|
If you have a friend that works as a tradie in a factory somewhere (and chances are, you do), they are always good sources of boxes as well. Anytime I need any boxes, I just ask my Dad to bring old ones home from work.
|
#
?
Jun 27, 2011 23:38
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 18, 2024 05:25 |
|
|
I found a load of boxes that barely could fit into my car at the recycling center. They were both sheltered from rain and stacked neatly. People would come by with boxes and we'd just take it from their hands right there. Talk about fast-acting reuse.
|
|
#
?
Jun 28, 2011 00:07
|
|
|
I just moved into a bedroom that has tons of small but visible holes, dent, and chipped paint in the walls. It looks like about 15 people have lived in this room since the last time it was spackled and painted. Anyway, suggestions for cleaning up the walls some? I have a tapestry I'm going to hang on one wall, but I have framed photos and a nice old mirror I want to put on two other walls, and I feel like it will look lovely because my stuff is nice and this place is not.
|
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 01:51
|
|
|
Take a loooooot of pictures before you do anything. You don't want that stuff blamed on you.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 02:34
|
|
|
Do we have any kind of home decor thread? I'm moving into my first non-student place next month and am looking for cheap decorating ideas, ways of fixing up old furniture, etc. I'd appreciate links to any blogs or sites that are helpful for this kind of thing. I've already started looking at Martha Stewart's website, Better Homes and Gardens, and HGTV.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 12:05
|
|
|
The only thing anyone ever suggests in threads like that is rasterbating images, Amethystbliss.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 12:55
|
|
|
amethystbliss posted:Do we have any kind of home decor thread? I'm moving into my first non-student place next month and am looking for cheap decorating ideas, ways of fixing up old furniture, etc. I'd appreciate links to any blogs or sites that are helpful for this kind of thing. I've already started looking at Martha Stewart's website, Better Homes and Gardens, and HGTV. Not as far as I know. I'd be happy to have that sort of thing in here, though. I know Apartment Therapy is a decor site, but I don't think they run cheap.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 12:56
|
|
|
jai Mundi posted:I live in the greater Phoenix area, and as such, my condo value is in the toilet. That's the bad news. The good news is that I bought a toilet-priced house, figuring I could rent out my condo until the market returns, and sell it for what I paid for it in 7 to 10 years. If you are going to be dealing with the lower end of the credit scale you definitely want references from their previous or current landlord, also keep in mind that the condo building will likely want to screen the tenant as well as have overrule privileges, in general you will want to talk to your condo association about the rules of renting a unit, so buildings specify the lengths allowed along with any deposits and fees for their background checks, if they allow rental at all. They probably have a guide written up on how to rent your unit, sometimes there are different rules and services for owner occupied units and rental units, for instance, my building allows pets for owners but not for renters, no exceptions. You definitely want to collect a security deposit for any damage. Something to look into might be a rental management company, mine charges me $40 a month and handles all the logistics of any repair or service, collecting rent, ect and know what they are doing. You are also going to want to change the insurance policy on your unit so you aren't paying to cover any personal property, just your liability and repair, talk to your insurance agency as there are options in this, for instance, I pay extra for liability insurance on my personal condo policy and that insurance extends to my rental policy at a cheaper rate and larger coverage than the structural coverage policy on my rental property would allow me to add it at. There is always a chance if you do everything right you still might get a bad apple: quote:The Board reviewed numerous infractions of building rules by a tenant The owner ended up paying a ton of money in fines and was forced by the board to evict her tenant, and evicting a tenant is not easy or cheap.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 19:12
|
|
|
