Oh-plus-one for five

I swear to LEGO, I'm starting to understand why people buy property.

So, I contacted a couple of different major apartment complexes last week asking if I could do tours or such of the units.  All of them are only open business ours (9-6 M-F); that, from the start, is a problem - hello, you want renters who can pay the bills but won't be open when people with day jobs can stop by? - but whatever.  I took Friday afternoon off and figured I'd wander around the village a bit checking places out.

I had 5 places I wanted to visit.  I had ads from them on various sites and, in a couple of cases, had spoken to *someone* over the phone about the property.  One place I wanted to stop by was the apartment that I still think would be awesome but the property manage hasn't responded to any emails or voicemail in two weeks; I stopped by just to see if there was an office or something, but nada.

The other four had listed open hours, and I even had an actual tour time at one.  Stopped by there first; I was really hoping for it to work out, because it sounded awesome.  First issue: floor plan is different than what was online.  Second: no kitchen ("they're all bachelors; doesn't it say that?" no, it doesn't; it actually mentions kitchens).  Third: parking was completely different than mentioned. I just thanked them for their time, turned around, and walked out.

The next three weren't any better:

• Building was being (loudly) worked on, but I got hold of the central office back east somewhere.  Mentioned was was on the ad.  "Er, no, I don't think we have any units for that price." Me:"It says here available 9/5 for both." "Yes, that's right, but they're <$200 more than listed> there, maybe there's a move-in special."  On-site manager called me later, nope, advert is wrong "and I'm trying to find out who placed it; we don't handle the marketing."
• Nice building on a quiet side street.  Call the number for a viewing.  "We don't have any studios available right now; I've actually got a wait list until November or so; you'd be number 7 on the list."  Me:"The ad says available now.  Specifically.  Even lists a couple of apartments."  "Sorry.  Nothing's available."
• Next place, similar.  "No, that price isn't right.  I'm not sure who handles the ad, but it's incorrect.""

At this point, after having wandered around Westwood in heat and humidity and being really frustrated, I just flopped into the passenger seat of my car, chugged water, and tried to make something useful happen.  One guy was advertising a room in his place, and it looked reasonable.  I'd written off the roommate thing after the last several incidents on that side, but he was 28 and gay and reportedly looking for something more stable.  I texted him, hung out for a while (dinner and starbucks) until he was available, then saw the place.  It's actually pretty nice, and if it works out, it'd be close to ideal.  He's going to decide this week (I was one of several people asking about it), but I think he and I hit it off okay.

So, one maybe and a bunch of nos (and still nothing from the one I really want to hear about).

I found a couple more potential roommate situations I emailed about today.  One is one that I messaged last month, but I assumed that was because he was looking for someone quickly.  I guess he hasn't found anyone yet, but we'll see if he gets back to me on it.  Another is a huge (absolutely massive; 21' by 16', almost an apartment by itself) master room in a 3b3ba place even closer to campus, but that involves an international student, so I'm going to play it carefully in case it ends up being a scam.  It's from FB, and I don't think it's a scam, but I'm still going slowly.

Also got an offer from a coworker to help me move (he's got a big pickup).  Since I don't have all that much stuff that won't fit in my car (and will hopefully be moving in stages rather than all at once,), that would save me having to rent a van.  I'll probably pay him for gas and crap, but he owes me favors anyway (he arguably has this job because of me).

I know that I'll likely get into a building somewhere and be put for three years or more, and that's good.  Because if I had to do this again in a year, I'd strangle someone.  I hope the roommate thing I saw on Friday works out (other than being a 30-minute walk to campus - yes, there's a bus, but I was hoping to walk - it's pretty much perfect), but I told him that I have to keep looking just in case, which he said he completely understood.