It's a great resource and helpful for anyone else who might be looking for an apartment in the upcoming months!
Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Monday, June 24, 2013
Apartment Hunting Follow Up
A friend posted this link on my wall after reading my post on Craigslist scams and it's a great article on apartment hunting. It's written specifically for San Francisco apartments (which unfortunately is one of the most difficult places to find apartments) but I think most of the lessons can be applied universally!
It's a great resource and helpful for anyone else who might be looking for an apartment in the upcoming months!
It's a great resource and helpful for anyone else who might be looking for an apartment in the upcoming months!
Craigslist Scams
Over this past weekend, I was subject to a scam on Craiglist! While it sounds really terrifying, I was lucky enough to realize it happened before I sent in any money or got further hooked into the scam. Apartment hunting is stressful enough for all of us and to have people trying to take advantage of vulnerable people really gets me. But at least there was a lesson to be learned in all of this and I’m more than happy to share it with you.
The first clue that something was up with this particular ad was that it sounded too good to be true. The price was so much cheaper than everything else I was looking at and it had everything I wanted! Bedroom, bathroom, appliances, everything. But hey, sometimes miracles happen, right?
So I shot an email their way saying I was interested and was amazed to get a really quick reply. The person I was in contact with told me he and his family had moved out of town so they couldn’t open up the place to show me but if I would just take a look at the pictures, they would give me all the information I needed. Red flag number two! Never take a place you can’t take a look at before you rent it. It’s kind of a no brainer but these people weave some elaborate tales.
Lastly, I received another email too soon saying that they wanted to entrust me with the apartment because I sound like a nice girl and that in order to get the keys I would have to send them money through Western Union Transfer. I had never heard of sending money this way and it raised another red flag for me. I looked up the “company” and found out that it was the root of many scams. It’s a way for the scammer to get your money in an almost untraceable way and they’ll just skip town with your money and you won’t get anything in return.
It was a quite awful experience knowing that I could have potentially sent money off to someone with no intention of helping me. Luckily, I had enough suspicions to look up what a Craigslist scam looks like and this one fit the bill in all ways. I also have a friend who happened to be in the real estate business in the area and sent the ad her way. She confirmed that the so-called leaser didn’t even own the property and my suspicions were right that this was indeed a scam.
I’m grateful that I was able to catch this before anything drastic happened. My dad helped me out in doing damage control and the friend that confirmed it was a scam offered to get the police involved. I don’t think any lasting damage was done and hopefully this was a cheap lesson learned. If you want to read more about Craigslist scams and how to recognize them, this article did wonders for me and helped me confirm my suspicions. Happy Apartment Hunting and good luck!
The first clue that something was up with this particular ad was that it sounded too good to be true. The price was so much cheaper than everything else I was looking at and it had everything I wanted! Bedroom, bathroom, appliances, everything. But hey, sometimes miracles happen, right?
So I shot an email their way saying I was interested and was amazed to get a really quick reply. The person I was in contact with told me he and his family had moved out of town so they couldn’t open up the place to show me but if I would just take a look at the pictures, they would give me all the information I needed. Red flag number two! Never take a place you can’t take a look at before you rent it. It’s kind of a no brainer but these people weave some elaborate tales.
Lastly, I received another email too soon saying that they wanted to entrust me with the apartment because I sound like a nice girl and that in order to get the keys I would have to send them money through Western Union Transfer. I had never heard of sending money this way and it raised another red flag for me. I looked up the “company” and found out that it was the root of many scams. It’s a way for the scammer to get your money in an almost untraceable way and they’ll just skip town with your money and you won’t get anything in return.
It was a quite awful experience knowing that I could have potentially sent money off to someone with no intention of helping me. Luckily, I had enough suspicions to look up what a Craigslist scam looks like and this one fit the bill in all ways. I also have a friend who happened to be in the real estate business in the area and sent the ad her way. She confirmed that the so-called leaser didn’t even own the property and my suspicions were right that this was indeed a scam.