All I have to say is good christ. I've checked their references, and with their previous landlord. They seem to be normal people and have worked at the same place for at least 6 years each. The interesting thing about my condo complex is that I don't have to ask anyone or get approval about who I rent to. The only thing that a renter can't do that an owner can is vote at board meetings. They can have whatever animals I ok. In fact, they have two dachshunds that I'm ok with. The place is all tile or hardwood, so I don't have to worry about carpet. I'm going to do a walk through with the renter before they take possession of the condo to assess the condition of the condo. I am also getting a $400 damage deposit. If all I need to do when they move out is clean a bit, and possibly paint some smudges on the wall, they will get the whole thing back. I will call my insurance company to make sure that I'm all set with liability insurance. I was paying renters insurance on the place, so I hope it will be a wash at least. Thanks for the good advice.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 21:38
|
|
|
There was a really nice post about local movers on the first page, but I still have a few questions. I'm about to move from one apartment to another, and I've realized how woefully unprepared I am. First, I don't even know where to get boxes. I tried getting them at a nearby Publix and two liquor stores -- they had nothing to give me. I need to pack up a kitchen and bedroom, with the bulkiest thing that needs to be boxed being a stupidly large collection of DVDs and books. Where should I go to get a few large boxes, some bubble wrap, and packing tape? Or would it be cheaper to have them pack up my poo poo for me? I imagine it'd take me thrice as long as it'd take two professional movers... Also, I need to hire some help to move my bed, chest of drawers, desk, etc. Does anyone have experience hiring a company for this off of Craigslist? I've had nightmares of loading up a truck and having all of my worldly possessions hauled off, never to be seen again. If Craigslist is a terrible idea, what'd be the best way to find a reputable moving company that doesn't want over $100 an hour? Edit: You guys actually got boxes at hospitals? gently caress, maybe I'll check tomorrow, but I don't have high hopes. Aggro fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Jun 29, 2011 |
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 22:35
|
|
|
In addition to hospitals, try bookstores, Target/Walmart/Best Buy type stores, a university library (they move books for interlibrary loan all the time), and any other grocery or convenience store type things you can find.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 22:52
|
|
|
jai Mundi posted:I was paying renters insurance on the place, so I hope it will be a wash at least. On your condo? You might want to find a new agent because you don't want renters insurance on a condo if you own it, there are special condo policies for the gap between contents insurance (I.e. Renters insurance) and the building blanket policy, plus you need more liability insurance in case you do something like flood another unit. You definitely want to talk to an insurance agent that knows what they are doing an explain everything to them including that you will be renting it out. The wrong policy can be just as bad as not having one at all.
|
|
#
?
Jun 29, 2011 23:54
|
|
|
Liquor stores are usually worth picking up a few boxes from. Of course, where I am, liquor stores only sell liquor. They're totally different from convenience stores. Liquor boxes are pretty small, so you don't really want to use them for the bulk of your packing, but they're good for small things.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 07:19
|
|
|
amethystbliss posted:Do we have any kind of home decor thread? I'm moving into my first non-student place next month and am looking for cheap decorating ideas, ways of fixing up old furniture, etc. I'd appreciate links to any blogs or sites that are helpful for this kind of thing. I've already started looking at Martha Stewart's website, Better Homes and Gardens, and HGTV. For decor, try thrift stores like salavation army. I got most of my pictures there. Christmas tree shops is also good for cheap decor. Aggro posted:First, I don't even know where to get boxes. I tried getting them at a nearby Publix and two liquor stores -- they had nothing to give me. I need to pack up a kitchen and bedroom, with the bulkiest thing that needs to be boxed being a stupidly large collection of DVDs and books. Where should I go to get a few large boxes, some bubble wrap, and packing tape? Or would it be cheaper to have them pack up my poo poo for me? I imagine it'd take me thrice as long as it'd take two professional movers...
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 13:43
|
|
|
Aggro posted:bubble wrap, For anything other than family heirlooms, crumpled up newspapers are far more cost effective and just as good as bubblewrap.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 15:55
|
|
|
Is it standard practice to only use the highest earner's debt-to-income ratio when approving someone for an apartment with roommates? A friend and I are trying to move out, and together we could afford a nice place, but separately we'd be looking at shitholes. I'd always figured if 2+ people were signing the lease you would count all the incomes involved. Apparently our combined income doesn't matter though, so what the gently caress is the point of a roommate?
