Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with apartments

Advice on moving to Melbourne

emd3737 — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:46:25 -0800

I just got a research fellowship in Melbourne and am moving there in mid February- hooray! Now I need to find an apartment. Complications: I don’t know a soul there and I currently live in the United States. Aside from craigslist, where can I find apartment listings? I’m looking for something cheap (less than $1000/month, ideally $700-800- it that even feasible?) and close to the north part of the city where I’ll be working. I’ve been to Melbourne once and really liked the Fitzroy neighborhood- what other areas of the city should I consider? I would prefer to live alone but would be fine with roommates if I can’t find an affordable studio or 1-bedroom. I’m 32, though, so the days of me sharing a flat with a bunch of uni students are long gone. Would like to move in Feb 15th or March 1st.

I’ll also need to acquire some furniture- I know that there is an IKEA, anywhere else I should look? And lastly, I play soccer- does anyone know of any women’s or co-ed leagues/clubs in the area? I figure that would be a good way to start making some friends (in addition to organizing a metafilter meet-up).

Is my apartment company liable for my shorted-out laptop?

iamisaid — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:12:03 -0800

Is my apartment management company responsible for water damage to my laptop that occurred as a result of their lack of maintenance? Excuse me if this a common-sense question that I should already know the answer to, but IANAL, etc.

I live in a ground-floor apartment, and over the past several months there have been multiple ceiling leaks coming into my living room from the bathroom of the apartment above mine. I have informed the apartment manager of this on multiple occasions, but it continues to be an issue. On one occasion they patched and repainted a spot on my ceiling where a leak had occurred. And they say they have told my upstairs neighbors not to be so "messy" when they shower.

But as far as I know, that's the extent of maintenance action they've taken, despite the fact that this has happened more than half a dozen times. When I've spoken to them about it, they've claimed that there's really nothing else they can do to prevent future leaks, which does not seem like an acceptable answer to me.

So there was a leak once again last night while I was sleeping, and the water got into my laptop. Now my laptop won't boot up, and it was working fine yesterday.

Does this mean the apartment owners are liable for damage to my laptop? If so, what are the chances of actually getting them to pay up, and what's the best way to go about that?

Getting a Job in Capitol Hill Seattle, Where To Live

Gideon — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:44:07 -0800

I might be getting a job in Seattle soon, the job being located near Lakeview Cemetery. I'm going to be apartment hunting from a distance so I won't be able to really check things out in advance. Help me find a place to live. Here's the thing:
-I'd like to not spend too much more than around 800 a month in rent.
-I'd like to be in a fairly safe place.
-I don't need much space, I'm thinking a studio in the 600sq ft realm.
-I'd like to live someplace 'interesting' with grocery stores, restaurants within walking distance, fun stuff.. (I'm a single 30 year old)
-I'd like to be able to walk to work. This is a "would be nice, not necessary" the other things are more important assuming I can get there fairly quickly via public transportation.

What parts of town should I be looking? Places to avoid? What sort of things should I be looking for (both good and bad) when looking at apartments? I'm in the midwest so all of our apartments are about 10 years old, most the ones I've seen in Seattle tend to be around 100 - I'm just not sure what I need to be wary of. Any good sources to get the lowdown about a potential place?

Thanks for the help!

Can my landlord toss my stuff?

ian1977 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:43:54 -0800

Can my landlord throw out my stuff in a storage unit? So my apartments management company decided to clear out and reassign the storage areas so that they corresponded to the right apartment (ie Storage Area 1 goes with Apt 1, etc)

There was a note pinned to our doors on a Thursday stating their intentions to clean out the storage area so that they could reassign them. The note said....anything not removed by Monday will be thrown in the trash.

The previous month they did the same thing with the garages. They wanted to reassign the garages and also put new garage doors on. The note they left the tenants said that all of our stuff had to be out by such and such date, and to please remove our cars so that the workers can put the garage doors on. The note said that any stuff not removed would be thrown in the trash and any cars not removed would be towed.

