Apartment Hunting… Not So Fun

posted 26th May 2010    Written by: Heather Rae    CATEGORY: Heather Rae, Season 2

I’m in the middle of apartment hunting, and I’ve realized something.  It sucks.  Especially when you’re apartment hunting in another state.

Did I mention that I’m moving to Seattle? Yep, I sure am.  The fiancé is starting his pediatrics residency at a hospital up there, and we’re making a permanent move (well, at least three years) come the end of June.

In some ways, I’m super excited. I’ve always wanted to spend time in the Pacific Northwest and can’t wait to explore the outdoors and revel in the greenery.  I grew up in Las Vegas, so the idea of being somewhere that trees grow naturally is pretty fantastic.  (Not to mention, I get to meet the fabulous Molly up close and in person!)

Though, in other ways, I’m kind of freaked out about this move. For one, we are yet to decide on an apartment.  We’ve lived in the same apartment for over six years.  And we have the most amazing neighbors ever.  Seriously.  No one has moved in or out of our building since we first got here.  We know everyone personally.  We borrow eggs, hang out in the evenings and get baked goods brought to our door by the pastry chef downstairs. How do you compete with that?

I have my share of gripes about the place that I currently live.  The apartment is small and it’s old and, let’s be honest, the landlord doesn’t maintain it all that well.  What makes up for these shortfalls is that the neighbors are freaking stellar, the neighborhood is safe, and we’re within walking distance of pretty much everything we could need in the city (while still living in a residential area).

Oh, and did I mention it’s like the cheapest apartment in all of Pasadena?

I’ll be sad to leave.

But I’ve wanted to get out of the Los Angeles area for a while now.  So I’m ready for this.  Now we just have to find a place to live.

We took one trip to Seattle already.  The trip went okay, but we didn’t find a complex that fit both our budget and our taste.  Bummer.  (For the record, we’re completely used to this.  We do live in Pasadena, after all.)  So we set it aside for a while and decided to wait until closer to moving day.  At this point, we’re officially back full force in the apartment search.

And let me tell you, it’s not fun.

I’m likely being difficult because, prior to the apartment where I currently live, I’ve had some pretty bad experiences.  I’ve had my share of ridiculously noisy neighbors, parking nightmares and poor maintenance.  And I’ve moved a lot.  I’m pretty much done with the life of my younger self.  I like having roots, knowing my neighbors and feeling like I live in a true community.

Steven’s residency is three years, and I have every intention of moving into a place and not moving out until the residency is done.  I just don’t have the energy I once had to pack up my things and move in case the living situation doesn’t fit our ideal.

Right now, I’m scouring the internet for apartment listings and talking with friends about recommended neighborhoods.  I was feeling pretty good about our search.

Well, that is, until I started reading the online reviews about apartment complexes.  And that took me down an entirely different path.  Pretty much every apartment complex, with the exception of those completely out of our price range, has received dismal ratings.  Ugh.

Once again, ignorance was bliss.  Back to reality.

So that’s what I’m somewhat obsessed with at the moment.  And I’m sort of feeling frustrated (not to mention, pretty darn unmotivated).  But I’m doing it anyway.

Wish me luck (I think I’m going to need it).

photo credit: rutlo

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Comments (15)

15 Responses to “Apartment Hunting… Not So Fun”

  • DC Princess Says:
    May 26th, 2010 at 9:04 am

    Apartment hunting is a pain and I can't imagine having to do it in a different state (Though I will have to when I move to the West)

    Good luck!

  • Katie [blogs] Says:
    May 26th, 2010 at 5:51 pm

    I'm still hoping to be destination Seattle very soon. Oh, how lovely it would be to be your neighbor :)

  • Heather Blume Says:
    May 26th, 2010 at 10:49 am

    Heather, can I be of help to you? I was led here by a post from Elysa Rice who said you were having a rough time finding a place out here. I work as a blogger and consultant for the apartment industry and I happen to live IN the Seattle area. Please reach out to me and let me know if I can make this process more painless for you. I know the area really well, and I know the good communities and the bad. Feel free to get me on twitter at @artchickhb or email me.

  • Pasha Says:
    May 26th, 2010 at 12:56 pm

    I wish you luck! I'm moving out of my first Seattle apartment and hoping to find a new one soon. The search is tough, and I can't even imagine trying to figure it all out while in a different state!

