This past Saturday  I finally moved into my new apartment with my old best friend. We started out apartment hunt June 1^st…looked at over 20 apartments, and finally found one we liked. It’s a work in progress.

Before June I knew nothing about looking for apartments, we had no idea what to expect the first time we saw one. It was pretty frightening. It didn’t help that we both grew up in the suburbs and had no idea what it was like to live, let alone rent an affordable apartment, in a city.

Needless to say I’ve learned a thing for two about hunting for apartments that I wish I had known about a month ago, like research neighborhoods before you drive to them and waste gas money.

So in order to help all of our readers I thought I would put together a few things I’ve learned along the way to help you all in search of your first (second, or third) place:

Oil vs Electric vs Gas Heat: Luckily this was one of the things my ex-boyfriend told me early on, “Make sure you get gas heat, it’s wicked cheap” however, I ended up finding an apartment with oil. But regardless, and for the most part (well depending on where you live), the price of heat goes like this: electric is the most expensive, oil is the second most expensive, and gas is the cheapest. Just something to keep in mind when looking at non-utility inclusive apartments.

Neighborhood: Just because it’s a wicked cute apartment, does not make up for the fact that someone was shot outside of it a week ago. Be smart about where you chose to live, and remember you’ll have to sleep there at night. It’s kind of funny, because almost all of these guidelines I’m giving you I did the opposite. We ended up moving to Brockton, which doesn’t have the best rep, that’s not to say we’re in the worst part of it (thankfully avoided that) but we’re also not in the best part either..more like on the fringe of both in no mans land.

Listen to your gut: If you have a bad feeling about the apartment..doesn’t matter what it is, listen to it. Your first instinct about a place is usually right,  even if the price is perfect, location is great..if you just have a bad feeling about it, run…well walk to your car and then drive away. We knew the moment we stepped into our apartment that we were home, it even had a connecting door between the two bedrooms (a big seller for people who have shared a room for three years)

Be open: You will not, repeat, will not find your dream apartment. Carrie’s apartment from Sex and The City was a set, I know because I looked into it. You will find something cute as long as you refuse to settle for something that smells like cat pee and may or may not have a blood stain (or three) in the closet. But you need to keep your options open. Just because something it’s disgusting and needs to be updated on the outside, doesn’t mean it isn’t adorable and waiting to be loved on the inside.

Bills Bills Bills: I know this is going to make me sound like a complete air head, but I had NO idea how many bills there were when renting an apartment. I highly suggest finding an apartment with utilities included, it will make your life so much easier. Right now we have to deal with a bill from the electric company, Comcast, oil company (which we have to find and set up ourselves), gas company (our stove is gas :\)..it’s endless. And that’s not including our other bills like Netflix, cell phone and car insurance..yay to growing up.

Off street parking: is so freakin’ important. If you can find an apartment building in a city that has off street parking..count your blessings. It’s so important to find off street parking, not only does it guarantee your car not being hit by on coming traffic, but it also guarantees you will not have to move it for street cleaning..which if you forget about sucks.

Find a good landlord: When you are looking for an apartment, it’s important to also look for a good landlord. Your landlord should be someone you can get along with, trust to come over and fix something in your apartment, and  depend on when things go wrong. You can usually get a pretty good sense of how one will be from your first meeting, and if not just ask what they are willing to do.

Hopefully these tips help you on your search! Let’s turn things over to you guys: What other tips do you have? What was the worst part about apartment hunting? What was your favorite part? 

Summer is about halfway through, which means before you know it, everyone will be gearing up to head back to campus (sad, I know). However, it’s still far enough away from the start of school that it’s the perfect time to start looking for an apartment if you’re planning on living off campus this semester. Most of your classmates probably won’t start looking for a few more weeks, so if you begin now, you’ll have a head start and better chances of finding a great place before someone else snags it.

I know from experience that apartment hunting isn’t the easiest or most fun process in the world. There’s a lot out there, and it can be a challenge to sift through all of it to find one that fits all that you’re looking for in terms of rent price, size and location. Thankfully, there’s a solution that helps you quickly and easily sort through apartment listings in any local area: Padmapper.

Padmapper streamlines your apartment search by taking apartment listings from Craigslist, Aparments.com, and elsewhere on the web and plots them on a Google map. This helps you see instantly what’s available locally and cut out anything outside of your desired area.