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 16:31
|
|
|
Network42 posted:Is it standard practice to only use the highest earner's debt-to-income ratio when approving someone for an apartment with roommates? They probably expect you to be able to pay if your roommate drops out and you have to find a new one. Other than that, having a grandeur is a pain, I had to use my father.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 16:43
|
|
|
Three Olives posted:On your condo? You might want to find a new agent because you don't want renters insurance on a condo if you own it, there are special condo policies for the gap between contents insurance (I.e. Renters insurance) and the building blanket policy, plus you need more liability insurance in case you do something like flood another unit. My bad. I meant homeowners insurance. My agent is very through, almost too, downright pushy.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 18:56
|
|
|
Moving out sucks, but somehow I've been making it work for the last 2 1/2 years. Had to move out because of family stuff, best decision I ever made, but let me tell you, it sucks spending at least 50% of your monthly income on rent+utils, even with two roommates (i live in an expensive area). Combine that with car insurance, gas, credit card payments, yadda yadda, I will never escape the desperation of living paycheck to paycheck. Sigh.
|
|
#
?
Jul 1, 2011 20:56
|
|
|
Thoguh posted:For anything other than family heirlooms, crumpled up newspapers are far more cost effective and just as good as bubblewrap. Plastic bags are also good in a pinch, and chances are most people you know have a sack of them sitting in a closet somewhere that they were planning to take to the supermarket to recycle but never got around to it.
|
|
#
?
Jul 2, 2011 01:11
|
|
|
It's been two days since me and my family sent all the paper work plus the whatever payments we had and we have yet to hear from them. We're gonna call them today. We already confirmed that they cashed the check we sent them.
|
|
#
?
Jul 2, 2011 15:31
|
|
|
Any good tips for screening out college complexes in apartment searches? Our complex was all grad students or young professionals when we moved in, but now it's overrun by young punks who throw loud, all-day parties frequently, leave their beer cans and trash everywhere, and have no regard for others. In other words, they're college kids. I know I'm being a grumpy old crankypants, so I figure it's time to move on when my lease expires in the fall. I want to choose a more reliably adult complex, since I'd really like to avoid moving again for another 3-4 yrs.
|
|
#
?
Jul 5, 2011 03:49
|
|
|
This has probably happened to a lot of people but I can't find a good answer anywhere . . . I'm applying to apartments right now. My current landlord is fine with me as far as I know but I don't really want anyone talking to my landlord before that (nothing serious like missed payment, more of a dispute about apartment condition when we moved out). Should I list the bad reference anyway and hope that things go OK? Or should I skip them and list the landlord before that? I just wonder if the place I'm applying to will notice/care about the gap in rental history if I skip the bad reference.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2011 06:51
|
|
|
Do a lot of apartments require a rental history? I've never had to deal with that before.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2011 16:51
|
|
|
Xandu posted:Do a lot of apartments require a rental history? I've never had to deal with that before. Most apartments I've applied for, at least around here, want to know at least your current place and the last place you lived at. I asked around a little more and it sounds like they mostly just check your history for evictions, missed rent, etc. rather than directly calling the landlord for a personal reference, so I think I'll be OK. Sometimes they don't even bother doing anything with the info as long as your credit's OK.
|
|
#
?
Jul 7, 2011 16:59
|
|
|
On that topic, what do you do if you have no credit? Will most landlords laugh in your face and tell you to  ? Or do they gently caress you in the rear end with a gigantic security deposit usually? I've found a few nice apartments in my area that I'm going to go look at but yeah, I don't have a credit history. 
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2011 10:06
|
|
|
You're probably going to need a co-signer, so call your parents.
|
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2011 13:54
|
|
|
I'm going apartment hunting in NYC next month and I hear that you essentially need to be willing to sign a lease as soon as you find an acceptable place. I'm pretty sure I'm going to need my parents to cosign, but they won't actually be there with me. Is there any information/documentation I should bring with me to expedite the process? (I've signed leases before, but all of them were in a laid back college town) EDIT: I'm mostly concerned about information/documentation I might need from my parents, since I am pretty sure they are going to want to run credit checks and such on them also before we get around to any lease signing. Clean Bitch fucked around with this message at 02:35 on Jul 12, 2011 |
|
#
?
