Went apartment hunting today...

[moosmom]

Me and my daughter Amy went looking for apartments today. I looked at a studio apartment in the building USED to live in and fell in love with it. AND I can take my cats (for a pet deposit that is). It's got a HUGE picture window with a ledge for the cats to sit on. It won't be ready till the end of November, which is perfect. They have to clean it out, as the guy who lived there before moved out 2 months ago leaving his stuff behind.

There's only one catch. I have to get approved. With my two part time jobs (Petco and BB&B) I don't make enough per month to qualify. I have someone to co-sign the lease, and my brother said he'd take care of my rent for six months till my SSD takes effect, and I told them that. They know Amy so I'm hoping that will help, plus both ladies are avid cat lovers!! :D I don't want to get my hopes up, but this place is so perfect for me and the crew. AND I'll be right across the street from where my daughter now lives and the East Hartford Police Department. Rent includes heat, hot water and central air ($565/month).

PT prayers needed again!!

[Corinna]

sending them on the way.

[Dorothy39]

That sounds like another postive step!!

Keeping my fingers crossed for you Donna!!!!

Praying here, that you will have that apartment as soon as it is available!!
( Bless Your Brother!!)

[moosmom]

We looked at one place that was so small, the bathroom was the size of a phone booth and they had a dorm sized refrigerator in it. My daughter had to ask where the fridge was befoere I even noticed!!! It was $454/month but I'm glad I chose the other one. It was so well kept.

[CatLuvrs]

that is awesome! Prayers comming your way~~~~~~~~~~~

[jenluckenbach]

Here's hoping and praying that this all works out for you.

[RedHedd]

Sounds perfect. I hope you get it.

[krazyaboutkatz]

It sure sounds perfect. I hope you're approved and are able to get it. Good luck.:)

[Joannie]

Fingers,eyes and toes crossed for you. ;)

[Laura's Babies]

YAHOOOOOOO! Great news! Keeping fingers and paws crossed that you get approved!

[carole]

For a lady who only deserves the best, I sure hope you get the best, it sounds awesome, nice and safe too being across from the cop station, feeling of security there i would imagine, and purrfect for the kitties, fingers and all paws crossed here for a great outcome. :)

[Karen]

Prayers coming your way!

[Catty1]

A fridge was in the bathroom? :eek:

Boy, I'd hate to wake up in the wee small hours and forget if I was hungry or if I had to pee! :D

I really hope you get the studio apt! I would LOVE to see pics of your babies in that picture window!

HUGS AND PRAYERS!

[cyber-sibes]

A fridge was in the bathroom? :eek: Boy, I'd hate to wake up in the wee small hours and forget if I was hungry or if I had to pee! :D
Well Catty, apparently you could make one trip & do both! ;)
Good luck, Donna, prayers on their way. Sounds like a wonderful place!

[ramanth]

Fingers crossed!!!

[Catty1]

Yes, Cyber-sides, I COULD do it all in one trip...I was just afraid of being so groggy I couldn't tell the two 'appliances' apart!.... :cool:

[DJFyrewolf36]

Prayers on the way! Im on the hunt for a new place myself, right around the same price range. Heres hoping that you get it, it sounds like a great move for you!

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I'll keep my fingers crossed!! Sounds like a nice place.

[ChrisH]

Sounds perfect. Good luck, Donna.

[Randi]

That sounds like a good deal, I hope you get it! What's the size of it? For my 3-room flat, I pay about $250 more. Go for it!

Good luck! :)

[Soapets]

Prayers from Nebraska...............

Deb

[kimlovescats]

Good luck, Donna ... it sounds like a nice place!!! ;)

[moosmom]

The size is just enough for one person and 4 cats!! :p

Things just keep getting better, I tell ya. By chance, I called the Petco in Manchester to see if they needed help. They are looking for the same thing that Newington is, a cashier for nights and weekends, which works out great for me, because I'll be working days at BB&B in Manchester. Now all I have to do is call my manager at Petco in Newington (I actually start there on Tuesday) and tell him the situation, that my living arrangements have changed and I'll be living closer to the Manchester store. The only thing left is the apartment application and my SSD. If all goes well, I'll be celebrating Christmas in my new place with my kid living across the street from me and my furkids by my side, :D:D:D:D

Somehow I'm still waiting for a shoe to drop. But that is my own insecurity.

[NoahsMommy]

Oh Donna...how perfect!!!

I'll keep you and this place in my prayers. I know that when you have credit/income/whatever issues, its always scary until you find out if they'll take a chance on you.

