Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with craigslist

Does anyone even buy desktops?

trogdole — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:49:30 -0800

Is there a market for custom built computers sold through an independent person, versus Dell or HP? I have some slight skills with computers and software, and I need all the extra money I can get. I recently started thinking about building cheap desktops (of good quality of course) and selling them online, through ebay or craigslist. My thought was that if it's not loaded up with crap software/bloatware, maybe it'd be cheaper than one bought through a big name company. Gaming computers I know have a market, but I don't have the capital for that.

If this is not feasible, which I fear it's not, is there any other way to leverage these skills to make a bit of side money?

Best way to go about radically downsizing a 3 bedroom house?

desjardins — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:35:52 -0800

We're moving into a 38' RV in the next month and getting rid of our three bedroom apartment. We're trying not to put too much in storage so the vast majority of stuff has to go. I'm getting overwhelmed and I'm not sure of the best way to go about this. We're taking things like electronics, clothes, some kitchen stuff. Tools and garage-type stuff will go in a shed on the campsite or in a storage unit. I'm having some difficulty conceptualizing the amount of stuff we can actually take with us. (It's a 38 ft fifth-wheel, one of the larger RVs out there.) What kind of sorting process is best?

Here are some examples of what I know we need to get rid of:

Living room, office and bedroom furniture - most of which was of Target quality to begin with and has been heavily used. Honestly most of this should just be trashed.
Clothing and shoes - mostly women's, mostly very petite sizes, not designer brands but still good quality. Some brand new stuff.
Electronic junk - old computer cables, webcams, computers with the hard drives removed, old (digital) camera, old flip phones
Kitchen stuff - Duplicate dinnerware, lots of coffee cups and wine glasses and small single-purpose appliances
Random crap - Christmas decorations that were gifts. We've never celebrated Christmas in our own home so this stuff has sat in the attic. Knick knacks that were souvenirs from family members (I am not sentimental). Old CDs and DVDs.

I doubt there's any single item worth over $30. Is it worth my time to sell on eBay or Craigslist? Should I have garage sales? (We get a lot of foot traffic in our neighborhood.)

How do I make sure not to get scammed on a Craigslist sublet?

lxs — Sun, 12 May 2013 08:35:36 -0800

I'm traveling over the summer (for a month) and found a short-term sublet on Craigslist that seems perfect. The current tenant (who is renting her 1br in a 2br apt) has agreed to let me stay and has asked me to transfer a deposit to her bank account. It is an actual bank (rather than Western Union or something of that sort), but I don't know enough - nor have I been able to find enough by searching online - to find out if this is "safe." Is there a more secure way to send a deposit for a sublet? I was thinking of asking to use Paypal instead.

Also, what information or personal details could/should I request from the renter to make the transition more safe, or at least to minimize my nervousness about getting scammed?

I know that she's taking a risk, too, and if I'm planning to live there, a certain amount of trust is involved. The internet (namely Craigslist) still just makes me nervous, though, so I want to do what I can.

Thanks for any advice and apologies if this question has already been answered - I dug through all sorts of past posts and couldn't find this specific info.

Buying electronics on Craigslist

triggerfinger — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:40:22 -0800

Should I buy a TV off of Craigslist? I am looking for a 40-50 inch newer TV. I don't care if it's plasma or LED. But I don't really want to spend more than $500, which puts TVs that size pretty much out of my price range. But there seem to be a ton of them on Craigslist - would it be a bad idea to buy one? If I were to buy one, what would I need to look for/be aware of when buying a TV from someone on Craigslist to minimize my chances of getting scammed? I assume that I would need to plug it in and try before I buy (and of course I would not go alone) and I would make sure they have the owners manual and all the parts that came with it.

What else would I need to look for? I know pretty much nothing about electronics or buying things off Craigslist so any suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Buying used air conditioners

laptolain — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:08:43 -0800

Craigslist regularly has listings for units that are almost $500 cheaper than what I would pay retail. What should I be looking out for with used air conditioners? I'd like to buy a higher BTU air conditioner and want to take advantage of my wall sleeve this summer.