Click on any pinpoint on the map and a balloon will pop up with details of the property for rent, including number of bedrooms and bathrooms, rental price, type of lease, and pictures (if posted). You can also click the link at the top of the balloon to go to the website where the listing is posted to learn more.

Padmapper also lets you filter your results, to easier find a place that fits your criteria perfectly. You can filter by minimum and maximum rental costs, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, type of lease, and more. If that wasn’t cool enough, the site also has advanced filters, including overlays showing commute times, mass transit, recent crime in the area, and the location’s Walk Score (how walkable it is to local shops and restaurants).

With all of Padmapper‘s helpful features, you’ll find your new place in no time!

I don’t know about every other college out there, but here at UT it’s time for people to start planning their living arrangements for the fall. Some people greet this time with the panic of trying to find a decent place to live that isn’t a ga-billion dollars, while others are excited for their first apartment with their best friends (no matter how much it costs). However, for those who’ve been in a relationship for quite a while, this time might be a time to take a big step forward and ask “what if I just lived with my boyfriend?”

As most of you know, this is the route I took. I went from dorm rooms my freshman and sophomore years to living with Matt now in my junior year. It’s been quite a trip and I definitely have some things to share about living with your significant other. Before you take the plunge, it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into. Allow me to help.

First of all, let me say that I absolutely love living with Matt. I love waking up next to him, even if he has stinky morning breath. (I’ll admit, my morning breath is actually in all likelihood worse than his). That being said, let’s walk through the ups and the downs of cohabitation:

Up: Living with your boyfriend is a great way to save money. One bedroom places are already the cheapest on the market and you can make it even cheaper by sharing that one room.
Down: Living with your boyfriend is a great way to eliminate any and all secrets. While Matt and I are very open with each other, there are things that I don’t want him seeing me do (ahem lip waxing ahem).
Tip: One bedroom apartments are the perfect amount of space for a couple. Studio apartments are not.

Up: Your boyfriend will always be there. Of the two years I spent in the dorms, the worst part was always the one mile walk to Matt’s dorm on the other side of campus. I always thought, “You know, if we just lived together we wouldn’t have to work our butts off just to see each other!”
Down: YOUR BOYFRIEND WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. Even at, oh say, 10 o ‘clock at night when you just got home from campus because your study session ran late and you haven’t had anything to eat all day and you come home to find that your boyfriend has drank all the alcohol and eaten the last two slices of bread.

Up: You’ve got your best friend by your side all the time, whether you want to watch movies, cook dinner, or…you know.
Down: But your other best friends, the ones you talk about this best friend with, are all the way across campus. And they’re always hanging out together, making memories and new inside jokes.

See? Living with the BF isn’t the super fun perma-sleepover you might think it will be. You really need to love somebody before you decide to put your relationship through that kind of stress. To be quite honest, I think I moved in with Matt a little early. He was the one who asked me to live with him, and while I wouldn’t change anything, I do kind of wish that I had lived on my own a little while before I settled in with Matt.

My biggest piece of advice is to make sure you don’t do something that you’re going to regret. If you want to be independent and live on your own, then by all means do it! Don’t be afraid of hurting your sig other’s feelings – you have to do what is right for you!

Moving in with your boyfriend is huge, so don’t enter into it lightly. Make sure you discuss everything that could come up, like who pays for what, one car or two, chore lists, etc. If you and your boyfriend decide that this is something you really want to do, then I wish you all the best of luck. Just make sure he restocks the Absolut when he finishes the bottle….

Happy Housing Hunting!

I’m sad to see February go (although quite happy to see Spring Break on the horizon!), especially considering the last action packed week filled with Olympic sports, a Tiger Woods apology, and absurd Chris Brown statements.

Did anyone else feel like it took especially long for this week to putter out?  I did, but maybe it had a little something with my sinuses (ew, I know).  Things are a whole lot different when you’re nursing a stuffy nose in college. Somehow, sick days just aren’t as fun as they used to be.

Luckily, with much sleep, tea and a serious Mad Men marathon, I’m feeling better already… and just in time for this weekend’s festivities. But before we get too excited to jump back into the world where sneezing is at a minimum (thank goodness) let’s focus on a week that was:

- (Sad face) Fashion Week has come to a runway strutting close.  We looked back on the five biggest trends that took over the catwalk.