Besides being highly obnoxious (in my opinion at least)...is that legal? Can they just declare martial law on your stuff like that? What if I was out of town for those days and came back and found my junk missing? This is in the state of Minnesota if it matters.

I didn't have anything thrown away but one of my neighbors did. Does he have any recourse?

This is a fairly large management company with several (dozens I think) buildings in the metro area I live in. I would assume that they would have a good handle on what they can and can't do but this just seems iffy to me.

Where can I find photos of NYCHA housing developments?

Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:42:38 -0800

I'm looking for photos of NYCHA public housing - particularly, the interior of apartments and communal areas. Where can I find photos like this online? I have no idea where to begin looking - I've found photos of building exteriors quite easily, but I'm having remarkable difficulty finding photos of the interior.

Photos of public housing in NYC is a priority, but if those are too difficult to find, I'd be interested in photos of similar public housing developments in Chicago, or other large cities. Floorplans would also be of interest, but again, no idea where to begin looking.

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York?

btkuhn — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:45:17 -0800

What are the rules on apartment subletting in New York? Hi,

I live in Manhattan and work in finance. I'm recently out of college and am subletting a place. As is the case with most people my age, I can't afford a place of my own in Manhattan. I've had several friends (though none at the moment) who lived in a "loft share" - basically a huge loft with 5 or 6 bedrooms, shared among 5 or 6 people. I'm not sure how the lease worked - if they each signed individual leases with the landlord, or if the lease was in one of their names, or what.

This got me thinking. I remember when I first moved to the city and was looking for a place to stay for a few months while I got settled and could find a place to sign a lease. It was a huge pain in the ass because I lived in North Carolina, and my choices were either to pay exorbitant fees for a short-term rental or find a short-term sublet on craigslist, which was taking a big chance because I had no idea if the sublets on craigslist were legit, and I also didn't know what a reasonable price was. Anyways, I am sure there would be significant demand if someone rented out short-term (3-6 months) rooms in Manhattan, where people new to the city could rent while moving to the city and getting settled. I ended up paying $1500/month when I moved to the city, so I think $1200-1500 a month for a room in a loft or a large apartment wouldn't be unreasonable.

So my question is, is it legal to sign a lease for a loft rental, and then sublet individual rooms? Or do you need special permission for this (and if so, can the permission be got, or is it not allowed, period)? If the answer is no, how do you do this then...must you be the owner of the apartment?

Thanks

Apartments in an old monastery?

Loto — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:10:17 -0800

Maryland/DC filter: Does anyone remember the name/website of an old monastery/abbey/cloister that has been divided up into apartments in the Metro area? I -know- I saw these when I was looking for housing before I moved to Maryland but for the life of me I can't find them again...

Is it safe to sleep in an apartment whose outside hallway has freshly been carpeted today?

JoannaC — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 17:37:16 -0800

I came home today to find that the hallways in my apartment building have suddenly been re-carpeted. This was much overdue and will be a nice improvement. But it smells terrible right now. Is it safe to sleep here tonight? How long until it goes back to normal again? Other info: my mother lives nearby and I could probably go sleep there if I had to. But on a weeknight, with work tomorrow, I am reluctant. If it's going to be a few days though, I might think again...

Short-term apartment rental near Belmont, MA (McLean Hospital)?

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:02:11 -0800

I'm going to be in a "partial hospitalizaton" program at Harvard's McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. I need to find a place to stay for 10-14 nights, preferably a short-term apartment rental. Any ideas for finding vacation apartment-style arrangements within walking or train distance? In this type of program, I will be at the hospital every day from early in the morning to the mid-afternoon for about 10 business days. It's located in Belmont (specifics and directions below -- I need to be able to take the commuter rail to the Belmont stop or the Red Line to the #73 bus).

Since it's a non-inpatient program, I won't spend the night at the hospital, so I need to find an apartment for about two weeks in the beginning of August.

