Considering moving out :)

Serendipity

Like some of you may know, I have a 2+ hour commute (one way) to school; that's 4-5 hours each day, depending on how on time the bus and train are. Sometimes the bus I take is considerably late and spend even more time waiting.

So I saw Trey's thread and was considering moving out for the Fall '09 semester. Looking to share an apartment with 4-5 friends, and within walking distance of school so that I don't have to rely on mass transit.

As this will be my first place I was wondering if this is a good idea? Financially and for the long term. On average, it costs me $15 a day for public transportation. I figure it would be more expensive to get an apartment than to commute, but it would be a lot of time saved.

Finally, I won't be living here for too long as it depends on where I end up going to for grad school. I was waitlisted to Duke University the first time around (for undergrad), and my parents want me to apply again. If that's the case, and I actually end up going there, I may see you guys in NC!

nguyendot

Time is money.

Serendipity

Whoops, I hit the refresh button on the browser and it double posted.

Can a mod remove the thread? Thanks!!

wizzy

They better be 4-5 of the best friends you ever had if you want it to work out.

Or better yet, 4-5 friends you barely know so you won't mind in a year when you are pissed at all of them and never want to see 3-4 of them again.

Seriously though. 4-5? An "apartment"?

How big is this apartment?

4-5 friends?

I hope there's some synergy there.

dorokusai

Sell all your stuff and become homeless....it's the new rage.

bobman1235

wizzy wrote: »

They better be 4-5 of the best friends you ever had if you want it to work out.

Or better yet, 4-5 friends you barely know so you won't mind in a year when you are pissed at all of them and never want to see 3-4 of them again.

Seriously though. 4-5? An "apartment"?

How big is this apartment?

4-5 friends?

I hope there's some synergy there.

I believe he goes to school in NYC (right?) so I imagine 4-5 friends it the only way it could be even remotely financially feasible.

wizzy

bobman1235 wrote: »

I believe he goes to school in NYC (right?) so I imagine 4-5 friends it the only way it could be even remotely financially feasible.

Ah ... in that case I suggest at least two females, or two fem **** guys, or some combination thereof.

Last thing you want is five dudes in one apartment.

W

obieone

IF all your roomates are engineering seniors like yourself, then, yes.
If you end up with a bunch of Bluto Blutarski's, then NO!

nooshinjohn

whats wrong with Bluto?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o-SuRXwK5o

cfrizz

Don't call us to bail you out of jail when you commit murder of your roomies.

Friends can rapidly turn into enemies in those close quarters.

What with some who will freeload rather than pay their share of the rent, leave messes everywhere they go & never heard of cleaning. Eat others food rather than buy their own, & on & on & on!

Good Luck!

kawizx9r

Not to mention unexpected parties/asking you for cash/rides/etc. Been there done that, my only roommate now is the wife.........lol.

AudioGenics

4 or 5 room mates seems to be alot and could become complicated.

Hillbilly61

I think the above sums it up. Except for my wife or a serious girlfriend, I have never shared a place with a friend that did not eventually turn south as a result of living with them. Besides of having to learn & deal with personal quirks, a roommate or more may be in serious party mode, but you have to be in serious study mode. Guess what? A party is going to erupt anyway.

Like implied in one of the responses, I'd rather room with folk you don not really know, but all are honestly joining in to make rent & expenses. That sets the stage of arms length respect concering personal habits and strange or inconvienient behavior others may want to engage in - like, they will do it somewhere else.

On the lighter side, if I had to room again, then its got to be a 50/50 match of sexes with all parties not hooked up with someone else (particularly not with another roommate). Things could get real interesting and fun after a while..............

cnh

Been there done that. We had a 3 bedroom apartment in Manhattan when I was in Grad School and usually 3 roommates, but once we had a guy who had a girlfriend so we had 4, and that was nasty.

Two guys usually worked out for the best. But then again, that guy is still one of my BEST friends! So I don't know if that counts. I also lived by myself for a while in that place.

I'd say, know who you're rooming with and keep the numbers down.

cnh

kawizx9r

+1 cnh
I've had several places of my own, some of'em being shared with a roommate or 2. Keep it down to a minimum and youre keeping the problems down to a minimum as well. Also since you'll be living with them, consider that you'll see them much more often than your regular friends and they'll in turn become the people you hang out with most often/etc. That's the way one situation turned out to be, and he remains one of my bestest friends.
On another note, people you know/are comfortable with might feel the same way about you, hence why they'll have that "more at home" feel, giving them the idea that you won't mind their constant partying/messiness/and the idea of bringing girls over and staying for a day or 2, or even a month! Something they wouldn't normally do with someone they don't really know.