I hope and pray this will work out for you. I know that you'll feel 100% better knowing you'll have a place to live and can be together with your fuzzies.

Hugs, Kelly :)

[K9karen]

Somehow I'm still waiting for a shoe to drop. But that is my own insecurity


HEY HEY GIRL! None of THAT stuff! Of course this is going to work out!!! Positive thoughts! Things can only go UP at this point! I'll be waving up at ya!

[Prairie Purrs]

I'm sending some of my good apartment karma your way! :D

[moosmom]

Thanks guys. You're the best!!

I have a good feeling about this because the two women I spoke at length to were very positive when I told them my credit sucks. I told them I just needed a place to live. They asked me if I had a co-signer, which I do and I also told them about my brother helping me. After looking at the apartment, they asked me when I needed to be in by and I told them the beginning of December. My daughter, being the motor mouth she can be (term of endearment, of course) told them I've done alot of things in my days, i.e., paramedic, Auxiliary State Trooper and Volunteer Firefighter. Then she mentioned that I was in animal rescue for 10 years. You'd thought that I was the Virgin Mary!!! One of the women winked and said, "Well then, I'll have to take you by one of our buildings to show you the five 12 week old feral kittens!" I think they were impressed. I even told them I'd try trapping them for them. But she said that she has nowhere to take them because the shelters are so full, AND I'd have to socialize them first. Besides, where would I bring them to socialize them?? The neighbors are feeding them. I might just go buy a bin and make a shelter out of it.

Oh well, the wait continues.

[gini]

Donna, I feel confident that everything will fall into place nicely for you - new place to live - being so close to your daughter and your jobs.

And a wonderful new home for your fur babies.

No negative thinking allowed here!!!

[moosmom]

I got a phone call this morning from the woman at the rental office. I had a couple of questions about the application.

She told me in order to get me into the apartment I wanted, I had to have EXCELLENT credit (so much for THAT idea). When I told her I filed for bankruptcy 4 years ago, she said, "Well, they'd never rent to anyone with a bankruptcy on their credit." :(:( I asked her if it would make a difference if the rent was paid in full for a year. She said no because they have no guarantee that I wouldn't move out and allow someone else to live there. Geez!!! :(

So, I have to settle for the shoebox size apartment and dorm refrigerator. :(:( I told her the refrigerator was unacceptable and she said they can do an appliance subsidy where I bring in my own (yeah right). This is gonna be interesting. A very small apartment with me and 4 cats. :rolleyes: The rent is $454/month (about $120 cheaper).

So it looks like I'm going to have to settle at this point, and put my name on a waiting list at the other place with larger efficiencies. Either that or keep looking.

All I can think about is the clock ticking away. *sigh* I just knew this was going way too smoothly.

[Catty1]

AWWWWW! Well, I hope you tell the ladies at the apt who are so nice...that the apt could be paid for for an entire year.

Heck - you could sign a statement saying you would be the tenant for a year...a legal doc that...what a DORK!

Can you appeal? Maybe if this lady met you in person she would feel differently?

AW hon! At least you can afford it...and it might encourage Cat Piles to rival Gary's?

Sorry to be flip...just trying to make you smile!

HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS HUGS!

[moosmom]

Catty1,

I asked her if it would make a difference if my rent was paid for the entire year and she said no, that wouldn't prevent me from leaving and allowing someone else to stay there.

I've already met her in person on Friday. :( I'm going up there this morning and talk to them. What's weird is when I told them my credit wasn't that good, she asked me if I had a co-signer, which I do. I don't know what could've possibly changed between Friday and now. :confused:

The only way to get hold of these people is to go there in person (45 minutes away), as they get TONS of phone calls and I always get the answering machine.

I'm trying to keep a positive outlook right now, as it's not as bad as it could be. My address could've wound up at 6EZP48 (my license plate #). So the other place is small. At least it's a roof over my cats and mine heads. :D:D

Oh Catmandu, be prepared for kitty pile up contests!!! :D:D:D:D

Thanks for being flip, Catty1. I love ya!!! :D

[jenluckenbach]

DRAT! DRAT! DRAT!!!!!!!! I was so hoping this would work for you. But the smaller appartment will work, I promise. Home is where the cats are even if it is the size of a shoe box.

Maybe with your 1st month's saving of $120 you can find a good used refridgerator for sale somewhere.

[ramanth]

Aw man!

While I realize a smaller apartment and fridge is not ideal, it is at least a roof over you and the kitties heads.

