Not sure if this is the right forum . . . maybe IMHO? Don’t knoooow . . .
Anyway.
Yesterday, The Cody found out that he could get tranfered to Temple, Tx within the company he works for. Now, we both really want to move back to the Austin area (a 2-hour drive round-trip is worth it for him to go back to Tx).
We’re seriously sonsidering this, if the pay is the same, if not better (THAt would rock).
NOW, how would we go about finding an apt to move into before we move?
Last time we moved, we lived with my dad for almost a year. I do not want to move back in with family. And neither of our mothers would let us move in, due to piercings (my mom), and my 6 snakes (his mom).
I’m sure there’s a way for me to find a complex to move into before moving. How do I go about doing this? I already have an apartment complex in mind in north Austin (well, Pflugerville). How would I contact them and such?
When I moved from New York to Texas this past summer, I used springstreet.com (and Gunslinger’s personal observations, as he already lived here and was the reason I was moving) to find apartments. They list contact information as a bare minimum and many apartment complexes also have full websites up with springstreet showing rental rates, outlining rules and regulations, and providing floorplans.
So, can I Email (or call) a complex to find out all the info, and then . . . how do I fill out the app? Since I’ll be 1,200m away the whole time.
I’d like to be able to rent a UHaul, drive down there, and move into my new apt. Not fill out an app, wait to see if I get accepted or rejected, and very possibly get rejected and have to start all over.
I already know what complex I want to move into, where it is, yadda yadda. Not sure of the exact rent price, but it’s not bad.
The miracle of the fax. If you don’t have easy access to one, buy a $10 modem and install some fax software in your PC. They can call your home number and you’ll receive it. You can use Photoshop or MS Paint to fill in the form and fax it back - no paper needed.
Could I do the fax thing via a Kinko’s, or would it be best do get a fax modem?
Aside: How do you move fish without killing them? It’s a 2 day drive (including stopping at a hotel). I don’t want to kill my fish!
Aside #2: Will a car place sell you a car just before you move out of state? His car is a POS, and wouldn’t survive a 2hour round trip every day for very long, and there are some wonderful places up here to buy cars with cruddy credit. Like, if we gave them the addy of our soon-to-be residence in Tx?
Depends on how many pages the fax’d be. I know what Kinko’s charges for a long-distance fax, and if you’d be sending more than four pages back and forth you might as well pick up a $10 modem.
An ex of mine moved across country to “BE” with me, YAY!!, anyways, she did a search to find the local papers, then searched their classifieds, (don’t forget to find the Thrifty Nickel, or whatever the local bargain rag is). She called and explained her situation (she was a nutcase stalker) and couldn’t view the apartments. A few actually e-mailed her pictures. She agreed on a place and sent a money order for first and security(psychos can’t get checking acounts), the guy actually met her at 4am when she got into town to show her the apt. and give her the keys.
Or you can do what I did, throw the stuff you care about in the truck, (shot glasses, beer glasses, mountain bike, computer and of course the cat) call up a friend and say “Hey, I’ll be there in a week, you have a job for me… Right?”
I recently moved from Southern California to the Dallas, Texas area as part of a job transfer (kind of–same position, different location).
I just scheduled a business trip out a couple months before the move and signed a lease then. Most complexes will let you sign up well in advance, at least around here. Even if you can’t get the company to pay for the trip, I recommend going in person. There’s a lot about an apartment complex or house that you’re not going to be able to learn from the advertising (e.g., how well the grounds are maintained, what kind of neighorhood, upkeep on common areas, etc.).
We moved from Hawaii to Seattle, and then from Seattle to LA. Both times we did it using the internet. For LA we had a friend to check out the place first, but basically both times we moved in to our apartments sight unseen.
You should establish telephone (or e-mail) contact with the management company of the places you’re interested in. Once you’ve found out if they have units available, you can ask them to send you applications and brochures for the place. Applications can be either mailed back or faxed in. I believe Kinko’s charged us 15¢ each faxed page. You may also have to send in some proof of assets (such as bank statements) and pay a deposit and application fee. Once you’ve sent all that in, it’s a matter of waiting for official approval. You’ll probably be in contact with the management company a half dozen times all told.
Depending on the neighborhood you may not be able to sign a lease in advance. The places in Seattle and LA both did not want to commit to us even a month in advance-- after all, why lease to us for a move-in five weeks from now when you might find someone to move in tomorrow? It may come down to the wire before you’ll have a place to live secured.
We did the Penske truck thing, and drove the 1100 miles to LA. I have no ideas for your fish. Hell, I barely survived that trip.
I have looked at a lot of places on ApartmentGuide.com, and they would list all the contact numbers, office hours, etc of the management office if your place is listed.
I moved twenty years ago (!). It probably doesn’ apply to you, and things may have changed, but:
1.) got a listing of apartments from the University I’d be attending, then I started callin until I found the cheapest available one close to the University. I rented it, sight unseen, for a month. I wanted to be sure to have someplace to crash when I got there. I ended up stayin in that same apartment for four years – it was the best deal for the price.
2.) I boxed up my books and sent them to mysef via “General Delivery”, meaning hat I would pick them up from th Post Office when I got there. It amounts to free storage (!). BTW, book rate is the cheapest way to send books. It takes longer, but if you’re driving across country, who cares?
Everyone told me that me car would never pull a U-Haul across country, so bought an inexpensive lightweight trailer and fixed it up. I had six flat tires and a broken trailer spring before I got halfway, and was forced to sell the remains of my trailer. rented a U-Haul anyway, to get my stuff there. Everyone was wrong, fortunately.
4.) Take enough cash/traveler’s checks/credit cards. Get rid of most of your stuff before you go. The less you have to haul around, the better.
5.) Travel in th way you’re most comfortable. I went alone, which is good. I’d have killed my driving companion, otherwise.