- Although Fashion Week has ended, however, the Olympics (and my lack of production) has not.  Which has allowed us to ponder over a few ‘sports related’ arguments pertaining to The Games.  Namely, are those men on ice, sporting plunging neckline v-necks, really athletes?

- If you’ve had an embarrassing moment inserted into your agenda lately, you must read up on this.  I promise, it will make you feel better.

- Apartment hunting can be a shot in the dark sometimes; put some light on the subject.

- Speaking of hunting, where are all the good guys we’ve been searching for? They’re not in college and they’re definitely not in the real world.

- Remember those extremely massive, bulky, and leather infested shoes you used to wear (and always made you trip) in grade school? They’re back for round two.

- We wondered and (are still wondering) if the ‘I was drunk’ card can still be played to forgive and forget?

It is Friday, now time to sit down and relax and ad some quality (and guilt free) products to your bookmark tab.

1.    Who do you want to live with? Sure, you’re best friend is awesome to hang out with, and she’s promised to stay tidy and bake cookies every Saturday, but is she really going to hold up the deal? And even if she does, is it really the best idea to spend 24/7 with your BFF? When considering roommates, make sure you consider how you will live with someone and not just how you feel about that someone. There is a very big difference and knowing that could make or break your friendship.

2.    Where do you want to be? Location is the most important factor in real estate, so really think about where you want to be. Do you want to be close to class or close to your boyfriend? What is more important to you when you oversleep: a short walk, or being close to quality coffee? These are questions that only you can answer, but you should think your preferred location through before you get swept away by the in-house washer and dryer in an apartment on the wrong side of campus.

3. What do you need? So, yeah, a washer and dryer in your apartment would be the bomb.com, but do you need it? Is it worth sacrificing extra closet space? Would you pay extra for that? What about bathrooms? And living space? Make sure to sit down with your potential roommates and make a very clear list of what it is you want and need. This will keep you on track so you don’t end up spending extra on flashy stuff (like a fancy kitchen) when what you really need is ample parking.

4.   How much are you willing to spend? Sure, you can be a block from class, have your own bathroom, and park a foot from your door, but it’ll cost you. It’s important to assess pricing and know all the costs associated: electricity, parking, water, cable… A house may have cheap rent, but that price can skyrocket when you take everything else into account.

5.    When does your current lease end? In many college towns leases run from August through the following July. Unfortunately, dates aren’t always uniform, so make sure to keep this in mind. You don’t want to be kicked out July 28th with nowhere to go ‘til August 1st, or be stuck paying rent all summer when you won’t even be on campus.

Them’s the basics, now call around and get going!
If you have any other tips or advice for apartment hunters, leave them as comments!

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!

Here’s the thing: It ain’t easy being a broke college intern in New York City. So when my girlfriend Jenny’s sublet flaked out on her via email mere hours before she arrived in Manhattan for a summer internship, she threw herself back into Craigslist with a vengeance, scouring the site for affordable housing.

Naturally, when a $650 East Village sublet came up, two pairs of misshapen eyebrows raised in suspicion. (That would be hers and mine.) After all, I’m paying $900 for a room just a couple blocks away that’s smaller than my mother’s closet back in California — and already I considered that a steal.

The listing warned that there was a situation a potential subletter would have to be open-minded about. And open-minded we are; everyone knows that there’s always a catch when it comes to apartments in New York. You know, like, “I don’t have windows or a microwave,” or “there is no A/C and it’s hot as balls here in the summer.”

Turns out this was the catch: “We would like to maintain access to the bedroom in question. We lead an ‘alternative’ lifestyle and use the room to host gatherings and have photo/video shoots.”

Umm. That should have been warning enough, but a desperation for cheap housing is, when it comes down to it, a desperation for cheap housing. Off we went to check it out.

When we arrive to the building, Jenny calls Ryan, Man Behind the Craigslist Ad, who ignores several calls before finally picking up.

“Hello?”
“Hi, it’s Jenny here to look at your apartment?”
“Uh. Give me five minutes to clean up.”

We loiter outside on the curb, inspecting the menu to a Korean restaurant six minutes past awkward.

Finally, Ryan buzzes us up without much instruction.

