Our first apartment together - advice?

So, Doug and I are getting married in just under 6 months. Currently I live with my mom in Queens, He lives in a basement apt in Franklin Square. I have one cramped bedroom here. His apt is crammmed with stuff. I don't want to live in his apt because it's a basement with no windows. I also have a tendency toward breathing problems and I find that between the boiler and heater being down there, and/or wall to wall carpet, and mold/mildew in summer I have a hard time breathing, I get sore throats, etc.

So ideally we wanted a place in Franklin Square, but we don't want to pay a lot. The 2nd floor in FH's house openned up - I think 2 BR for $1800. We wanted to spend no more than $1500 since we have debt we'll have to pay off (esp after the wedding) and I'll still be helping my mom.

An apartment opened up about 6 blocks from my mom in Queens. The pluses are we know the landlords (though they live in the house, which is a minus), it's very close to my mom (which is a plus and a minus), and it's actually a really big apartment witha front porch, living room, dining room, kitchen (not eat in), bathroom and 2 BR (If you know Brooklyn and Queens, it's got the railroad rooms). It's much bigger than what we expected and it's $1400.

The only thing is it's not on the world's greatest block, and it's Queens, not the LI lifestyle we were hoping for. However, we're thinking of going for it because I really think for the size of it, it's a good price, and the landlords are super nice people. We're the ideal tenants for them. it previously belonged to their mom, so they just wanted a young couple with no pets, no older kids, etc. They just redid all the floors, new kitchen cabinets, new windows. I'm a little turned off by the bars on the windows, which I always said was a dealbreaker for me, but now I'm kind of like "eh, I'm not buying the house...whatever"

I'm super bad at making decisions. I either just vacillate forever and never decide or usually I just pick anything that I see that looks good enough (like this apartment) because I don't have patience to look around.

Since the wedding is in June, FH is leaning toward taking it so he can move in Feb 1 and it's just one less stress to worry about. They landlords are nice and said we could start moving stuff in 1-2 weeks beforehand so we wouldn't need a month where we pay 2 rents.

I know I should be able to make my own decisions, but I just have never really been through this before, and I have sooo many decisions right now that my head is spinning.

But in sum the apartment itself is pretty great. It's big. We might have to break up our sectional, but we can live with that. We'll have enough space that we won't need to rent any extra storage, unlike the tiny apts some of our newlywed friends live in. It also just feels really homey to me. It might be that it's really similar to the house I grew up in, but I can picture us there.

The cons are that it's not the area we wanted, so parking may be tough, we're closer to my mom than we'd like to be, and it's generally a totally different feel since it's Queens vs. Long Island. However, we're not BUYING it, just planning to live there for 2-5 years while we pay down debt, save for a and decide to start having

I know you've all "been there, done that", so thanks so much for your thoughts.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

I would say go for it. It's not a long term situation you're looking at, maybe a couple years. But at least this way you have something that you're happy with in the meantime.

Our first apartment was a one bedroom in the upstairs of someone's house in Elmont. It wasn't ideal, but it was a good first apartment for us. We were there for about a year and a half before we bought our house.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

I think you could find a happier medium if you look. Why are you limiting yourself to these two apartments that just happen to fall into your lap?

$1800 for a 2 bedroom is a lot. I think you could find something in LI for less.

You could also find a more desirable neighborhood in Queens. I live in in a 3 bedroom for $1500 in Howard Beach which is imo a very nice neighborhood although I don't know exactly what fits your criteria for the "LI lifestyle" Do you mean private houses and not apartments? We have that here.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Posted by BrinaEsq

I think you could find a happier medium if you look. Why are you limiting yourself to these two apartments that just happen to fall into your lap?

$1800 for a 2 bedroom is a lot. I think you could find something in LI for less.

You could also find a more desirable neighborhood in Queens. I live in in a 3 bedroom for $1500 in Howard Beach which is imo a very nice neighborhood although I don't know exactly what fits your criteria for the "LI lifestyle" Do you mean private houses and not apartments? We have that here.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Do you have any suggestions for where/how we can look for other apartments quickly?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

We are trying to payu for the wedding, so can't afford a broker fee.

I should also add that we heard through the grapevine that the OZP apt landlord might be willing to come down in price. Doug was going to ask if they'd come down to $1300 since at his current apt he doesn't pay for electric and here we would.

The $1800 is just a comparison. I looked online for apts and saw some apts in FSQ for about $1500 and they weren't that great. $1500 is really our way upper limit, KWIM.

