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#1 | |
Making it happen.
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Recent events have led me to believe it's finally time for me to move out in the world. Granted, I still have a fair bit of schooling to get through, and I don't exactly have the networking to just pick up and start a new life somewhere, so I'm not gonna move halfway across the country or anything. Right now I'm just looking for a local roommate(s), something affordable and sufficiently close to where everything important in my life is.
However, I've never actually done this before, so I have no idea what I'm really doing. Right now I'm keeping my eyes on Craigslist and a particular subreddit, and already a few promising options have shown up. But I don't know if there are more options I could be using to search for housing, and I don't exactly know the "etiquitte" for handling these sorts of interactions in such a way that won't immediately get me rejected from consideration. So, dear friends, acquaintances, and miscellaneous: any advice?
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#2 |
Archer and Armstrong vs. the World
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Well if you are in college you can also go to your local university and look at the bulletin boards, undoubtedly you'll find a ton of postings on there from local owners renting out houses. Usually they take care of finding you roommates.
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#3 |
Sent to the cornfield
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Live in student areas- they are the cheapest, you will have fellow students as flatmates, they will be catered to your needs- (getting hard out boozed and having sweet parties)- and will often have lots of shift work employment for fitting in schools.
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#4 |
Trash Goblin
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It is generally considered that your housing and your bills shouldn't total more than 30% of your income; what with you being a student and probably not working full-time, we can throw THAT idea right out the window though.
Generally, I'd suggest two very important things; first, watch for all-inclusive places where the water, electric, heat, etc is covered by not-you. Those bills vary and can spike ridiculously, even with careful planning. (If you're not going all inclusive, you could probably safely budget about $80 for heat in the winter, $30 otherwise; $150 for electric a month; $120 for water and waste every 6 months.) Second, how much can you comfortably afford? My general rule (with full-time pay at minimum wage in Canada) being $650 the maximum I would pay for a 1 bedroom apartment. $650 represents about ~40% of an entry level person's wages (before tax) and keeps your household costs low enough that banks still feel REASONABLY safe lending to you in a pinch (Which as a student would be very important). (Ideally you'll pay no more than $450, which puts your income level at a point where if you could find full-time employment easily, you could open a much lower interest bank loan than your student loan's rate and do a lump sum payoff on that, dropping your bills. That's a whole other conversation though.) |
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#5 |
Trash Goblin
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in terms of FINDING places, I recommend browsing Kijiji/craigslist for your local area, and the ettiquette is the same as you'd assume meeting a new lady or fella; you're going to want to be well-kempt and tidy looking, and put your best face forward. Charming and confident, and polite.
Really date ettiquette is pretty much forefront when talking to potential landlords. Potential Roommates though, same advice but be adaptable. Meeting a guy to hang out and see if you're compatible, it doesn't hurt for the two of you to end up at the bar together and having fun. The point is to see if you can relax together and not feel stiff or awkward. |
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#6 |
Sent to the cornfield
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As someone who has vetted new roommates I'd say the opposite- if you turn up all clean and tidy you going to get the rent spiked up or be turned down because you look like no fun- assuming you are looking at cheap/student places. Nobody wants to live with some kind of dull ass businessman and if you look like a richo they'll charge you like a richo.
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#7 | |
Please Be Well
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Virginia
Posts: 2,715
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I'd like to know just of whom this is true, and how much they actually earn, and where they live. Because I don't think I know anyone like that. Myself, my bills total at least 60% of my income. I don't have any advice for Loyal, sorry. That bit just tripped me up.
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#8 |
Not bad.
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Just check how many shootings vs rent. You want to aim somewhere in the middle. That's what I did.
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#9 | |
rollerpocher tycoon
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Don't forget to check newspaper listings. If you get a basement apartment check that you have your own water heater/AC/heat etc, else your upstairs neighbours will control all of that- and if they like to run the dishwasher and washing machine every day you'll be taking cold showers. Also you'll either roast of freeze if they control the heat. In my experience basement apartments tend to be pretty shit actually and rarely up to code, actually, but they might be cheaper than an apartment complex. Taste the water when viewing apartments. Turn on the taps to see if they work. Look inside the cupboards, see if there's mould anywhere. (DO NOT move into a mouldy dwelling. Even if the landlord says the mould's been taken care of. Just don't.) Echoing Nik's advice, ask if water or heat is included. If you're persistent you can find decent furniture second hand (tables, shelves, etc.- I personally wouldn't buy anything cloth second hand because ew.) Check for bed bugs though. Oh, ask the landlord how they prefer to be paid. Avoid places that say they prefer cash over cheques because most likely they don't give a shit about their tenants and are doing something illegal. Should be obvious but it bears mentioning. Last edited by pochercoaster; 12-25-2012 at 06:37 PM. |
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#10 |
formerly known as Prince.
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Right here, with you >:)
Posts: 2,396
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Here's how I moved 300 km from home.
1. Get depressed 2. Befriend random strangers over the internet 3. Befriend random strangers long enough for them to identify you as a friend 4. Get a job in the area they live in without really knowing where they live 5. Learn that one of those people has recently moved there 6. Crash at their place until you find your own place 7. Regain faith in humanity, love and peace, dude Always works. In all seriousness: Don't be afraid to move out. It's generally only half as frightening as those old geezers make you believe. Just do your homework first and it'll work out all right.
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>:( C-:
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