Normally, when I flop down on the couch on a Thursday night, I expect to be entertained. What goofy hi jinks will Dwight do on The Office? Will Meredith finally stop whining on Grey's Anatomy? I definitely don't expect to get good apartment advice from Ugly Betty. But, admittedly this week's episode was a gem. In it, Betty decides that it's time to finally move out of her parent's house (well, her dad's now). Manhattan is calling her name! Her excitement is palpable -- almost overly so.

Cut to a couple scenes later and she and a friend are at her first apartment showing. Thumbs up to Betty for bringing a friend for a second opinion, but thumbs down for not listening to this friend when it counts! What transpires, is that while Betty does love the apartment(the walls are canary yellow! Apparently pigeons are good luck for her!), she doesn't snap it up fast enough. Another girl tells the landlord that she wants it first, and Betty is left out in the cold. Poor dear is actually pretty devastated.

The landlord though, being a smart cookie, mentions that there's another apartment that she can't legally show -- but is coming on the market shortly. Apartment hunting is ' all about making quick decisions'. . .would she be interested? Would she sign the lease without seeing it? I was watching this screaming NO, BETTY! DON'T DO IT! THE CLASSIC BAIT AND SWITCH!!!! And Christina, was saying the same thing but, alas, Betty made the rookie mistake.

Of course, the next scene shows Betty seeing the apartment and there's an old mattress and garbage on the floors and the walls are a shade in between vomit green and grunge.

So, what did we learn from this fellow TV enthusiasts? Always see the actual apartment you are signing the lease for! Don't settle for one in the same building or even one on the same floor as a sample. After all the research you are doing, you are no rookie.

When our story left off, I had just called my ‘new’ landlord to see, well, what the heck was going on. Would we be able to keep living in our oh-so-affordable $900(!!) a month apartment or…would I need to look for a new place pronto? Well, he finally called me back. Allow me to give you a few excerpts from our Monday night phone conversation:

Me: “Hi there…so, I moved into the apartment in April and never had the chance to introduce myself. My name’s Alissa and I really love living in your apartment. We haven’t received a new lease yet, and I was wondering if it was en route.”

Him: “Oh, right…it expires when?”

Me: “In a week, October 1”.

Him: “Oh, right yes well we’re working on it and will be sending it over-- "

(Notice, I cut him off before he even started talking about rent)

Me: "Well, the thing is, my roommates and I really love living here, we always pay our rent on time, and are really very responsible tenants and we just cannot pay anymore than we are now. Is there any way we can keep the same rate for next year?"

Him: "Hmm, how much are you paying now?" (True story, I kid you not, he did not even know!)

Me: "$2700 for a 3-bedroom."

Him: "Well, that seems fine to me. We can keep it at that rate. Also, does anything need to be fixed in the apartment? I can come by this week and take a look."

I did not say this, but I was shocked. UTTERLY shocked. Not only was I going to be able to keep my apartment, BUT we were actually going to get things fixed! Amazing! This amazement only increased last night. He mentioned that he was doing an apartment viewing for one of the Apts downstairs and would stop by. I was in my room for an hour – came out – and there was a new lease on the kitchen table!? He stopped by later to look at what needed to be fixed and we may even get a new oven (the metal rod that allows one to open the oven had come unscrewed at one end). Plus, we’ll be getting the paint recoated in the living room and possibly a new lock.

I feel like I just won the apartment lottery in New York, of all places!

I've lived the past month afraid of my mailbox. I'd pass it on my way to work, wondering Will Today Be The Day I Learn I Can No Longer Afford My Apartment? It's a pretty horrible feeling, especially living in New York where the housing market is insane. But, day after day, nothing has come. Actually, mail for past roommates has arrived -- but that's it.

Did my landlord totally forget he owned my cozy 3-Bdrm apartment?

It seemed impossible that we'd just keep paying the same rent on a month-to-month basis and nothing would ever be said about it one way or another. So, I began to survey friends and coworkers. What would they do if they REALLY could not afford a rent increase but didn't want to get kicked to the curb when the landlord realized which end was up. The votes were mixed, some saying not to worry about it -- that they had my security deposit after all. Others favored the more personal route of contacting the landlord and preempting the new lease negotiations with plea to keep the rent as is.

I tell you, Gentle Blog Readers, it was a tough call. My roommates weren't much help, preferring to worry about the present as opposed to the future. One reasoned that the rent couldn't be raised without written notice and was content to leave it at that, though she did provide me with the landlord's phone number she had been given by a previous roommate (she hadn't had contact with him in months).

