Monday, May 23, 2011

WE GOT THIS ONE!!!... and other stressful stuff...

So you might remember me mentioning that we were approved for an apartment, but then there were issues with the whole needing money NOW NOW NOW to get the apartment and whatnot?  And how the first brokers we used to try to get the first place we found made us put down an entire month's rent as a "good faith" deposit?  Well here's how all this has played out so far, because in NYC Real Estate... the nightmare never ends!

So last Wednesday morning I went and saw an apartment on the upper west side.  The new roommate had mentioned that she liked it, but it was weird, so I should go see it.  So I did, and I liked it too!  But there was already an application on it... the good news there was that it wasn't a desirable application, and we had a pretty good shot.  So I went back to the office and put in the application.  But because we all know that it's not set in stone until Moses does his thing, I went to look at another apartment over my lunch break.

This one was much further up, at 92nd street, which was a bit further than I had wanted to venture.  It's DEEP in the 2nd avenue subway line construction and in a weird part of the city.  But I thought I'd go look.  I met Max, the broker, on a beautiful and quiet tree lined street.  It looked promising.  We waited for the guy that Max and Co. had FINALLY made an appointment with!... and waited.... and waited... and made multiple phone calls to and were told he was "on his way"... And then it had been 30 minutes.  No sign of random guy.  My lunch break was over and I had at least a 30 minute train ride back to the office. I was PISSED!  Then we find out....

Ready for this?

THE APARTMENT RENTED AN HOUR BEFORE I GOT THERE.

As in, before I left the office to see the place, it was rented.  As in I wasted a ton of time and stress getting there, as in I was late to work after lunch for no reason at all. 

While we were waiting for the guy that was never going to show up, I asked Max for the second time how we would get our deposit back (his company was currently holding $2150 from my future roommate and me.  NOT COOL.)  Max's response went something like this:

Max: Well if you like this place we won't have to return it because we'll just use it for this place!

Me: Right, but if I don't like this place, then how do we get it back?

Max: Well you have to like this place, or we don't have anything else to show you.

Me: OK, but in the event that I decide NOT to spend over $2000 per month of our hard earned money on this place, how do I get it back?

Max: I'm not sure I'll have to ask.

So.  Yeah.  Helpful. 

I decided to take a cab back (Another $16 this stupid realty company cost me), and in the car I talked to Flo (the future roommate).  She had found out that we had to go into the broker's office, Monday through Friday between the hours of 10am and 5pm to get the refund.  No exceptions, no extensions. 

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!  For a company that had no problem TAKING our money at 7pm on a Saturday, they are certainly making it difficult to get it back.

Well, I couldn't go that day.  I don't get out of work until 6, and I had already taken a lunch break and a half.  So I would go the next day, Thursday.

And so I did.  And there were no issues.  I got down there, got the refund issued with receipts in hand, and headed to the bank to get the check issued for the apartment I looked at on Wednesday morning that we were approved for!!

But no.  The money hadn't cleared in my account that quickly (my excitement got the better of me) and so I had to wait.  But... like... uh oh.

We had said we'd go to drop off the checks on Thursday night so that we could sign the lease before the weekend and be good to go!  But now we don't have the money back yet.  And I was waiting on my mom's check to arrive on Friday morning for my last 1/2 of the money.

Oh.

Geez.

So we put off the signing until Friday after work and bought ourselves a little time. 

Friday I still didn't have the money in my account.  I called the brokers and they assured me that it would be in my account by the weekend or Monday at the latest.  Monday is today. 

I didn't want to put off any more time on signing the lease.  Generally speaking, if a lease isn't signed by the weekend, the apartment is still fair game, and we would have lost it over the weekend for SURE.  So I went to the signing.  I explained the situation to the new broker and it was totally a non-issue.  We had 2 of the 3 checks, we signed the lease, we did a last walk through and we were all set to turn in the last check on Monday.

Today.

Guess what isn't in my account yet?

Guess who called to complain and was hung up on twice by two different people who cut me off, wouldn't listen to the issue or my questions, and made it very clear how unimportant I was to them. 

When I spoke to the owner of the company he was slightly less rude, except for one small dig but whatever.  He tried to tell me that since I had turned my back on the brokers, they tend to get their feelings hurt and take it personally.

