Gooncave & Gardens: Moving & Apartment Living, Hunting, & Furnishing

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Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

It is a moving thread! The time is upon us when people are graduating and that means it's moving season. Post your moving questions & experiences here.

I've put a lot of :siren:

s in here for places where I need help making this a more useful OP. Please contribute!

Moving out for the first time:

How much money should I have saved up before moving out?
Make sure you have money for at least three months' expenses. Six months' worth is even better. In fact, try to keep an emergency fund like this running all the time... You never know when you'll need it. Check out the Newbie Personal Finance Thread too.

How much should I pay for my apartment?
As a rule, you want to be paying 30% or less of your total income (pre-tax & witholdings). Ideally it's closer to 25%. This can be tough if you live in an expensive area, but it's almost always going to be doable. If you can't find an apartment that you can afford with 30% of your income, then you need to (a) try lowering your standards (Do you NEED a pool & a gym? Do you NEED two bedrooms?) or looking at different locations, (b) consider getting a roommate, or (c) don't move out till you get a better job.

Now that I'm living on my own and paying my own bills and buying my own things, should I be budgeting?
Good question! I'm glad you asked. Yes, keeping at least a basic budget is a very important part of managing adult life. Here is a thread for a lot more in depth info and people to help you out. Some people like to track all their expenses in a notebook and stick very closely to their budget; others have more of a loose general sense of how much they want to spend on things per month. Either way, you need to start by sitting down and going through your expenses to see how much you're spending/saving now, then considering how much you WANT to be spending/saving, and then making a budget accordingly. Most of the time you are probably spending more money on things than you think you are. Eating out is a huge drain on a lot of people's finances, for example. Track how much you spend on food, cups of coffee, etc. for a month and you'll probably surprise/horrify yourself.

Crap! I'm alone and I don't know how to do laundry or cook for myself!
The internet is great. You'll be wanting to try WikiHow on the laundry, and we can help you out with learning to cook in the GWS questions thread.

I didn't expect that...
- Moving is expensive: You'll end up buying stuff that you forgot you'd need, almost always. Plus there's the cost of transportation, pizza, booze, the security deposit, furniture, stocking your pantry... etc.
- :siren:

What else?

:siren:

Hey there, I need your questions & answers to put up here. What are some things everyone should know or prepare for before moving out on their own? :siren:

For now, if you need help, go browse around MyFirstApartment. This is a ridiculous blog with articles on EVERYTHING.

Choosing an apartment:

The process of finding & renting:
Before you do anything else, determine what kind of apartment you want and what you can afford-- A studio? A one bedroom? A two bedroom? Do you need roommates? Do you have pets? Etc. Zero in on some towns or neighborhoods.

Find an apartment: Depending on the area you may need to start at least 3 months out, often more if it's a high rental town (like a university or college town). There are a bunch of resources below.
The Application: Most landlords will ask you to fill out an application and pay a fee. The fee is to cover what it costs them to pull a credit check on you. Ask them to tell you your credit score if you are curious, since they'll see it anyway. Assuming you're approved...
The Security Deposit: You may put down your security deposit as a kind of "dibs" on the apartment, or you may do this when you sign the lease. You might sign the lease in advance or you might sign it the day you move in. Much depends on the landlord. A security deposit is going to usually be one month's rent, or one and a half month's. The landlord takes it from you, holds it in an escrow account in your name, and returns it to you upon your moving out of the property. It may work differently with different landlords, but they shouldn't just be taking your money & putting it in a box somewhere because that is really sketchy. Make sure you know where it's going.
The Lease: When you sign your lease, make sure you read it all the way through and ask questions. Most of it is boring, but sometimes there are important things in there. You need to be educated on what your rights are in case there are issues down the line. Don't sign till you're sure you understand all the terms.
The Walkthrough: Often on or a couple days before your move in date, you meet up with the landlord or agent, get the keys, and do a walk through of the apartment. This walk through is for you and the landlord to assess what shape the apartment is in. Take pictures of any damage or wear & tear you see and keep them, dated, in a safe place.
Moving In: Ask all your friends in the area to help you out, especially if they have cars. You owe them beer and pizza by sacred compact if they help you. You also have to help them move if they do so. If you have furniture, you may also need to rent a truck or hire a moving company. More on that elsewhere.'