Also, I have a dedicated 230 volt outlet right next to the hole but it hasn't been used in over a decade. Should I assume that it works or is there some way to test it?

Help me not get scammed buying a computer used

BlahLaLa — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:33:23 -0800

After my previous question, I'm considering buying a used Mac laptop via Craigslist. Help me not get scammed? When it comes to computers, I basically know nothing about nothing. But I'd like to buy my kid a mac laptop for his birthday. I definitely can't afford new. My local Craigslist (Los Angeles) has a jillion listings...but...other than "hey, that's in my price range" I don't know what the next step is.

What do I look for? What should I look out for? What questions should I ask the seller? How can I get a machine that works, and that will work for my kid (internet browsing, Minecraft, etc.).

Bonus level: when it comes to playing Minecraft, how old a computer is too old? What specs am I looking for?

Safety When Selling Things

These Birds of a Feather — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 15:02:29 -0800

I (mid-20s female) just sold a chair to someone in my apartment complex after posting signs up in some common areas. The guy saw me posting the signs and asked to buy the chair so I made him wait outside my apartment so I could wheel the chair out. He was very nice but he gave me the creeps a little and now I am worried that I put myself in a vulnerable position by allowing him to see where I live. What can I do to keep myself safe now that he knows where I live, and how can I handle transactions like this in the future so I don't endanger myself again? I did take a picture of his license plate just because it felt like the right thing to do.

Should I find an apartment without seeing it in person?

new_horizons_new_life — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 11:37:13 -0800

I am trying to find an apartment in a city across the country in the U.S., before moving there. I am unable to see the apartment/roommates in person before moving, because I am trying to leave my abusive family and can't let on to them that I am leaving (Here is that backstory.). So, I will be doing the one-way ticket plan. I am having difficulty finding an apartment without seeing it first, as people prefer to meet potential roommates in person and when I mention to them that I can't see it in person (and suggest Skyping or videochatting to meet each other/see the apartment) I have had limited success so far and am wondering if I am coming across as a Craigslist creep. Is this the right strategy? Is it a numbers game, and I should just keep trying? Or, should I just fly there first and then find a place? Thanks for any advice. Thanks once again for everyone's helpful suggestions about my last question (linked above the fold). I decided to get a sock puppet so that I could continue to post questions about this.

I have moved most of my things to storage, and while I am in the process of packing things up (without my family's suspicion) I decided to go ahead and see what the apartment listings on Craigslist would be like and familiarize myself with the process. I've gotten responses from about 1/3 of the 30+ people I've contacted, and most of them have been very friendly despite the distance of where I'm relocating from (2,000 miles away). However, only 2 of the people I've contacted have been okay with videochatting before in lieu of meeting/seeing the apartment in person, and I ended up not getting those places because there were others in town who were able to move before me, as I don't have everything packed yet.

I calculated costs, and it seems like it would save me at least $1000 to drive to the local UPS or Greyhound offices and drop off my items before I fly to the city I want to move to, versus paying a mover to move my things from storage to the city. I suppose the mover costs much more because it is 2,000 miles of fuel, and I hope I researched the quote correctly. So, I was thinking that it would be in my best financial interest to find a place before moving there, relying on videochatting to see the roommates/place. I also have some unique plants that I would love to take with me, and don't have anyone to ship it to me, so I was thinking after I found a place I could mail them right before I leave. (I love my plants, and would hope to keep them, but I suppose I may have to give them away if it comes down to it.)

Do you think it is a good idea to get a place before traveling there, given the financial benefit, despite the limited success rate I've had, and any safety concerns? Or do you think I should just bite the bullet and get a place once I get there while couchsurfing or hostelling and pay the extra $1000 for the mover to send my things?

