Confessions of a location snob.
Jun. 5th, 2002 11:11 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
judecorpFour apartments. I've looked at four apartments. I am so tired of looking at apartments. I have one more to look at, and then I'm making a damned decision, because I'm tired of looking at apartments.
It's amazing how utterly varied everything is: quality, pricing, standard of care, policies. It's maddening. Pet rent, no pet rent. Utilities paid, utilities unpaid. Allows two cats, have to lie about second cat. (That lump of calico? THAT IS NOT A CAT!) I'm glad I've been writing everything down. (I /did/ tell you I was anal, right?)
So anyway, this morning I looked at two new places. Adam and I decided to bail on the house idea, which is sad, but it was causing much stress. So I have been on the quest of the elusive one bedroom apartment. This is a challenge for several reasons: 1) I am a poor social worker, 2) I am a location snob, 3) I need to move really soon.
I looked at another one bedroom apartment in the old, yellow brick building that Lara and I looked at last weekend. This one, Lara, was much bigger. Dramatically so. The bathroom was smaller, without the cool cabinets, and there was no panic room. Someone had put holstein-spotted Contact paper on the medicine cabinet. And the countertops were 70s Tupperware green. But it was big. And hot as hell. That one was $525 + $15 for water + $10 for one cat (and one NOT A CAT) + gas and electric. Minimal offstreet parking. Hardwood floors and a decorative fireplace, but worn out. Historic building. Nice Victorian Village location.
I had an hour between showings, so I went to the Short North post office to mail something to Jen and then wrote out my Father's Day cards in Goodale Park, while the ducks threatened to eat my toes until some crazy lady started talking to them. (They left to pursue more interesting company.) The second apartment was surprisingly good.
It is a basement apartment, and I swore I wouldn't live in another basement (my current apartment is sunken into the ground and very basement-like), mostly because the apartment is usually pretty dark, and in the spring, since there's less light coming in, it's not as warm as it should be. (However, this proves to be a benefit in the summer.) But, it is a rather immaculate basement apartment, very nice, newish carpet, no 70s decor. The kitchen is enormous and could even stand a small table, if I were to purchase it. Location snob is pleased, since the building is on the corner of Neil and Buttles, diagonally across from that cute little Big Bear shopping plaza with yummy Amazing Wok (or whatever it's called, we order from there at KYC sometimes). Poor social worker rejoices, as it's $460 + $20 pet rent + utilities (no water), making it a cool $480/month with limited electrical bills because A/C will be largely unnecessary. Did I mention it's on Neil/Buttles? Yes, location snob strikes again! It also happens to be available right when I want it to be available, BUT, it is onstreet parking.
I looked at an apartment on W. 5th/Hunter the other day, and it was groovy fun with a pedestal sink in the bathroom and black and white checkered linoleum in the kitchen, but rent there was a whopping $625 (gas/water included, no pet rent). Poo.
I have one more apartment to look at, in the Leafydale building on Dennison (near Buttles), and then I'm making a decision. I am so tired of looking at apartments. As of right now, Buttles basement wins by a nose! For me and my cat. Yes, one cat. That other cat? Oh, she's just visiting. Yeah. I'm catsitting. Right.
And on that note, I must shower for work. Tough day - I need to go to lunch with coworkers. And maybe find a new clinician for one of my clients.
It's amazing how utterly varied everything is: quality, pricing, standard of care, policies. It's maddening. Pet rent, no pet rent. Utilities paid, utilities unpaid. Allows two cats, have to lie about second cat. (That lump of calico? THAT IS NOT A CAT!) I'm glad I've been writing everything down. (I /did/ tell you I was anal, right?)
So anyway, this morning I looked at two new places. Adam and I decided to bail on the house idea, which is sad, but it was causing much stress. So I have been on the quest of the elusive one bedroom apartment. This is a challenge for several reasons: 1) I am a poor social worker, 2) I am a location snob, 3) I need to move really soon.
I looked at another one bedroom apartment in the old, yellow brick building that Lara and I looked at last weekend. This one, Lara, was much bigger. Dramatically so. The bathroom was smaller, without the cool cabinets, and there was no panic room. Someone had put holstein-spotted Contact paper on the medicine cabinet. And the countertops were 70s Tupperware green. But it was big. And hot as hell. That one was $525 + $15 for water + $10 for one cat (and one NOT A CAT) + gas and electric. Minimal offstreet parking. Hardwood floors and a decorative fireplace, but worn out. Historic building. Nice Victorian Village location.