Questions to ask a potential landlord (in no particular order)

Which utilities, if any, are paid by the landlord, and which are paid by the tenant?
What is the policy on pets/guests/subletting?
Are there laundry facilities in the building/unit?
Is there a dedicated parking spot? Off-street parking? Can guests park in the lot?
Or, If there is on street parking only: What are the city regulations for on street parking?
Where and when does garbage/recycling pickup happen?
How much is the rent? How much is the security deposit? Is there a credit check? If so, how much is the application fee?
When does the lease start? When does the lease end?
Who are the neighbors? (I, for one, do not want to live with undergrads.)
Who does maintenance for the apartment? Is there a 24 hour maintenance person available?
What amenities come with the apartment? (e.g.: laundry, trash pickup, gym use, common area, security, pool, daycare, shuttle, etc.)
What public transportation is nearby?
Is the apartment furnished? (If you want it to be)

Questions to ask a potential roommate (in no particular order)

BTW, you should answer these on your part too, even if they don't ask. It's better to know if you're going to be incompatiable from the get go and not move in together.
What do you do for a living?
Do you smoke cigarettes? Do you smoke weed or do other drugs? Do you like to get drunk? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
Do you have any pets? Do you mind pets? (if you have them)
How much rent can you afford?
Do you want to have cable TV?
How do you want to arrange the household duties like cleaning, paying bills, etc.? Are there any chores that you'd prefer to do or prefer not to do?
What are your pet peeves in a roommate? (It's good to know ahead of time rather than have a huge fights 6 months in about hair in the shower drain.)
Do you have a significant other or have guests overnight often? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
Do you often have friends over? Late at night? Do you mind if I do? (if you do)
What's your schedule like? When do you like to go to bed and wake up?
Do you prefer a quiet house? Like, if I listen to music without headphones, will it bother you?
How clean do you like the house to be? (Everyone will lie. Be honest with yourself and with others for better results.)
How should we split up the common areas (ESPECIALLY THE FRIDGE)? Should there be rules for common areas?
Do you want to share food at all? How can we make sure we know whose food is whose? (ditto booze)

It's good too if you can get a chance to see where they're living at the moment, in order to see how dirty or clean they are REALLY. Everyone says they're reasonably clean or even says they're a neat freak, but it's not always true.

Also, this may be fruity as hell, but try to sit down weekly at first and then maybe monthly or so and check in with your roommates on how things are going. They may not have known it, but it may turn out that your roommate goes super saiyan inside when crumbs are left on the counter by the toaster, or when you leave the upper lid of the toilet open, or when you leave your shoes in the doorway... Best to have a frank talk and find these things out than begin to hate one another and stew for months.

Moving In

Things to make sure you have when you move in:

Toilet paper: If you don't have it, you'll be sorry.
Renters' insurance: It's reasonably cheap, actually, and paying $100-$200 a year to protect you if your house burns down or you're robbed or you get a hurricane or tornado or flood or... Yeah, it's worth it. Even if it's just that your bike gets stolen or something, you may be able to claim it.
Cleaning supplies, including paper towels: Yes, the last tenants left the place "clean." But I guarantee there will be places you want to re-clean.
Plunger: If you do not have one of these on Day One, you'll end up needing it. It's a law of physics.
A bath towel: Moving is sweaty so you will probably want to shower.
Internet: You're goons so I assume you need this. Usually you have to move in before you can get it set up, but make an appointment in advance for them to come on the same day you're moving in.

It's also a good idea to take photos of any damage or mess you see when you move in, just in case the landlord tries to claim you did it and screw you out of your security deposit.

Where do I get boxes to pack?
You can get boxes at bookstores, supermarkets, & liquor stores, usually for free. Don't buy them unless you're too good to use boxes that smell a bit like lettuce. Edited several moves later: Or you know, buy some. Sturdiness and uniform size is nothing to sneeze at. Depends on your budget!

I need to use a moving company or hire a truck.