Jul 8, 2011 18:28
|
|
|
I'm moving in 4 days! I'd love to give a report on how it went and what I should of done. For now I need packing materials, like peanuts or something to make sure my electronics don't get thrashed around on the ride there. Do you guys know places to get them? I got plenty of boxes, and I'm going to use towels on some of the stuff.
|
|
#
?
Jul 11, 2011 22:52
|
|
|
Ularg posted:I'm moving in 4 days! I'd love to give a report on how it went and what I should of done. For now I need packing materials, like peanuts or something to make sure my electronics don't get thrashed around on the ride there. Do you guys know places to get them? I got plenty of boxes, and I'm going to use towels on some of the stuff. PacMail, the UPS Store, and other related places should have packing peanuts. That said, why pay for something you can get for free. Ie: use newspaper or snag a bunch of plastic bags from a recycling bin.
|
|
#
?
Jul 12, 2011 03:09
|
|
|
Here's a question: has anyone ever asked a potential landlord for references? I ask because we have been having issues with our landlord who is a total nutcase. I suspect that if we had ever had the chance to speak to her previous tenants, we would have gotten wind of that and never moved in. It seems like whenever I apply for an apartment I have to give my previous landlords and rental references, but I've never heard of it happening in the other direction. Has anyone ever done this? Do you think that it would totally scare off a landlord to even ask about it? The only other solution I can think of is to just avoid renting from individuals and stick to property management companies. They're sleazy and frequently incompetent, but they aren't insane.
|
|
#
?
Jul 14, 2011 15:46
|
|
|
Ashcans posted:Here's a question: has anyone ever asked a potential landlord for references? I ask because we have been having issues with our landlord who is a total nutcase. I suspect that if we had ever had the chance to speak to her previous tenants, we would have gotten wind of that and never moved in. It seems like whenever I apply for an apartment I have to give my previous landlords and rental references, but I've never heard of it happening in the other direction. Not unusual at all. I asked for references from all of my potential landlords and they were happy to give them.
|
|
#
?
Jul 19, 2011 18:04
|
|
|
Thanks. I've never done it before and I guess I have generally just had good luck with landlords until now. I will definitely be doing this in the future though, it's a huge headache to end up stuck in a lease with a terrible person.
|
|
#
?
Jul 19, 2011 18:20
|
|
|
Does anyone have advice regarding finding subsidized housing, or just places that have low rates for people on SSD? My lease is about to expire and my other plans fell through, leaving me with a few bad options... I am on disability and need to find a new place I can actually afford, or go live with my mother. None of my current friends are in need of a place around that time. I afforded this place fine half and half with a roommate, so it's quite disheartening to feel like I can't afford a place to live. The last dude I interviewed for a roommate (to sign a new lease at my current complex) told me he would have background check problems, for trying to rob a woman at knifepoint and leading the cops on a multi county chase which culminated in him attempting to stab a few cops and doing 9 years. After that, I'm really not looking at moving in with a stranger off of craigslist or the community college bulletin board. So it looks like one of my (ugh) better options is to try to get a single bedroom or studio... but most places would leave me with drat near no money afterwards. I looked somewhat into the Housing and Recovery Act, but the places I called (from the government website) said they had like 18 month waiting periods like Section 8. I'm about to just call several regular-regular apartment locating firms, tell them the amount I'm trying to pay (at least a hundred below most of the single bedrooms ive seen here, BEFORE bills), then tell them if they know someplace I can get in because I'm on SSD that fits the bill, that may be preferential. Does anyone have any hands-on experience with this (particularly in Austin, TX), or knowledge they can share that might help me out?
|
|
#
?
Jul 20, 2011 18:14
|
|
|
What should you do if you don't have a cosigner? Or one with good credit? I'm estranged from my family, and my husband's family is incredibly poor. They also haven't done their taxes in years (if not decades), on top of having a bankruptcy about 2-3 years ago. We have to look into renting actual apartments and subletting out the second room because we're a couple, and a lot of the places here (college town) don't want two people sharing one room.
|
|
#
?