Hillbilly61

To add, if it is just a bunch of guys (read my earlier message), then things are fine too. Once an overnight/live in girlfriend comes into the equation via a roomie, things will mostly turn south. Uninvolved guys do not like to be observed in a compromising manner/dress than uninvolved gals do either. The is the genesis of major problems.

I've heard the same from gal pals, so it goes the other way too. Generically speaking, these problems most often happen when a roomy effectively begins to shack up with someone. BEWARE.

dorokusai

Move in with a bunch of chicks, not dudes.

AudioGenics

take care otherwise it's scramble eggs

Hawkeye

My son lived with two guys in a very large apartment while at school. I didn't mind paying his portion of the rent every month. What frosted my chops is one of the guys moved his squeeze in to his room and she lived there rent free. I couldn't cut my son off and throw him on the street so I continued to pay. Didn't like it at all. Sounds like hillbilly61 has been there done that!

Can you split the difference and get a place with perhaps one roomy a bit further in and take a shorter commute? There are usually several ways of solving a problem.

Gordon

Kex

Just make the "terms & conditions" clear from the start. Any GF's = fair share of the rent etc. Who cleans & when, who cooks & when. What rules about noise and hours for noise (definition of noise) etc.

If the rules are clear, then it should be fine, but you need one person in charge IMO. A magnanimous monarchy or dictatorship in shared accomodation works much better than a democracy.

Hillbilly61

Hawkeye wrote: »

Sounds like hillbilly61 has been there done that!

Gordon

It was more along the lines of "been there," "experienced that." I do not know how to better describe. Things turn real **** pretty fast if there is a romance interest interjected into a roommate situation.

After that personal experience, others, guy and gals dominated apartments, have related more or less the same in detail. From my particular experience, I got my own private apartment and things were very cool forever more ... including relationships with friends.

SKsolutions

Things may often go south, and it's not what I would want to do today, but holy hell was there some good and crazy times. 3 is a good number, majority rule. Even better if you hold the lease, and rule the roost. Any freeloader of more than one night, should have to clean the kitchen and bathroom. Other favors work too, gender dependent. You only get one go-round, live it up a bit.

wizzy

SKsolutions wrote: »

Even better if you hold the lease, and rule the roost.

That's the ticket. Don't go "in on it" all together. You hold the lease/rental and rent to them, so you're the big cheese.

Rule #1 (or maybe #4) is don't let anyone slide on anything, when it comes to money. If someone isn't paying on time you need to waste ZERO time cracking their balls.

kawizx9r

+1 wizzy
Although if for any reason, any legal disputes come out of it, you need to make sure you're in the right with renting out the other room/s. I forgot which state it was in but I remember seeing one of those court tv shows (yes I know LOL) and it was stated that only 2 non relatives/1 relative can move in and make it legit. In this case, all 3 residents were non-relative so the person who didnt pay rent/breached contract didn't have to pay anything cause the person renting out the rooms in her house was wrong. If you want to go above/rent out to more residents, it may require some type of permit, otherwise just check your state laws.

SKsolutions

For NY. See the areas about occupants (not on lease) in addition to tenants (on lease), and the very reasonable substitution of tenant rule, allowing you to replace someone that moves out without hassle. Party on.
PRL 235-f
http://www.tenant.net/forum/board/messages/arcs99/arcs9909/6729.html
General info:
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:IG0FkXvQheAJ:www.housingnyc.com/html/resources/attygenguide.html+number+of+people+on+lease+NY&cd=18&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

kawizx9r

+1 SKsolutions

comfortablycurt

wizzy wrote: »

That's the ticket. Don't go "in on it" all together. You hold the lease/rental and rent to them, so you're the big cheese.

Rule #1 (or maybe #4) is don't let anyone slide on anything, when it comes to money. If someone isn't paying on time you need to waste ZERO time cracking their balls.

+1

I've lived in numerous apartments, and had a lot of room mates. Tensions can get high when you're living with someone that isn't your significant other...hell tensions can get high even when you ARE living with your significant other...lol

If it's your name on the lease though, you rule the roost. If a room mate isn't working out, you can kick them to the curb. Make sure to lay down the ground rules before anyone moves in, and see to it that they're followed. If someone doesn't pay their rent...sorry...you're out.