This site is closed to new comments and posts.

Notice: This site uses cookies to function.
If you are not comfortable with cookies then please don't browse this website.

getting an apt is hard as hell! — Brooklynian

getting an apt is hard as hell!

brooklynlager
brooklynlager
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights
just thought i would write a little rant here about apartment hunting. so, i have an apartment here in prospect heights, it was one of those CL things, i got a room for $800 utilities included from a guy who upon first impression seemed pretty normal. long story short he has been completely unemployed for the entire 6 months i have lived here, is on a host of anti psychotic medicine and frequently falls of the wagon and sleeps/drinks for a week on end. when i met him he told me he was an artist and he works nights. etc. thought it would be an easy situation as i get along with most all kinds of people. its a little depressing to be around the guy to be honest, not to mention he is nearly 20 years older than me.

so last night i saw a listing for an apt, studio apt with a shared bathroom, kitchen, its cheap as hell and totally awesome. technically fort greene but only a block past atlantic near vandy. the listing was posted at 7:30pm last night and i checked it out at 1pm today. i got my application together, gathered all the necessary materials, got the money out of the bank etc, all within 3 hours. apparently one other person beat me to it. so it comes down to me and them, i was told i should know tonight and am really anticipating the call. i am praying to god as it really would be perfect for me and the additional space would allow me to expand my freelance biz and make additional income not to mention some much needed peace and quiet. anything good goes quick, basically everyone who saw it wanted it but i got my materials ready 2nd fastest so i got a leg up. its still a shot in the dark, if i had to work today for example there is no way i would even have a chance at the place. its sort of like getting a job in a competitive field in NYC, got to be in the right place and the right time and even than you need quite a bit of luck. wish me luck....

Comments

  • em26
    em26
    Good luck.
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    thanks!
  • brooklynleather
    brooklynleather
    good luck!!!
  • rbg
    rbg
    GOOD LUCK!!! I hope you get the apartment!
  • landlord
    landlord
    Last time I placed an ad on craigslist I had over 300 responses in a few hours. I had an open house and rented the place to a banker. A lawyer who saw the place first but did not have his papers with him threatned to sue me for not giving him the apartment because he saw it before the banker. A girl who walked through the apartment 2 minutes after the banker saw that he was handing me his paperwork for the apartment and called him an asshole in a nice kind of way after which she told me that she would have grabbed the apartment. I had no idea how desperate people are.....that day things went to a different level all together!

    So now I give my apartments to brokers. A few times I would respond to someone on this site who is looking for an apartment to save them the brokers fee. Otherwise I keep my distance because things can get ugly.

    I really hope you get this place. Its a great Idea to make sure all your papers are in order. Many who came to see the place and were interested, did not have the paper work with them.
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    thanks. so i just talked with the broker. the landlord reviewed my application and is happy with everything. apparently it is coming down to 3 applicants. the landlord is now running the credit/reviewing the other two and is going to pick the person who is the most qualified. so hopefully the other people have bad credits or employment history or something. i should know by the end of the day, its looking like i got a pretty good shot though.

    thanks for the kind words!
  • supreme_ian
    supreme_ian
    i hope you get it... its funny how the bounds on ft greene keep gettin bigger & bigger & bigger.. i cant wait till it comes up past bergen !!!
  • lo kee
    lo kee
    The ridiculousness of this is one of several things that makes me want to move elsewhere.

    Too bad I love it here and I love my job.
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    i am still waiting for the call. it is pretty nuts when you think about it. like i said the landlord has approved me but i guess is just making sure the other two people are not "more approved" or what have you. it seems to me that it should just go to the first approved applicant. in all actuality i can afford the apartment, have good credit, good recommendations from prior landlords, have paid more for rent in the past and have a steady source of income. maybe i should have hit on the landlord to seal the deal ;)
  • landlord
    landlord
    You should have definitly hit on the landlord! .............jk. Seems like you got this place in the bag. Good going. Don't forget to invite us to the house warming. We will understand if you don't invite your old roomy.
  • obamanut
    obamanut
    Lo Kee wrote: The ridiculousness of this is one of several things that makes me want to move elsewhere.

    Too bad I love it here and I love my job.
    "Ridiculousness" is not the word.. it's now beyond description.

    And the funniest thing about it all is, these people flooding in here will never take a second to step outside of themselves and consider just how absurd their behavior is.
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    i did not get the apartment. so original topic stands, getting an apartment is hard as hell.....if you read this thread you get an idea of what i went through, how quickly i acted, etc. its kind of a downer because it does not make me super confident that i will land any place similar in the future with the competition for affordable places in a nice hood.
  • brooklynleather
    brooklynleather
    im sorry1
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    well some good has come out of this. as it turns out one of my best friends i grew up with is looking to get a place....we are on the hunt for a 2 bedroom now.
  • brooklynleather
    brooklynleather
    2 bedrooms are super tough! what about a 3 bedroom? those are easier-- so long as you find someone to live in the little/dinky room. my place is coming up for oct 1 (similar set up) if you are interested in living in north bedstuy/bushwick gimme a shout.
  • jgregorie
    jgregorie
    this site is always interesting for renters
    http://www.rentometer.com/us
  • littlekates
    littlekates
    it is impossibly hard, which is why unfortunately sometimes once you find a place, you stay in it way longer than you otherwise would despite unresponsive landlords, shitty building maintenance, and the looming threat of bedbugs 3 buildings down :(

    last year before i found my place on st. johns, i went through the same rigorous process as you, for an awesome 2 bedroom on washington & gates. price was right, size was right, building was right. the broker totally f*cked me over, however. we were good to go, got the green light from him, and were awaiting the word on when we could sign the lease. this was a few days before thanksgiving....when he stopped returning our calls. turns out on november 29, 2 days before we were going to move in, he decided to give the apt. to a different tenant who's co-signor made more than our co-signer. that....sucked. so i feel for you, and i truly hope that you find a place soon! good luck. [/i]
  • lo kee
    lo kee
    Well getting an apartment is about to get a lot easier provided you are actually employed, which is about to get a lot harder.
  • whatchuwant
    whatchuwant
    Lo Kee wrote: Well getting an apartment is about to get a lot easier provided you are actually employed, which is about to get a lot harder.
    Seriously Lo Kee, you're bumming me out, man. You may be right, but life's hard enough without the doomsday shit.
  • alafairnadia
    alafairnadia
    hrm. what is the going rate for 1BRs in this area (PH)? does anyone rent furnished apartments? and what brokers to LLs use to rent out apartments they have available? I´m new to this game. :)
  • brooklynlager
    brooklynlager
    ^^^

    I would look at craiglist to get an idea of prices. In general a nice 1BR in PH (not CH) will cost you in the ballpark of $1,400, give or take a few hundred. However it is next to impossible to get a small studio for $1,000 is PH anymore. Furnished apartments are pretty uncommon. People offer furnished rooms for rent in there apartment to save money on there own rent and usually charge you enough so it is worth while for them to save cash.
Sign In or Register to comment.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In

Categories