Perhaps in this case, actions speak louder than words. By being a good tenant and proof that it is YOU living in the apartment and you're not sub-letting or just plain letting someone else stay there, then perhaps they would be more willing to bump you up to the larger place.

I agree that talking face to face would be best in this situation. Hope everything works out!

[Catty1]

Ramnth - good point.

If you take the small one - no reason you can't upgrade to a larger apt once your "probation" is over. And you'll have a chance to put away a couple more bucks, maybe.

The tiny place is not forever. :)

HUGS!

Good luck at the office.

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I know how hard it is to find afforadable pet-friendly rentals. Keep looking, I'm sure there is something else out there!!

Have you searched ads for sharing houses? Many of those allow pets. Also, this is just what I've found out in my experience, but private rentals (ie landlord) are a lot better at negotiating. Rental companies have stupid policies (like not allowing you to live there even if you pay all the rent in advance :rolleyes: ) that many landlords are willing to negotiate.

When we moved to Denver our place was a pit, we moved out and lived in campgrounds until we found a suitable place. It actually only took us a week, but I found it by calling everywhere. I usually started the conversation by "do you allow pets?" If they said yes, I played us up, we are such good tenants blah blah blah and THEN I would see the place, usually by that time they liked us, THEN I would say how many pets we had (oh, by the way, we have 3 very well behaved dogs and 1 small cat). ;)

I think if you keep looking you might be able to find something else, and even if you have to take the small efficiency, well at least you get to stay with your wonderful kitty cats. :)

Sorry for such a long winded response. :o

[Zippy]

That is great you found an apt.like everone said when you are living in the small apt.be the best tenent(sp?)you can be and they could bump you up on the list of the big apt.I know about trying to find apt that take pets it is a nightmare.

[Cataholic]

I got a phone call this morning from the woman at the rental office. I had a couple of questions about the application.

She told me in order to get me into the apartment I wanted, I had to have EXCELLENT credit (so much for THAT idea). When I told her I filed for bankruptcy 4 years ago, she said, "Well, they'd never rent to anyone with a bankruptcy on their credit." :(:( I asked her if it would make a difference if the rent was paid in full for a year. She said no because they have no guarantee that I wouldn't move out and allow someone else to live there. Geez!!! :(

So, I have to settle for the shoebox size apartment and dorm refrigerator. :(:( I told her the refrigerator was unacceptable and she said they can do an appliance subsidy where I bring in my own (yeah right). This is gonna be interesting. A very small apartment with me and 4 cats. :rolleyes: The rent is $454/month (about $120 cheaper).


Hmmmm....I would think the ONLY thing that would make a LL feel secure is to obtain the whole contract amount, a year's payments, up front. Sorry, that lady makes no sense. They rent the place- you pay money. Why would it matter if you moved out? They have their rent. Unless it is a senior's only housing, of course, or some subsidized program, in which the rental amount is contingent upon YOUR allowable amount.

But, why would apartment X (the larger one) be no-go to a poor credit risk, but, apartment Y (the smaller one) be ok? Either you will pay your rent, or you won't, right?

I am the LAST person to scream discrimination. But, if you are in a subsidized situation, and you are being denied apartment X based on your credit rating, there is a problem.

They aren't doing you right, Donna

[kimlovescats]

Oh Donna, I'm sorry you didn't get the apartment that you really wanted! But this is a start for you, and once you get on your feet you can start looking for some place better! ;) How long of a lease period did you have to sign for? I would take the shortest term if they offer them ... that way if you are miserable, you don't have to wait too long to move again!

Hugs,
Kim

[moosmom]

Well, both job relocations are in place. Both are in Manchester, across the street from each other. If I have to work a late night, I can crash at my daughter's apartment until the morning. That's until I get the place, so THAT'S out of the way. After talking with my brother, we both agreed that the smaller apartment, however small it is, would be better than not having anyplace to live. So, if I get approved for that one, I'll be living on Chapman Street. I'm sure I can make do with it. I'll have to get a refurbished apt size refridge though. That dorm fridge is just not gonna cut it. I'm TRYING to be optimistic here. Humor me, will ya?? :p :D

[Catty1]

:Donna - just tell people your tastes run to "Early Salvation Army" and "Modern Goodwill"! :D

There is such a thing as an apartment size fridge...my sis had one and they are CUTE(okay, I don't get out much.... :p

[moosmom]

Catty1,

That makes me feel a whole lot better. My friend asked me if I could get away with using the dorm refridge. If the freezer wasn't the size of a VCR, I might be able to, but no.

Early Salvation Army and Modern Goodwill. That's a good one!! I needed a good laugh today, girl.