It’s been hell these past few weeks. Chris and I have been feverishly looking for a new apartment and we have finally found one. It’s beautiful, huge, in a gorgeous neighbourhood (the Canadian coming out of me) and affordable. It seems impossible, I know, but it really is great and it even has laundry in the building (sweet!) Our current apartment looks like hell with all the boxes and crap laying around. I know that our roommates will be happy when we’re finally outta here.
It has been really stressful finding an apartment in NYC and I highly recommend people to find a place and stay there because not only is moving a bitch but, it’s so hard on your nerves looking for a place to live. You stay in this zone of “oh crap! I could be homeless…” or “How am I going to pay for that?!?”
I have learned a lot during these past few weeks of apartment hunting. It’s amazing what people will try to charge you for an apartment. I have to tell you one story before I go. Chris and I went to see an apartment in Kensington (an area of Brooklyn). It was listed in Craigslist as a two bedroom apartment for $1100 by the owner. Well we went to see that apartment. The neighbourhood was so-so, not great and the house was equally far from the F train as it was to the B/Q train. When we got there the hallway was really dirty and I felt uncomfortable on the block. When I got into the apartment, I was mortified at how disgustingly dirty the apartment was. It was spacious and bright but the bathroom sink and bathtub were leaking and it looked like someone had no skills when it came to kalking and grouting the bathroom tiles (I could of done a better job with my eyes closed). The second bedroom couldn’t even fit a twin bed and a desk. And finally the kitchen…… Well, the rack they installed above the sink was crooked (I don’t know what they were expecting to put on the shelf since it was so slanted). The fridge was the clincher for me. When I opened it there were (can you guess?) dead roaches!!!!! How the hell can there be dead roaches in a working fridge. Too frightening. I’m not done with the fridge. When I looked on top of the fridge, all you could see was mouse shit everywhere. It was the most vile thing ever. At that moment I said “I think we’ve seen enough, thank you.”
It’s amazing how some people just don’t give a shit about the apartments they’re renting. I mean, this place looked like a shit hole and they had the nerve to try and rent it for $1100 (they originally said it was for $1200 but people were saying it was too much, HA!). I pity the fool who took it. Seeing that apartment shows you one thing…The landlord doesn’t give a crap about you. If somebody can show you an apartment that looks like that and not flinch, they are not gonna help you when your heat goes out or your stove breaks down or pretty much anything else.
I feel very lucky to have found such a great place and I hope we don’t have to move for a very very long time.