COSTS: Be aware that the UHaul $19.95 in-town move thing does not count mileage (which is $1+ a mile), insurance, cost of gas, environmental fee... So it may end up being more like $100+ for a 1 day local move once you add it all up. For non-local moves, both Budget & UHaul charge a flat rate based on the estimated mileage of your trip. Budget then has an "Unlimited mileage" thing on top of that and I don't know if UHaul would charge extra beyond their rate for mileage. For both, again, expect to pay another $100 in taxes, fees & insurance, then also for gas. Depending on how expensive your furniture is/was and how far you're going, it may actually be cheaper to sell stuff cheap on Craigslist, drive a smaller vehicle up, and buy new-to-you stuff when you get there.
TRUCK RESERVATION: I have only used Budget once, for a multi-state 2 day move. Big pro-tip that should probably go for any of these companies, just in case: reserve your truck by talking to the local office you will be picking up from. Do not just use the website. Apparently Budget corporate does this cool thing where they don't give a gently caress what their licensees actually stock and just let you book whatever. I was lucky and got a 16' for the price of the 10' I booked. Some other people booked a 24', which the office never ever stocked, so they were poo poo out of luck.
DRIVING A BIG TRUCK: Be careful, go slow, and assume it'll take longer than driving a car. You're going to be going slower than you would in your sedan and that's okay. There's no rearview mirror, so check your side mirrors a LOT, always signal and start signaling before you start switching lanes, not just during! People need warning. Use your mirrors to stay in your lane- you can see the lines easily, if not much else. Pay attention to traffic. If you see brake lights ahead of you, brake. You're driving a behemoth that will take MUCH longer to brake than you're used to. Same with acceleration- you may have to floor it to get it to kick into some power. Leave lots of following distance and don't be impatient and these things will be fine. Get a friend to help if you can- having an extra set of eyes on the road is good, and switching off might also be a good plan if you're in for a long ride.
KNOW YOUR CLEARANCE AND PLAN YOUR ROUTE ACCORDINGLY: Trucks are tall and some bridges are short. Now with Google Streetview you should be able to check any bridges you're unsure of. On the whole it seems like if you stay on big interstates things are all right, but for god's sake don't go under a low bridge and rely on hope if you're not sure you'll fit. Better to pull over and at least eyeball it from outside than to get scalped (p.s. Budget insurance, at least, does not cover overhead damage.).
TOLLS: At least in the case of the 16' I drove, tolls were more than they were for cars, and naturally the toll amounts for non-cars weren't signed in advance. Bring lots of cash.
GAS: Make sure you know what kind of gas your truck takes, and refill it before you take it back to the dealer because they'll charge you a big fee if they have to go fill it up.
PACKING: Pack stuff tightly enough that when your multi-ton monster brakes, your furniture doesn't all smash into the cab side of the cargo space. Equally, you don't want it to go rolling down to the door whenever you go up a hill.
PARKING: Have a friend or neighbor or hitchhiker or axe-murderer or SOMEONE direct you as you park. poo poo's big and you don't know where your rear end is, so again, go slow.
HIRING MOVERS: No idea. Look out for reviews, though, and when in doubt go with a recognized company rather than some dudes you find on Craigslist. Most people would suggest you take care of any valuables on your own.
USING A 'POD' OR U-PACK SYSTEM: This can be a great option if (a) you have enough stuff that you can't fit it in your car, and you don't want to drive a truck or van yourself, and (b) you are somewhat flexible about the date your stuff arrives in its new home. These systems usually consist of some kind of container being dropped off at your house (or you can tow it to your house), which you then pack up. Then the company will pick it up again (or you'll tow it back to them) and they'll either store it for you for a while or deliver it to your new address. You can give them a date by which you'll be in your new place, but they may or may not be there on that very day. I think once you've reserved it you can get a pretty good time window but you may have to be flexible. These vary from a UHaul box which is a plywood box with a tarp velcroed around it, to a more metal-like POD, to whatever a U-PACK box looks like, to a portion of a container truck (see e.g. ODFL Household. I also talked to MoveAmerica but their reviews are terrible, their quote interface is broken, and when I called, the guy on the phone was using the same broken web interface to look up a quote and said he'd call me back but never did.). The last one is probably cheaper but it also means they drop a container truck off at your house so you better hope you have somewhere for it to sit for up to 3 business days.

Hunting Resources:

Craigslist
Padmapper
MyApartmentMap
HotPads
Apartments.com
ApartmentGuide
ApartmentRatings (n.b. most reviews are posted by angry people)
ApartmentSource
ForRent.com
Rent.com
Move.com
Sublet.com (not just sublets, apparently)
House.info
BackPage.com
Apartment Hunting Resources for Recent Grads: An article with multiple resources for major cities, including: NYC; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; Chicago; Atlanta; Boston; Seattle; Houston; Denver; & misc.