The hospital's website has hotel recommendations, but I don't have much money and thought renting an apartment would be a more economical way to arrange accommodations.

I don't know Boston well, I don't have contacts there, and Craigslist doesn't seem to have anything that's a reasonable commute distance from the hospital for such a brief period of time. I thought this was something the hospital could help me with, but aside from the list of hotels they didn't really have any advice.

I am very grateful for any suggestions you might have for finding a place.

Map of McLean here: http://maps.google.de/maps?q=belmont+ma&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=de&ei=al5SSofIB4fKnAOrubiEBA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1

Directions and public transit info here:
http://www.mclean.harvard.edu/about/directions/

Why are hotels so expensive?

fourmajor — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:16:30 -0800

Why are hotels so expensive? San Francisco for instance - my studio costs $925/month which works out to about $31/day. Why would a hotel up the road cost four to six times as much? I understand they have to be cleaned daily and the front desk needs to be staffed, and they are furnished, but really, hotel rooms are generally much smaller and much less livable than apartments. Why such a huge price difference?

Good resources for finding livable rent-stabilized apartments in Manhattan?

jdruk — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:42:14 -0800

Good resources for finding livable rent-stabilized apartments in Manhattan? My husband and I are looking for the impossible - a livable, 700+ sqf, 1+ bedroom apartment in Manhattan that's not in Harlem, Washington Heights or the Upper East Side.

I've been living in the city for 15+ years, and I feel like I've exhausted the only resources that I know of - Craigslist, NYBits, friends and relatives... and I have nothing to show for it.

I know, it's ludicrous to even hope for such a thing. Nonetheless, does anyone have any suggestions of other things to try? I've heard people read the obits, but I'm afraid that as soon as a stabilized apartment opens up, it automatically goes to a family member of the managing company's boss or becomes destabilized.

So... any ideas? Success stories to share?

Advice for hunting for mid-range 3-bedroom apartment in NYC?

8k — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:01:11 -0800

Tips for finding a 3-bedroom apartment in NYC? A good friend and colleague is looking for a 3-br apartment in NYC (as they have 2 teenage daughters).
He's relocating for work, so he obviously has a reasonably good job, but definitely not a Wall St-type (either then or now) salary.

Everything >2 bedrooms seems to be quite high end - $4k and above - which is a bit too much. Kids' school is on upper west side.

Any suggestions for how to go about this? We are foreigners so the whole thing is a bit opaque.

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South New Jersey area?

schroedinger — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:11:05 -0800

Where should I move to in the Philadelphia/South NJ/Moorestown area based on these requirements? I have read other questions and still need help. I would like to move to some area in the Philadelphia/Moorestown/South New Jersey region. I have a few requirements:

1) Easy, relatively short commute by car or public transit, to Moorestown, NJ (specifically 111 West 2nd Street)
2) Has coffee shops/froo froo bakeries with job opportunities in at least in the $8-$10/hour range
3) Cheap--ideally could get a room or something somewhere for $600/month or less.

I'm moving up specifically to lift at the gym located at 111 West 2nd Street in Moorestown, so it is vitally important that it be easy to get to there regularly.

I have a pretty high tolerance for sketch. I'm OK with roommates. I have a car, but prefer not to use it. It would be great to somehow live in Philly itself since I think the city would be a better social atmosphere than the suburbs (I'm single and in my mid-twenties), but I'm also not going to have a lot of money to spend on tolls so if that means living in NJ so be it.

If there are job opportunities that pay at least $8-$10/hour outside coffee shops and all that, that's great too, those just happen to be where my job background is centered.

I don't know the area at all, so I'm flying blind here. Any help is welcome.

