The Search For Home, Part One

We started apartment hunting this past weekend, looking for a place to build a little home.

Our goal is to rent until we can afford to buy a place ... a goal we're hoping to accomplish in 3 or 4 years but, given Vancouver's insane real estate prices, may take a little longer. With that in mind, we're trying to find an apartment that is not only a perfect fit for our newlywed life but also a perfect fit for us longer-term. We want a place that can accommodate a growing family ... not an easy task, since we've got our hearts set on living in one of the nicest (and, therefore, most expensive) neighborhoods in the city.

Apartment hunting in Vancouver is brutal. Many places in Vancouver don't require that tenants sign a year-long lease and places are rented out on a month-to-month basis. What that means is that places that will be available to rent for June 1st are usually only listed on May 1st ... so you've got a month, ONE MONTH, to find your dream apartment. If an apartment is a good price, in a good location, it's often rented out within days of being listed. Once you find a place you like, it's not a matter of just saying "we'll take this!" Oh, no. Not that simple. Everyone who is interested in the apartment has to fill out a lengthy application ... sometimes a landlord will get a dozen applications or more ... and once you've handed in the application, the waiting game begins. Waiting to hear back. Hoping to be chosen.

We saw an apartment last night that we both love. It's exactly what we wanted, in exactly the location we wanted, for exactly the price we were hoping for. Not only does it have all the necessary requirements on our checklist (2 bedrooms, decent kitchen, nice large living room) but it also has all the little extras we were secretly hoping for - a fireplace, a dishwasher, exposed brick! We filled out an application right away and I think we stand a good chance, but this waiting game is killing me. I really, REALLY, want this place.

We have a view more appointments lined up this week, just in case last night's application isn't enough to win over the landlord. Fingers crossed that by Friday we have a place to live!