Life After College: Moving Up and Moving On

October 13, 2009 2:00 pm     Posted in Reality  Jenni - Syracuse g+ page

apartment-for-rent


By Jenni

Every once in a while I’m faced with making a big adult decision with huge consequences. I’m at the point where I’m spending my own money and should technically be able to handle life on my own, yet that doesn’t mean I have any idea what I’m doing.

This past week I went apartment hunting (much more fun than job hunting, but slightly less fun than duck hunting) and I learned that Realtors are not only the most desperate/clingy people ever to walk this earth, but they’re also willing to take advantage of anyone who doesn’t know what’s going on.

And that someone was most definitely me.

I toured Manhattan with my Realtor and nodded my head to everything he said. I wanted him to think I knew what I was doing. I should have noticed that the more I said yes to his requests, the more he was taking advantage of me. By the time I got to the last apartment he had me convinced that it’s standard procedure for doormen to fondle me as I walked in to different apartments and that my rent was actually going to be 1.5 what they said because he got half of my rent check every month.

It wasn’t until I went out with another Realtor that I found out that it doesn’t cost extra to get running water in your apartment. Needless to say, I felt like an idiot. However I was relieved to find out that i didn’t have to give up my first born in exchange for cable. One Realtor led to another and before I knew it I was signing a lease and committing myself financially for an entire year.

And from there it only got more expensive. I spent four years at school finding my furniture in dumpsters and my decorations in the dollar store. That doesn’t fly in New York; you have to pay for everything. Who knew mattresses cost so much? Answer: not me! And bed bug covers, the must-have accessories of 2009, cost about 10 dinners. Don’t even get me started on the bathroom…toilet paper, shower curtains, and soap. I’ve been surfing Craigslist trying to find good deals but at what point is it worth it to buy a new toilet brush?

But don’t worry. I’ve done a little re-figuring of my budget and if I never go out for the next year AND sell my extra kidney, I’m completely set to live the NYC life!

12 Comments on "Life After College: Moving Up and Moving On"

  1. Alysia says:
    Tue, 13th Oct 200910:38 am 

    I'm sure that the whole "Realtors are not only the most desperate/clingy people ever to walk this earth, but they’re also willing to take advantage of anyone who doesn’t know what’s going on" line was just an angle you were trying to take on your article, but i feel compelled to raise a point.

    I've been in your shoes several times over the years, seeing that I myself live in a rental and I'm in my 2nd senior year of college, however, I am also a real estate agent and i would like to think of myself and a good deal of my colleagues as professional and compassionate people who take the time to educate their buyers/renters on the process of purchasing or renting a property. Most agents would never want to take advantage of someone, because let's face it, people aren't as stupid as one may think. Our business thrives on referrals and we all hope for the transaction to be as smooth as possible for all parties. You just had the unfortunate luck of having a scumbag represent you.

  2. Lauren - University says:
    Tue, 13th Oct 200912:08 pm 

    Maybe you're like that, Alysia, but I have also dealt with some really shady realtors who just wanted to get me to sign a lease and didnt listen to what I really wanted and needed.

  3. Shar says:
    Tue, 13th Oct 20091:11 pm 

    At least you got away from that scumbag before he totally scammed you (and any of your friends whom you may have chosen to live with!) Now you've learned again,(you will continue to learn this well into middle age) don't believe anything anyone tells you – especially when they're trying to sell you something. But you were right to "yes" him until you got away from him…then verify, verify, verify before committing.

    Enjoy your new apartment!

  4. Jenny says:
    Tue, 13th Oct 20094:58 pm 

    Alysia – The first realtor I did business with was like you. :) He was honest about the apartments and very helpful, and we did end up renting one of the apartments that he showed to us. Unfortunately, the landlord company totally sucks. D:

    It was so hard for me to buy everything I needed for my apartment last year – everything costs so much and you need everything RIGHT NOW. :P But the good news is that in a year's time, you'll be spending a lot less on home furnishing and decorating. So no worries. The worst is over. :)

  5. Amanda says:
    Wed, 14th Oct 200912:14 am 

    How do you know so little about apartments after you have already graduated from college? I am not understanding why everything (apartment hunting, cost of items, etc) seems so new to you.

  6. rose says:
    Wed, 14th Oct 20096:10 am 

    Alysia I'm sure that whole "I’ve been in your shoes several times over the years, seeing that I myself live in a rental and I’m in my 2nd senior year of college" is just an angel your trying to take in your post but I find that I must interject. I would be concerned if you've graduated from a 4 year communications school a number of times and then entered a terrible job market and have been moving from one unpaid internship to another as you try and rent an apartment with 4 friends. And if that truly was the case I am not sure how comfortable I would be if you were my real estate agent….I mean your still in school and lord knows I remember the wild times I had in my 2nd senior year. Also its not your 2nd senior year its your 5th year so who is deceiving who now? Realtors….all the same.