After walking up several flights, we enter the apartment, which is outfitted in Asian décor – scroll paintings, Japanese room dividers and the works. It’s the stuff great (and by great I mean terrible) porno scenes are made of, down to the scented candles, ceiling mirrors, and deep red satin sheets.

I look down at the coffee table and experience a natural knee-jerk reaction to the collection of playthings neatly lined up on the coffee table. These are not your little brother’s toys: gags, nipple clamps, and some dangerous-looking contraptions I’d no way in hell put near my naked body. Thought the man was cleaning up?!

Ryan hastily grabs a huge black dildo and shoves it into the closest drawer, as if of all things, its presence might offend us.

“We’re just having a business meeting in here,” he gestures, as we open the door to two Japanese girls sitting in a midst of bongs and vodka bottles.  Next he tries to show us his web site, offering up graphically matching business cards to boot.

Despite attempting to casually avert our eyes, we learn that “penetration, whether vaginal, anal, or oral, is illegal and strictly forbidden.” However, “orgasmic release may be brought about in session.” Well, that makes everything better.

After that unnecessarily detailed exposé into his personal and professional life, we leave the place hastily, brutally scarred and determined to do serious background checks on any and all Craigslist aficionados, while chalking it all up to just another “only in New York” story.

One thing’s for sure: Jenny will not be living in a bedroom that doubles as an “intimate dungeon space” in which someone else’s “most innermost desires” are satisfied this summer. If that in itself weren’t traumatic enough, the fact that there’d be videographic evidence of strangers exploring their sexual fantasies in the comfort of her potential silky sheets floating around cyberspace pretty much sealed the deal.

It goes without saying that Ryan received a cursory email rejecting his er, generous, housing offer. Not to be deterred, he countered with: “Coffee?”

…

Let’s hear them, people. What’s your craziest Craigslist experience?

The only thing more stressful than graduating from college is finding that first apartment after graduation. I remember my first apartment hunt like it was yesterday. There was a lot of running, a lot of crying and a sh*t ton of begging my parents for money so I could afford to live in something that had closets and wasn’t a closet. After an emotionally draining 2 weeks of hunting, I finally found something.

And had to pay some dude $2,000 for it because he happened to unlock it for me when I went to see it.

My apartment was great… on the surface. In fact, it wasn’t until I moved in that I realized all the questions I neglected to ask. (Namely, “Does the family downstairs cook with road kill daily?”) Questions that were vital to truly finding the right apartment for my life. So, here are a few pointers for you, recent grads. The rules aren’t the same in every city, but I guarantee you will benefit from what I have to share.

1. Make a List: Not just a mental one, either. Write an actual list of the things you MUST have in an apartment and cannot live without. Not only will this serve as a checklist as you enter each apartment, but it will also keep you from getting side tracked by any temptations (a wine fridge? Fancy, but do you really need to chill that Boones Farm?) an apartment may have.

2. Get Advice: So, you may think ample closet space/proximity to a liquor store is the most important thing for your new place (and they both totes are for me), but you may also not realize the importance of some other amenities. Say, proximity to a grocery store. Or a laundry facility. Or a hospital. Being that we’ve never really lived on our own before, there are a lot of things we may not realize we need. Your parents do, so be sure to ask for their advice in the apartment hunting process.

3. Set Your Limit and Be Realistic: This may not be the case everywhere, but if you are moving into a big city the real estate agents can be, well, a-holes. The more expensive the apartment they put you in, the more money they make. And lord knows they will try and get you into the most expensive place they can think of. Don’t try to impress them by setting your rent limit higher than you can afford and don’t let them show you places you know are too much. You will be wasting your time or, worse, getting your heart set on something that will send you deep. into. debt. And it is not worth it. Speak up and make sure they know what you want and what you can afford.

4. Be Prepared: When you go out on that apartment hunt, be prepared. Bring a notebook, some check stubs, your social security card, checkbook and most recent bank statement. Some apartments go fast, so if you want it you will need to act on the spot. And that means proving your worth to that real estate company ASAP.