I was hoping to live with roommates to have more social interaction in a new city and save money (as ideally I want to spend under $600/mo on rent, which is available in this city with roommates), but I could afford slightly more money (up to $800/mo) for a studio for two years, in case I am unable to find roommates. However, as I don't view moving back home an option should I be unable to find a job and run out of money, I would like to save as much money as I can and thus would prefer roommates. Do you think I should gravitate towards roommates or try to find a studio?

TL;DR:

The city I want to move to is 2,000 miles away. It will save me $1000 to ship via UPS/Greyhound if I find an apartment and mail my items at local shipping offices before leaving. But finding a place without being there has been met without much success on Craigslist, and I wonder if I come across as creepy when I say I can't see it in person but would be able to videochat to see the place/meet in lieu of being there in person. And I wonder if it is safe for me to get an apartment without being there in person, despite any Skyping.

-Should I get a place before moving there, or after, and therefore pay the extra $1000 for movers to drive to my new city?

-Should I get roommates, or get a studio instead, since I can afford it (for 2 years) if I am unable to find roommates?

-Any suggestions on the plant issue?

Thank you once again for any advice you may have. It is really helpful, as I am a bit confused. Feel free to ask for any further clarifications.

How do you find a sane and compatible housemate from Craigslist?

genmonster — Sun, 27 Jan 2013 16:39:35 -0800

I've been offered first dibs on renting a super nice house. Unfortunately I need to find at least 1 and ideally 2 people to rent it with me. Just asking around my network if they know anyone hasn't worked out. I'm pretty sure Craigslist is the next best option...what should put in my post, and ask potential people in person, to weed out the crazies? I've answered ads looking for housemates with mixed success. The last time I tried it was a disaster (and the subject of my first ask post). I've lived alone since, partially because I don't entirely trust my judgement about these things anymore. I'm also trying to avoid sounding like a nutcase myself by making an overly detailed and perhaps ALL CAPS list of requirements for potential housemates. My city (Asheville NC) has a lot of young professionals sharing houses, but also a lot of wilder and weirder folks who aren't my target audience.

Trying to donate a TV, or give it away for free. Failing. Help?

tzikeh — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 14:51:25 -0800

I have a Toshiba 35" TV from the mid-90s that still works perfectly. I still have the manual it came with, and the original remote. The TV stands on a custom TV stand that was built by the manufacturer specifically for it. Unfortunately, I don't want it anymore, the TV weighs 165 lbs., and I cannot carry it myself. Options I've exhausted include: Chicago Freecycle. "Come get it and it's yours. Free. You'll need two strong people to move it." No takers.

The "free" section of Chicago Craigslist. Same announcement; same difference.

Goodwill. Though you might read that they will come pick up TVs as donations, it turns out that they, in fact, won't. I know. I called.

I will not donate anything to the Salvation Army.

If I could just get the thing out into the alleyway, I guarantee that it would disappear before 24 hours were up. But I can't. And, okay, here's the pathetic part, I don't have many local friends to help me. Almost none, really--and those I do have are not known for their upper-body strength.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I can't afford to pay a haul-away service.

How does one sell special interest items on the Internet anymore?

atayah — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 07:02:35 -0800

How does one sell special interest items on the Internet anymore? Is that even a thing these days? As our respective families have finally passed on the last of "our boxes" as they themselves clean out their house, we've been making great strides in our own house to pare down our belongings, donate what we can and save only the items that are truly meaningful.

What's left is a basket full of items that may or may not have "value," mostly from the 80s (my childhood years). These include, for example: an old, functioning Simon game, a full set of matchbox cars with carrying case, a brand new "send-away" Frosted Flakes Tony the Tiger light, etc. Also included are framed, signed photos of David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson (I went through an X-Files phase) and a brand new, in-box 20 piece Mikasa bone China set from my parents' wedding.

I put value in quotes because I'm not hoping to cash in on things like these, but I know I could likely sell them and that they could likely find homes with people who would truly appreciate them versus simply donating them.

