Delayed, but not denied

I wrote a couple of days ago about getting ready to move to the city. Since then, I’ve viewed apartments, and actually saw something that was billed as a “two room studio” that was bigger than some of my friends’ one bedroom apartments. It was where I wanted to be and the price was really reasonable (for Manhattan). So I feel good about that.

But I was looking over my expenses and realized that while I could afford an apartment now, it would be smarter to unload my consumer debt while I have fewer fixed monthly costs. To that end, I’ve already paid off a couple of accounts I could have zeroed out earlier, and have set myself to do better about paying off my remaining bills. It’s kind of scary when I look at how much money I make per year, and realize how little I have to show for it, aside from clothes, shoes, and yarn.

My mother, of course, is thrilled, because that means that I’ll be in the immediate area longer, and that gives her more time to try to convince me that living in New Jersey is the way to go. My father, who I thought was on my side or just didn’t care, seems to have sided with her, as had my aunt. Traitors.

The Hunt Begins

The gym and my yoga studio were closed over the weekend for the fourth of July holiday, but I got plenty of exercise walking all over northern Manhattan looking at rooms for rent. I met several cool people, and some strange ones, but ultimately decided that I can’t really contemplate living with another person right now. I’ve made appointments with a bunch of Realtors (must! capitalize! the! R!!!) to see if they can show me anything that I might want to live in.

My mother, who actually leaves me alone most of the time, has decided that she wants to help me find an apartment – in New Jersey. Suddenly she’s giving phone numbers and having me call people. I’ll do it, but if the price is the same for an apartment in New Jersey as one in Manhattan, why would I stay in NJ? What does the Garden State have to offer me anymore? Most of my local friends live in NY, and I do want to live in the city at least one time before my eventual untimely demise.

I have had friends who searched for months before finding what they want, so I know that I may need to exercise patience and caution. I have been looking all over (craigslist, real estate agencies, yahoo real estate), and think I stumbled across my first scam! Whoopee! There’s no way that a one-bedroom apartment in The Magellan costs only $1,000. Here’s the real web site for that property. One-bedroom apartments in that builiding are more likely to cost $2,000+. I wrote back the contact person saying as much, and also forwarded his initial response to me to The Magellan. Wouldn’t it be great if their gratitude extended to renting me a 1b for $1,000? Great, but not likely. I won’t hold my breath!

I’m at the point where my real estate search is still fun and interesting, as opposed to tedious and annoying. Plus, all this walking has got to be good for my legs!