When the Subletter Renegs on the Rent

July 11, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Hello Gentle Blog Readers, I was going to write about urgent last-minute apartment fixes–but a friend is having an urgent problem, so I’m hoping some of you may have advice. Also, apartment living ethics fascinate me. The problem? The subletter( who is an acquaintance of a current housemate) doesn’t think she should pay rent for…

Maybe living “alone” ain’t so bad after all.

May 5, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Did you like those quotation marks up there in the title? Aren’t they kinda sneaky? Like, hey she’s not really living alone, she’s living in a three bedroom – what do they MEAN?? Well, those little quotations mean just that – that I’m not really living alone. And if you recall, my main predicament was…

You’ve Found a Great Apartment — How do You Find that Great Roommate?

April 6, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

The past few posts have dealt with what to do when you don’t have a place, don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding a place, and basically just want, a la Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own. But, some of you are braver than I(or luckier) and either have found or inherited…

Questions to ask when visiting prospective roommates

April 4, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

Hopefully the sample email regarding how to write potential roommates was helpful to ya’ll. Getting you in the door is a good start – but what to do once you’re there? Ah, grasshopper, I am so glad you asked. Once you’re invited to the prospective apartment to meet the prospective roommates, I’d make a check…

Using Craigslist: How to Sell Yourself to Potential Roommates.

March 27, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

The subletting plans are still cooking, so we’ll be taking a quick detour this week: Depending on where you live, the housing market may be horrendous or peaches and cream. Either way, if you don’t have friends who also need an apartment, you are going to need to convince a stranger that you 1) are…

Lesson learned: Work out the roommate “What Ifs” before moving in

February 25, 2008 | By Alissa AuthorMy First Apartment

My apologies that it’s been awhile — between being sick AND having to move this week, there’s been precious little time for anything else. Well, aside from saying goodbye to friends and making them lift heavy objects for me. There was puh-lenty of time for that. But, now that I’m squarely moved into my new…

Decorating and furnishing when you and your roommate have different styles

November 14, 2007 | By Shelby AuthorMy First Apartment

So you love sleek, modern design and your roommate adores the lacy, floral, Victorian look. Now what? If you don’t talk about your conflict before you furnish your apartment, you’ll end up with a goofy hodgepodge look that you’ll both hate. There are two basic solutions to a design conflict like this. One, you could…

Win their respect! or How to be the best new roommate ever.

October 30, 2007 | By Joe AuthorMy First Apartment

My roommate Matt likes to remind me that he made this apartment the way it is today. “You know I made this apartment what it is today,” he’ll tell me, waving his hand towards the epic and alphabetized vinyl record collection or the well-stocked knife drawer in the kitchen like Napoleon flaunting his Arc de…

How to Secure Your Rights as a Roommate

October 17, 2007 | By MFA Editors AuthorMy First Apartment

These tips were contributed by Kelly M. Living with roommates can create a lot of complications, but most of us have to do it at some point. Laying down ground rules is important—and if you’re moving in with someone you don’t know very well, it can also be awkward. Unfortunately, one of the most crucial…

Friend-of-a-friend. Or, How I Found a Great Apartment Without Really Trying

October 9, 2007 | By Joe AuthorMy First Apartment

Last April, my friend Mikey and I ventured to Brooklyn for the final Spring Break of our collegiate careers. Admittedly, with its apparent shortage of Señor Frogs, foam parties, and wet t-shirt contests, Brooklyn was an unlikely destination for two vacation-makers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But we had an invitation for an all-inclusive stay…