Finally, I decided that I tend to do pretty well with issues of personal contact. I know my strengths, and while astronomy is not one of them, getting along with people is. I took a deep breath -- and called into the void.

Yeah, I got his machine. As soon as I get a call back, I'll be sure to let you know what happened!

So, it’s been a few days . . .have you given the idea of negotiating your lease a twinkling thought? I’ve been thinking about it aaaand, I definitely have some resources for you! But, first things first -- let's cover the basics that'll help you best negotiate:

1.) Make sure your finances are on order. Just a tip -- I don't mean just having money in the bank. Make sure that you have a decent credit score and steady employment. If you look like a deadbeat risk on paper, you'll be lucky the rent doesn't get bumped UP.

2.) Know what the rents are like in the area where you want to live. Take detailed notes when you look for apartments, so you know how much each additional amenity adds to the rent. Check out our apartment hunters checklist as a handy tool. You might even snap a few pictures with your cell phone, if something looks a bit unusual. This may sound nit-picky, but when you're trying to find leverage to negotiate the rent to a more comfortable level, you'll be glad you have all this ammunition.

3.) When you find "the one" give it a good check-up. Here our Ten Items to Check Before You Move shows you where to look. Most every apartment has something you can use as a bargaining chip.

Complete this easy check list and ya'll will be more than ready to make your move! If you're still struggling with negotiating points, here are a few to mull over: Point out what a great, financially stable tenant you'll be. You have seen similar apartments for less (here you can be specific - $200 less a few blocks away) but you'd love this apartment, because it's closer to your office or near your gym, only thing,it's just a little more than you can pay. And you did notice that stove had a dead burner and the window screen had a hole....get the idea, amigos? Most importantly, whatever you do, BE CONFIDENT.

For really specific tips on how to negotiate rent check outAbout.com. They brings up other issues that you may want on your lease that have nothing to do with your actual rent. The site talks about how the lease may say that you’re responsible for all household repairs – when that’s really landlord territory. Also, heat may not be included even though the apt doesn’t have a thermostat. Basically, read the lease carefully and if it doesn’t sound Kosher to you – speak up!

Oh my, and would you believe it? They even have 15 clear, concise additional tips! My fav is # 8, which basically states that you may have to appease your landlord, who may not understand why you need all of this in writing. About.com’s advice? You're boring and you play life safe. Sneaky! I like it!

Other sites with advice include Ehow.com, with another list of how to negotiate (My favorite line of theirs is to write out what’s important to you first so in the heat of discussion, you don’t forget what you needed in the first place) while a new site called street directory also has a list (My favorite line of theirs is how important it is to build a relationship with your landlord so they feel they can trust you, which help negotiations at the time of rent renewal. )

Nobody is saying rent negotiation is an easy job, guys. But it really is well worth a try! G'luck!

Let's imagine something. You're looking at apartments (ok, so you don't need to be so creative on this journey) and after 8 dumps you spot it. You've found "The One." Whether you're planning to live with roommates or not, it has everything you'd want, be it location, space, amenities, what have you. The other thing it has, is a price tag that makes it just out of your reach. Enter the negotiation (or if even the word scares you off, think of it as bargaining.)

Negotiation can lead to a win/win and make both sides happy, or at least close the deal. It also makes ALOT of people uncomfortable, including yours truly. When living abroad, I went to Morocco and even though I was told that it made the merchants happy to bargain, that it was part of the culture and they'd be insulted if I didn't try -- I felt weird. Money can really weird a person out, especially if they've been brought up in a culture of malls where everything has a fixed price and you can either buy it or you can't.

It doesn't have to be that way and I'm here to tell you why: this is a renter's market in many cities. People are looking to save, not spend, which gives all buyers the power of the sellers. Simple supply and demand, my fellow ex-collegiate friends. However, it's not like you can negotiate a $2000 two-bedroom down to $1200. $1800-$1900 though stands a very good chance of success.

The best part of bargaining for a new apartment? Unless multiple people put down a bid the same day, there's very little risk! Truly, the worst a landlord can say is no and they may say yes. If they're on the fence, mention all the aspects of the apartment that "need" fixing up -- whether you really feel that way or not. It gives you leverage. A friend of mine and her roommate paid $2000 for a 2-bedroom and their rent was going to go up to $2300. The friend called the landlord, said they really wanted to stay as they loved the apartment but couldn't fit the additional rent and . . .wahlaa no increase. On the Lower East Side of Manhattan, no less!

For those of you who don't feel comfortable negotiating, let me see if I can't find some helpful links/resources for ya!