Found a place up in Sac. It’s not one of the places that I was initially going for, but it was my #1 backup option and it has some upsides that my primary options lacked.
I basically limited my search to the Natomas area, since it’s one the newer areas in Sac, relatively safe, and I’ve lived there before. It had to be a 2 bedroom. 2 bath would’ve been nice, but 1 would suffice. Washer & dryer in unit was a must. If the place didn’t have a garage, it had to be a controlled, gated community.
After much searching online, I was sold on renting a condo. The monthly rent was about the same as an equivalent apartment, and in some cases the place was bigger (more square footage). And with condos, the HOA (home owner association) fees include the water, sewage, & garbage utilities, and that is paid by the owner, not the renter. The major downside is the ridiculous security deposit amount. It’s usually the same price as the monthly rent, if not more. But I was willing to pay that amount. (in retrospect, i dunno. paying an extra $600-700 security deposit, to save mabye $100/month on utilities?)
Scouring through Craigslist, I applied to all the condos that fit my criteria, but I was never quick enough to respond and always ended up on a wait list, usually 3rd or lower. With Shann starting school on Aug 29, I couldn’t afford to wait long.
So I ended up just getting a regular apartment. It fit all my previously stated criteria, with an added bonus: it’s right on the bus line. I don’t have to drive to the Natomas Marketplace park & ride to catch the bus (as I would’ve had to do if I rented a condo). Utilities weren’t included in the rent, but at least the security deposit isn’t going to break the bank. And it’s literally right across the street from Arco Arena (it will always be Arco Arena. fuck that Power Balance Pavilion bullshit), so we don’t have to pay for parking when we go see Kings games.
Official move-in day is Friday, so I’ll sign for the keys and move in just the small stuff cause Shann’s out of town till Saturday, so we won’t move the big stuff till Sunday. I pulled out the good ol’ Ikea couch set from storage. I bought this set way back in the summer of 2001, when I moved out of the dorms and into my very 1st apartment. And the last time I used them was in 2005 when I was living up in Roseville. So for being 10 years old, and in storage for the last 6 years, it still looks good. I’d like to get a newer set, but I suppose I should save my money. But we’ll see how they hold up after they get some actual use.
I only plan on staying a year, the duration of the lease. Hopefully, during that time, I can save enough so that when the lease is up, I’ll have enough money to buy my own place. Nothing too fancy, just a small little condo or townhouse for myself, so that instead of paying rent, I’d be paying for a mortgage, and I wouldn’t have to worry about fucking shit up and not getting my security deposit back.
