Apartment Hunt News
Oct. 28th, 2006 05:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
howeirdWell, I found something, and put down a deposit to hold it till I'm ready to move. It's a definite downgrade in some ways - older and smaller (both the unit and the complex), longer walk from the car to the unit, no washer/dryer in the unit (but laundry room is close by) and I don't think they will sign for packages, so I'll need to get a box at the UPS store or something.
It's still a 2BR townhouse, usable pool (solar heated), same city, a little closer to 101, further from 85/237, about the same distance to downtown Mountain View but from the opposite direction, give or take a couple of blocks.
The plus side is the kitchen is being fitted with granite counter tops, there is a balcony upstairs with a direct shot at Google WiFi, I won't have to listen to CalTrain or Light Rail noises anymore, and the unit is far enough off the street that I don't have to worry about the cats getting out. In fact, it looks like the cats can get that patio door, and I can keep their litterbox outside. Lots of closet and cabinet space, but I will be going through my stuff to pare things down. And it's $125/mo less than my current rent, $275 less than the rent is going up to.
There was a lot of compromising and juggling. My first choice complex just didn't have anything available. Second choice had parking too far from the carport, and there would be upstairs neighbors, and the laundry was a significant walk too. One place I liked in Sunnyvale had steps with narrow handrails even for the ground floor apartments, my piano would never make it. One place which was a super location and price, cottage style with big card-operated laundry is only taking 3-month leases because they are scheduled to be torn down and replaced with something newer. Had that done to me once, and March is just too soon to be moving again.
Just for grins I went to what had been the King George apartments (which evicted us to be torn down and made into high-priced units) and their lowest rent was $2200. Yikes. They are still owned by the same family, and the place is called the Renaissance. Cute.
One place I went to did not have on-site management, and another place which was on Craig's List had a sign on the office saying the office is being remodeled, and see the assistant manager in Apt. 71. I decided not to bother when I heard the boom box rap music blasting away.
It's still a 2BR townhouse, usable pool (solar heated), same city, a little closer to 101, further from 85/237, about the same distance to downtown Mountain View but from the opposite direction, give or take a couple of blocks.
The plus side is the kitchen is being fitted with granite counter tops, there is a balcony upstairs with a direct shot at Google WiFi, I won't have to listen to CalTrain or Light Rail noises anymore, and the unit is far enough off the street that I don't have to worry about the cats getting out. In fact, it looks like the cats can get that patio door, and I can keep their litterbox outside. Lots of closet and cabinet space, but I will be going through my stuff to pare things down. And it's $125/mo less than my current rent, $275 less than the rent is going up to.
There was a lot of compromising and juggling. My first choice complex just didn't have anything available. Second choice had parking too far from the carport, and there would be upstairs neighbors, and the laundry was a significant walk too. One place I liked in Sunnyvale had steps with narrow handrails even for the ground floor apartments, my piano would never make it. One place which was a super location and price, cottage style with big card-operated laundry is only taking 3-month leases because they are scheduled to be torn down and replaced with something newer. Had that done to me once, and March is just too soon to be moving again.
Just for grins I went to what had been the King George apartments (which evicted us to be torn down and made into high-priced units) and their lowest rent was $2200. Yikes. They are still owned by the same family, and the place is called the Renaissance. Cute.
One place I went to did not have on-site management, and another place which was on Craig's List had a sign on the office saying the office is being remodeled, and see the assistant manager in Apt. 71. I decided not to bother when I heard the boom box rap music blasting away.
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no subject
Date: 2006-10-29 06:26 pm (UTC)Do you have an upright, or a baby grand, or...?
Not that I play -- took lessons as a child and retain none, literally none, of them -- but was curious. I certainly grew up with piano music in the house and love them.
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Date: 2006-10-30 05:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-30 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-10-30 08:33 pm (UTC)My mom paid half as a 17th birthday present (it cost $200) and either something the piano store said, or something I saw inside the piano made me think it was built in 1936. But the last time I had it tuned, maybe 2 years ago, the tuner guy showed me how to look up the serial number, and it was built in the late 1800's.