House Hunt

It's been months since I last posted anything here, and now Blogger is all different. It just took me a full minute to find the "New Post" button. I guess that's my punishment for never writing.

I decided to write tonight, though, because I'm cranky and want to vent. I'm moving to the Bay Area in less than a month, and I do not yet have a place to live. I have moved many times, sometimes to places far away. It has always worked the same way, whether I was there in person or negotiating things over the phone and internet. I find a place. I like the place. I apply to live in the place. They approve me, and I sign a lease. Done. It's always sort of been on a first-come-first-serve basis. Since I was willing to take the leap on a lease first, then I get the place.

Apparently, that's not how it works in San Francisco. Instead, they will take your application and hold it. And hold it. And hold it. They won't tell you that you're not getting the apartment, but they don't let you sign a lease either. When you ask for a timeline, they say things like, "well, we're having another open house on Thursday." Um, why would you need to have another open house, when you have me sitting right here, ready and willing to sign a lease and give you money?! My application says that I am about to start a faculty position at Stanford. It says that I've never been evicted, declared bankruptcy, etc. My landlord's info is all there, so you can obtain proof that I'm a good tenant. Why would you not just go with it and get the place leased? Apparently, they want to have a "pool of applicants" to choose from. Really? Is this a job application? Leasing a home seems sort of like one of those threshold things - you're either a good tenant or you're not. I'm not sure how you choose the best one out of a group of people who all have perfect rental histories. "I'm sorry, you're great credit score is not quite AS high as this other person's great credit score, so I'm going to go with them."

Or maybe it's my dog. Applicant A has a stable job, good credit, clean rental history, and no pets. Applicant B has a stable job, good credit, clean rental history, and a dog. Any landlord is going to pick Applicant A. I understand this perspective in terms of risk for damage to property, noise problems, etc. Even a dog with great references is technically a risk - cause what if someone lied? So I get it. But it still screws me over. "I understand that you are a great tenant, pay your bills on time, keep your home clean and well-maintained, but since you have a dog, you really should just go live in a van by the river..." Or that's what it feels like people are saying.

I currently have 4 applications in on various properties. I've been trying to get an application for a 5th one, but he keeps ignoring my emails. I've never had to put in more than 1 application during home searches before - I just apply to the one I want, get approved, and then I have a home. Not so much anymore. In 3.5 weeks, I will be living in the Bay Area, but I may not be living there in my own home... Anyone have a van by the river I could check out?