5. Be Mentally Prepared: This may not be true for all of you, but some of you are about to be very surprised about what apartments are like after college. It is not going to be like Friends (that apartment would be like $6,000 a month in NYC!) or that beauty of a place on How I Met Your Mother. In fact, it may be more like Harry Potter’s room under the stairs. The truth is, your first apartment will probably be small and cramped and over-priced. As long as you know that going in, you will be fine. If you’re expecting 2,000 square feet and a jacuzzi tub…well, prepare to be disappointed.

Also, be ready to scream/cry/drink heavily. Apartment hunting is not for the weak, so (wo)man up and find yourself somewhere to live. Just don’t forget to look for closets! I didn’t realize I was without them until my boxes were lining the walls and I had nowhere to hand my clothes.

Where to look – I’ve always found Craigslist to be the most valuable tool when apartment hunting. It’s important to check the site everyday, sometimes even multiple times a day, when you’re in the market for a place to live because the good ones get snatched up. Fast.

What to look for in a housing ad – First of all, do you want to live alone or with roommates? On Craigslist you can search for both, and there are other sites, like roommates.com, that are good. Also, trusty ol’ Facebook can be your friend (no pun intended). The second most important thing is price. Come up with a range, from the lowest you’re willing to spend (to weed out any sketchy ads for apartments with outdoor toilets, etc) and the maximum you can spend. This will keep you from looking longingly at pictures of apartments way out of your income level. And finally, look out for catch phrases: cozy = small, bachelor = no kitchen, 420 friendly = you’ll walk into a haze of pot smoke every time you come home.

What to look for when you’re viewing an apartment (a checklist):

1. Safety – Is the building secure? Are their bolts on the door? What floor is the apartment on? (First floor apartments are generally not a good idea unless the neighborhood is absolutely crime-free.) Are there people walking about or are the streets empty? It might be worth it to check out the neighborhood at night to see if you’ll feel comfortable there once the sun has set.

2. Neighborhood – So the neighborhood is safe, but does that mean it’s a cool place to be? Think of how important it is to you to be able to walk to shops, restaurants, the grocery store, etc. Also, how close is it to public transportation? Is a parking space included? How difficult is it to find street parking?

3. The apartment – Do you feel comfortable? Does it grab you? So much depends on gut instinct, listen to it. Walk around the space, take a few minutes to get acquainted with it, don’t let yourself feel rushed. Can you imagine where your bed would go?

4. Necessities – Is their air conditioning? Heating? Is there plenty of light? Do the windows open? Are there screens on the windows? Is there an adequate amount of storage, closet, counter, cabinet space? Is there laundry in the building? How much does it cost? What are the neighbors like?

5. Amenities – Pools, doormen, and gyms are all nice extras but really shouldn’t be a deal breaker. A dishwasher can also be nice, but it’s not worth renting a crappy apartment just so you don’t have to scrub your dirty plates by hand.

6. Final questions – Are utilities included? Is Internet and cable already hooked-up? Does parking cost extra? Is their an on site super or maintenance dude? What’s due at move-in? First and last month’s rent and a security deposit is typical. Is subletting allowed (in case you want to rent it out to someone else for the summer)? And last, but often most importantly, can you paint the walls?

I hope this helps! Good luck! And let me know if you find a great place using my advice.

Honda rolled out a brand-new feature in Japan on April 22nd—a built-in navigation add-on that points out questionable locales on maps. I have affectionately dubbed this feature the Sketchometer.

I don’t know how the system does it (does anyone? even Honda?), but its ability to pinpoint specific locations where car jackings and thefts have occurred in the past is more than a little freaky. I mean, what if you lived in one of those areas?

I wouldn’t want my fancy new car feature warning me not to go down the street where my favorite supermarket is or beeping whenever I drove within ten feet of anyplace nebulous.

From an objective standpoint, the feature really isn’t a bad idea. It’s great to know, for example, if you’re parked in a neighborhood where you should probably lock your doors. From a sane-person standpoint, though, it’s kind of absurd.

Are you really going to not drive to your friend’s house just because he lives in an unsavory part of town? No, and it’s going to be annoying that your Honda reminds you of just how sketch your friend is.

I suppose if you’re driving through a new place or searching for an apartment or something, Honda’s new navigation could be really useful. If you’re just scooping the loop around your hometown, though, who cares? Everyone already knows where the skeezy parts of town are without having a car tell them so.

Nice try, Honda—and maybe not a total failure. You’ve at least secured the paranoiacs as customers.