    Amanda I am not sure what online university tricked you into thinking that your college experience was normal but lemme burst the DeVry bubble. At college you have dorm food, $2.50 pitches of Miller and the bookstore and thats where the bulk of your money goes. You get away with wearing sweats or leggings to class and maybe once a week you can get a new top at H&M or Charlotte Russe. You take any other necessities like toilet paper and garbage bags from the library or your sorority house and the term business casual attire has not even entered your vocabulary yet. Therefore it is a bit of a shock to move and start a new job and suddenly be one the hook for most of these items because wearing tattered Chucks to work just wont cut it. Also Amanda I know the rent stabilization at your parents house must be great but apartments are a lot cheaper in Syracuse NY then NYC so there would be another reason why the author may have struggled with apartment hunting.

  7. Emma says:
    Wed, 14th Oct 20097:11 pm 

    I'm with rose on this one. It's a hard knock life.

  8. rose says:
    Thu, 15th Oct 20096:30 am 

    Amanda outta left field with the hostility…. this is supposed to be a forum of free thought and expression and here you're using aggressive words like scum and plant. I would have expected more class from a DeVry graduate but alas kids these days.

    First before you start insulting random groups of people I would make sure you’re not alienating the authors fan base. Who knows this blog could be very popular among retarded trannies from Thailand so don’t be surprised if you start getting random colorful angry misspelled emails. Also someone from Thailand probably has a pretty good idea of what things cost over here since most of our stuff come from Thailand anyway.

    And obviously things cost more in the city but that doesn't suddenly mean you have the money to pay for them as much as The Secret would like you to believe. The authors point is that your thriftier in college then you realize and the adjustment to real world expenses is hard. I may have lived in a dumpster (great location right next to the bars and bam no more stealing trash bags) but you’re clearly living in a bubble so get off your high horse (didn’t know they had equestrian at DeVry).

    Now I never asked you for any personal information but seeing as you want to know more about me here it is. The kind of plant I live in is a eucalyptus tree, I enjoy the smell of it and rent is relatively cheap but don’t even get me started on my neighbors (Koalas!). As for my university I was one of the lucky few to attend Scumtran University in Thailand, which is known for their masters business program. And I never knew you could be blacklisted INTO educating certain types of people, only be blacklisted FROM educating certain types of people so I will pass your suggestion along to our chancellor Chancy Bantor.

  9. Amanda says:
    Thu, 15th Oct 20095:03 pm 

    rose: LMFAO!!!!! Seriously????? Talk about killing a pathetic attempt at a joke. Wow. Do you like work for Devry or something???? What the fuck is your fascination with it? LMFAO. Don't try to be a comedian with jokes. You suck. Just go up on stage and have your repulsive appearance make people laugh at you fat pig. You should have been aborted before birth. Rose? LMFAO!!!!!! Did you parents already have a kid named sunflower and tulip? Fucking loser scum!!!!!!!! Hahahaahaha

  10. rose says:
    Fri, 16th Oct 20095:50 am 

    OMGYG2BK Amanda LoL. You do have a way with words and abbreviations that just makes me ROLF and want to brb from my job at DeVry. And Amanda do you even have to ask what my fascination with DeVry is? I mean they offer Bachelor's, Master's, & Associate degree programs within Colleges at over 90 locations!!!! But you already know that seeing as its your alma mater OMG JK LOL!!!! But I digress…lets talk about your latest post.

    You say I’m not a comedian but from the looks of things you LMFAOed at least 3 times! Sounds like I killed it onstage even with that paper bag over my head. As for the fat pig part don’t be so quick to point your pudgy little finger at me because apparently you can afford to laugh 3 of your asses off and have more to spare. So you should be a little more grateful that I helped you burn off some of that JIYT (junk in your trunk…new abbreviation use it!!) Now I am a little concerned about your abortion knowledge…any abortion after birth is called murder so just try and repress that 3ed grade memory where your mom tried to abort you before she realized it was a little too late. As for my siblings your right I do have two but their names are Thorn and Bret Michaels so just try and make a joke out of that. In your case I would have to guess your brothers name is inspector gadget and your sister Nancy Drew because how else could you know so much about me???!!! (fingers crossed your dad is Mr. Bean)

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