So, my question: I've heard rumors that eBay is no longer worthwhile - is that the case? Is Craigslist too shady these days? If so, I'd love your suggestions on the best way to sell or find the people best suited for items with a specific "interest group" these days on the Internet (or in person?)

Thanks!

Is there any flaws in my plan to get a phone from Craiglist and Switch to Straight Talk and Google Voice?

cycleback — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 16:53:14 -0800

What is the recommended way to buy a phone on Craigslist, switch to Straight Talk, and port numbers to Google Voice? I moved to a much larger city and want to get a smart phone to have access to maps and email. Currently, I have two phone numbers; an ATT national plan with an ancient phone and a Tracfone on which I am almost out of minutes. Both numbers are in use and I slightly prefer the number on the Tracfone though I end up using the ATT number much more often. To keep my expenses down I am considering buying a used iPhone 4S or a Samsung Galaxy Nexus on Craigslist and switching to Straight Talk and using Google voice to keep my tracfone number.

What I am planning is the following:

1) Purchase a used iPhone 4S or Samsung Galaxy Nexus from Craigslist

2) Port my ATT number to Straight Talk

3) Wait for Straight Talk Sim to arrive

4) Pop Straight Talk Sim into purchased phone

5) Port my Tracfone number to Google Voice

Questions:

A) Does my plan have any fatal flaws?

B) What is the best way to buy a phone off of Craiglist? How do I check if it has been stolen?

C) Has anyone ported a number back from Google Voice?

D) What have peoples experiences with Google Voice been? What don't you like?

E) Is there any reason not to port both numbers to Google Voice?

F) My personal and work email is handled through Gmail and my work calendar also uses Google. Would an Android device be a better choice? I have never used one. I have an iPad but don't have iTunes on my computer.

Automated Craigslist searching?

zardoz — Thu, 11 Oct 2012 00:49:35 -0800

I often check craigslist (Tokyo, where I live) to look for deals on various things I'd like to buy. I tire, though, of clicking through the different categories, sifting through all the silt to find a nugget worth asking about. Is there any way to automate searching through craigslist? I've seen some sites that allow you to search all the cities around the world at once, a craigslist search engine, but as I am only interested in my city (and not interested in international buying), these aren't useful.

For example let's say I'm looking for a coffee maker. One reason it's so frustrating is people will put, say, a coffee maker in "electronics" or "appliances" or "garage sale" or half a dozen others. So I have to check each subsection and still may not find a coffee maker.

It would be super peachy if there were some way to be notified, maybe by email?, as soon as someone posted a coffee maker on the site. I'm no programmer, but I would imagine this would take some pretty robust software to do this. I did find something called "Craigslist Search Agent", but it seems to have been pulled and isn't being updated.

Hope this makes sense. What say you all? Is there some bot that can do the searching for me?

Going through Grandmother's house - where to sell the items?

needlegrrl — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:54:39 -0800

Where to sell items - craigslist? My grandmother is happily in assisted living (yay!). However, we now have an entire house full of her things that she mostly no longer needs. At some point, we're going to have to go through a 3 bedroom house plus partially finished basement and get rid of some of these items.

Due to the nature of us having to go through it over time, I don't think we want to sell everything as an estate (or do we?). My mom may be moving into the house and house-sitting it, so we don't necessarily want the house to be empty of furniture and all items.

Also, we'll need to go through it, and make sure that none of us want an item before it is sold. I know there are some items that could be taken care of pretty easily - for example, there's a refrigerator, old stove, and full freezer in the basement, and I don't think that my dad or uncle would want it (and we don't have room for it). How would we go about selling these items? Craigslist is the obvious answer, but I wasn't sure if there were other potentially better options.

We may have a yard sale at some point, but I honestly wonder if it isn't just easier to have the kidney foundation or somewhere come and pick up all of those items at that point, instead of spending the time and effort to have a yard sale for not much money.

Also, how do we figure out how much to sell the items for? It's everything from light fixtures from the 70s to appliances to old Avon products.

