Apartment-Blocked!

[evilhippo]

Dear Universe,

I wanted to look at apartments today. I hope you have something good up your sleeve, because it's very suspicious that the dozens of people I have called and e-mailed in the last week haven't gotten back to me, and that the apartment finding service who refused to make an appointment for me over the phone because walk-ins would be fine made me make an appointment for next week when I walked in.

I wonder if this is some kind of karmic retribution for being afraid to take that cute place in Pilsen. Are you angry, universe, that I'm frightened of roommates who are significantly older than me in combination with a complete lack of trees and two feline threats to the poor adopted rat I also house? Surely there's a good roommate out there for her.

I don't understand why every year, it gets harder to find an apartment. I am even looking at sublets. It should not be this difficult! Especially since I can afford a lot more than I used to. I mean, really, I'm not looking for a 2-bedroom that's less than $900 a month anymore. Nor am I looking for one that's less than $1200 (which was, ridiculously, harder than finding the less-than-$900 place). Now I'm looking for a perfectly-standard sub-$700 studio. A studio! I don't even care that I won't actually have room to exist in this place. I am actually fine with lofting my bed and living underneath it, with absolutely no room for guests, because I'd really like my own place. But for some reason, the Chicago Apartment Gods have ordained that there will be NO available studios for less than about $900, unless I want to move to Rogers Park, which is basically Evanston and also No (almost entirely because I'm tired of hauling all my crap across the entire city every time I move, and the very idea makes me weep openly and without restraint).

A bit of logical triangulation identifies this sketchtastic listing as, at about a 73% probability, the horrendous, foreclosed-upon-by-me building next door. I'm wondering if I should ask to see the place, in case it's somehow involved in the universe's karmic retribution against me, so I can get it over with and move on. (No way, even taking karma into account, am I paying a non-refundable $400 to move in to anything (unless it's in outer-space, or at least another city, and the $400 is my one-way plane/space shuttle ticket out of here), let alone a building in administrative limbo.)

Please Let Me Move in Peace?
- evilhippo

Comments

[solitaryjane.livejournal.com]

Um, you didn't realize that studios cost a lot more than apartments, room-wise? A studio here is about $1200, while a 3-room apartment is like $1800. I don't think Chicago is that much better.

Good luck, man.

[evilhippo.livejournal.com]

Oh, I look at studios every year, so I know what they cost. (And they're disturbingly cheap on the north side. So much so that I won't even look at them, for fear of like, termite mounds or something terrifying in them.) I'm just frustrated that every one I've found that isn't insanely expensive is apparently attached to a voicemail or e-mail that no one checks.

random, but....

[lapheeluv.livejournal.com]

Hey, I happened upon your post and I am looking for someone to take over my apartment lease in November (or sooner, it's negotiable). It's a studio on the 25th floor of the Newport in Hyde Park for 730/month (all utilities except electricity included). It has a huge wall of windows that faces the lake. It's in pretty good condition too, with hardwood throughout, separate kitchen/bathroom. The appliances/bathroom are not updated, but they're pretty clean. I might be leaving my brand-new furniture too... I don't want to give up this place, I got it for a great deal, but I'm moving in with someone else :( Plus, it's got great amenities... If you are interested, give me an email at lapheeluv at gmail dot com. But anyway, good luck!