The 5 Best Sites to Find Apartments Post Grad

August 6, 2015September 27, 2017Leave a comment

The real world continues with my search for an apartment. Sure finding a job was one thing, but finding a place to live? A whole different game.

Currently, my inbox is full of emails with subject lines like “27 housing recommendations,” and I have a Google Doc with comments like “gross” and “FAVE FAVE FAVE.” Half of my recent calls were to realtors. The other half were to my mom.

Mental math is not my strong suit, but now I’m able to accurately guess rent per roommate fairly quickly, and if I don’t see the words “laundry in unit” you can bet that it’s not even an option. Landlords aren’t as scary as you think. Horrible pictures of bathrooms are.

During my search for an apartment, I found myself googling “Top Sites To Find Apartments.” Well, Google didn’t really help recent grads like me, so that’s why I’m compiling this list. Here are the top 5 sites to find apartments with reviews and tips from someone who’s actually used them (A lot).

1. Zillow

I started with Zillow because you always see commercials for it, plus it has the cute tagline, “Find your way home.” I like Zillow for the most part. You can specify your rent range, number of bedrooms/bathrooms and home type. The map view is a little crowded, but the expandable side panel of options is helpful for searching. Most places have good pictures and a way to contact the landlord directly through the site. Overall, it’s a good place to start.

2. Apartments.com

Like Zillow, Apartments.com has pretty cool commercials, and I thought to look there next. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed. You can specify the same features as you can with Zillow, but the map isn’t really exact (for example, when I was looking for apartments in Manayunk, the site gave me all of Philadelphia). One redeeming aspect is that it provides commute times which is kind of cool. My suggestion is give it a look, but don’t spend too much time on it.

3. Craigslist

Before you cringe and run away because of the sketchy stereotype, hear me out. Craigslist is actually an awesome place to find apartments. It does take a little searching and weeding through duplicate posts, but there were a lot of (affordable) apartments on Craigslist that I didn’t see on other sites. Plus, those landlords got back to me the quickest! Depending on the post, you might get a long description or a more concise one, but generally they’re pretty thorough. To contact the author of the post, go to the top left hand corner and click “Reply” and it will give you a Craigslist email. If you can get over the 1990 web design and occasional sketch factor, Craigslist is a hidden gem.

4. hotpads

I love hotpads. It’s very similar to Zillow and Apartments.com, but I like the map design better. It’s a great site if you want to live in a particular part of a city (like North of this street or a couple blocks from this intersection). The little houses represent available rentals with your designated features/price and turn grey once you view it. The site also allows you to contact landlords through the site, and they’ve replied fairly quickly so far. I’ve spent a large majority of my time searching on hotpads.

5. Trulia

Trulia is a pretty good option just to make sure you’re finding all the options you can. It’s set up in a list format instead of a map, which might work better for your search. I found that a lot of listings didn’t have many pictures, but the descriptions are usually pretty detailed. Another cool thing is that it suggests annual income for the rental so you can ensure you’re staying within your budget! You can also calculate commute time easily here too.

And now you know where to look, here are some ~*pro tips*~ for your search, aka things I wish I knew before I started searching.

Pro tips.

1. Know your budget. Seriously. Just know it. Sit down with your parents or your S.O. who’s really good at finance and figure out exactly how much you can spend a month on rent. (Don’t forget to calculate utilities!) Oh, and stick to it. Don’t search outside of it. It will only make you sad.

2. Ask around. I started my search asking my friends whom I knew lived in the area about where they’re living, where they looked and what neighborhoods/areas to consider. Not only does it give you a starting place, but you my also find a roommate in the process. You never know who’s considering moving!

3. Contact a lot of landlords… but not too many. It’s good to cast a wide net and have a lot of options, but if you contact too many at once, you may end up with 6+ apartment visits in a week… which means multiple trips to the same city or consistently thanking your roommate who lives in the area for seeing back-to-back showings for the third time in a row.

4. Stay organized. Especially if you’re living with someone, make a good ol’ Google Doc and keep track of the important stuff. They will all start to sound the same and “the one with the okay bathroom” isn’t going to help you make a decision.

5. Consider small details. Does the rental have laundry in unit? What about parking? Do any utilities come included in the rent? When is the rent due? The more searching/visits you do, you’ll figure out your list of “must-have’s” and things to ask about.

6. Turn on the shower. I got this one from my best friend, Emily. When you’re going to visit a potential apartment, ask to turn on the shower. The realtor/landlord may look at you funny, but checking the water pressure can make or break a place.

I still don’t have this whole apartment thing figured out, but I know a little more than I did a week ago. Hopefully this list of sites/pieces of advice help you become savvier house hunters. Happy searching! &.

Coffee & Heels: Welcome to the Real World

July 31, 2015July 28, 20172 Comments

I woke up in a really sh*tty mood.

As I laid in bed, I mentally made a to-do list of all the things I wasn’t looking forward to: work 8+ hours baristaing, call the credit card company, figure out why the check engine light was on in my car again.

Washing my face and throwing up my hair didn’t improve my mood so I put on some Jason Mraz to try and kickstart my day. As I finished putting on my mascara, I glanced down at my phone and saw an email with the words “Job Offer“ in my notifications.