I don't expect to get a ton of money for most of the stuff, but I think that the effort to go through it, post pictures, and sell it will probably help pay the utilities for a little while, and extend her cash.

I do have an eBay account, and could sell some of the items through there - maybe the items that are possibly collectible, like the Avon?

Are the 420 delivery services advertised on craigslist safe?

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:06:28 -0800

How safe are the "420 delivery" services advertised on craigslist in NYC? I'm traveling to NYC to see a show (Joshua Light Show) that would be greatly enhanced by a nice sativa. As I don't have any local options, I contacted someone advertising a delivery service on craigslist. He promptly replied, asking for my phone number so we can touch base when I get there.

I'm not getting a sketchy vibe from this guy, but I find myself getting cold feet now... I'm not worried about the police being interested in the tiny amount I'd be purchasing, and if I end up getting scammed I wouldn't be out that much money. But is this a really bad idea for some reason I'm not considering?

Throwaway e-mail: disposable830@hushmail.com

Silicon Valley apartment hunting

value of information — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 22:02:13 -0800

I'm looking for an apartment in Mountain View. Any tips or tricks? I'm a young male programmer looking for a new place, probably to live alone. I'm fairly content with my housemates now, but I'd prefer to be by myself and I want to see if I can find something nicer and/or cheaper. (So I'm not desperate and there's no rush.)

Being fairly new to apartment hunting, I wonder -- are there any useful strategies that aren't obvious? Right now, my repertoire is something like:

- Subscribe to Craigslist RSS feeds for the apartment classifieds searches I want
- Call or drive there ASAP when I find something appealing
- Be nice to landlord, apply, offer to pay rent in advance if I really like it (I have cash to spare, so this is an easy trick)

I am boring, quiet, clean, and pay rent on time, so in theory I am a desirable tenant; are there any other ways to provide convincing evidence of that? Are there enough apartments not on Craigslist that I should search in some other media, too? Are there questions I should make sure to ask about the apartment that will help inform my decision? Tell me everything!

How To Sell Comics in a Post-Wizard World?

EatTheWeak — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 22:03:03 -0800

Please help me make as much money as is possible from liquidating my comicbook collection. For financial, spiritual and spacial reasons, the time has come to cross into that final nerd frontier and sell my comicbook collection. Now I'm not expecting to get rich doing this but I do have a bunch of great comics, building the collection meant something to me and if I'm going to sell it, I want to do it right. And somewhat fast. A good balance of right and fast, say.

The collection ranges from the 70s to the Aughts. Most of it is in excellent condition but some of it isn't. Lots of Marvel and DC, lots of stuff I'm not sure how to best gauge the value of. Nearly complete runs of stuff like George Perez Teen Titans, Mike Grell Green Arrow, weird shit like US1 and ROM Space Knight. A lot of 80s small press stuff - things like DNAgents, Ex-Mutants, Whisper, tons of stuff I'm forgetting but you get the gist.

There's a lot of 90s stuff in there, which I suspect is birdcage lining but maybe not. The first 100 issues of Spawn, Savage Dragon, assorted other stuff from contemporary stuff from Marvel and DC.

Obviously, I need to catalog it - there's seven longboxes in play here and I can't remember everything in them. Question is, once everything is sorted and cataloged, how do I go about determining the value of what I've got and seeking the most profitable buyers?

The local comicshops have a reputation for being pretty broke / stingy and to be honest, I'm not sure what state the secondary market is in or if it's even a thing any more. Should I get on Craigslist? eBay? I feel like there's a lot of stuff in here that a collector would be stoked about - I was sure stoked about them, but I don't want to be a collector anymore. Have any of you had any success seeking out collectors to sell comics to?

The best items would probably be the signed comics, about twenty to thirty of them. How should I determine my asking price for these?

As I said, I'm keen to do this quick but I'm not trying to lose out on too much of my potential revenue. I'm ready to let these go but I'll be honest, it stings a little bit. I want to have something to show for it. Any and all ideas and advice are very much appreciated.