Informational Resources:

Please suggest any further resources, especially region specific stuff & things for outside the U.S. I also need some stuff on long-distance or international moves. :siren:

Decorating & Furnishing

A useful post about painting rooms
IKEA
IKEA Hackers (user Millions says: It's given me plenty of ideas for decoration even though I don't have access to the exact pieces they're using.)
Apartment Therapy
Better Living through Design (user kwinkles says: useful when you want a specific thing like shelves or a sofa and want to find a bunch of different options.)
Wayfair (furniture and decor up the wazoo with a good search)
Hayneedle (ditto, but separate sites for different categories like lighting vs. furniture)

Other useful threads you should look at, especially if you're new to adulthood

Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 13:30 on May 31, 2013

# ¿ May 13, 2011 21:52

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 03:29

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Skywriter posted:

My tips:

Don't ever, ever rent a place with baseboard heaters. Those things cost a shitload in electricity.

I dunno, they're a hell of a lot better than this kind:

(Kittens make every illustration better)

I've only lived in a place with no-radiator heating once and it was all right but I don't think it was much cheaper than with baseboards. If you live in a place where most of the housing is more than a couple decades old, and you're looking on the cheap, good luck finding a place without radiators.

Scionix posted:

Also it kind of makes me laugh to see the roommate questions, I just assumed everyone would move in with a friend (in my case). I'm so naive

Even when moving in with a friend, though, it's good to get all that stuff out in the open. I'd say especially with a friend, assuming you want to keep him/her. I'm living with a friend now and we're better friends than ever, but getting stuff clear like "I need you to listen to music with headphones, especially during exams." can save a lot of anger down the line. Also, holy poo poo, make sure you're on the same page in terms of food sharing.

Thanks for all the good stuff so far guys

Keep it coming!

# ¿ May 14, 2011 13:45

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

One Sick Puppy posted:

Very intriguing ideas, might hit up IKEA soon. Thanks guys!

Another good idea is to go around yard sales and see if you find anything you like. Most stuff is going to be hideous, but you can find some fun knick knacks or paintings. Discount stores like Marshall's or TJ Maxx have home sections, too.

Also, posters can be fine decorations provided you get frames for them. Doesn't have to be anything fancy, just a basic plastic one. It really tidies them up and makes them look a bit more respectable.

# ¿ Jun 2, 2011 23:49

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

immakiku posted:

Where's the best place to get renter's insurance? Do I have to work with the landlord for that? What if I'm reasonably sure the place will not burn down since it's a sturdy building?

1) Any insurance company has it. If you already have auto insurance you could see if there's a package deal. I just typed in the url for the first firm I thought of and put in for a quote. I had insurance later that afternoon.

2) You might need some info, like what the building is made of and when it was built, but you can usually guess tbqh. Otherwise the landlord is not involved; it's your personal policy for your belongings.

3) A fire that doesn't burn down a building completely can still cause extreme damage to your things, even just from smoke. Depending on your policy you may get protection in case of theft, too, and probably other things. It's not just for fires by any means.

It is only about $100 for a year for me (and I lived in a wooden house built in 1890 on the corner of a busy street across a bridge from a place with a somewhat high crime rate, in a place with a high cost of living). That $100 meant that if my house ever burned down, or if someone broke in and stole my computer, I would be reimbursed up to $20,000. Yeah, it's worth it.

# ¿ Jun 3, 2011 17:57

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Hey, I have a question. What the heck is the deal with all these "rent to own" ads? I understand the concept of paying payments to the owning bank instead of rent, but is it the sort of thing you can get out of, or are you stuck with it like a proper mortgage? I'm assuming it's a terrible idea, but I'm curious.

Pope Mobile posted:

Finding an apartment that will accept 3 pets in Seattle is a bitch. Found a place in Magnolia (Overlook) that will take them, but no others, and we want to keep our options open, as we're moving mid/end of August. Most places only take cats and/or two pets max.
I've been scouring property management and rental sites to little avail. Have a call pending at the Tempo apartments (usual is 2, but our pets are a cat and 2 dogs under 25lbs) atm.
Our preference is a place around Magnolia/Ballard/Fremont (she works in Lake Forest Park, I take the Bainbridge ferry) with rent maxing at $1,400. W/S/G isn't essential, and it'd be nice to have a W/D in the unit, but that'd just be a plus.
Any suggestions?

Stupid question, but have you tried craigslist? Also, and I'm not saying you should do this, but you could possibly get away with saying you only have two pets and assuming no one will ever notice the extra cat or dog or w/e. If they're all dogs it could be a problem.

# ¿ Jun 3, 2011 18:39

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:

And when they discover it, either because a neighbor rats you out or they have to perform emergency maintenance or any of a number of other reasons, you will be in breach of contract. At best, you will have to get rid of one of your pets, at worst you will have to move and potentially owe lease cancellation penalties.

Absolutely. I don't think it's good plan, but it could be a last resort type of option.

