Housing update: 2006 move
Aug. 31st, 2005 01:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danaerisI'm in the midst of negotiating a possible household with some nifty folk who I've run into here and there online, but only recently met in person.
Thus far, it appears that we are almost completely compatible; all that remains is for us to spend lots of time hanging out and see how we all get along. Also, I must meet their owner, and see if I'm allergic.
If this works out, we'll be looking to move in together sometime after January. This has the disadvantage of being in 4-5 months, but it has the advantage of giving me a chance to save up more money before I give up the cheap rent-ness that is my parent's place. Also, to get my body back to a stable point, and to lose more weight.
The petulant part of me wants to move sooner, but the practical part of me is very happy with the time frame.
There will be four or five of us. Finding a place that comfortably fits that many people will be tough, but if we're in no rush, it should be possible. And, my impression is that they are more willing to be towards the western end of TO than some other folks I've spoken with, who will go no further west than Dufferin, or in some cases, Christie. That will expand our options a LOT.
If you've rented a 4+ bedroom in TO, or know someone who has, we need your advice!
I'm wondering how you or your friends found the place in question. I see the occasional listing on Craigslist and on viewit.ca and similar sites, but not very many.
Thus far, it appears that we are almost completely compatible; all that remains is for us to spend lots of time hanging out and see how we all get along. Also, I must meet their owner, and see if I'm allergic.
If this works out, we'll be looking to move in together sometime after January. This has the disadvantage of being in 4-5 months, but it has the advantage of giving me a chance to save up more money before I give up the cheap rent-ness that is my parent's place. Also, to get my body back to a stable point, and to lose more weight.
The petulant part of me wants to move sooner, but the practical part of me is very happy with the time frame.
There will be four or five of us. Finding a place that comfortably fits that many people will be tough, but if we're in no rush, it should be possible. And, my impression is that they are more willing to be towards the western end of TO than some other folks I've spoken with, who will go no further west than Dufferin, or in some cases, Christie. That will expand our options a LOT.
If you've rented a 4+ bedroom in TO, or know someone who has, we need your advice!
I'm wondering how you or your friends found the place in question. I see the occasional listing on Craigslist and on viewit.ca and similar sites, but not very many.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2005-08-31 06:27 pm (UTC)Since I've done lots of communal living, please be careful. Make sure the person responsible for bills is indeed responsible. I moved in with best friends, and they spent all the rent money on drugs, and we moved out and hardly spoke to them again. I heard that a month after, they were kicked out.
Only one piece of advice I can offer to protect yourself is to make sure that no bills are in your name, and if they are, put restrictions on them so other household people can't rack up a huge bill of some sort, like long distance, etc. It's better to not trust than to trust and risk your credit rating, believe me...like I said, I was screwed over by my best friends at the time, so if they can do it, anyone can.
I hope your deal goes much better than ours. I'm now paranoid to live with anyone else other than
no subject
Date: 2005-08-31 06:37 pm (UTC)The bills may HAVE to be in my name, since I'm partially self-employed and will want to deduct them on my tax returns. But, for instance, I usually insist on the landline having long distance turned off. You can get calling cards for that, or use your cellphone. If I started doing a lot of reporting from home, I might get a small business long distance line that had a flat rate for the continent, in which case the long distance issue would again be a moot point, since there wouldn't be any additional charges.
I expect that we'll end up paying between 400-600 per person, but for that price we'll get an entire house with backyard, in a prime location. Since I've never lived independently in a cheaper city, it seems normal to me. I'm sure if I had ever rented in Winnipeg (or in Hamilton where my parents are living) I'd feel differently. But then, in Hamilton I'd need a car to maintain the kind of social life I want. In TO, I can get a bus pass for $100 and that covers nearly all my transportation needs!
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, though. I guess you live and learn. :-/
no subject
Date: 2005-08-31 08:21 pm (UTC)At any rate, good on yah! I get concerned over silly things sometimes ^_^
You pay $100 a month for bus pass? Wow, and I thought $70.00 was bad o_O
I'm sure we'll be pying $100/m in the next few years though. lol
Damn government.
Renting
Date: 2005-09-06 04:48 pm (UTC)Re: Renting
Date: 2005-09-06 07:42 pm (UTC)Finding a five bedroom house is super tough. Finding a six bedroom house is even tougher. The more people we add, the tougher finding a house will be. Albeit, the cheaper living in said house will be. :) Even if added people are sharing bedrooms, the common space in such a house CAN get awfully cramped if we don't find someplace with lotsa space. And then there's the whole "waiting for the bathroom" problem. So, we should proceed with caution.
Having said that, with the number of people we've now got interested, I actually don't see any reason why we couldn't consider splitting into two households, and shopping for places super near each other. There are options to explore! Yay!
Yes, we should do dinner or something. I should look at your schedule again, and I should start using my yahoo calendar to good effect. :)