Moving to the Canada's capital city.

tybeet — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:18:14 -0800

Moving to Ottawa in the Fall. Looking for some apartment/ neighborhood/ living-in-the-area advice - anecdotes welcome! I'm moving to Ottawa starting in August to attend school, and I'm looking to get a head start on an apartment hunt. I'm not sure what neighborhoods are nice/beautiful/fun in the area, or what to expect when looking for a "good deal". I'm coming from a small English area of Quebec where housing is ridiculously cheap (sometimes in the sub-$300 range), so I realize I have high (low?) standards for cost, and since I'm living on a student budget I'd like to bridge the gap between low-cost living, and nice-area living because I may be there for the next 2-7 years.

I've started my hunt online: (247apartments.com, ottawaliving.ca) and decided I'd build a map of apartments I'd like to check out with mapbuilder.net - this way when I drive down to look at them, I can organize things pretty well.

I realize however, that the best places are probably not advertised online, so this is where you come in Hive Mind: where should I look for off-the-book apartments in Ottawa? Also, if you've lived there before, I'd love to hear your experience with public transit. I have a car but I also have a green heart and would like to avoid using it: would it be worth it to live near a terminal and stash my car for emergencies/special trips, or should I live somewhere in an outskirt and drive to University?

Is the "experimental farm" as sketchy as it sounds to live near?

Also, what can I expect to pay for utilities in the city? I know some apartments include the utilities, so I'm trying to calculate what the cost would be if it's not included.

Thanks!

Cool, pedestrian-friendly Nashville apartments?

Famous — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 15:02:46 -0800

My boyfriend and I are moving from Boston to Nashville in late May or early June. We are looking to rent a one bedroom and would prefer to pay no more than $600 a month, within city limits or as close to the city as possible. We've been looking in East Nashville as recommended by friends but so far searching via the internet hasn't been extremely helpful. Specific street names/apartments would be greatly appreciated. Ideally, we'd like a swimming pool, washer/drier, and patio. We want to live in as pedestrian of an area as possible, and/or close to trees, a park, etc. Basically, I want to find the place that is most like Boston in Nashville (except, of course, the cost of living part.)

So, please tell me about your favorite neighborhoods and apartments as well as any places to avoid. Thanks!

===

I'm posting this on behalf of my baby sister. I had referred her to these threads already (one two three), and while she found them quite helpful, I think she still desires some up-to-date specific answers.

I'm constantly bragging about how Metafilter has the smartest, most helpful people on the Internet, so I appreciate your indulgence. :)

Too good to be true?

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:50:28 -0800

NYC apartment question - she wants to pay me for my address. Good idea or bad idea? While looking for someone to rent a room to offset some expenses, I was approached by someone who wants to pay me to use my address in order to get her son into a better school district. Again: she wants to pay me the rent I am asking to NOT live here, simply to use my address. I'll need to put a utility bill in her name, sign a notarized form saying that she was living here at the time of the school registration, and present a copy of my lease. I realize that this is all a little dodgy and not something the Board of Ed. would be too happy about, but it also sounds like one of those weird NYC things that probably happens a lot in this cutthroat, survive and thrive by any means environment. Is there something I'm missing about this whole arrangement? How likely is it that the Board of Ed. will snoop around and find out about our arrangement? What are the consequences?

For what it's worth, I get an okay impression from her - she's not pushy in the least, she says that if I am in anyway uncomfortable with the whole thing then she'll move on. The only reason my scam-filter is going off at all is 'cuz it seems too good to be true.

Tokyo sublets?

rsk — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:46:46 -0800

Looking to sublet my apartment in Tokyo at short notice. Are there any good resources (websites or otherwise) tailored to short term rentals in Tokyo? I'm moving somewhat unexpected and have a month left on my lease in my current Tokyo apartment. I'd like to sublet it if it all possible. I've tried the usual suspects (craigslist, gaijinpot) but I haven't had much luck. Are there any other sites out there I should be trying?

What Portland, OR neighborhoods would you recommend for a someone moving to PDX for the first time?

Auden — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:15:59 -0800

What Portland, Oregon neighborhoods would you recommend for someone moving to PDX for the first time? A friend of mine is interested in moving to Portland after years in the Bay Area. She'd be looking for a single apartment ($1100 all included or less, ideally much less) in a safe, walkable neighborhood (she has neither car nor bike) with easy access to transit, healthfood stores, etc.