# ¿ Jun 3, 2011 21:33

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Merou posted:

What do I do to secure an apartment if I'm 2000 or so miles away and may not be able to be there in person to at least do the application and such? I'm applying for jobs in Portland but I live in Texas. I can't (won't) move there unless I get one of the jobs.

I was thinking if I got the job, I could contact a few of the apartments I've been looking at, will they generally allow for mailing me the application and me mailing it back with the application fee check? I mean obviously before I sign the lease I'd check the apartment out properly in person but I want them to be ready to lease it to me basically on the spot if I deem it acceptable. I don't have any reason to believe I'd fail the application, I have good credit and no criminal history and about 6 years of renter's history.

Faxes! They have a purpose still, believe it or not. Mind you, you could also scan & email if they are sensible about computers. You'll be fine. The tough part is finding an apartment while you're far away... I'd want to make a visit to check out some prospective ones before committing.

# ¿ Jun 4, 2011 21:54

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

AA is for Quitters posted:

This is another good point. Figure out if you *really* need cable and internet, or if you can get by with just internet. (most things are available to watch online these days) Figure out if you can steal internet, or if you live nearby friends, split the internet bill and get a powerful router. (I used to do this with the neighbors. They gave me $30/month for the cable bill, I gave them the password to the router).

Seriously, just internet is like $30/month, vs $100+ for cable+internet.

And I have a place to stay temporarily, but I'm moving back to NJ (trenton area) anyone know where to go to find cheap places?

Craigslist is pretty active. Trenton stuff shows up on the central NJ one but there's also a Southern NJ one you might want to look at. That area is relatively cheap compared to much of the rest of NJ, too... I haven't found anything better, although nj.com also has a classifieds section. Rent.com is good if you're interested in complexes.

eta: also that vvvvvvvvv :cry:

Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 17:33 on Jun 9, 2011

# ¿ Jun 9, 2011 17:14

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Reverend Cheddar posted:

I'm sure I can have a parent cosign with me, but do landlords usually agree to those kind of terms? (another dumb question probably. I am definitely all new to this though...)

This is the best and easiest way, but another thing you can do is bring some of your paystubs to show how much you make, and/or try subletting.

Also you should probably sign up for a credit card. You don't have to use it or anything, or you can just spend like $5 on it a month & pay it off immediately, but having that history is really valuable as you go on. Ask in the BFC newbie thread about good choices.

Cortel posted:

So I just broke up and can't afford the place we had lined up by myself and therefore have 8 days to find like a bedroom in someone's house or something. I've been looking on craigslist (north of Chicago) but I haven't had much luck. Any ideas?

There are several colleges/universities in Chicago, yes? See if you can find websites catering to them specifically. You could also try padmapper & hotpads and see if anything comes up. Have you posted your own craigslist ad, too?

# ¿ Jun 23, 2011 15:02

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Thumposaurus posted:

The HotPad link in the OP redirects to a kitten for sale website now

Hahaha fixed that now.

# ¿ Jun 23, 2011 19:39

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

All that for less than $1200?

:suicide:

I live in a dumb place.

# ¿ Jun 24, 2011 14:40

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

I don't think there is a craigslist thread. You can post one if you want. Mostly though, accept cash only and meet in a public place.

# ¿ Jun 25, 2011 01:55

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Crackpipe posted:

Know any friends who work at bookstores? Hit them up for boxes first. The stuff laying around the back of a Barnes and Noble can take almost anything.

This, seriously. There's usually a cardboard dumpster out behind a Border's or Barnes & Noble. Even someplace like Target or any other big store ought to have a bunch of boxes. Book ones are the best because they're barely used and of a uniform size, and a reasonable size to carry even if full of heavy things.

# ¿ Jun 27, 2011 03:54

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Take a loooooot of pictures before you do anything. You don't want that stuff blamed on you.

# ¿ Jun 29, 2011 02:34

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

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

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

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

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

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

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

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?

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

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

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

crazyfish posted:

I would suggest not moving in there at all. If that's the stuff you see now just imagine what they're not telling you.

This is a really succinct and intelligent way of phrasing the reaction I had to your post, which was essentially :gonk:

NO DON'T.

# ¿ Jul 27, 2011 21:33

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

My move in date is August 15. I signed my lease in the first week of July. The previous tenants moved out on July 31st. Yet somehow, the town-mandated inspection that has to happen before a new tenant can move into an apartment is scheduled for... August 15 at noon?

