrong in my apartment.
And two pairs of eyes are better than one! Do my friends agree this is a cool place to live? Will they visit me here to hang out? Do they agree with what I think?
Make your decision
Finally, decide what’s the best match for you. I knew when I picked Ziggy it was love. I know when I pick my next apartment it will at least be lust! And that can last at least a year. Happy hunting!
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Help answer the question about apartment living
Are there any good sites for frugal single apartment living?I'd like to find a website or forum with ideas for those of us who are still single, live in an apartment (where decorating, remodeling, and storage opportunities are usually limited), and want to be frugal.
Thanks!
About Author
As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff’s entertaining blogs/stories, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others.
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18 Responses to “How to Find an Apartment That Matches your Taste”
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NEW YUCK CITY!
That’s nice
I remember the first time I went to O’Hare. I had just lost my Brazilian passport (in New York, early 2003), and had a military ID (issued in Rio de Janeiro), and the guy who was checking IDs asked if I had a passport. I was freaking out… Lol. Then his supervisor said it was OK for me to travel with my military ID. Ironically, I just lost my passport again… last night. I don’t remember putting my cell phone number on it, thus I don’t think I’ll recover it, sadly ;-(
Lol…
If you are an American then I am surprised that you know the difference between good and bad taste. If you can tell the difference then it must be really bad.
1. B
2. B
3. B
4. A
5. B
6. D
7. D
8. B
9. A
10. B
11. A
12. B
13. A
14. C
15. C
16. C
17. C
ha ha im betting u probably aint got no job or may be got one & not makin shit & still gotta live with mommy & daddy in NY. lol!
CHI-TOWN sure sounds better than the BIG ROTTEN APPLE.
wow!! greart work man..some have been repeated!!
1)b
2)c
3)b
4)b
5)d
6)a
7)b
8)c
9)c
10)b
11)a
12)b
13)d
14)b
15)c
16)d
17)d
18)c
19)a
20)c
3. Los Angeles: 639 billion dollars;
4. Chicago: 460 billion dollars.
According with whatever data info, I found it on Wikipedia, Chicago and Paris have the same GDP. I’m sure it can’t be the same exact number, so Paris comes out as 5th largest economy among cities worldwide.
i think we’re actually wealthier than LA right now cause LA’s unemployment rate is higher than Chicago’s & they dont have federal reserves & futures stock exchanges like we do. hollywood can only do so much for LA but right now not enough.
Facts are simple and facts are straight
Facts are lazy and facts are late
Facts all come with points of view
Facts dont do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
Facts are getting the best of them
Facts are nothing on the face of things
Facts dont stain the furniture
Facts go out and slam the door
Facts are written all over your face
Facts continue to change their shape
I like it. There is a lot of information crammed into what you have written. Is it a short story? or Is it a novel?
If it's a short story, cram away, if it's a novel you might want not cram quite so much information into such a short amount of writing.
Your descriptions are excellent.
wow!!!!!! you have a career! your great
It’s funny we don’t think much about it, Chicago is actually the 4th wealthiest city in the world, after:
1. Tokyo (nobody talks about it, because the Japanese are lame bitches… lol;
2. New York (among the only 2 cities worldwide with a GDP surpassing 1,1 trillion dollars, not so distant from Tokyo numberwise);
3. Los Angeles;
4. Chicago.
Proof that this was copy and paste job:
"Click HERE for 99,999 digits of pi! "
That line of his post doesnt have a link attached to it.
So no, he didnt take any time to type all this out, just about a few seconds. LOL!
I used Wikipedia as data source for the GDP comparison between LA and Chicago. LA has a 179 billion dollars higher GDP than Chicago. It may change within a year, but not so likely. I used to travel to Chicago a lot, for business, pleasure and… well… I was in and out of love with someone there… lol… 7 years ago. I thought it was yesterday… lol.
What do you do in Chicago? What kind of work? Involved with performing arts somehow?
by what i read, i know u can finish the rest without any of my help..but if u suggest..or insist, how old is the narrator? the girl? well, the story could possible be more interesting if she falls for jose, juan's right-hand man..jose knows that juan don't want him to mess with the narrator(the girl)..because she's like only..16..or idk any age u pick..and juan gets mad and finds out then ends up killing him then getting mad at the girl..or he doesn't have to kill him..he could beat then replace for another right-hand man..u can include dope fiens..drug dealers..the mom and her addiction..idk make it as interesting as possible. keep the reader never wanting to put the book down, i mean i read ur story and i already like it..gud luck =]