I’m grateful that I was able to catch this before anything drastic happened. My dad helped me out in doing damage control and the friend that confirmed it was a scam offered to get the police involved. I don’t think any lasting damage was done and hopefully this was a cheap lesson learned. If you want to read more about Craigslist scams and how to recognize them, this article did wonders for me and helped me confirm my suspicions. Happy Apartment Hunting and good luck!
 |
| Craigslist can be a great resource but you have to watch out for scams! Be careful out there! |
Important Questions When Apartment Hunting
So as you probably know, I’ve been apartment hunting this weekend for a place down in SoCal. My move there is coming up and it was time to solidify my living situation. Otherwise, as my dad said, “You could just live in a tent on a beach.” Not sure that would be the best solution…
Anyway, I came up with a list of things that you might want to ask about when looking at/inquiring about an apartment:
Parking – if you’re living in a big commuter area and having a car is the best way to get to work, you’ll want to ask about parking. Something apartments have an included parking space, some don’t and you’ll have to park on the street, and others charge an extra monthly fee for a parking space. It’s always good to ask even if you don’t have a car just in case you decide to get one later!
Laundry – laundry is something you’re going to have to do. It’s always good to know if it’s included in the unit or off site or if you’re going to have to drive a ways to go do it. Most places have coin-operated machines but it’s good to check with whoever’s showing you the apartment and actually take a look at the machines.
Utilities – ask whether you need to pay for electricity and water and trash and cable/Internet. It’s an important thing to think about because it will add up if your landlord doesn’t help you out with some of it. Maybe it’s already included in the rent, maybe it’s not. Ask and see what you’re really paying for.
Neighborhood – asking about the neighborhood is a big thing in my book. I want to know what kind of people I’m living around and whether it’s a safe place or not. At one of the places I checked out this weekend, the person showing me the apartment told me that the cops actually hang out around the 7-11 around the corner all the time. I guess that’s a good/bad thing. Good since they’re near by but bad because…well why are they in the area all the time?
Appliances/Furniture – see if the apartment comes pre-furnished or if you’ll need to bring your own appliances. Sometimes, old tenants can leave behind furniture and it’s up to you whether you want it or not. One of the apartments I saw didn’t come with a fridge so I would have to get my own. It’s not a big deal but it’s definitely something I needed to know before moving in. Otherwise I’d have to eat nothing but boxed food and canned goods for while!
Pets – pets are something that some places are ok with and some places are adamantly against. Even if you don’t have a dog or cat or even fish at the moment, ask to see if anything would change if you did decide to adopt a pet later on. Sometimes it’s a matter of the neighbors not wanting pets or sometimes you’ll have to pay some extra each month for your pet.
These are just some things I would think about when looking at apartments. I’m probably forgetting some things but I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Anyway, I came up with a list of things that you might want to ask about when looking at/inquiring about an apartment:
Parking – if you’re living in a big commuter area and having a car is the best way to get to work, you’ll want to ask about parking. Something apartments have an included parking space, some don’t and you’ll have to park on the street, and others charge an extra monthly fee for a parking space. It’s always good to ask even if you don’t have a car just in case you decide to get one later!
Laundry – laundry is something you’re going to have to do. It’s always good to know if it’s included in the unit or off site or if you’re going to have to drive a ways to go do it. Most places have coin-operated machines but it’s good to check with whoever’s showing you the apartment and actually take a look at the machines.
Utilities – ask whether you need to pay for electricity and water and trash and cable/Internet. It’s an important thing to think about because it will add up if your landlord doesn’t help you out with some of it. Maybe it’s already included in the rent, maybe it’s not. Ask and see what you’re really paying for.
Neighborhood – asking about the neighborhood is a big thing in my book. I want to know what kind of people I’m living around and whether it’s a safe place or not. At one of the places I checked out this weekend, the person showing me the apartment told me that the cops actually hang out around the 7-11 around the corner all the time. I guess that’s a good/bad thing. Good since they’re near by but bad because…well why are they in the area all the time?
Appliances/Furniture – see if the apartment comes pre-furnished or if you’ll need to bring your own appliances. Sometimes, old tenants can leave behind furniture and it’s up to you whether you want it or not. One of the apartments I saw didn’t come with a fridge so I would have to get my own. It’s not a big deal but it’s definitely something I needed to know before moving in. Otherwise I’d have to eat nothing but boxed food and canned goods for while!