Although I grew up in Portland, the city has been changing fast, neighborhoods have been undergoing rapid gentrification (good and bag) and I'm somewhat unfamiliar with much of these changes. Based on my Portland experience in the 90s I would suggest something in NW Portland between say 18th and 23rd (although I'm not a huge fan of what 23rd has become) or SE Portland in the Belmont/Hawthorne area. I'm sure she'd like something with quirky wamth and charm (hence SE Portland). Anyway, I'm sure I'm missing out on many other possibilities. Suggestions?

Mediocre Home Makeover, Brokeass Edition

mr. remy — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:27:30 -0800

[Interior decorator filter] Help us arrange/decorate an 11-x-16 living area cum office cum tv room for minimal dollars and maximum effect. [ghetto blueprint and list of requirements included] $girl and I have a new place, recession-diminished bank accounts, and an empty place. It looks like this:

corny drawing

We're looking to decorate the place on a very tight budget (say, under a thousand), and we can't realistically paint. We'd love to do something that actually looks rad, feels comfy, and meets the following requirements:

1) A desk screened off from the rest of the room. On occasion I work as a writer, and, per professional mandate, suffer from idiosyncratic work habits. Specifically, I don't like anyone being able to read over my shoulder, even in passing. This is U&K for layout concerns.

2) A TV/loveseat combo would be nice, but not immediately adjacent to the desk.

3) We'd love to have a work-table with two chairs for craft/game/eating purposes. This isn't wholly necessary, but it'd be super handy.

4) A bookcase (cheap, big, sturdy, movable)

5) Furniture that comes flat-packed or is easy to move. We have limited access to a small-ass car. Ikea is acceptable, but we'd love to branch out.

6) Drops hella style on a thin tight dime.

We're in downtown Seattle.

The Blob

spamguy — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 06:55:57 -0800

What is this orange goo dripping from my walls? I live in a well-maintained apartment complex. About a month ago I noticed a tan-orange waxy substance dripping from the top of some of my walls. It's limited to the areas closest to my bathroom door, heater closet, and thermostat. Under normal conditions the goo is waxy, solid and transparent, except for the bulbous end of the drip, which is opaque. When I take a shower, the goo is warmed up and becomes viscous to the point I could wipe it off without much effort. (I haven't yet.) It also speeds up its crawl towards the floor. It's extended its coat a few inches in the past month.

What is this stuff? I've reported it to my landlord, who is normally attentive to these matters, but I could detect the incredulousness in his voice.

If I had a camera not attached to my laptop I'd supply pics.

How to Buy a Flat in Australia

LongDrive — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:41:10 -0800

I'm currently looking to buy my first small flat in Melbourne, Australia and having no luck. Apart from the big two online sources, are there any other sources to see what's on the market, or to find places before they get listed? I have a buyers advocate on board, but due to dodgy pre-auction policies on offers, I seem to be constantly missing out on good places, and right now it seems like nothing is out there. Maybe its my small budget or the fact that the market is really quiet until after the holidays, but it seems like there is nothing on the market right now. Am I just missing something, or are there other places or methods that I should be looking into?

Seeking a short term apartment in Central Vermont

youcancallmeal — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:15:38 -0800

Seeking an apartment in the Barre / Montpelier, Vermont area. Where to look? I'm moving to Topsham,VT with my boyfriend in the spring, but we're looking to escape our current place in NYC a bit sooner than that (Jan. 1 would be ideal) to save money on rent.

Does anyone know of any apartment rentals that would be willing to do a short lease for 4-5 months at around $600/mo? We don't need anything fancy and the only pet we have is a cat. We could even pay for the whole thing in advance.

Alternately, where (besides Craigslist) should we be looking?

does a nyc rental apartment need to have a certificate of occupancy?