I only found out about this two days ago when I called to ask when I could get the keys. Even up to like last Sunday, he was saying "Oh we'll still aim for the end of this week." Also, "It'll only take 30 min and I've never failed an inspection so I'm sure you'll be able to start moving in in the afternoon" is not really encouraging.

This is obviously not an immense problem, but it's pretty loving irritating. Especially for the person moving into my old apartment after me, whose move is now delayed 4+ hours, and also her use of the truck since we're sharing.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2011 16:56

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

NuclearGuru posted:

This question is a bit different but I don't know where else to ask: I'm looking for a bean bag chair or other comfortable sitting device that is good for watching tv, reading, napping, etc. Something a bit on the firm side would be nice to provide back support as I have some pain there.

I don't have a price range in mind cause I don't know how much things like this cost, but I'm open to any suggestions you guys have. Thanks.

A bit late, but have you tried a butterfly chair? I don't know if it would actually be good for your back but they're very comfy.

# ¿ Oct 6, 2011 03:30

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Butt Soup Barnes posted:

How seriously should I take these apartment reviews online? Obviously the people with complaints are more likely to post about them, but it seems that every single apartment complex within a 20 mile radius of where I want to live is an absolute shithole.

This is my first time apartment hunting and it's been a headache, I just want to find a place and get it over with.

You really have to go and look at apartments in person. Few people who like their apartments go and post about it online, especially if it's just okay and not THE BEST APARTMENT EVER FREE COOKIES EVERY DAY or something. Use the web for price & amenity comparison; use your eyes and word of mouth for actual evaluation. If you're not shy, it can be a good idea to ask current tenants how they feel about the place when you go and visit it. This is awkward if the landlord is with you though. Oh, and bear in mind that the online reviews may be a couple of years old and reflect different management situations.

# ¿ Nov 21, 2011 15:31

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

fletcher posted:

I'm at the end of my lease and if I renew for another 7 months they will raise my rent by $140, which seems pretty absurd. Is there any recourse or do I just have to bend over and take it? This is in California.

Nope that's the way it goes. Sorry.

grumperfish posted:

Just wanted to post to say thanks to the OP and the posters in this thread.

My brother and I had to find an apartment on (extremely) short notice, and the OP and the first few pages of the thread proved invaluable in helping us find the right place & ask the right questions. Some of the really mundane things like square footage, utilities, and parking wouldn't even have been things I'd have thought to ask about, especially in the panicked state I was running for those few days.

Now that we're all set up, the apartment's great and the location's fantastic. Since we've been living together for quite awhile (with other housemate) it didn't take any time getting used to the new living situation, and we landed a reasonably large 2/2 (it's so nice having my own bathroom again) so there's plenty of space and privacy if desired. The biggest change is finally having a dishwasher again. I will never again willingly live in a place without a dishwasher if I can help it. A year without was quite enough. The new place is 5 minutes from my work & right down the street from my gym too, so I can't complain about the location. They supposedly have a small fitness center on-site here, but I've yet to find it (not really needed though as again the gym is just a couple blocks away).

My brother and I also have nearly opposite schedules, so for most of the week it's like we each have our own place. It's a pretty neat arrangement.
E: They only have Comcast here, so while I was looking at picking up Uverse like I had at my old place (name wasn't on the contract thankfully), I ended up getting a CC internet-only business account, with Netflix if we want to watch movies or whatever. Didn't seem worth paying for cable since we don't really watch much TV, although I've considered picking up a digital OTA receiver just in case we need TV for local news or whatever.

Thanks for the great OP and the thread in general.

Glad it was helpful!

# ¿ Dec 30, 2011 16:03

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

2508084 posted:

My question is along furnishing a place you live than moving out. Besides amazon, are there any places online to get fairly decent furniture (400-500$ for a slightly-bigger-than-loveseat sofa) who DOESNT absolutely price gouge on delivery? I dont know anyone who owns a truck and the nearest ikea is over an hours drive. I'm willing to suck up a delivery charge (or rent a truck, but gas+rental is about the same to drive the drive to ikea) if paying 100$+ to have something shipped to your house is the norm.

When I got my sofa (from American Signature furniture, pretty affordable and OK quality), I picked it up the same day I moved so I already had the Uhaul engaged (I think the Uhaul for 24 hours was $70ish total, not great but better). It was a lot cheaper than paying for delivery. As for places online, you might look at overstock.com. There are lots of online furniture places but I don't know how reputable they are... many of them have very lovely websites. I would at least want to go and look at the models of sofa/whatevs you're interested in in person in a real furniture store before buying it online. You want to make sure it's comfortable, and pictures can be very different from reality, especially in terms of fabrics.

edit: vvvvv this is a very good point and you should definitely do this if possible. I imagine you might even be able to haggle your way to free delivery in some cases.

Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 20:55 on Jan 11, 2012

# ¿ Jan 11, 2012 17:27

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

dopaMEAN posted:

I want to get one made of microsuede I think, since so far a cheap microsuede ottoman has gone unmolested by the cats. I have $500 to spend. BigLots looks like it might have some nice options made by Simmons, but I don't want to waste my money on a sofa that will have poor construction and I'm not sure if BigLots if trustworthy.

I got microsuede for the same reason, but just FYI it is not all created equal. Mine holds up PRETTY well, like they're not going to tear it apart like they will a woven fabric, but little threads are poking out of it higgledy piggledy in the places they latch on to the most. I'm not sure how you'd know ahead of time whether you got the hardy kind of microsuede... Maybe just read a lot of reviews and look especially for ones by cat owners? :\

Mine are from American Signature. They're definitely cheap ($740ish for a couch & loveseat set) but they look pretty nice.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2012 22:57

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Getting some kind of basic lease agreement might be a good idea, yeah. I'd check with the Legal Megathread for that.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2012 21:48

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Blackbird Betty posted:

Eurgh.

Just got an amazingly passive-aggressive email from a flatmate who's changed her mind about moving out 8 times in a month and a half.

The kicker is I still feel like a dick for calling her out on it... Even though a huge part of me wants her to take it badly and just leave already!

Look for a new flatmate. Tell PassiveAggressiveGirl that NewPerson is moving in on MonthDay and she'll need to be out by then.

Note: actual existence of new flatmate is optional.

# ¿ Jan 26, 2012 22:00

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

TheKeeper posted:

I have been living with family for the past several years and wish to once again strike out on my own. The only issue is that at the moment I am unemployed, however due to a recent inheritance I do have a substantial amount of money in which to hopefully offset that minor detail.

So my question is this; how likely is it that should I wish to live in a nice place that they'll let me live there if I can pay for the lease in its entirety up front in lieu of not having, for the moment, a monthly income? I'm afraid the fore-mentioned 'nicer' places will just think I'm a drug dealer or something and tell me to piss off.

Anyone have any experience with this?

Not a landlord, but...

I would offer to bring a copy of your bank statement, not to pay the whole lease in advance. If you pay the whole thing in advance it leaves you up poo poo creek if something goes wrong or if you have to leave suddenly. You can offer to give a bigger security deposit or something, or pay maybe 2 or three months' rent upfront instead of just the first month.

Kasonic posted:

So I'm in the process of hunting for an apartment and seven for seven of the ads I contacted on craigslist in my area(Southern PA) were scams. Is Craigslist pretty much worthless or am I just unlucky?

Yeah, what Ashcans said basically. I haven't had too many problems with scams when I have used craigslist, but I'm in a university area with tons of apartment turnover so maybe the scams just get drowned out. Keep on looking, but you might need to do more legwork (like literally walking around looking for for rent signs) in your area.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2012 21:22

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

It's standard to put your old landlords on apartment applications as references, but I do not know how common it is for potential landlords to actually follow them up. Your new management people ought to still have records etc. from the old management, so they should be able to see if you were ever late on rent, caused issues, etc. You could perhaps ask them to provide you with a short written statement attesting to yoru responsibility as a tenant to attach to your apps, so that you could have a positive reference ready to counteract the bad credit score. It can also help to tell potential landlords in advance that you have a bad credit score and it's due to x, not to being a lovely renter, and it's leftover stuff from years ago. Normally you could also show them paystubs to show that you have steady income coming in, but if you'd be moving before getting a job, that might be trickier (once you do get a job, you can show them a copy of your offer letter or contract or whatever has your salary on it). Basically, the more information you can give them about why you're a Solid Choice, the better. You will probably still get rejections, but that's life.

# ¿ Jan 31, 2012 18:51

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Clevername Lookhere posted:

Maybe I'm overthinking it and it's just as simple as "make a list of what each of you have, eliminate the duplicates, see what's missing" but figured this might be a good spot to ask for advice from people that have done this before.

That'll be a good start, yep.