Dropping my mascara wand, I opened the email and started immediately calling for my dad. As I stood at the top of the stairs and said the words, “I got the job,” tears instantly flooded my eyes in an overwhelming wave of happiness (and sufficiently ruined the mascara I had just applied).

So it looks like I’m officially entering the real world.

Job searching is like an emotional roller coaster. Actually getting a job and realizing, “oh wow, I’m going to be a real adult now” is like riding another equally terrifying and exciting roller coaster. So I’ve decided to write about it in my newest section, Coffee & Heels! Here you’ll find my adventures as I navigate what it’s like becoming an adult, plus any tips I learn along the way. It’s going to be messy. It’s going to be fun. And it’ll sure be one hell of an adventure.

Welcome to the real world, y’all. I hope your coffee is strong and your heels are comfortable because it’s going to be a wild ride.

10 Instant Mood Boosters to Make Your Day Suck Less

July 11, 2015May 8, 20166 Comments

Everyone has sh*tty days. It’s just a part of life. Sometimes you just wake up in a bad mood for no real reason. The sun could be shining and everything, but you’re still just generally pissed off. It’s okay. We’ve all been there.

Having had a few bad days in a row, I decided I didn’t want to be in a sucky mood anymore. So I made a list of things that generally help me feel better. You may not be the epitome of positivity by the end of the day, but I promise you’ll feel slightly better. Here are ten instant mood boosters when you’re having a sh*tty day.

Make some coffee.

I think the smell of coffee is sometimes better than the drink itself. Or maybe it’s just the feeling of holding a warm mug between your hands. If you wake up in a bad mood, make some coffee. Or tea. Or macha (which my sister tells me is super super good for you. You go, healthy you.) Sip it on your way to work or over breakfast. Doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of summer and 110 degrees. Hot coffee is good for the soul.

Dress up to cheer up.

When I’m in a bad mood, my first instinct is to throw up my hair and wear leggings. Sometimes I do it, but other times I force myself to get ready. Why? Because if you look good, you feel good. So rock your favorite dress or put on that awesome shirt that makes you look tan. Dressing up makes you feel like a real person and not a sad slob.

Jam out.

This is a pretty obvious one, but everyone loves some good jams. Whether you’re blasting it in your car or through your headphones at work, music is guaranteed to make you feel better. Might I recommend this fab playlist titled Confidence Boost (extremely appropriate for a bad day). Hint: it’s a lot of Beyonce with a side of Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

https://open.spotify.com/user/spotify/playlist/0Vib1QAMtMaiywa3QSEq40

Do some laundry!

Yes, I’m aware this is a chore. Yes, chores generally make people sad, but doing your laundry will make you feel SUPER productive. Trust me on this one. Folding up some clean clothes will make you feel like you actually did something all day. And even if laundry’s the only thing you’ve done all day, you can still feel like you’ve accomplished something. (Plus you’re probably running out of socks, so you’re welcome for this suggestion.)

Watch a TED talk.

There’s literally a TED talk for everything. Anything you’ve every wanted to know more about (elephants, grammar, impressive baseball plays, you name it, TED has talked about it) you can watch someone who’s incredibly passionate about the subject speak about it. How inspiring is that? You can literally do a TED talk on Mac & Cheese if really wanted to. Better start practicing, because I’m going to want to see that.

Get off social media.

Even as an avid Instagrammer, this is probably the best piece of advice on this list. If you’re bummed about being single, you don’t need to see happy engaged couples. If it sucks because you’re still unemployed, you don’t want to see someone posting about their promotion. Just get off all forms of social media and remember that people always seem happier online.

Find some citrus.

The smell of oranges is supposed to boost your mood. Don’t believe me? Science says so. So eat an orange or maybe clean your kitchen with some citrus-smelling cleaner (and surpass all of us just doing laundry on the productivity scale). I also have this lovely citrus body wash that’s delightful in the morning. It’s hard to be sad when you’re smelling so fresh.

Be proactive about your stress.

Personally, when I get stressed, I want to do something about it. Doing something related to the stress actually relieves stress for me. Maybe I’m crazy, but give it a try. If you’re upset you haven’t lost that weight yet, sign up for a fun exercise class. Like right now. If not having a job post-grad is keeping you up at night (guilty), apply to an awesome job that you’re totally not qualified for. Who cares? Just press send. Sometimes taking control of what’s bumming you out makes you feel better.

To-do lists are everything.

I’m a big proponent of checklists. Please tell me what’s more rewarding than physically crossing something off a list. Sometimes I like to make super detailed, menial to-do lists, including things like “brush teeth” or “eat lunch.” You’re definitely going to do those things anyways, might as well feel like a boss crossing them off a list.

Get lost in a book.

Reading is the best way to get out of your head. When you’re absorbed in a in a good book, you can forget about anything. Don’t know what to read next? Well, Ampersand is going to publish the ultimate best reads list really really soon! (*~shameless plug*~)

If you’re reading this, it’s likely you’re having a bad day. If so, I hope your day gets better. And if all these tips don’t work and you’re mad at me because you’re still in a bad mood, just look at this puppy.