There's a place for us...
Nov. 24th, 2008 04:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceebeegeeThe other exciting news is that...*drum roll* Lori and I have FINALLY found a place. We signed the lease last Friday and are moving in!
Needless to say, this is a huge, HUGE load off my mind. We have discussed this for a long time--over a year. Last spring I was prepared to get my own place but she didn't have the dinero then so we put it off til the fall. We were going forward tentatively (due to her situation) and then the fire at Chris's apartment happened. Mickey and I each came up with the idea of having him take over my spot, and after that I was trying to find a place sooner rather than later. Lori and I went to see several places together including one 2-bedroom in, of all places, Elizabeth's building. The apartment was gorgeous and I wanted to jump at it--Lori thought her bedroom was too small and wasn't thrilled about it but finally agreed. Then we spoke to the woman showing the place who said they didn't take guarantors (which Lori had to have). So the broker (who was hired by the landlord [Tesse's and Elizabeth's landlord]--I've never had to use a broker, and hope I never will) asked me if I thought *I* could qualify for the apartment all by myself. A $1650 apartment, on my income! I really wanted the apartment though, and even offered to pay a year's rent up front. She kept shaking her head and saying "no, with this landlord, it's all about the income. He's been burned--they've had to evict people." I know that the woman across the hall from Elizabeth and me, the one who let the mold take over the apartment, didn't want to leave and had to be evicted, and didn't Elizabeth say something about her ex-BF getting kicked out? Anyway, the whole thing was extremely annoying--not only do I have perfect credit and a high credit score, I can pay all that rent up front! Just ridiculous that that doesn't qualify me.
But it definitely turned out for the best in the end. Last Monday I saw an ad in CL for an apartment that sounded promising--2-bedrooms, $1400 a month, hardwood floors, being renovated, cats allowed. I made an appointment and Lori and I checked it out. GORGEOUS. An old pre-war building with a nice big lobby, marble steps on the staircase, 2 decent-sized bedrooms, a nice-sized living room, lots of light. We both immediately liked it and talked about it for a little while, and even picked out bedrooms.
Thursday I was on the phone going back and forth between the owner and Lori, trying to set up a time so that we could meet. FINALLY we hammered it out--2 pm the next day--and we showed up to meet the guy. He's an attorney on the Upper East Side and is...really cool. I liked him immediately. His mother works in the office AND they have a cat there! A big fat blotched tabby, just like Tatiana. Naturally I had to meet him. And when we walked in, they were listening to the Broadway cast recording of Rent. After the scrutiny I had to undergo for the other apartment, I was trying to explain everything to the guy (especially that I haven't had a lease in my name for over a year) but as soon as he saw my credit score and record, he waved me off. He said "I'm not a landlord, I'm an attorney. All I care is, can you pay the rent?" He approved us immediately and we chatted for a while, talking about logistics. I want (NEED!) to move in right away, but Lori wants to give her current roommate notice so she can find someone new. The landlord said "well, the lease starts on Dec. 1 and you've just paid the first month's rent--tell you what, whenever you move in, just prorate the rent, and apply that to January's rent." Oh my Lord! What landlord do you know would do that?! Lori and I danced out of there--we are SO excited! We started planning parties and furniture immediately. Mark your calendars for February 24, 2009 for our Mardi Gras party!
So I'm moving in right after I get back from Thanksgiving--Dec. 2 or 3. It's a bit hurried but hey, so have my last several moves been! As I said, the place is gorgeous and our apartment being renovated right now. Oh, and it's rent-stabilized, and we can sublet if we want. Eeeeh! My bedroom overlooks the backyard where there's a nice big tree that has beautiful leaves right now. And there's a fire escape off one of my windows so we can have a cookout! *And*--get this--my bedroom has French doors opening onto the living room! Now I can live out my Joan Crawford fantasy of accepting the Oscar in my bathrobe and maribou mules!
Oh, oh, oh and I forgot to tell you where it is--Inwood! Just one stop down, on Vermilyea off of Dyckman. Right by Fort Tryon Park!
