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Yay for Adulting ! Podcast - Episode 8 - First Apartment, pt 1
18 Plays2 months ago
First apartment energy is real. In Part 1, we cover the dream setup, how you actually find a place, what matters most when choosing, what the lease process can be like, And what you need to set up before move-in day. Part 2 is up next with first-week reality, routines, maintenance, And money surprises.
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Transcript
Ideal Living Locations Discussion
00:00:04
Speaker
If money wasn't a factor and you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and what would your ideal apartment setup be?
00:00:14
Speaker
Either somewhere, like, towards up north, like, either north Michigan, because I heard it out there it's a lot cheaper, like, living out there. Or, like, if I was to go to another state, I would say maybe either Tennessee or, like, Idaho. Somewhere where it's not, like, extremely warm, but it's not also cold. Because don't, like...
00:00:37
Speaker
Like, I want to do like, Florida or something like that where it's, like, always hot because it's, like, you got to deal with, you know, all the natural disasters and stuff like that.
Designing the Perfect Apartment
00:00:45
Speaker
Okay. And what would your apartment setup be like?
00:00:48
Speaker
It's a condor studio because, like, it but it was but it's far, like, for me, I don't, like, don't need, like, ah like too much space but I need like in enough space to where like I could just spread things out like I could have a corner to where like if i wanted to have like my gaming set up I could set that up in a corner like if i wanted to have another corner to where like wanted to you know set up basically like a beanbag or something to where I can read I'll do that I'll basically just have like my own area so like each place or each room would be each space would be like their own vibes
00:01:25
Speaker
and if there's one thing that you had to have in the apartment, either it could be a thing like a desk or an apartment amenity like a pool or a gym, what would that be? but I forget the name of it, but it's like the workout machine where like you can basically, um you sit down and then like you pull down and then like the curl bar because it wouldn't make too much noise and, you know, it wouldn't be, you know, it wouldn't be loud.
00:01:52
Speaker
I probably would spring from one of those apartments i like that are really tall and like pick a lot of the rooms that are really high up there just so I can see up across like the Nashville City skyline. And then what would be... Or look down from the Nashville City skyline. What would be must-have? Like either something in the apartment or something about the apartment, like an amenity, like a gym, breakfast every morning. Sorry, free breakfast. That's a fun thing.
00:02:18
Speaker
You know, yeah you can't go in for continental breakfast or what Complementary continental breakfast that they call it. Yes, they do.
Downtown Living Preferences
00:02:28
Speaker
If money wasn't a factor, are but definitely here in San Diego.
00:02:31
Speaker
ah Definitely one of those buildings downtown, all those tall apartment buildings. They're like, they're really nice. Maybe two-bedroom, just in case I have visitors or or, yeah, like a roommate or something like that. Okay, and what's one thing that you want the apartment to have?
00:02:50
Speaker
Either something in in your apartment or something like that the her apartment complex provides?
Financial Planning for Apartment Living
00:02:56
Speaker
So maybe like a viewing room where you can just look down to the city. You can see like, you know, the the planes laying to the airport. You can see the mountains.
00:03:04
Speaker
Yeah, can see everything.
00:03:09
Speaker
ah So welcome back to Yay for Adulting, where we make grown-up stuff feel doable. One small win at a time. We're calling this episode Adulting First Apartment and talking wins, mistakes, and stuff that nobody ever tells you until you've already moved in.
00:03:24
Speaker
Okay, our guests today are AJ, Gen How y'all doing today? Hey, I'm Joseph, the millennial. Hello, my name is Justin, and I'm another Gen z Welcome, everyone. and Let's get started.
00:03:38
Speaker
So AJ is brand new to apartment life. Joseph has lived on a college campus and an apartment with roommates, and Justin is planning ahead to make sure his future move out goes at least somewhat smoothly.
00:03:51
Speaker
So a j let's start at the beginning. So what was the first step you took when you decided you wanted your own place? The first step into the process, I would say, was putting my mind focused onto saving for it.
