The Housing Situation

Last night I didn't get home until 10, but it was good because I was out getting a lease signed for a better apartment.

See, on Sunday, I brought Matt to look at the apartment, and I realized that the group of buildings that I thought was where we would be living was not part of the complex. So Monday I tried to Google the complex...and came up with all these awful awful reviews of the place. I mean, they were really horrible. There were reviews going back six months saying that the place is infested with cockroaches, they don't pick up the garbage, someone's oven was broken for a week before maintenance finally came to look at it...

Oh no. I cannot live in a place like this.

So I sent Matt the reviews, and he started freaking out, and I called my mom, and her advice was to call the landlord and ask them what they're doing about the roaches, which didn't sound productive to me at all. Also, she just kept saying "but all the other apartments were so much more money." Which is true, but I don't think that's because all of them were overpriced. I think that's the going rate, and this place is lower for a reason...

But then the Realtor we met on Sunday called us and said that the landlord agreed to come down on the rent (just $50, but I took it as a sign) so I took that apartment and he faxed us an application. And before I could even call the complex to tell them that I wanted our deposit back, they called me.

It turns out that the apartment we had applied for was smaller than they'd told us, and they wouldn't have another apartment in the size we want until the middle of April. So I told them to give my money back so I can get a new place. Then they called again yesterday to say that they found another apartment in the size we wanted. Umm...no. Just give my money back. I haven't heard from them again, so the check had better be in the mail.

So, Matt filled out the application and the Realtor faxed us the lease, and I took the train over to the Realtor's last night with the security deposit and the signed lease. So now we have an apartment and we can keep both the cats, and life is good. And then my dad got home and drove me over to a station on my line so I could take the train home. And a train had broken down at the station, so the schedule was all messed up, but at least it was warm and there were some nice people at the station to talk to.

It was a long night, but at least we have a nice, clean place to live now, and it will allow both cats, so I feel better about it.