Um.

Need a tissue?

A cookie?

Nap time?


SERIOUSLY!?!  They get their feelings hurt because they were unable to show me an apartment I liked other than 1 that fell through and I happened to find another on my own and THEY take it personally?!  I'm told I have to like an apartment or there aren't any more, and THEY get upset?! 

Sorry kids! Welcome to THE PROFESSION YOU ACTIVELY CHOSE TO BE IN!  Guess what?  Here in NYC, people use 16 brokers, and you better bust your ass to make sure I take an apartment you show me.  When you waste 3 hours of my time and I only see 2 crappy apartments, I'm sorry but No.  You want to make $4000 off of us for showing us places?  You better do a damn good job because that's what I make in 6 weeks of 45 hours per week of work! 

So yeah.

We're still... working that out. 

I had hopes that it would come through tonight by close of business, but that's not looking like it will happen.  If it's not through tomorrow I might actually lose my shit.  Seriously.

On happier, more positive, good karma notes, LOOK AT MY SUPER COOL PLACE THAT I'LL BE LIVING IN BY JUNE 1!!!



This is my bedroom.  This is facing away from the wall next
to my private entrance into my room.  There is 1 of the 2
closets I have :)


This is facing from the windows.  On the left is the
second closet, behind that is the private entrance.
The doorway on the right leads into the bathroom.
Say "Hi" to our broker!
And if you look directly to my right you will see....


My fireplace!  That's right, I have a decorative, exposed brick,
original fireplace in my bedroom!  YAY!

This is our quirky bathroom... it has it's own stage!
This is the view coming from my room.  The appliances
are navy blue, not black.  So I'm thinking nautical tones
(white, natural wood, etc.) in here.


This is from the other direction.  That stained glass looking window
actually opens up into my room which is either
cool or kind of creepy...


Next is the kitchen.  This is walking into it from the bathroom. 
The floor is emerald green tiles and the cabinets are a tan-ish
yellow color.  Very '70's... lends itself easily to an Irish Pub
theme... Just sayin..

From the other view.  It looks really small here, and in
comparison to my current kitchen it is small.  But it actually is
enough space for us both to be in there at the same time if
we need to be.



Here is our living room which we think was intended to be
a dining room.  But we would rather have a common living space.

Here's from the other corner of the living room.
Again, I know it looks small!  But it is plenty big to have
my TV and stand, plus a couch and a trunk for
a coffee table.  So we'll be good!  And you can see
a little corner of the green tile in the kitchen here...

And finally here's Flo's room!  There are 2 big windows and
chandelier.  No closets, but she has some ideas for that.

And Flo's room from the windows looking in toward
the living room.  Her private entrance is on the right,
which you can't see.
 So there it is!  So cool right!  I already have paint swatches and dreams of Homegoods shopping trips dancing in my head!  There are a few necessities we need to get, so I see some decorating planning in our future, although Flo keeps saying that she feels like I'd be better at that than she is.  I don't know about that, but from one control freak to the audience that reads her, if she wants to let me make all those decisions it is just FINE by me!

One thing we have to decide is, if you notice in the last picture above, Flo has no door to her actual bedroom from the living room.  That doorway is HUGE!  The building is pre-war, and those floors in the living room and Flo's bedroom are original 1920s hardwood floors.  Cool right?? We are probably going to just put up a tension rod with some cool curtains for now.  But we have chatted about paying to install some tall, thin French Doors which I think would be amazing in that space.

We love this apartment because it has so much character!  And for two women who are pretty independent, having our bedrooms at opposite ends of the apartment and our own entrances makes it just that much more wonderful. 

I'm sure there will be a million more posts about this place as we get decorating and painting and whatnot.  But I am REALLY  excited about this!

Now, I hate to do this, but I must ask once more that you pray to whatever or whoever you pray to that these stupid funds come through!  Your praying or chanting or pagan sacrifices worked in the past, so keep up the good work!  I know that I already have the apartment and as long as I get the money in this week we're good.  But I feel bad and like I'm ducking the broker so that I can buy my stupid, annoying, rude other broker more time for the funds to go through!  GRRR!

Happy thoughts... Happy thoughts.... :)

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