I can find a place. That's easy. There are hundreds of open apartments near my work that I can afford. And, maybe the answer is… just rent one and stop caring. But, I'd like to make one last attempt at finding something better than… average. I'm going to use a different kind of search engine: word of mouth.
Recommend something to me. Maybe you live there. Maybe you used to live there. Maybe you know someone who lives there. Maybe you know of a really good site for searching apartments. Maybe you know of some little known lofts. If you can, provide a link to a webpage with more info. If you can't just a name, address and phone number will do. Below is a list of what we're looking for. None of these things are set in stone. We're just looking for as many of them as possible.
- We'd like to live as close to Las Colinas as possible, since that's where I work. However, I don't mind driving up to 45 minutes each way if the apartment is worth it.
- We'd like to live close to restaurants and retail shops (or the dart rail) so that Jess wont require a car right away.
- I love to cook, so we want lots of counter space in the kitchen… or… a kitchen with enough floor space that I can add additional counter space myself.
- Jess really likes Garden Tubs. We have one now, and she absolutely loves it.
- I really like stand-up showers. They are easier to clean, take up less space, and I think they look nice.
- I'd prefer something other than carpet on the floors. Hardwood, ceramic tile, fake hardwood, laminate flooring, concrete… even plywood… anything really.
- I like lots of windows.
- I prefer one big open space to many tiny spaces.
- We only need one bathroom. However, if there is only one and the apartment has actual bedrooms, we'd prefer that people didn't have to walk through our bedroom to get to the bathroom.
- Washer/Dryer connections would be nice.
- Air Conditioning is preferred.
- We need a space to sleep in, a space to live in, a space to eat in, a space to cook in, a space to compute in, and a space to shit/shower/shave in. In most cases, this corresponds to a 2 bedroom apartment with a kitchen, a dining room and a living room.
- I like high ceilings.
- We'd like to pay no more than $900/mo.
- Town Homes, Lofts, Urban Lofts, and studios are all "different" in our eyes since we've never lived in them.
- A unique floor plan with lots of unique things catches my eye. Skylights. Sunrooms. Bookshelves. Greenhouse windows. Bay windows. Half-walls. Bathroom windows. Staircases.
- We want to be relatively safe.
If you are responsible for selecting our next apartment, when we throw our housewarming party, you will be the honored guest.
I could draw the floorplans and list the features of 90% of the apartment complexes in DFW in my sleep. Not because I've seen them all (although, I'm rapidly coming closer to being able to say that I have) but because they are all the same. All I want is something different.
The only thing "different" that I can find in this area is that some apartments are nicer and more richly appointed than others. So, we figured that was a place to start. Jess and I scoured the metroplex and finally found a place that we both really liked.
It has some pros and it has some cons, just as everything else in life does. First, the cons:
- It costs $50 more than I have ever paid for an apartment. If you remove the cost of the apartment I am currently living in, then it costs $150 more than any apartment I have ever lived in.
- It's in North Plano. As North as you can go and still be in Plano. That means I have a 45 minute drive to work every morning, and I can't see Jess for lunch everyday as I do now.
- The closest usable freeway is the Dallas Tollway. This means that I'll have to add about $40/mo in toll expenses unless I want to drive out of my way extending my commute time.
- It's 40 minutes (without traffic and going ABOVE the speed limit) from my parents house, 20 minutes from Dallas, and almost an hour from Fort Worth. In other words… it isn't close to anything but itself.
- If you add up the increase in rent, the toll costs, and the cost of additional gasoline it's like getting a pay cut of $0.72/hr. If you factor in the cost of my time to drive everyday (assuming that my time is worth what I get paid for it at my place of employment) then it's like getting a $5.50/hr pay cut. Of course, my time isn't really worth that much… I'm just using it as an illustration.
- The living room is smaller than I'd like.
- It isn't within walking distance to places of employment for Jess, which means we have to buy another car… soon.
On the good side however:
- Of all of the floor plans I've ever lived in, it is my favorite. The layout is wonderful.
- The kitchen is HUGE.
- It has both a stand-up shower, and a garden tub, which makes both Jess and I happy.
- All of the appointments are upgraded. Ceramic tile in the Kitchen. Berber carpet everywhere. Crown Molding. Tile back splash in the kitchen. Delta faucets. Beautiful countertops.
- It's got a HUGE patio.
- The community itself is beautiful.
- Even though it isn't close to Dallas, there is LOTS to do within a 10 minute drive: 2 malls, lots of restaurants, walking trails, nature areas, etc, etc.
In the search for something different, we found luxury. Unfortunately, everyone is giving me negativity about the choice we've made:
- Joel says it's too far away and doesn't make any sense to live way out there. He'd prefer that we live closer to him.
- My mom thinks we should find a place in Keller, so we can be closer to her. She thinks the rent is too high, the drive is too far, and the toll road access is ridiculous.
- Rachel pointed out that we could most likely find an apartment just as nice much closer to where I work, since they aren't paying much more than we would be and they have a very nice place.
I don't mind the negativity. I'd rather know upfront that I've considered everything than to realize I haven't in the end. Unfortunately, everything seems so normal and unappealing.
In a perfect world, we wouldn't spend more than $700/mo on an apartment. However, unless we either settle for a one bedroom, live far away from my work, or live in the ghetto… that just isn't possible. However, there are some places to be found for $750. And an unlimited number of options for $850.
Unfortunately, apartment search engines don't let me search the way I want to search. On top of that, the prices advertised are ALWAYS higher than the going rate, so you have to set your limits higher and call everyone to see what the actual price is.
So… with all of these new things to consider, I'm starting to wonder if maybe there isn't something better or closer or cheaper out there.
Can you help?