Thank you, everyone.

Finding Home, Avoiding Scammers: Craigslist Edition

xenization — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 05:59:59 -0800

How do I avoid Craigslist real-estate shysters? Added wrinkle: long-distance. My would-be roommates and I are getting increasingly desperate about finding housing (in New Hampshire, if that makes any difference) for the fall semester. So, I’ve been looking at Craigslist in the hopes of finding cheaper options. And I’ve seen some promising leads. However, I live in Pennsylvania and they live in North Carolina; it isn’t exactly feasible for us financially to go up and visit.

How, then, can we make securing an apartment remotely happen? Even if we get added to a lease, for example, and are asked to mail a deposit, how can we be sure we’re not just throwing that money away? Any ideas how we can ensure these ads are legitimate?

Any tips you have on finding apartments (or rooms) for rent online are welcome as well. Thanks in advance!

Why does nobody answer my e-mails for their housemate-wanted ads on Craigslist in San Francisco?

madcaptenor — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 17:37:28 -0800

Why does nobody answer my e-mails for their housemate-wanted ads on Craigslist in San Francisco? I'm looking for a place to live in San Francisco, and in the last twenty-four hours I have sent out perhaps 30 e-mails to people advertising on craigslist that they have rooms for rent in shared houses or apartments.

I have received exactly zero answers.

Now, I understand that some people are flaky, and some people don't constantly check their e-mail, and some of these rooms have already been filled, and so on. But zero? Really? Could I be doing something wrong, or is this just yet another way in which SF is weird?

How best to use Airbnb as a host?

nobody — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 15:07:45 -0800

I finally got my act together and put my Brooklyn apartment up on Airbnb this morning. I'm a little surprised to be already receiving inquiries, and I realize now I really don't know how to vet these potential renters. For those who have hosted through the site before, what criteria do you use? Is no photo a red flag or is that normal? Is it suspicious or ordinary for them not to have much of a profile filled out? Are there specific questions I should be asking in my initial reply? (Will it make them suspicious if I ask for identifying information?) Are there scams to watch out for? Is there anything you'd add to a listing to head off potential trouble? We don't have any recommendations yet and we haven't hooked our profile up to any social networking sites for authentication, so I wasn't expecting any interest right away. (How do they know to trust us?) In case it affects the advice, the listing is for the entire apartment, not for just one room, and the prices we set are roughly average for the neighborhood (i.e., it's likely not jumping out as an outrageous bargain).

Pink Slip in Limbo? Another craigslist deal gone bad...what should I do?

wavejumper — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 22:59:46 -0800

So I was interested in this old Mercedes posted on craigslist and called the guy. He said it had just been crashed into in his driveway by his cousin and his insurance was "totaling" it; however it was really just cosmetic damage and there was a buyback option. The car would have "salvaged" on the title, but since he was getting paid by the insurance company, he would just let me have the car for whatever the buyback cost was. Called a few days later and he said that cost was $1000 less than the price he had originally advertised the car at, so I figured I might as well go look at it. Read on for the whole story... The most convenient place to meet was at his work, which was ~1 hour drive from where I live.

The guy turned out to be a kid, 20 years old, and he was the general helper / car washer at some kind of somewhat sketchy factory / repair place. His dad, who was a mechanic, kept yelling at him to get back to work, while he was trying to sell it to me. Anyway, it seemed like a reasonable deal for a fixer-upper, certainly the damage (smashed but functioning headlights and smashed grillplate) could be restored for far less than $1000, and it was mechanically sound. The kid talked a good game, and the test drive seemed fine. He didn't have the pink slip on him; it was at his grandma's restaurant, but his dad was heading over there, so his dad picked it up for me and we signed it over along with a homemade bill-of-sale. I paid him cash. However, he told me that because of the insurance deal and salvaging, etc., he was going to receive a new pink slip in the mail and I shouldn't register the car with that old pink slip. He would deliver the new pink slip along with some hubcabs for me when the pink slip arrived in the mail.