I'm just thinking, like how important is the location of your first apt vs. the apartment itself and the price, and knowing the landlord is sane?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Posted by JenniferEver

Posted by BrinaEsq

I think you could find a happier medium if you look. Why are you limiting yourself to these two apartments that just happen to fall into your lap?

$1800 for a 2 bedroom is a lot. I think you could find something in LI for less.

You could also find a more desirable neighborhood in Queens. I live in in a 3 bedroom for $1500 in Howard Beach which is imo a very nice neighborhood although I don't know exactly what fits your criteria for the "LI lifestyle" Do you mean private houses and not apartments? We have that here.

LI lifestyle is more like, you can park without driving around the block 300 times

I live in Ozone Park.

FH and I are just both overwhelmed. I've been asking him to look for ages. I asked him to look more to have more to compare it to, but he's not really moving quickly (busy with work, etc). Also, this place really wants someone Feb 1, so we'd need to let his landlord know Jan 1, so we have a little but of a time crunch.

We'd consider HB. I have some reservations about HB. I think the areas are nicer there, but...I have some reservations about it as well. They're not politically correct, so I won't post them online. :-P

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Message edited 12/22/2010 12:34:07 PM.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

I think you should do it - you are renting so its not a long term commitment, in a few years you can get a house or find a new and better rental if thats what you're looking for...

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

The parking would be an issue for me, only because I have a small kiddo and already know what its like to carry him and his gear to the 2nd floor...I couldn't imagine having to hunt down parking, likely further from the apt than i'd like, then have to lug upstairs. I feel like you should keep looking on LI

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

If I had concerns about the area and I might have to park a block or two away - I'd nix it.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

The great thing about an apartment is that you can always move!!!

We were in our first apartment for 1 year. It was *tiny*. No joke. The whole apartment (lr, br, kitchen) could fit in our living room now.

I say go for it. Give it a year. You can always move.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

move.com I would look on line and see what you come up with as a comparison to the two potential places you have. If something strikes your fancy, then I would go look at it.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Posted by BrinaEsq

Posted by JenniferEver

Posted by BrinaEsq

I think you could find a happier medium if you look. Why are you limiting yourself to these two apartments that just happen to fall into your lap?

$1800 for a 2 bedroom is a lot. I think you could find something in LI for less.

You could also find a more desirable neighborhood in Queens. I live in in a 3 bedroom for $1500 in Howard Beach which is imo a very nice neighborhood although I don't know exactly what fits your criteria for the "LI lifestyle" Do you mean private houses and not apartments? We have that here.

LI lifestyle is more like, you can park without driving around the block 300 times

I live in Ozone Park.

FH and I are just both overwhelmed. I've been asking him to look for ages. I asked him to look more to have more to compare it to, but he's not really moving quickly (busy with work, etc). Also, this place really wants someone Feb 1, so we'd need to let his landlord know Jan 1, so we have a little but of a time crunch.

We'd consider HB. I have some reservations about HB. I think the areas are nicer there, but...I have some reservations about it as well. They're not politically correct, so I won't post them online. :-P

If I held my breath waiting for my DH to do things like online research I would have turned blue and died years ago.

I know HB can seem Jersey Shore-ish but imo that doesn't effect me since I'm a very busy working mother and not some tan 22 year old loitering on Crossbay, kwim?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

I feel like every neighborhood has its good and bad side(s). I would look a little more though instead of limiting yourself to these 2 apartment choices.

My husband and I are in the Lindenwood area of Howard Beach for a year now. We love that it's secluded in a residential area with walking distance to the supermarket. The Belt is right there when we need to go to LI. and i work in the city so the express bus is very convenient. Most apartments come with a parking spot.

Good luck!

Message edited 12/23/2010 10:42:28 AM.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

Message edited 12/23/2010 5:24:43 PM.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

If you're already overwhelmed with work and the wedding, Craigs List is not going to help. At least for me it didn't.

I find Craigs List to be...daunting to say the least. I know you said money is tight, and I sooo know the feeling when planning my wedding. But seriously, using a broker was something DH and I never thought would be an option, but it was the best thing ever and was worth every penny.

Otherwise, I would say don't act impulsively and feel forced to make a decision right now. 2-5 years might be temporary, but it can be frustrating when you don't like where you live and have to relocated all over again.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

i think you should keep looking.

It doesn't sound like it meets even half of the criteria.

try rent.com

there will always be another apartment. Don't think just because these two are there now that others won't be there later.

And you can always negotiate.

Also, knowing the landlord is not always the best.

Re: Our first apartment together - advice?

i think you should keep looking too. Location (IMO) is important. I would want a place that is in, or close to the things I want to do. Can you look at places that give you the LI lifestyle you seek but are close (but not too close) to your mom?