# Things You Ignored While Looking For An Apartment You Shouldn't Have **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2010, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632 "2010-04-10T13:03:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/41 "2010-04-15T12:41:05Z")
U.K. one here where quite a few kids walk to school when possible. Close to a school, handy if your kids go there, otherwise noise, graffiti, litter and vandalism. ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/42 "2010-04-15T13:35:45Z")
I ignored the fact that when I moved in, the refrigerator had a Chicago Bears sticker on it. When I moved out, the landlord charged me $20 for having supposedly put the sticker there, since I didn’t make a note of it as damage during my initial walk-through. I guess I thought of a Bears sticker as decor rather than damage–if it had been the Packers that would have been another matter entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/43 "2010-04-15T14:05:48Z")
I once rented an apartment with two train tracks located about 100 ft. from my front door. Not only did the trains run through all night, they coupled and uncoupled at about four in the morning. I found this out one night when I had to pull an all-nighter for a report. What can I say, I’m a deep sleeper. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/44 "2010-04-15T15:17:09Z")
I went to college in the town where I was was born. For one summer, I rented an apartment where I could see the actual hospital out my window. I underestimated how depressing that is. Like, 20 years and I’ve only made it 400 feet. ---
**Author:** ![LunarPlexus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@LunarPlexus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LunarPlexus)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/45 "2010-04-15T19:37:49Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Not only did the trains run through all night, they coupled and uncoupled at about four in the morning. I’ve had neighbors that did the same. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/46 "2010-04-15T19:46:57Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Wooden ceilings/floors _baaaad._ > > Any & all first floor apartments in such buildings are like living inside a snare drum. But it looks pretty! I ignored parking. Several places I looked at had lots, but they cost extra, and I wasn’t really concerned about parking spaces since street parking wasn’t horrible. I took my apartment, and was just glad there was somewhere to park my car that wasn’t 8 blocks away. That, you see, is a silly Los Angeles mentality not suitable for the Midwest. I forgot about, oh, winter! :smack: One, snow emergency plowing means trying to find somewhere to put your car so that it doesn’t get towed which _is_ horrible, and two, heated parking is a especially key. Shoveling your way out of your space and scraping ice off your windows is not my idea of fun. Never even thought about that. Just was shocked and pleased that there was a place to park my car within the same zip code of my apartment. ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/47 "2010-04-15T20:46:26Z")
If you work at night and sleep during the day, the apartment near the pool is not a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/48 "2010-04-15T20:47:17Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I went to college in the town where I was was born. For one summer, I rented an apartment where I could see the actual hospital out my window. I underestimated how depressing that is. Like, 20 years and I’ve only made it 400 feet. I’ll do you one better - when I was 24, I rented the same apartment that my parents rented when I was born. I felt like some sort of tribesman who’s never been more than a mile from home. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/49 "2010-04-15T20:49:11Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I was reading something online and the woman said in her current flat she thought she was getting a break as the way the building was set up on her floor there was the office, the laundry room and the other three sides of her flat faced the outside. > > So she thought it’d be less noisy. Then she stated that what she failed to realize is though she knew the washers and driers would be noise, she thought it’d be like white noise. Which she said it was, except that in addition to that, the people doing laundry would be doing it 24 hours a day. They were slamming the machines, then some of them would talk on cell phone while doing their wash. Turns out it was a bad move > > (See I told you the whole story to get to my question :)) > > Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to list a bunch of signs you clearly saw BEFORE you rented the apartment but ignored and went ahead anyway. > > One thing I learned was to always look around the main garbage area. I found if that is a mess, that is a real bad sign. Before you rent an apartment…show up there and walk around at 11:00 at night. Do a weeknight and a weekend night. Trust me 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/50 "2010-04-15T22:11:48Z")
Lessons learned: Don’t rent an apartment near a drive up ATM. Holy crap, the people pulling up at all hours with the radio blasting is incredibly obnoxious. No consideration whatsoever. Also, don’t ever rent at a 4 way stop intersection. We made this mistake in Hollywood, FL where apparently absolutely no one knew what to do at a 4 way. All day and night they would pull up to the stop signs, stare at each other and then start laying on the horns and yelling “F YOU!” I worked third shift and tried to sleep during the day through this, which was impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/51 "2010-04-16T00:07:33Z")
“The upstairs neighbors are really into sports so sometimes they get a little loud during games.” All sports- all games- friends over for every game. Pot smokers who have every window open. “Run mutha fucker! RUN! CATCH (or KICK! or PUNCH! or whatever the fuck else) THAT SHIT!” echoing down our quiet -largely immigrant- residental block. Apartment Manager: The other tenants around them haven’t complained. US: All your other tenants are chinese immigrants who are afraid of making a fuss. Tell them to knock it off. They are in violation of their lease. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/52 "2010-04-16T01:55:13Z")
> [@filling\_pages](#): > > I’ll do you one better - when I was 24, I rented the same apartment that my parents rented when I was born. I felt like some sort of tribesman who’s never been more than a mile from home. 🙂 I came close, though it turned out to be about two doors down. Sent my mom scurrying through her diaries, though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/53 "2010-04-16T01:55:37Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I went to college in the town where I was was born. For one summer, I rented an apartment where I could see the actual hospital out my window. I underestimated how depressing that is. Like, 20 years and I’ve only made it 400 feet. My college dorm was JUST across the street from the hospital’s Helipad. Luckily they only got a Medi-Vac flight once every few months but it was quite the commotion when it happened. Landing lights, strobes, pad lit up like a football stadium, and, of course, the helicopter landing. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/54 "2010-04-16T02:23:50Z")
Insulation. My friend and I rented a charming old apartment because it was cheap and spacious. We had astronomical heating bills that winter. ---
**Author:** ![hankhill911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@hankhill911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hankhill911)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/55 "2010-04-16T13:28:19Z")
Damn pigeons!! Big problem in big cities…they are so loud…they pair up and squawk like crazy and poop everywhere…make a total mess of balconies ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/56 "2010-04-16T13:34:20Z")
Pigeons are not worse than crows. Crows are my nemesis. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/57 "2010-04-16T14:08:25Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 1. A building’s hallways will tell you a lot about everything else. The same can be said for parking lots. I use them as a quick judge whether I even want to consider a particular complex. You see a lot of ratty cars, cars on cider blocks, or a trashy lot, it will tell you a lot about the tenants and management. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/58 "2010-04-16T14:31:55Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > ..heated parking is a especially key. Shoveling your way out of your space and scraping ice off your windows is not my idea of fun. Pardon the ignorance of an old Southerner but… Heated Parking? How on earth does this work? I guess it sounds just as odd to you, when we talk about waterskiing at a heated lake in the winter.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/59 "2010-04-16T14:57:34Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > Pardon the ignorance of an old Southerner but… Heated Parking? How on earth does this work? > > I guess it sounds just as odd to you, when we talk about waterskiing at a heated lake in the winter.🙂 An indoor, heated parking garage means no car doors frozen shut, no ice on your windows, no frozen batteries, no shoveling snow so you can get to work. It gets cold here in the winter. Fucking cold. And snowy. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632/60 "2010-04-16T15:06:48Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > An indoor, heated parking garage means no car doors frozen shut, no ice on your windows, no frozen batteries, no shoveling snow so you can get to work. It gets cold here in the winter. Fucking cold. And snowy. My house has an integral garage, and it is fantastic. But are there apartments that offer it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-you-ignored-while-looking-for-an-apartment-you-shouldnt-have/535632.md?page=4)