I had an hour between showings, so I went to the Short North post office to mail something to Jen and then wrote out my Father's Day cards in Goodale Park, while the ducks threatened to eat my toes until some crazy lady started talking to them. (They left to pursue more interesting company.) The second apartment was surprisingly good.
It is a basement apartment, and I swore I wouldn't live in another basement (my current apartment is sunken into the ground and very basement-like), mostly because the apartment is usually pretty dark, and in the spring, since there's less light coming in, it's not as warm as it should be. (However, this proves to be a benefit in the summer.) But, it is a rather immaculate basement apartment, very nice, newish carpet, no 70s decor. The kitchen is enormous and could even stand a small table, if I were to purchase it. Location snob is pleased, since the building is on the corner of Neil and Buttles, diagonally across from that cute little Big Bear shopping plaza with yummy Amazing Wok (or whatever it's called, we order from there at KYC sometimes). Poor social worker rejoices, as it's $460 + $20 pet rent + utilities (no water), making it a cool $480/month with limited electrical bills because A/C will be largely unnecessary. Did I mention it's on Neil/Buttles? Yes, location snob strikes again! It also happens to be available right when I want it to be available, BUT, it is onstreet parking.
I looked at an apartment on W. 5th/Hunter the other day, and it was groovy fun with a pedestal sink in the bathroom and black and white checkered linoleum in the kitchen, but rent there was a whopping $625 (gas/water included, no pet rent). Poo.
I have one more apartment to look at, in the Leafydale building on Dennison (near Buttles), and then I'm making a decision. I am so tired of looking at apartments. As of right now, Buttles basement wins by a nose! For me and my cat. Yes, one cat. That other cat? Oh, she's just visiting. Yeah. I'm catsitting. Right.
And on that note, I must shower for work. Tough day - I need to go to lunch with coworkers. And maybe find a new clinician for one of my clients.
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no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 08:19 am (UTC)Oh! And a nifty pull out couch for visitors! *nudge nudge*
Good luck on the decision-making!
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 08:32 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 08:49 am (UTC)Where will you be? I'll drag Jules along for the drive and come get you! It will be AWESOME!
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 09:01 am (UTC)you are my favorite
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 09:03 am (UTC)Saw a place on Highland between 2nd and third, I think. No sure if you want an efficiency, though.
I was always curious about Leafydale...
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 09:45 am (UTC)<3!
--Baab
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 10:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 11:40 am (UTC)Wow.
Date: 2002-06-05 12:10 pm (UTC)What kind of weird place is this?
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:20 pm (UTC)There's limited parking on Buttles, and I don't know that that part of Neil shouldn't be parked on (why do you say not to park there? curious), and the dude said some people park in the Big Bear parking lot, too.
I'll let you know about Leafydale.
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:21 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:24 pm (UTC)Yeah me!
Meep Bleep!
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:24 pm (UTC)A good point! Thanks!
Re: Wow.
Date: 2002-06-05 12:26 pm (UTC)Most of the apartments rent September-August, because of the colleges, and all of the September apartments are pretty much rented already. This has GREATLY limited my search, but not a lot of people are moving right now, so I have a little time.
(I am also looking at places that still have people in them, so that helps, too.)
Rock ON!
Date: 2002-06-05 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:35 pm (UTC)People often fly down Neil and around corners. It's a busy street and parked cars get hit sometimes, especially if you're parked on a corner. I'm overly paranoid, though. 'Specially about parallel parking. I've never had a problem finding a spot, though. Not even during COMFEST, although I lived a couple blocks up.
Re: Rock ON!
Date: 2002-06-05 12:36 pm (UTC)Its only been like two years or something since I first met you? And honest injun, I barely remember you at the partay.
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 12:53 pm (UTC)Re: Rock ON!
Date: 2002-06-05 12:59 pm (UTC)MUST RECTIFY!
Re: Rock ON!
Date: 2002-06-05 01:01 pm (UTC)You and me, we'll take awesome pics and post them for everyone to see!
I'm psyched. Is it July yet?
no subject
Date: 2002-06-05 01:13 pm (UTC)As far as parking on busy streets, I guess that doesn't bother me since I got broken of any sort of street fear when I lived in Boston. Always make sure you're not the car sticking out the most, and someone else will get hit. :) And parallel parking is usually okay for me, too.
(I don't usually park on the corners, though.)
Re:
Date: 2002-06-05 03:51 pm (UTC)hi