00:04:06
Speaker
Like, I knew I wanted one. And like, I knew, yes, I needed to save for an apartment. But actually putting like my focus into saving was like actually do that first step. especially like for you know like the apartment it's saving for a car and apartment is two different things because it's I had to make sure that for like you know to rent money money just in case like I need to buy furniture money just in case or theyre like I ain't know like I had to pay um what it like the the depository that it was just that I know like I was gonna you know i have to pay for it so once I
00:04:43
Speaker
realized, you know, like everything was going to basically be a factor into, you know, saving up for an apartment, not just the apartment. I had to actually sit down and focus on like what I needed to do to actually get it.
00:04:55
Speaker
Did you have ah an amount in mind or were you just like, i need to save a bunch of money? I know that I wanted to at least between $1,200 $1,400. Okay.
00:05:08
Speaker
so you had it so you had a goal in mine yes ma'am um Oh, I just aged and I think I just got a bunch more gray hairs. yes I'm sorry. It's fine. No worries.
00:05:23
Speaker
All right, Joseph, is that kind of falling line with um when you were looking for your first place, what you did?
Location and Convenience Priorities
00:05:27
Speaker
More or less, though. It was more so just talking with people who had already lived in those apartment complexes here and there, getting their story, and just comparing them to what was available. Because I remember, like, one of the things that I wanted was something that was, like, close by to, like, whatever stores that I needed to go to at the time. I also just had an easy access to campus, so luckily...
00:05:49
Speaker
I think at the time called Gables. That's what they had. they they oh They had like a shell that ran to the ah campus, but also it was like right across the street from Walmart and even more unfortunate for my stomach, it was right next door to a cookout.
00:06:04
Speaker
Like I could just walk right like right up a small hill and just be right next to the cookout. And if I wanted to, I could just open up the door to our balcony and smell like cookout. Yeah. Yeah.
00:06:17
Speaker
cookouts, grills, firing, and it was like, you know during the day. but so unfair. what AJ, when you started looking, what was the most important for
Apartment Search Strategies and Challenges
00:06:27
Speaker
you?
00:06:27
Speaker
Price, location, space, safety? Well, it's okay. The most important, in it should have been location because like, especially for me, I didn't realize how much I was going to be working as much as I do. So it should have been location, but it was really just like the price and the, um what's the word? Like the environment.
00:06:51
Speaker
Like, looking up, like, the views and stuff out here, like, ain't see no bad reviews. And, like, when I came, like, you know, actually out here to talk and stuff and look at it, was, like, it looked clean. was getting, you know, like, a good vibe from the apartment people. it was just, like, just know, like, at least, like, the environment. I know I needed, like, you know, to have, like, a good space around me.
00:07:15
Speaker
Makes sense. Makes sense. Are you about how... that I know you mentioned working a lot, so are you pretty far from your job, or you just would have preferred to be closer? Prefer to be closer. It's like, ain't... I'm, what, 20 minutes, like, because I'm right next to the highway, so it's like can... Like, when I leave out, I can just get right on the highway, but it's like the way I... Or the way I be working sometimes, it's like I should have just gone somewhere. At least, like...
00:07:42
Speaker
10 minutes away just in case like especially what it's really just them days where like you forget something it's like if I like if I forget something it's like I gotta drive you know 20 minutes back 20 minutes you know back to work so that's really the only bad thing but I mean as far as like just like living living it ain't bad though because it's like I'm in like a good area to where like like when I want to you know get food or go out and do stuff ain't nothing too far for me Okay.
00:08:12
Speaker
So it's not a bad location. Just you would have preferred a location that was closer to your job. Yeah. yeah And then how did you look for places online, listings, driving around?
00:08:23
Speaker
Well, it was really both. It was online and asking people because at first I had asked what the community and my cousin was like basically like looking together. They was basically like, you know, like telling me kind of like what I need to do to like basically set myself up to get an apartment as far as like what they look at, like credit and stuff like that. So Once he basically told me about that, I just started going on with the different like apartment, like like website finders and then looking at also marketplace because they had like a couple of them were like basically post like um apartments and then like you can, you know, like go to the link and then go check it out and stuff.
00:09:10
Speaker
But if I was like, with like the apartment finders some of them would basically like it'd be cafes like they just show you you know like good apartments or like they show you basically people who are kind of like already living there like they might be renting it out as far as like you getting your own like apartment yeah do you like ever look at the reviews or anything like that about the specific complex you're looking at Yeah, that's with, especially with this one. This one, um like, well, this one and another one that was with that a a little bit closer to my job. Those were the main, like, two that I had in mind because, like, those reviews, they was real good.