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:19:26 -0800

nycfilter: is it legal to rent a newly-renovated apartment in an old residential building that doesn't have its certificate of occupancy yet? i know you are probably not a lawyer and even if you are, you're not my lawyer, but: i'm thinking about signing a lease on an apartment that was completely renovated recently. the building it's in is over a hundred years old and the former landlord was a slumlord who preferred to eat fines rather than fix it up to code; the new landlords bought it for a song and have spent money to bring it up to code, and they renovated two apartments that didn't have rent-stabilized tenants in them, one of which i'm looking to rent.

the apartment is configured as an open loft but i'd like to split up one end of it with pressurized walls to make two bedrooms—the landlord told me it would be okay as long as the walls didn't go all the way up to the ceiling because they hadn't had their inspection for the CO yet (electrical and plumbing inspections are already done) and the plans they filed for it were as an open loft, and that it would probably happen in a few months time and i could do whatever i wanted after that. is it legal to sign a lease on an apartment without a CO? should i be asking for reduced rent till then?

p.s. this is anonymous because my friends read ask mefi and i don't want them all up in my business.

How do I get my landlord to repair my apartment complex's appliances?

schroedinger — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:39:40 -0800

The superintendent of my building has been dragging her feet for months on getting the building's washer and dryers repaired. In my lease, it says that the landlord is responsible for the upkeep of these items. The management company that actually owns the building and pays the super's salary is also not being responsive. Now what? I have lived at my current apartment for about three-and-a-half months. When apartment shopping, my roommate and I chose this place partly because of the accessible washers and dryers. Since we've moved in, they've only been half-working. There are two washers and two dryers. One of the washers takes your money, but doesn't run. One of the dryers only dries clothes completely if half-full, the other only dries clothes completely if a quarter to a third full and you are only drying things like light t-shirts and underwear.

I have complained repeatedly about this the superintendent of the property. I've shown her the baskets of half-soggy clothing taken directly out of the dryer. She's agreed that's unacceptable--and then when I check up on whether repairs are happening, she claims nobody else in the building is having problems. Finally, after two months of this, she claimed she got a repair guy to replace a part in one of the dryers. It still doesn't work. There is a live-in repairman who is supposed to be taking care of these problems, but he's been pretty all around unhelpful (like claiming we should not be trying to dry loads larger than what would fit in a milk crate in ANY dryer).

I've compensated by hanging up half of my loads on clotheslines I set up on my balcony. The super told me I couldn't do this because it was an "eyesore" and suggested I go to Target and buy indoor clothes racks that are shorter than the windows so nobody can see me drying my clothes from the outside.

I'm sick of dealing with her. I would like to address the people that employ her, but they've provided no contact information outside an address to send the checks to. I've gone there and had no luck getting anyone to talk to.

What should my next steps be? The public law landlord-tenant websites seem to only address major, life-threatening repairs, not "luxury" items like washers and dryers. And yet, the landlord's responsibility for their upkeep is laid out in my lease. Do I send a registered letter to the management company? Start legal action? It seems ridiculous to have to go this far just to get a stupid washer and dryer replaced.

How can I find a nice room to rent quickly in Olympia Wa?

CollegeNelson — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:55:19 -0800

I am having to move out of were I am living at the end of this week and have been having trouble finding a new place to live in Olympia. I have tried both the internet and local paper but still have not found anything that I think would work for me any ideas? I am 28 female looking for a place to stay that is cool with meat eating and TV watching in Olympia Wa. Also right now I don't have the money to get my own place.
I need the place NOW and have tried Craigslist and the local paper and all I find is hippies and men. I don't have a problem with men but would not want a house of all guys either. The roommate finding websites charge to do anything more then look. No one I know around either has need of roommate or space to let me crash.
I need to find a place by the end of the week. My sister would love to let me stay here with her, but her house is not set-up for someone to stay more then one or two weeks and we are going into the third. And going back to were I was before would mean moving out of state which I also don't want to do.
Any ideas would be great