Find a home...
Apr 16th 2007, 2:35 pm
#16
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Re: Find a home...
When I first arrived, I stayed with my uncle for about a month until I found a place to live... basically putting foot to pavement. Someone mentioned craigslist - great resource for a place to start... it is used a lot over here from everything from a kitchen sink to exam questions.... you'll be amazed what you can find posted on craigs.
Always remember that rent and leases are just as negotiable as anything else... if you don't ask, you don't get is my attitude. When you are looking at apartments etc, the best advice I can offer for you to do is to talk to neighbours... for obvious reasons. It floors me that people don't do that prior to buying or renting etc. What's the management like... responsive to problems? What's the n'hood like? etc etc etc. Besides, if you don't like them, better to find out prior to moving... afterall you will be living there. Common sense go along way. If road noise is a concern, go there during rush hour and see whats it like. Everything is hearsay until proven otherwise! I always have to laugh when I hear "oh, you will like it" - how do you know what I like and is acceptable to me?!?!
Always remember that rent and leases are just as negotiable as anything else... if you don't ask, you don't get is my attitude. When you are looking at apartments etc, the best advice I can offer for you to do is to talk to neighbours... for obvious reasons. It floors me that people don't do that prior to buying or renting etc. What's the management like... responsive to problems? What's the n'hood like? etc etc etc. Besides, if you don't like them, better to find out prior to moving... afterall you will be living there. Common sense go along way. If road noise is a concern, go there during rush hour and see whats it like. Everything is hearsay until proven otherwise! I always have to laugh when I hear "oh, you will like it" - how do you know what I like and is acceptable to me?!?!
Apr 16th 2007, 2:42 pm
#17
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Find a home...
Hmmmm well let's see, have you ever read Orwell's Down & out in Paris & London?
The collection of loonies in the apartment building consisted of me, a Mexican-American and a big blonde redneck from Idaho who shared one apartment. In the other units were two obese French Jewish ladies( mother and daughter), a black chauffeur, an alcoholic Indian named Ali who spent his time playing Pacman and drinking, a Vietnam veteran ( also drank a lot) who would fight with the Indian when he cooked curry due to the strong smell. A session musician who was dying of AIDS, and did so a year or so later. The apartment manager was a plumber called 'Rippy', I never knew his real name. Then there was Rose, an old lady from New York who would come out of her apartment and scream " SHUT HER DOWN!!" in a strong Brooklyn accent when we would make too much noise, usually watching Monday Night Football.
The apartment building was one of those 60's courtyard type buildings where everyone could see what everyone else was doing unless you had your blinds drawn and door shut, kind of difficult in LA summers as we had no A/C, so any noise reverberated around the whole building.
We also had cockroaches and ants, we bought some 'cockroach bombs' a couple of times. Basically they were smoke fumigators, you would open them and evacuate the apartment while the gas did it's job, then go in and clean up the bodies................... charming place really.
Yes, the streets were paved with gold for me in the good old US of A when I first came here
The collection of loonies in the apartment building consisted of me, a Mexican-American and a big blonde redneck from Idaho who shared one apartment. In the other units were two obese French Jewish ladies( mother and daughter), a black chauffeur, an alcoholic Indian named Ali who spent his time playing Pacman and drinking, a Vietnam veteran ( also drank a lot) who would fight with the Indian when he cooked curry due to the strong smell. A session musician who was dying of AIDS, and did so a year or so later. The apartment manager was a plumber called 'Rippy', I never knew his real name. Then there was Rose, an old lady from New York who would come out of her apartment and scream " SHUT HER DOWN!!" in a strong Brooklyn accent when we would make too much noise, usually watching Monday Night Football.
The apartment building was one of those 60's courtyard type buildings where everyone could see what everyone else was doing unless you had your blinds drawn and door shut, kind of difficult in LA summers as we had no A/C, so any noise reverberated around the whole building.
We also had cockroaches and ants, we bought some 'cockroach bombs' a couple of times. Basically they were smoke fumigators, you would open them and evacuate the apartment while the gas did it's job, then go in and clean up the bodies................... charming place really.