Pets – pets are something that some places are ok with and some places are adamantly against. Even if you don’t have a dog or cat or even fish at the moment, ask to see if anything would change if you did decide to adopt a pet later on. Sometimes it’s a matter of the neighbors not wanting pets or sometimes you’ll have to pay some extra each month for your pet.
These are just some things I would think about when looking at apartments. I’m probably forgetting some things but I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Monday, June 17, 2013
Apartment Hunting
The countdown is beginning! My move to SoCal is getting more and more real and getting closer and closer. It’s terrifyingly exciting! Unfortunately, one of the hardest things about moving, other than packing of things into a million boxes, is finding a place to live. I don’t have any family in SoCal so I was at a bit of a loss as to where to start looking. Luckily, I have enough friends from the area and they were able to turn me onto some great resources.
There are a few differences between looking for an apartment while in college and looking for one after graduation. While in college, I realized that the earlier you can nail down an apartment, the better. This is because most of the apartments around a college town have a set lease date. By this, I mean they all have similar move in dates that correlate with the school semesters. So usually there’s a June 1st move-in/move-out date because that works with all students. So because that’s already set in stone, most landlords can put their apartments up for rent as early as February or March! Therefore, it’s best to get an early head start when looking for college apartments.
When looking for an apartment after graduation, however, I wouldn’t look further than a month in advance, the reason being that most apartments, while looking for one-year lease tenants, usually will get snatched up pretty quickly. The thing I’ve realized about non-college town apartments is that the turnover rate is pretty quick, especially in hot areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City etc. Therefore, this is one time where procrastination will work in your favor. Yesterday, I tried to start making appointments to see apartments on this coming Saturday and most of the places I reached out to were surprised I was calling so early! Some even suggested I call back on Friday.
I can’t wait to be down in the LA area this weekend! I’ve scouted out some pretty cool places that I would love to live in. I’ll give you all an update as soon as I get back!
There are a few differences between looking for an apartment while in college and looking for one after graduation. While in college, I realized that the earlier you can nail down an apartment, the better. This is because most of the apartments around a college town have a set lease date. By this, I mean they all have similar move in dates that correlate with the school semesters. So usually there’s a June 1st move-in/move-out date because that works with all students. So because that’s already set in stone, most landlords can put their apartments up for rent as early as February or March! Therefore, it’s best to get an early head start when looking for college apartments.
When looking for an apartment after graduation, however, I wouldn’t look further than a month in advance, the reason being that most apartments, while looking for one-year lease tenants, usually will get snatched up pretty quickly. The thing I’ve realized about non-college town apartments is that the turnover rate is pretty quick, especially in hot areas like San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City etc. Therefore, this is one time where procrastination will work in your favor. Yesterday, I tried to start making appointments to see apartments on this coming Saturday and most of the places I reached out to were surprised I was calling so early! Some even suggested I call back on Friday.
I can’t wait to be down in the LA area this weekend! I’ve scouted out some pretty cool places that I would love to live in. I’ll give you all an update as soon as I get back!
 |
| A little Game of Thrones meme for y'all! |
Things You Need To Know Before Your Next Job Interview
I found this infographic online a while ago on Tumblr and thought it might be interesting to share. There are definitely some things I wish I had known before I went through a torrential downpour of interviews. There are tips on what to wear, what to prep on, and even nonverbal cues that you might not even know you’re doing! It’s a great read and who doesn’t love a good infographic?
What are some tips that you wish you had be given before your interview?
