Mountains Speak: September 2008

OK, so false alarm on the previous "we have a home" post. We did put money down on a place we had found on carigslist, but when we finally got to check the place out, we realized that we could not fit half of our stuff in this apartment. It was under 500 square feet and the bedroom was literally less square feet than the closet in our old apartment. Not cool. This all went down on Wednesday. And then the apartment search began.

We spent Wednesday afternoon, all Thursday and all Friday switching between Craigslist, Apartment Finder magazine and just dropping in on apartment complexes. We were looking for an apartment that was at least 700 square feet, that could be readdy by the first week of October, was listed at a reasonable price and was at least one step above a hell hole. To say that this was easier said than done is a complete understatement. Our search was disastrous.

Sean ran into one apartment to ask about availability, and found a very scruffy male landlord wearing a very female wig and outfit. We really liked one place until we drove around the neigborhood and read the reviews (apparently often smelled like urine, drunk people sleep in the hallways). Then there was the adorbale townhome that we loved and filled out the application for. When we rent to write our checks, the landlord decided to mention that the last tenants left because of bedbugs, but we could get an exterminator to come by every ninety days. We and Kas couldn't be in the house for twenty four hours after that, you know, because of the chemicals. Or the guy who told us that we could have the penthouse for the price we were looking for on the day we were looking for, gave us a tour of the building,let us fill out the applications and then casusually mentioned that that specific apartment wouldn't actually be ready until October 25th, but for three hundred dollars more a month we could move in next week! There was another apartment we found on Craigslist and, frankly, it should not be legal for these people to post pictures that dissimilar to the actual property. The pictures showed lovely granite countertops, new kitchen electronics, beautiful hardwood floors etc. When we got to this place, the mold growing on the walls could actually be smelt outside of the door. There was nothing newer than twenty years in the apartment...it was just disgusting.

Literally I was in tears by Friday afternoon, convinced we would never find anything that met our needs. By the time we were handed an application with an EPA brochure on lead paint (and a contract that you signed stating that you were warned of the potential lead paint and asbestos dangers) we decided to up our price range and check out the building a couple of our buddies live in. The tour was a godsend - complete with snacks and sodas, which were much needed after an entire day of not eating and just hitting the pavement. Just walking in, we felt the difference from the palces we had been looking at. Our new apartments, www.uptownvillageapts.com, are right in downtown, just a few block from 16th street mall. They've got saunas, workout room, concierege service, fresh baked cookies on Wednesdays and the perfect apartment! We move in Monday! We are on the fourth floor and look out on Logan street. The pictures up top are of our building. Our buddies are in another tower on the 14th floor, these pictures are from their deck