I’m not in the market for an apartment until next summer, but I’m trying to get a better grasp of what’s out there. Something incredibly frustrating is actually finding a place with multiple bathrooms; I want to share an apartment or house where I have my own bedroom but also my own bathroom. I have 0 interest in an otherwise perfectly furnished and recently updated house or apartment that’s a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom, or a 2 bedroom 1 bathroom (3/2 would be possible if the other two roommates shared). I simply don’t want to share a bathroom, and price isn’t an issue (I have the budget for it) but I can’t seem to find a way to weed out all the non-starter places. Pittsburgh is an old city, and it appears that even places that have recently been updated often have just one bathroom, tops 1.5.
Is there any way to do this? A Firefox search tool? A google-fu trick? And if there are better websites to find apartments or roommates on, by all means let me know.
Not easily. Craigslist is technologically ancient and people post things without any sort of format or template, which makes searching by anything except keywords and prices difficult.
There are a ton of search services out there and much overlap, but in the end each site still tends to have its own separate set of posts. Check them all.
Search services, meaning apartment searching websites? Any personal favorites of yours, Reply?
I do understand why Craigslist is so basic and the appeal of it. But honestly, the three main things people want to know before they make an appointment to see a place is 1) how many bedrooms 2) how many bathrooms and 3) the PRICE, not necessarily in that order. I just don’t understand how they could have left 1 of the 3 most important things to consider in any apartment out.
No middlemen, and all the other websites seem to only feature large management companies. I’m leaning towards renting a house, since most apartments seem to have electric ranges, and I want a gas one. Sigh.
Where are you looking? I have a wonderful apartment finder that worked with me to help me find my perfect apartment of lovliness but she only works in NYC. She is damned good though. I told her exactly what I wanted and it was the first and only apartment she showed me. I walked in, looked around, told her I wanted to talk about it with my husband that night and do some research on the building and the landlord. After all of that the next morning I called her and told her I would take it. It was absolutely the perfect place for me and worth every penny I paid her for it.
Also, if you are looking for something with multiple bathrooms and you are in a large city look near local colleges. A lot of apartments near universities are designed with a bedroom and a bathroom on each side of the apartment and the living room and kitchen in the middle so that you can lock off your section of the place.
pbbth, I’m in Pittsburgh. Most of the apartments within range of the university are expensive (for Pittsburgh I mean) and the one I’m in right now is 1 bed/1 bath place, $650 including heat and parking (this is a steal; most places with heat and parking are around 800). In other areas that are just as desirable, recently gentrified/safe area close to downtown, you can get a 3 bedroom 2 bath house with hardwood floors for $950. The problem is that maybe only 25% of places with 2-3 bedrooms have at least 2 full bathrooms. So it’s a hassle to read the whole Craigslist ad to find them.
There are no realtors or finders here; at most, people will move around the city to a new area while sticking with the same management company. It’s not very common, though, unless you’re on a super tight timeframe. But I don’t really want that, nor need it, since I have plenty of time to search.