[source]
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Skills to Pay the Bills
I came across this article (Class of 2013: Master These 15 Simple Skills) while updating my LinkedIn profile this morning and gave it a read. I think a lot of these things are particularly relevant and while some of them apply more to new grads, others are great skills to hone regardless of your age. Here are my top three favorites from his article:
1. Pursue your passions – this seems to be the quote of the year. I heard it at my commencement from both the keynote speaker (Steve Wozniak!) and our young alumna speaker (Brianna Keilar). They both stressed the importance of doing something you love and doing work that doesn’t feel like work. We’ve heard it all before: about how our generation has it tougher than ever when it comes to finding a job and how most graduates have come to settle for any job, much less fathom finding their “dream job.” But why settle for 8 hours of mediocrity a day? The mounting pressure to have a job secured by the end of graduation often means graduates aren’t finding jobs that they love, but instead, jobs they qualify for. The bottom line is, time isn’t the problem anymore. Spend the time to find what you love and work won’t be work.
2. Take care of yourself – I’ve never had much trouble with my health in terms of weight and exercise. In high school, I was part of a competitive dance group and we practice 10 or more hours a week. In college, I was again part of the dance team so I had my exercise taken care of for me. After the dance team season ended my senior year, my lifestyle became instantaneously more sedentary. I have, however, discovered yoga and running and of course Lululemon, and so I now have to be the scheduler of my own exercise regime. I’ve never had much freedom in my workout regime and it’s both daunting and thrilling. Taking care of yourself is key because without a strong bill of health, you can’t work to your full potential and it’s often a piece of advice that is overlooked.
3. Write – “Writing is a lost art - and the truth is, no matter what your job, industry or career, it's beneficial to become a better writer.” As I’m writing this blog post, I’m coming to realize how much I love writing. It’s been easier writing almost 500 words in this instance than some of my papers in college. In a letter I wrote to myself at the end of my senior year in high school, I emphatically stated that I loved writing. After taking a few classes in college, I really struggled with certain paper topics and it was mostly because I couldn’t immerse myself in the topic. But when I took a class on southeast Asian politics, those papers came so easily to me. Five pages took me maybe 5 hours time and I wanted to sit and edit it all day. I guess writing goes back to pursuing your passions. If you love what you’re writing about, it’s not hard at all.
Those were my favorite pieces of advice from Dave Kerpern’s article. What about yours?
1. Pursue your passions – this seems to be the quote of the year. I heard it at my commencement from both the keynote speaker (Steve Wozniak!) and our young alumna speaker (Brianna Keilar). They both stressed the importance of doing something you love and doing work that doesn’t feel like work. We’ve heard it all before: about how our generation has it tougher than ever when it comes to finding a job and how most graduates have come to settle for any job, much less fathom finding their “dream job.” But why settle for 8 hours of mediocrity a day? The mounting pressure to have a job secured by the end of graduation often means graduates aren’t finding jobs that they love, but instead, jobs they qualify for. The bottom line is, time isn’t the problem anymore. Spend the time to find what you love and work won’t be work.
2. Take care of yourself – I’ve never had much trouble with my health in terms of weight and exercise. In high school, I was part of a competitive dance group and we practice 10 or more hours a week. In college, I was again part of the dance team so I had my exercise taken care of for me. After the dance team season ended my senior year, my lifestyle became instantaneously more sedentary. I have, however, discovered yoga and running and of course Lululemon, and so I now have to be the scheduler of my own exercise regime. I’ve never had much freedom in my workout regime and it’s both daunting and thrilling. Taking care of yourself is key because without a strong bill of health, you can’t work to your full potential and it’s often a piece of advice that is overlooked.
3. Write – “Writing is a lost art - and the truth is, no matter what your job, industry or career, it's beneficial to become a better writer.” As I’m writing this blog post, I’m coming to realize how much I love writing. It’s been easier writing almost 500 words in this instance than some of my papers in college. In a letter I wrote to myself at the end of my senior year in high school, I emphatically stated that I loved writing. After taking a few classes in college, I really struggled with certain paper topics and it was mostly because I couldn’t immerse myself in the topic. But when I took a class on southeast Asian politics, those papers came so easily to me. Five pages took me maybe 5 hours time and I wanted to sit and edit it all day. I guess writing goes back to pursuing your passions. If you love what you’re writing about, it’s not hard at all.
Those were my favorite pieces of advice from Dave Kerpern’s article. What about yours?
 |
| Not only am I blogging more, I'm also going to attempt to sharpen my Photoshop skills. So bear with me. |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)