This may be more on the E/N side of things, but before you sign a lease, make sure you're both clear on how payment for things is going to be divided (50/50? Does one of you make more than the other and want to pay more? etc.). Don't let it just work itself out. Another thing to do is talk about household chores. And this is pretty pessimistic, but JUST IN CASE poo poo doesn't work out, I wouldn't hurry to give away the extra TV or other expensive items. You may also find that one of you really really their your couch and wants to keep it, and the other person hates it and can't wait to never see it again. So be prepared.

It might also go super well with no hiccups! It can happen!

# ¿ Feb 3, 2012 15:05

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

I know we have people in here who've talked about this issue before, so look back in previous pages. In any case you should definitely run this by the legal questions thread as well because they'll be able to tell you specifically what you can/can't do.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2012 21:46

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Aquatic Giraffe posted:

Can your parents cosign?

Having seen some of Dabbo's posts about her family, no, they emphatically can't. She's trying to get away from them and they are horrible.

Sorry I don't have anything useful to offer you, Dabbo

Maybe you could ask around Portland services for low-income people and see if they know of places willing to take people with bad credit? Hopefully they would not be too dive-y. In the meantime, if you can, it would be a good idea to start building credit (Ask here, but the basic answer is "secured credit card").

# ¿ Feb 17, 2012 14:44

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

I found a roommate on craigslist once. We got along very well and had a lot in common (vegetarian/vegan catlovers) and I liked living with her. The main thing I would suggest is that you meet them in person and talk with them for a while, and also make sure you see their living space (and they see yours, I guess). It helps you to know if your standards for tidiness are compatible.

If red flags start to go up at any time in the process, call it off and look for someone else. Craigslist can totally work, but as with most things it's up to luck whether you find someone you can do well with or not.

The usual online caveats apply: meet for the first time in a public place and/or with a friend... okay that's the main one, really.

# ¿ Feb 22, 2012 01:49

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

DoctorJones posted:

Anyone have any information on moving across the country (USA) on a limited budget? I could potentially move myself if I rented a truck, but I don't know how cost effective this would be vs. hiring a mover.

There are a couple of posts on long distance moves on the first page of this thread.

# ¿ Feb 29, 2012 17:55

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

The only problem with that plan is that you are poo poo out of luck if they decide not to pay rent, or knock a big hole in the wall. If you're going to sublet, (1) check it out with your landlord first and (2) make sure you have some sort of signed agreement/sublet lease with the subletter for rent, damages, behavior, etc.

# ¿ Mar 4, 2012 00:18

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Go to their complexes and try to get residents to talk to you, then? I don't know what else you could do. On the whole if I got a bad feeling from a place I probably wouldn't go for it, but I'm not you & I don't know what your other options are.

# ¿ Mar 6, 2012 16:07

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Nessa posted:

My options seem to be:

Get a pillowtop mattress and cover for $300.

Buy one on the internet for $330.(not including shipping costs) These were what I was looking at: http://www.jlifeinternational.com/houseitems/futon/shikifuton/shikifuton_e.html

Get a foam brick futon for a little less than $300.

Get a sofabed for $300.

I can't seem to think of any cheaper options. At this point, I might as well import a futon to get what I actually want, rather than spend nearly as much getting something that's not quite right.

Air mattress? You'd have to inflate it every day which can be kind of a pain, but you can get ones that inflate quite quickly these days, and it would store easily.

Otherwise, just get a thick foam/memory foam topper from Overstock or something and use that. You have to roll them up to store them which is a bit troublesome, but it'd be easier than what you're doing now.

# ¿ Mar 7, 2012 14:47

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Toriori posted:

I just wanted to ask before I started a thread, I'm considering moving out of my parents house post-graduation and it made me curious to hear other goons "the first time I moved out" experiences plus. I don't want to derail the thread by asking in here, is it alright if I post one?

Make it clear you're looking for experiences & stories, not advice, and that's fine. If you want advice please just ask here.

Also note in the op that I say it's okay along those lines so one of the other mods doesn't just close it. I might end up moving it to pyf if it works out as a story thread.

# ¿ Mar 10, 2012 16:30

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

I suggest going into BFC and asking their help for budgeting etc.

# ¿ Mar 17, 2012 20:04

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 03:29

Eggplant Wizard: Jul 8, 2005; i loev catte

Definitely look into roommates. I have always lived with a roommate in grad school and it's been fine.

Run your budget by BFC too and see what they can do to help you cut corners. I do know that it's generally recommended to not spend more than around 30% of your (gross) income on rent, though.

# ¿ Mar 21, 2012 03:20

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > Gooncave & Gardens: Moving & Apartment Living, Hunting, & Furnishing

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