Yes, the streets were paved with gold for me in the good old US of A when I first came here
Apr 16th 2007, 2:49 pm
#18
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Find a home...
When you check out apartments, please go back in the evening, all will be home from work, you might hear there loud TVs plus stereo's, when we lived in an apartment we could even hear the chap down stairs Mobile going off, it would wake me up at night 
Apr 16th 2007, 2:57 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Chicago, Il
Posts: 1,320
Re: Find a home...
the company that brought me over got me an apartment, paid the first months and all that... I stayed in the same complex for 3 years as it was nice and close to work (7mins walk).
definitely second the "go back at night".
we used to have idiots playing by the pool, arguing by the gates (gated complex, ex gf/bf trying to get in etc).
it was ok for the most part.
also - check out ratings websites for apartments... the one we were in had horrible ratings and I'd second almost all the comments regarding it.
definitely second the "go back at night".
we used to have idiots playing by the pool, arguing by the gates (gated complex, ex gf/bf trying to get in etc).
it was ok for the most part.
also - check out ratings websites for apartments... the one we were in had horrible ratings and I'd second almost all the comments regarding it.
Apr 16th 2007, 3:35 pm
#20
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Apr 16th 2007, 3:45 pm
#21
Boomshacalaca!!
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: South of the North Pole.......Colorado
Posts: 5,066
Apr 16th 2007, 3:48 pm
#22
who turned out the light?
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: WA
Posts: 7,997
Re: Find a home...
First time we had a week 'see if you like it', found a flat to rent then, 9 months (its hard to get a decent place for less as all the 3 months ones I saw where horrible)
If you are looking for a home etc don't come too much earlier than when you are planning to move they seem to come on quickly and are available quickly.
This time I went with the Internet as I couldn't get out, virtual tours are wonderful, apartmentratings.com is a then good guide to check (but be wary of overglowing reviews as they are obviously management!)
I was lucky as my OH got a visit 2 weeks before due coming out and he saw the place and liked it so *phew*
Someone else went with the company one for 2 months which was double the price of our townhouse, though company paid, and we went and saw it....it was a right dump, couldn't believe it!
If you are looking for a home etc don't come too much earlier than when you are planning to move they seem to come on quickly and are available quickly.
This time I went with the Internet as I couldn't get out, virtual tours are wonderful, apartmentratings.com is a then good guide to check (but be wary of overglowing reviews as they are obviously management!)
I was lucky as my OH got a visit 2 weeks before due coming out and he saw the place and liked it so *phew*
Someone else went with the company one for 2 months which was double the price of our townhouse, though company paid, and we went and saw it....it was a right dump, couldn't believe it!
Apr 16th 2007, 3:53 pm
#23
Lapine Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Austin, Texas in my own little world
Posts: 21,691
Apr 16th 2007, 4:39 pm
#24
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Find a home...
well worth getting a short term rental if you can't afford a hotel for a few weeks, and check the area out...as I mentioned in the local variations thread, just moving 10 miles west from my current town and groceries would be a hell of a lot cheaper, houses much larger, but then also higher petrol, and less choice in rentals.
Apr 16th 2007, 4:43 pm
#25
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Find a home...
We came over for 2 weeks prior to moving to do a reckie. We secured an apartment to rent...12 month leases are the norm is seems. When we actually moved we stayed in a hotel for a few nights...this enabled us to sort out a few essentials we needed as the apartment was unfurnished.
Apr 16th 2007, 4:49 pm
#27
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: Find a home...
and double check the place against other sites, because I've seen a few that had obviously had nice comments left by the landlords...and some dodgy comments left by people that were kicked out for being pigs...so worth a read, but double check and take with a pinch of salt...if it sounds too good and all that...
Apr 17th 2007, 8:01 pm
#29
Banned
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Santa Monica,CA from Birmingham, UK
Posts: 18,402
Apr 17th 2007, 8:08 pm
#30
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2004
Location: Mother Land.
Posts: 14,858
Re: Find a home...
and what made it even better was the fact that I had my own Bathroom, dont think I could of done it other wise