00:09:56
Speaker
And then the other one, like, that was closer to my job, the only bad thing with them was that if I would have, like, moved in with them, I would have had to wait, like, I think it was, like, another month And then, like,
00:10:10
Speaker
At that time, it was, I just, I couldn't do that at that time. It was like, yeah. But as far as, like, well, especially, like, when I still look in, like, on the reviews and stuff right now, it's, like, my building, in and well, my building is, it's a newer building. So, like, we are reviewing good. So, as far as, like, the people that live, want to say, like, toward the front,
00:10:33
Speaker
Now they refuse, it's a little iffy, but I can't, you know, don't live over there, so I ain't gonna say nothing here. So the thing that made you go, yes, this is the place I'm living, this is the place that I want to stay over the other place, is the fact that easier to pay for?
00:10:52
Speaker
yeah that's ah well yeah i was really why Yeah, that was one of the bad things about it Like, the process, basically, like, it only took, I want to say, would like, actually, like, once I actually came here and looked at it and everything, took, what, two weeks for me to move in.
The Move-In Experience
00:11:16
Speaker
Oh, wow. Wow. that spring if that was uh like to basically with them you just needed to what was it you just needed to have i think it's two times or two three times like the rent and then my credit was already it was these was it's a good no but at that time it was decent so like that was already good And then, like, because I was already, you know, saving up, it was like i already had that first month rent, you know, like, ready. So that just made it look even better.
00:11:50
Speaker
And was the um the application and lease process easy? ah Was there anything that, like, surprised you? It was oil was easy. and But it's like, you know, like, moving into your first place, it's like, you know, we definitely don't read everything. so it's like, you know. isn So it's like as the months go on, it's like, you know, learned. That's true. Yeah, so it's like I learned, you know, so that that I definitely ain't know when I signed the at least, but it ain't it ain't been nothing too bad yet to where it's like I regret doing it, but it's just like I definitely like learn new stuff every month to where it's like I should have read, you know, over everything for sure.
00:12:32
Speaker
find it. Damn, it's too big. And then, yeah, that's just, and that's like ah utilities, furniture, gas, and stuff like that. yeah Really, that's another thing that would surprise me, too. Like, well you fan I think it's thermostats and stuff. It's like basically they were like I had learned like it basically if you like if you keep it like the apartment too cold or too hot then like they charge you extra for that because like they want you to basically keep it you know like a cool temperature. i was like ain't know that either.
00:13:08
Speaker
That would definitely help me even. Yeah, I know yeah and i know some apartments, are they used to, well, because the apartment itself controlled the thermostat and stuff like that.
00:13:21
Speaker
Oh, wow. Like the main office? Pretty much, yeah. I mean, I wouldn't mind mind that.
00:13:30
Speaker
Yeah, Joseph, I think you're at the apartment. they Yeah, they let you know because they charge you. You get overages, right? They expect you to keep it at one at one rate. But if you go over, you end up paying more. And it's split between, what, at one point you had three other roommates, right?
00:13:45
Speaker
And so it's not like you could say, oh, well, you turned up the service out. are you It was like, no, everybody's everybody got split evenly. that right? as far as overages go yeah we it got split up for three how many ways that we had per resident though it didn't usually go up like more than like ten dollars if that now like during like the extreme weather months well that's not bad unless you're on a really tight budget right
00:14:16
Speaker
All right. so moving one place to another can be stressful and fun sometimes. um And moving into your first place as has an entirely different set of emotions. So AJ, even before move-in day, what did you have set up? did Or what were you allowed to set up? Like your internet, water, renter's insurance?
00:14:37
Speaker
As far as the setup, they had basically, so there's one part of I had to set up with everything before moving in. So I had to do DTE.
00:14:48
Speaker
had to set up with the renters insurance. That was the more, surprisingly for the renters insurance, it was only, was it $150? But then only had to do a one-time payment on that stuff.
00:15:01
Speaker
ah do I ain't gonna question that stuff. a dare And I had to set ah an account with them. and then I had to do like a background check or whatever just to like confirm like I have no pets and stuff like that.