  • Romantic Comedee Says:
    May 26th, 2010 at 2:03 pm

    I am excited for your fresh start, but I know the apartment hunting is never fun. Good luck. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you.

  • Heather Rae Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 1:50 pm

    Ooh…thanks so much! I will definitely be reaching out. :)

  • Heather Rae Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    Thanks for all the support! You all are awesome!! :)

  • Heather Rae Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 1:58 pm

    Now *that* would surely be awesome. :)

  • Natalie Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 6:58 am

    My only piece of advice is to try not to get too caught up in the reviews. My husband and I got so frustrated searching for our first apartment, because it seems like *every* place has horrible reviews! Be sure to look at the date of the reviews, and consider that the apartment might be under new management since then. No bad reviews over the past year or two might be a good sign! Also, keep in mind that it's usually the people who happened to have a bad experience who take the time to write a review, so they might be disproportionate to the good reviews.

    We ended up choosing an apartment that did have a large number of one and two star reviews, lots of complaints about management, ac/heat going out, overcharged utility bills, and maintenance that never fixed anything. We've lived there for 6 months now, and we've found the management to be sweet and helpful, the ac/heat has never failed, our bills are always correct, and we've had several maintenance requests fulfilled within the day we requested them, and always with a smile. And if you do see a common complaint in the reviews, write it down and ask the management about it by phone or if you visit again.

    Good luck with your search, and I hope you like Seattle! =)

  • amysjoy Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    Good luck! Apartment hunting is so hard, especially when you're not familiar with the area.

    When I lived in Tucson for six years, finding a place to live wasn't that bad. I just picked an area I wanted to live in and drove around looking at all the availabilities. When I moved to the Bay Area, I had NO IDEA where to even start, and my bosses were SHOCKED that I didn't just pick a damn apartment already, but I refused to compromise my standards because I've lived in some shitty places too. I knew the perfect home for me was out, and I was going to look until I found it, even though it was four days before my move in date before I found Home, but I'm so glad I held out.

  • Heather Rae Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 10:29 pm

    Natalie, thanks so much for this advice! That is definitely true – the people who have a bad experience will be much more likely to write a review than those who have a good experience. I'm trying to take it all with a grain of salt, pay attention to the things that matter most to me and be as thorough as possible without going crazy. I am determined that we will find a good place. :)

  • Heather Rae Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 10:32 pm

    This is just what I needed to hear today! Honestly, I was getting a little stressed that we hadn't already picked 'a damn apartment already'. But I don't want to compromise, as I think what I'm looking for is pretty reasonable. I think moving to a place that I know little to nothing about is just stressful. Here's to holding out and finding just what we're looking for! ;)

  • Mike Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    Heather,
    Found your site through Elysa Rice as well and let me say goodluck! As an apartment locator I can appreciate perhaps better than most the stress involved in your search.

    Unfortunately my business is only located in Texas for the time being, but your dilemma is one we're focusing on. Namely we're looking to build a site that combats the fact that everyone who has historically felt compelled to leave a review inevitably (at least 4/5 times) has a negative opinion of the property.

    Good luck in your quest to find the perfect apartment!

  • Melissa Says:
    May 29th, 2010 at 7:46 am

    Heather, I just moved to Seattle myself less than two months ago from the east coast. I know from a previous blog, you are more of a suburb person than a city person. (Me too!) I highly recommend living in Bellevue. My place is within walking distance of everything downtown, including the Bellevue library and the Barnes & Noble. As an avid reader, I couldn't be more happy. Plus, my apartment building is brand new and is an eco-friendly building, so it really fit the bill for me. Seattle is not inexpensive compared to where I moved here from, but I got a great deal on my place and I couldn't be happier. (Feel free to email me privately and I'd be happy to share the name of my apartment community – they've been great!) Good luck in your search.

  • Amy Says:
    July 8th, 2010 at 3:13 am

    Hi, Heather. I, too, am looking for an apartment in another state. I find it to be pretty tough when it's site unseen. But, there are a couple of sites I'm using that may be helpful for you.
    http://www.padmapper.com (Can help you pinpoint the area you'd like to live in on a map–you can narrow it down by cost and location.)
    http://www.walkscore.com (Type in the street address of a particular apartment and you can see what stores, restaurants, etc. are nearby. I've found it to be very helpful.)

    Hope that's been helpful. In the meantime, if you find a genius and foolproof way of finding that perfect apartment, please let us know. :)

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