Needless to say, this is a huge, HUGE load off my mind. We have discussed this for a long time--over a year. Last spring I was prepared to get my own place but she didn't have the dinero then so we put it off til the fall. We were going forward tentatively (due to her situation) and then the fire at Chris's apartment happened. Mickey and I each came up with the idea of having him take over my spot, and after that I was trying to find a place sooner rather than later. Lori and I went to see several places together including one 2-bedroom in, of all places, Elizabeth's building. The apartment was gorgeous and I wanted to jump at it--Lori thought her bedroom was too small and wasn't thrilled about it but finally agreed. Then we spoke to the woman showing the place who said they didn't take guarantors (which Lori had to have). So the broker (who was hired by the landlord [Tesse's and Elizabeth's landlord]--I've never had to use a broker, and hope I never will) asked me if I thought *I* could qualify for the apartment all by myself. A $1650 apartment, on my income! I really wanted the apartment though, and even offered to pay a year's rent up front. She kept shaking her head and saying "no, with this landlord, it's all about the income. He's been burned--they've had to evict people." I know that the woman across the hall from Elizabeth and me, the one who let the mold take over the apartment, didn't want to leave and had to be evicted, and didn't Elizabeth say something about her ex-BF getting kicked out? Anyway, the whole thing was extremely annoying--not only do I have perfect credit and a high credit score, I can pay all that rent up front! Just ridiculous that that doesn't qualify me.
But it definitely turned out for the best in the end. Last Monday I saw an ad in CL for an apartment that sounded promising--2-bedrooms, $1400 a month, hardwood floors, being renovated, cats allowed. I made an appointment and Lori and I checked it out. GORGEOUS. An old pre-war building with a nice big lobby, marble steps on the staircase, 2 decent-sized bedrooms, a nice-sized living room, lots of light. We both immediately liked it and talked about it for a little while, and even picked out bedrooms.
Thursday I was on the phone going back and forth between the owner and Lori, trying to set up a time so that we could meet. FINALLY we hammered it out--2 pm the next day--and we showed up to meet the guy. He's an attorney on the Upper East Side and is...really cool. I liked him immediately. His mother works in the office AND they have a cat there! A big fat blotched tabby, just like Tatiana. Naturally I had to meet him. And when we walked in, they were listening to the Broadway cast recording of Rent. After the scrutiny I had to undergo for the other apartment, I was trying to explain everything to the guy (especially that I haven't had a lease in my name for over a year) but as soon as he saw my credit score and record, he waved me off. He said "I'm not a landlord, I'm an attorney. All I care is, can you pay the rent?" He approved us immediately and we chatted for a while, talking about logistics. I want (NEED!) to move in right away, but Lori wants to give her current roommate notice so she can find someone new. The landlord said "well, the lease starts on Dec. 1 and you've just paid the first month's rent--tell you what, whenever you move in, just prorate the rent, and apply that to January's rent." Oh my Lord! What landlord do you know would do that?! Lori and I danced out of there--we are SO excited! We started planning parties and furniture immediately. Mark your calendars for February 24, 2009 for our Mardi Gras party!
So I'm moving in right after I get back from Thanksgiving--Dec. 2 or 3. It's a bit hurried but hey, so have my last several moves been! As I said, the place is gorgeous and our apartment being renovated right now. Oh, and it's rent-stabilized, and we can sublet if we want. Eeeeh! My bedroom overlooks the backyard where there's a nice big tree that has beautiful leaves right now. And there's a fire escape off one of my windows so we can have a cookout! *And*--get this--my bedroom has French doors opening onto the living room! Now I can live out my Joan Crawford fantasy of accepting the Oscar in my bathrobe and maribou mules!
Oh, oh, oh and I forgot to tell you where it is--Inwood! Just one stop down, on Vermilyea off of Dyckman. Right by Fort Tryon Park!
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Date: 2008-11-24 11:44 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2008-11-25 01:16 am (UTC)-elf-
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Date: 2008-11-25 02:07 am (UTC)We should have a carnaval del barrio!
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Date: 2008-11-25 02:28 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2008-11-26 01:06 pm (UTC)