00:15:17
Speaker
So you had to set up all of that separately? The only one that which why came through them was like the background check and then the DTE. You had to do that one separately. I guess it's kind of through them too because I basically basically set an appointment online, call up there, and then they just turned everything off of me.
00:15:40
Speaker
And then as far as like roommate, I'm still, well, as far as right now, I don't really want one because it's like I'm still, you know, like fresh into it. But it's like eventually i might do one because I got like the space for it. So it's like as far as as long as long if I can find like the right person that's, you know, on the right track, then I'll do that because I got the space for it. But it's hard right now. It's like I still want to enjoy, you know, the long time while I can't.
00:16:11
Speaker
Nice. That makes sense. That makes a lot of sense. So, Joseph, you have any, yeah is that kind of similar to... Is that kind of like similar to your moving story? What was moving day like for you? Or what was moving like for you when you lived in two? It was mostly similar, though. I do know that having to go back and forth up the stairs, like from going down three flights of stairs and bringing stuff from there and then going to a new place that has its own flight of stairs, three flights of stairs.
00:16:43
Speaker
And then taking things up there. Apparently, there's one not uncommon thing for like people that i live with or as people that i hang out with nowadays. that Like all but like one or two people seem to who live in apartments live on the third floor of their apartments.
00:16:57
Speaker
Oh, wow. I don't know why it's a common thing, but like every person that I've hung out with that yeah for my college days. they're always on the third floor so it's also fun whenever i had to help them move things as well because i also had to move them up or down three flight stairs yeah that that's actually and i kind of remember that that movement although i don't remember doing all the steps because i probably didn't aj what about what floor are you on i'm on a second right now i only gotta go to one flight of stairs nice
00:17:34
Speaker
ah What was the first, like, the very first thing you did after you got inside?
Emotional Aspects of Moving
00:17:38
Speaker
Just relax, like, set things up? Well, first first day I got it. Like, was just like, I don't even know the word for it. It was just like, I just walked around and was just like, you know, just basically grateful for it.
00:17:53
Speaker
And then, like, you know, just sat down there and, you know, just chilled in here for a little bit. And then, you know, just, it's like, just took it in. You know, just like that feeling. You just took it all in?
00:18:04
Speaker
Yeah. That's like, you know, it just felt unreal, basically. But, like, the first time, like, actually, you know, like, getting it together and stuff. It was like had, what was that, bought a, what was that, a bed first and then, you know, set that up and then bought a, what was that, a TV stand, set that up and then basically like from there I just like been doing like one thing at a time.
00:18:33
Speaker
Especially like right now I still got to get it like set up because I still got to give me a TV for my living room and a do at a TV stand. I just,
00:18:46
Speaker
I just had my mind been on just been on work so say once get it off work I actually you know get to looking for that stuff okay was there anything that you had when finished taking everything I'm sorry I'm packing you're like ah dang it I wish I just had this with me and I didn't just have it in one of these 15 boxes I'd probably say Definitely the blanket, that's for sure. Because, like, I had the, you know, the bed first, but I, you know, had the cover, so it was like, I was just sleeping on the bed, basically. And the second would be definitely the, like, because it's like, I ain't, like,
00:19:24
Speaker
Even though did, like, the walk with them, it's like, I ain't do it at night, so it's like, ain't realize how dark it would be, like, in the room without... Yeah, I see. So, definitely, I'd like to... It was probably, like, the first two things that definitely brought with me also. And after, like, unpacked... Like, after you unpacked your stuff, what was, like, the first thing you did? Probably, yeah, think just relax. Like, just, you know, just chill and was like, you know,
00:19:52
Speaker
Just being like, just happy, like just having that feeling of just, you know, like having my own place for once. So it was just like, you know, just did that first like feeling of, you know, being able to just chill with, you know, nobody around. It's just like, it was just something different basically.
00:20:09
Speaker
It was just. Takes me back. All right.
Adapting to New Living Conditions
00:20:14
Speaker
So now we're going to talk about the best and the worst things about new places. So, AJ, what's one thing about living in your new place that surprised you in they like the very first week, other than sleeping in complete darkness?
