Searching for a place to lay my head
So we've hit the ground running looking for an apartment. Our ideal place is a 1 bedroom with room for a study, with heat included in the rent, an off-street parking space, and laundry, preferrably within walking distance of the Drama School for me so Jamie can use the car for his job, whatever that might be. And it must be able to take our cat, Sheba, who's dealt with the traveling so well.
On Wednesday we looked at 7 places.
First was a place just off downtown area for $1050. It was a one bedroom on the second floor with a huge main living room like a converted werehouse space and huge kitchen with long bar, and a nice sized bedroom and bathroom, with tall ceilings and an exposed brick wall. The first floor of the building is used as a meeting area for a chapter of the Knights of Columbus, who owns the building and must vote on any captial improvements such as raising the temperature of the hot water heater or buying more track lighting units for the apartment (hmm). There is no parking (park at nearby garages) or laundry. It is not in a residential area and feels kinda isolated. We'd be taking over the lease from this girl who just started school a month ago, and got the place with her boyfriend, whom she is now broken up with.
Next we met a woman with College Street, LLC who showed us an apartment in a recently renovated downtown area tower, which was too small, especially for the price of $1275. This one had a deck out back that was part of this faux two-story covered street scene that gave us the creeps. Then she took us to a place in the Wooster square area (the Italian section on the other side of the train tracks) that was a two bedroom at $875, but each room was very small and there was none of the perks we wanted available. Next was a stop at a converted Corset factory, Strouse Adler, for a one bedroom at $1340 whose living room had no square corners and a huge post in the way in the bedroom. Our final stop was a place in the East Rock neighborhood that was a three bedroom with dining room, living room, pantry, big kitchen, and small bathroom. They were still taking the wallpaper off the walls and painting the kitchen when we viewed it. It was just too many small rooms to have to worry about heating when we're footing that cost.
We took a break and went to the Stop & Shop in nearby Orange (thanks Ted) and the local pet store, then back to the hotel for lunch and a nap.
Then I got some calls back and we stepped out to view two more places. Both were on Dwight St. just 4 blocks from the School. First was an advertised 2 bedroom for $1100 that looked like a one bedroom to us. It had a brick exterior, recently refinished wood floors, large living room, dining area, non-working fireplace and extra area between the living room and the too tiny bathroom. It passed thru to a ok-sized bedroom. Two parking spaces in the lot behind the house and laundry is included. But the kitchen itself is so small and the cabinets really need replacing. And the front door opens into the dining area.
The final place we saw was a 3 bedroom for $1000. This place was just refurbished and was shown by a young property manager who has a lot of fire to renovate that place along with the neighboring 4 houses. Most of his information was about the upcoming renovations on all the properties. The place is on the 2nd floor, with 3 front doors into the same apartment. The front room of the house has three windows facing the street and would make for a bright bedroom. The next room, that two of the front doors open into, has a bay window and a non-working fireplace. After that is the large kitchen/dining area with new appliances still to be installed. The bathroom with tub was very nicely done. The back bedroom on the right has another wood floor installed on top of the original, which makes for a very nice office space. The rest of the wood floors had been revarnished but had it's very uneven spots. The other back bedroom is good sized and had a closet with 4 steps that led to the wall, a memorable touch. We'd still have to pay for gas heat thru forced air, but laundry is available in the building next door that's part of the same property and we'd have parking in the back. We don't know what we'd do with the extra room aside from maintaining it as a guest room (so having to buy an extra bed) or if we could afford the heating cost for that many rooms. Average cost for heat last year was $110/month for the whole year.
So we went home and slept on it all.
Today, not many folks responded to my calls. We saw just two places today, both in Fair Haven across the Quinnipiack river.
First was a 2nd floor 1+ bedroom unit that came furnished with a front deck and views of the river for $850. Second was a tiny, really a studio apartment carved out of the basement of a house that also came furnished for $750. Both had their charm but we had to balance it against the limited ways back to New Haven, restricted by two bridges, with a third that had just closed.
