Monday, October 16, 2006

5 Weeks

Well today is day #36 of my NYC apartment search. No luck. I don’t really want to list what was wrong with the three apartments I saw last week, because as I make the list in my head some of the complaints now seem a bit silly. But some are truly legitimate: no windows in the living room, or no counters or cabinets in the kitchen.

It seems to me that searching for an apartment is the adult equivalent of looking for a prom/homecoming dance dress. You can see “THE” dress in your mind— perfect color, great fit, right price… But in the real world, the dress/apartment probably does not exist.

If I haven’t said it before, brokers suck!! I still don’t know what they do for the $2,000-$3,000 I will end up paying for their “service” and getting information out of them is like pulling teeth. Yesterday my parents and I went to look at one of the apartments I had seen earlier in the week. I thought I could like it, but in the end I decided no. Anyway, the broker says she might have a “two room studio” to show me today. But we had to go around in circles with this lady to discover what a 2-room studio actually is. The 1st room is obviously a living room, but is the second room a bedroom?...apparently not! Perhaps it the foyer/entryway that is “large enough to store a bike?”...”no, the foyer is the foyer,” the broker said indignantly. No, the second “room” is the kitchen… duh Erin! I would say that someone should write a book of rental terminology in New York City, but the truth is that definitions are completely fluid, free to change at the whim of each broker.

[As an aside, my parents deserve the Nobel Patience Prize for dealing with my state of extreme unhappiness!]

Don’t get me wrong, I really do like my job. But the apartment search has just about done me in. One of my favorite transatlantic organizations is hiring a press officer in Brussels and the thought of applying is currently more than just a silly passing thought in my mind. My colleagues say that their apartment searches took 2-3 months. Sigh!

6 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hang in there! You'll be hanging curtains and hosting parties in no time!

1:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If you go to Brussels, take me with you!! :-) Not that I don't *love* Cali, but I'm definitely missing the Euro lifestyle.

Here's hoping you find the perfect place soon... and that it has all the sparkles, ruffles and iridescent beauty that you desire. After all, there are lots of state holidays coming up early next year and I'm gonna need a place to stay! (ha ha)

P.S. www.skiheavenly.com/audio_visual/snapshots/

7:11 PM  
Blogger Erin said...

Thanks Steph and Anuradha!!

Ohh, JP, sking at Heavenly or a buddy in Brussels... tempting:-)

Perhaps I'll give the apt hunt a bit longer...sigh!

10:37 AM  
Blogger Erica said...

Hang in there, Erin! I'm sure that something will come through!!

7:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

THROUGH SALTY TEARS,
AND ROLLY-EYED SNEARS,
AND
NIGHTMARISH APARTMENT-HUNTING-FEARS
THE RIGHT ABODE WILL EVENTUALLY BE FOUND
WE
LOVE
YOU
MOM AND DAD AND LELAND TOO OXOOXXO

3:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

When Erin and Katie were little girls, they believed (with a bit of help from me) that they possessed magical powers. Everytime we would approach a traffic light while riding in the car, they knew if they shouted "bippity boppity boo" in a loud and commanding way, they could change the traffic light from red to green. Amazing that it worked everytime! It might have taken a few extra shouts with the windows rolled down, but eventually the light heard our command and changed to green for us!
Magically things happen!
Be persistent, believe, and hollar out the windows if you must!! That apartment will appear!!!
Love, Mom oxoxoxo

3:18 PM  

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