00:20:28
Speaker
Oh, Pauly, who was that? Like, what was that? Like, the bathroom and stuff like that. Like, I had to get used to, basically, like, how everything, like, worked and stuff. Like, the sink, you got um, basically turn it a different way. And then, like, the water pressure sometimes, like, at first it was, like, very, what's the word? Like, get it had just, like, come out, basically. And then, like, with the shower, at first it was, um, like, it felt like it was, like, too loud. So it was, like, I felt like
00:20:58
Speaker
like everybody around me can hear me basically and know like how it like I like want to see me like that type of neighbor so I just like I had to get used to it just getting used to like you know not being like you know too loud and just being I don't know the word but just like don't want to like just seem like you know I'm just you know just overly loud to people yeah so do you have somebody above you too Like, the first two weeks, but it was definitely coming from above. But recently, it's been, like, a lot better. I've been here for, I want to say, like, what, three months or four months now? I still ain't met no neighborhood. So it's like...
00:21:46
Speaker
I think I got, I want to say one above me, below me, I ain't heard anything. To the right of me, think it's somebody. and then it's one across from me. But as far as like knowing this right now, right now, recently, they've been, they've actually been good. Like people of above me, only hear stuff sometimes in the morning. But then, like, after 11 years, after 12, I don't really hear nothing. And then everybody else, I mean, don't even know if that's enough, so I can't complain.
00:22:20
Speaker
I remember every so often I was hanging out with like one of my friends, they lived they were one of the few that lived on the first floor. They had like roommates below them. that's And every so often when we were like playing cargos or whatever, we'd just hear them ah for some reason just banging on the floor set for some reason or another. Like, what is going on? there's We don't know.
00:22:40
Speaker
so yeah, I can definitely understand being glad that you don't have that to deal with. and Sometimes we think they're just wrestling up there. Yeah. With how well there were. That's literally what he used to sound like in that first week. Like, it would sound like he's a wrestler and just, like, he's just, like, just thumping around.
00:23:00
Speaker
But, hey, you managed to get past that. Any other things that's happened with you where you're like, you know what? if i'm If I manage to go through that, the rest of this is going to be smooth sailing. With me? It's like I try not to...
00:23:13
Speaker
let little things bother me. So it's like, really, like, I just know the noise will probably be, you know, like the biggest factor. So like really, in well, not that I'm used to, you know, like the noise. It's like, oh as far as everything else, I know, like, ain't gonna let it bother me. Especially only thing I probably have to worry about now It's like now that it's getting warmer, probably, you know, bugs and stuff, but I bought bug spray and then I'm go just buy like one of them incense and put it next to the window too, it just in case.
00:23:46
Speaker
But as far as everything else, everything else has been good far. Everything's working. I haven't had some water issues yet. I hope everything keeps going good. What's been the hardest adjustment so far? Paying rent now every month? I know you like it quiet, but being away from your family, what's the hardest adjustment?
00:24:11
Speaker
Maybe, yeah, maybe just like that getting used to like the quietness. Cause it's like growing up, like always wanted it quietness. So it's like not that I actually got it. I got to basically get used to this. Can't just come home and just like, you know, ah I ain't got to worry about nothing.
00:24:30
Speaker
So like that's definitely like I was it's definitely it's like not the hardest but definitely the hardest so I just gotta you know just get used to like you know just like it's not a bad thing but just you know just getting used to being alone that was like it's definitely mind challenge a mind challenge. Yeah so too.
00:24:52
Speaker
Yeah, well, really. Another thing I'll say, too, is, like, I ain't realize, you know, how we, I ain't gonna say expensive, but how pricey, you know, every, you know, little furniture and stuff, it you know, stuff is.
00:25:07
Speaker
Yeah. Like, why everything definitely, everything definitely adds up. Yeah. Yeah, especially for furniture. for sure. don't know.
00:25:19
Speaker
All right, y'all, we're going to pause right here, and that's part one. Today, we talked about the dream apartment setup versus the real-life search, what to look for, what questions to ask, and what move-in prep really takes.
00:25:32
Speaker
In part two, we're getting into the first-week reality, the surprises, the routines, food cleaning, basic safety and maintenance, and the money stuff nobody warns you about to let actually hit your account.
00:25:44
Speaker
If you're planning a move, Do future you a favor. Start a tiny list. One thing to buy, one thing to set up, one thing to ask. Thanks for hanging out with us on Yay for Adulting.
00:25:55
Speaker
We'll see you in part two. And remember, progress over perfection.