The Boy and I are apartment hunting again. Much to my dismay, we are staying in Pennsyltucky for at least another year. Hopefully the remainder of comps and dissertation will only take him another year. (Don't rain on my parade, okay? Let me dream.)
The apartment we're in now, while cute and charming, has its flaws. Heat and plumbing aside, it is in the basement and surrounded by college kids. Therefore, it is LOUD. Not just the usual it-sounds-like-we-live-below-elephants-I-can-hear-their-every-footstep loud (though, there is plenty of that.) There is also late-night-and-mid-morning-bedsqueaks-upstairs loud, TIVOed-ballgames-at-3am loud, slamming-doors-and-stomping-up-and-down-stairs-at-all-hours-of-the-day-and-night loud.
You get the picture.
I haven't had a decent nights sleep since we moved in last August.
We looked at two apartments this week. Both are quiet and only rent to professionals, so that doesn't help us with the decision there. They are in the same general area and are the same distance to work and campus.
Apartment 1 is larger. Two bedrooms. Nice big living room. Decent sized dining area. Plenty of closet space. More expensive in rent (by about $200,) but everything is included - heat, electric, hot water, etc. We pay for phone, internet and cable. There is no additional rent for the cat, but a refundable deposit (assuming he doesn't ruin anything.) They do not ask for a month's rent in security deposit, only $100 to hold the apartment when we apply which is put toward our first month's rent.
Apartment 2 is smaller. One bedroom. Small dining area, smaller living room, but with a little den off to one side. There is a washer and dryer in-unit, but it is coin operated. This is less expensive in rent (by about $200) but NOTHING is included. We have to pay electric, heat, hot water, phone, internet, cable. They charge an extra $25 a month for the cat and ask for $200 deposit up front for him (which may or may not be refundable, she wasn't clear on that.) They are asking for a month's rent in security (which is normal.)
We're leaning toward Apartment 1, though we have some reservations. Well, one reservation, I guess. The rent. It is quite a bit more than what we're paying now (though the apartment is nicer and I'm sure we'll be happier there.) If anything happens and we're down to one paycheck, we're in trouble. This is entirely possible with the way things look for me at work. Who knows what is going to happen to this place when BossLady leaves this summer. I feel like this place is always on the brink of collapse. But that's another story altogether. We can barely afford it with me working 40 hours a week. There's no way we can afford it on just The Boy's stipend. And if I were to lose my job, in this economy, who knows how long it would take me to find another one.
We're going to sit down and run the numbers tonight. We want to get the application in for whichever place we chose as soon as possible so that we can get our pick of apartments. I don't really want to look out my windows at the parking lot if I don't have to.
I know, I promised posts with more pictures. I have pictures of the fish to post.
As soon as I get some time at home and I get them off my camera, I'll get them up, I sear!
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