Decision

Yesterday was fun. Not really. I received a call on Thursday evening saying that my application for the house had been accepted. I said that I would sign the lease on Friday at 2.

Friday:
I drove past the house and really looked more closely at the neighborhood. The house seemed a little larger from the outside but the neighborhood seemed less appealing. The park was two blocks away but things just appeared dreary. It reminded me a little of my old neighborhood in Eugene but without the nice houses and cute grocery store on the corner. I decided I wasn't too keen on the neighboring houses but could deal with the place for the money. It is in the Rose City Park neighborhood but not in the nicer section of the 'hood.

I drove to the neighborhood of the apartment. I had breakfast and coffee at a cute little bakery within a block of the apartment. I walked around the neighborhood (Hollywood) and fell in love.

I went back to the hotel and called the apartment people. No answer. I left a message explaining the other place and that I was returning to NJ on Sunday. I waited and waited. I tried calling again.

Close to 1, I drove to the apartment. I saw a note on the manager's door saying that he wasn't in for the day since he was helping out another apartment building but to call him if anyone needed anything. I could barely read the numbers so I tried 3 numbers before I hit the correct number. No answer but I had the name of the apartment building. I dashed into the library (more on that later) and found the address of the other building. I arrived there around 1:30.

He said that I had been approved so I went with the apartment. I didn't sign a lease because he wasn't going to be at the building the rest of the day or today. I promised to pay and sign the lease when I arrive. Yes, I am a little nervous about this arrangement so I am going to send him an email confirming everything and offer to send payment if he faxes the lease. I called the house people and told them thanks but I decided to pass.

The catch? I will be living above a library in an apartment called the "Bookmark Apartments". I can't remember which side I have but it is either the 2 bedroom Northeast or Northwest floorplan. It is definitely more money than I wanted to spend but I think it will be a decent place to live for my first year or so in Portland.

Whew.