Jul 20, 2011 19:18
|
|
|
Currently we are living in the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles. Not that great of a spot, just east of Culver City. Primary local businesses are payday loans, liquor stores and churches if that tells you anything. I was quoted between $350-400 for a year of renter's insurance through Progressive, who we have motorcycle and car insurance through already. A quick quote through State Farm was similar, if not a little higher. Is this at all reasonable for the area, or does anyone have a better option? Seeing quotes of around $100 throughout this thread made me question the couple I've gotten.
|
|
#
?
Jul 25, 2011 17:02
|
|
|
This may be a stupid question, but I'm kind of in a bad spot at the moment: As long as a lease has not been signed, are you allowed to back out of an apartment? Backstory: Myself and 2 friends were looking to get an apartment, and we found a nice 3 BR apartment, unfurnished, which hasn't been occupied for a few years (landlord used to live there, just recently decided to rent out). We filled out paperwork for Weichert Realtors, got our credit checks, everything came back fine, etc. At this point we were waiting on inspection. However, at this point my one friend decided to drop out, leaving us two alone for this 3-person apartment. No biggie, we found some random third guy, and the apartment passed inspection. I just got a call now and my OTHER friend is dropping out too; literally 2 days before we were supposed to go and sign the lease, leaving me alone with a random guy and the fact I need to find a third person. I haven't contacted the realtor/landlord yet as to what I'm doing. Basically I just want to get 1 small room in a prefurnished apartment at this point. I'm goddamn retarded and don't remember what the Weichert Realtor paperwork says, but it was stuff concerning my income, money, personal info, etc. I didn't have to pay for it. Can I still back out of this? Will I have to 'back-pay' for the paperwork that went to waste? I'm a dumb 20 year old who doesn't know what to do and is very stressed at this point so any help would be appreciated 
|
|
#
?
Jul 27, 2011 02:47
|
|
|
oxidation posted:This may be a stupid question, but I'm kind of in a bad spot at the moment: As long as a lease has not been signed, are you allowed to back out of an apartment? Yes, if you didn't sign a lease you're not obligated to take the apartment. You're likely to lose any money you paid (security deposit?) and they are going to be very very annoyed with you. I suggest calling after business hours and leaving a message so you don't have to talk to the realtor in person (Yes, I am a coward. OTOH, I've had to make that phone call before, and it sucks.).
|
|
#
?
Jul 27, 2011 03:53
|
|
|
Aculard posted:We have to look into renting actual apartments and subletting out the second room because we're a couple, and a lot of the places here (college town) don't want two people sharing one room.
|
|
#
?
Jul 27, 2011 04:22
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 18, 2024 05:25 |
|
|
I'm having a hard time settling on an apartment right now. Me and my friends have all graduated and want to move back to Baltimore. We found an apartment at a great price with an absurd number of bedrooms near a great bar district and in a decent neighborhood. Its located above a business and the landlord wasn't in, but an employee let me access the apartment. I could not ask questions of anyone and I was kind of weirded out that we were allowed access to the place without any kind of supervision. The carpets (ugh) are disgustingly dirty and stained and the place has a really odd smell. Via email the landlord says they'll replace some of the badly stained carpet, shampoo the rest again, etc. They claim the odd ( and overwhelming) smell in the apartment is due to the deodorizer used. It doesn't look like the carpet was cleaned ever and some of the bathrooms and kitchen are dirty. I think this is her first or second time as a landlord for an apartment, a lot of things just don't seem done well. New windows and closet doors have been installed but they don't fit well at all. The dryer, which sits next to a window, does not have its ventilation going anywhere and actually leads back into the apartment! I was told that the previous tenant requested that it not lead outside? Is it reasonable to ask that the apartment be professionally cleaned prior to move in and some of the stuff be repaired? The price is ridiculous and seems perfect for our number of roommates but some issues are just sticking with me. edit: After some research, it appears that the dryer vent won't kill us if its an electric dryer. Would the added humidity from that be appropriate for the Baltimore area winters at all? Quills fucked around with this message at 07:02 on Jul 27, 2011 |
|
#
?
Jul 27, 2011 06:52
|
|