Weddingbee boards

I swear, I just want to pull my hair out! This is a vent-y post, so I apologize. I'm just frustrated because we're in this vicious cycle of finding promising apartments on Craigslist, only to get to the unit and have it be totally different than what was advertised. 

We had a place that we really loved and we were going to make them an offer based on the apartment we saw, which was a little out of our price range but we thought was worth it, but we got a bad feeling from the management company today. We had an appointment today and they called and cancelled 10 minutes before the appointment - we were already walking there! A more in depth online search revealed that they changed the building name, but that it had 3 really negative reviews between 07-09, and no positives. The negatives were all building issues (electric, leaky roof, not secure building, etc) that I can't imagine would be fixed now. 

So we're back at square one. Looking at two more apartments in the next two days and just hoping that we'll find something that works! When did it get so difficult to find a decent apartment? 

Thanks in advance for anyone who made it through that. :) 

@veganglam - oh, that one with the dog might not go through? That's so sad! That sounded like such a great deal. 

We're looking at 3 or so neighborhoods right now (counting Lakeview as one, which is subdivided into smaller neighborhoods) but I thinking we're going to broaden our search west some more for cheaper rent prices. It just means bye to the running path by the lake, and hello to not quite so safe neighborhoods.

I'm glad we're not alone!

@Neato - congrats on the new place! This will be our first place just the two of us (sounds weird, because we have been living together for about 1 1/2 years but with another couple) and we are so excited to finally have a place to ourselves. 

In regards to the negative reviews - around here, it is really rare to find a place without any positive reviews. because of our population and the high turnover, they're usually a pretty good gauge (at least judging by the last two apartments I've had) so 3 negatives and 0 positives worries me! Especially considering that they a) mentioned most of the same things, such as faulty electrical work, leaking roof, and no heat for part of the winter and b) mentioned having a hard time getting ahold of the managers, which we had tonight as well. They're been very unprofessional and that really makes me want to wash my hands of them. The apartment itself was the one we already saw, and it reminds me a lot of my first apartment - very vintage, where it's pretty and airy, but my old apartment also had issues come out of the woodwork in regards to electrical wiring, etc. 

We don't really live in a college area, so that's a plus. But I do think there is an air of "you need us more than we need you" that I'm just not buying into. 

You can do what we did this year - lie! We have four cats in a two cat max apartment. Whoops. Not too hard to hide. :) Next year we'll only have our two girls, but we are looking for a dog friendly place as well, which is the hardest. 

I don't think the reviews on most places are crazy positive, but there are at least some, you know? I love my city, but our price range doesn't really allow for a lot of leeway in what we can expect! 

@Ms. Editor - we're looking around you at this point, just south a bit! Ravenswood and the surrounding area. That's in addition to all of Lakeview, Lincoln Park, and north of us in the Buena Park/Uptown area. I'm glad to hear you feel safe! I'll be walking the dog on my own at night sometimes, etc, and I think it will sometimes feel weird after Lakeview where everything is always so alive. Although I've had times where I felt not-so-safe here, as well. I mean, there's still crime - my old apartment was a key entry walk up on Addison by a bus stop, and I once had a guy try to follow me in when I was walking back from work. Creepy! Haven't had any major problems, though, and I still feel like the areas we're looking are fairly safe. 

I almost wish we hadn't spent this year on Lake Shore. It's been so amazing having the running path and the lake with a doggie beach right outside our door! Figures that this is the year we don't have a dog! 

@Chillmer - thanks! I'm kind of wary of apartment services, because I've never been shown a nice apartment in my price range with one, but have managed to find them on my own. But if she's your best friend I might reconsider my policy, haha. :) 

ugh. I know! It was hard to FI and I to just find the one we are in now! We keep finding little things wrong with it, but luckily they can be fixed! Good luck in your next couple of days! I hope you find something!

@hisbarista - I'm glad you found a good place! I know how it feels to start noticing all the little things that need fixing. I guess that's to be expected in a rental. 

We've booked three more appointments so far for Friday and Saturday. *Sigh* and I thought we'd have a relaxing weekend!