I've got 4 places lined up for tomorrow, 2 in Westville, just west of the School about 1.5 miles; one in East Rock area, and one in Wooster Square. Wish us luck.
On Wednesday we looked at 7 places.
First was a place just off downtown area for $1050. It was a one bedroom on the second floor with a huge main living room like a converted werehouse space and huge kitchen with long bar, and a nice sized bedroom and bathroom, with tall ceilings and an exposed brick wall. The first floor of the building is used as a meeting area for a chapter of the Knights of Columbus, who owns the building and must vote on any captial improvements such as raising the temperature of the hot water heater or buying more track lighting units for the apartment (hmm). There is no parking (park at nearby garages) or laundry. It is not in a residential area and feels kinda isolated. We'd be taking over the lease from this girl who just started school a month ago, and got the place with her boyfriend, whom she is now broken up with.
Next we met a woman with College Street, LLC who showed us an apartment in a recently renovated downtown area tower, which was too small, especially for the price of $1275. This one had a deck out back that was part of this faux two-story covered street scene that gave us the creeps. Then she took us to a place in the Wooster square area (the Italian section on the other side of the train tracks) that was a two bedroom at $875, but each room was very small and there was none of the perks we wanted available. Next was a stop at a converted Corset factory, Strouse Adler, for a one bedroom at $1340 whose living room had no square corners and a huge post in the way in the bedroom. Our final stop was a place in the East Rock neighborhood that was a three bedroom with dining room, living room, pantry, big kitchen, and small bathroom. They were still taking the wallpaper off the walls and painting the kitchen when we viewed it. It was just too many small rooms to have to worry about heating when we're footing that cost.
We took a break and went to the Stop & Shop in nearby Orange (thanks Ted) and the local pet store, then back to the hotel for lunch and a nap.
Then I got some calls back and we stepped out to view two more places. Both were on Dwight St. just 4 blocks from the School. First was an advertised 2 bedroom for $1100 that looked like a one bedroom to us. It had a brick exterior, recently refinished wood floors, large living room, dining area, non-working fireplace and extra area between the living room and the too tiny bathroom. It passed thru to a ok-sized bedroom. Two parking spaces in the lot behind the house and laundry is included. But the kitchen itself is so small and the cabinets really need replacing. And the front door opens into the dining area.
The final place we saw was a 3 bedroom for $1000. This place was just refurbished and was shown by a young property manager who has a lot of fire to renovate that place along with the neighboring 4 houses. Most of his information was about the upcoming renovations on all the properties. The place is on the 2nd floor, with 3 front doors into the same apartment. The front room of the house has three windows facing the street and would make for a bright bedroom. The next room, that two of the front doors open into, has a bay window and a non-working fireplace. After that is the large kitchen/dining area with new appliances still to be installed. The bathroom with tub was very nicely done. The back bedroom on the right has another wood floor installed on top of the original, which makes for a very nice office space. The rest of the wood floors had been revarnished but had it's very uneven spots. The other back bedroom is good sized and had a closet with 4 steps that led to the wall, a memorable touch. We'd still have to pay for gas heat thru forced air, but laundry is available in the building next door that's part of the same property and we'd have parking in the back. We don't know what we'd do with the extra room aside from maintaining it as a guest room (so having to buy an extra bed) or if we could afford the heating cost for that many rooms. Average cost for heat last year was $110/month for the whole year.
So we went home and slept on it all.
Today, not many folks responded to my calls. We saw just two places today, both in Fair Haven across the Quinnipiack river.
First was a 2nd floor 1+ bedroom unit that came furnished with a front deck and views of the river for $850. Second was a tiny, really a studio apartment carved out of the basement of a house that also came furnished for $750. Both had their charm but we had to balance it against the limited ways back to New Haven, restricted by two bridges, with a third that had just closed.
I've got 4 places lined up for tomorrow, 2 in Westville, just west of the School about 1.5 miles; one in East Rock area, and one in Wooster Square. Wish us luck.
posted by Resident Squint at 10:19 PM
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