At that point his dad was fed up and sent him back to work, it was up to me for some reason to clean out the car of his possessions, which included a gun wrapped in a sheet in the trunk, some old playboy magazines, an incredible number of lip balms of various kinds, and a huge amount of gross trash. Well, I was getting a good deal, so...all right.

Cut to the chase: the kid never sent me the revised pink slip. I called and txted him and turned out his phone number had been canceled by Verizon. It's now been almost a month.

I'm worried that the five day grace period for submitting the pink slip has passed, as well as by some other paperwork I found in the car suggesting that there were other issues between this kid and the DMV.

One other note: about ~1 week in to my ownership of the car, the super-friendly kid turned sour on me when I called and told him my mechanic thought the (new, installed by the kid) starter was defective...I asked him to send along a receipt for it along with the pink slip. The Kid went off on a text-tirade berating my mechanic and bragging about his dad's mechanical achievements and experience, etc. Haven't heard from him since.

I do have his driver's license number and an old address, which I mailed a letter to. No response. I don't think it's the correct address since it's in a different town than where the craigslist ad said he was living. I could also try to track him down at his work or call his workplace. Dad was non-too friendly so I don't know how that would go and am a bit wary for some reason.

Should I: a) attempt to wade into the California DMV registration process with a somewhat deficient certificate of title, b) track the guy down at work and ask him what's up, or c) some other option?

What do landlords want to know?

Nibbly Fang — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 09:31:55 -0800

Looking for a new apartment. Landlords of MeFi, what information should be in the initial email? My sweetie and I are starting to look for a new apartment in New Orleans. (We've lived here a while, so we already know the neighborhoods and such.) I'm struggling a little with how much information to put in that first email in response to a posting on Craigslist (or wherever). I don't want to give too little, so that I seem sketchy, but I don't want to overwhelm with a huge infodump either. I also don't want to give out a bunch of personal information to someone who turns out to be a scammer.

Relevant details:

I would be moving with my long-term boyfriend

We can take some time to look--we have a good relationship with our current landlord, but we want more privacy (right now we share a yard with our pleasant but loud neighbors) and a better location

We are good renters, and both have a steady income. I have a very wholesome and community-oriented job (preschool teacher)

We are non-smokers

We have one well-behaved indoor cat

If you've ever handled the rental process, how much of this information do you need or want? Anything I definitely shouldn't do?
Thanks, hive-mind!

What are the best ways for a cinephile like me to find communities of those similarly interested in film?

dr handsome — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:25:53 -0800

What are the best ways for a cinephile like me to find communities of those similarly interested in film? I am eager to find entry level positions in "the industry" and would be equally excited to find some way of making money writing about film but a possibly more immediate goal of mine is to find some way of coming into contact with likeminded fans of the cinema!

I'm not sure if Craigslist or a site designed to facilitate meetups are the best options?

I also live in the New York area and frequent the Film Forum along with other repertory houses in the city and was thinking that maybe those might be a place to find the "community" I'm looking for.

Hopefully you guys can offer up some suggestions or answers!

How should I sell my MacBook Pro in Florence?

Utilitaritron — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:42:38 -0800

[Asking for a friend] How should I sell my late 2008 15" MacBook Pro in Florence, Italy? I need to bring my laptop to Europe for a three week class, but because I'm traveling for three more weeks after the class is over (staying in hostels), I'm considering selling the laptop in Florence to avoid carrying it with me around Europe or shipping it back to the states.

What's the best way to do this? Are there online resources available for this (e.g. local Craigslist)? How about local pawn shops?

Searching Craigslist

MacChimpman — Thu, 17 May 2012 08:42:57 -0800

What is your favorite tool for searching multiple Craigslist cities? Crazedlist is now defunct and I'm sad. I know I could set up a million RSS feeds, but I thought I'd ask here first before going to the trouble.