Finding an apartment your mother would approve of

June 1, 11:54 PMWilliamsburg/Greenpoint Neighborhood ExaminerKerri Anderson

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Whenever possible, have other people move the heavy stuff.

Ah, moving season.  For most of us this normally comes around the same time of year as pollen season – turns out that I’m allergic to both.  Of course moving season would be in the hottest months, it’s natures way of discouraging you from moving and encouraging you to stay indoors and watch Hulu.

Recently I’ve been scouring the market for a new place in Greenpoint, and actually came out of it alive.  But sometimes finding a new apartment doesn’t go so well, it can be scary out there.  So I’ve got some advice for you to use in your search for a new place, this way when you parents visit you can actually take them inside the building.

1. Interviews aren’t just for jobs anymore – in this city full of weirdos it can be hard to fish out the normal people, hence the interview process.  Asking crucial questions about shower times and milk usage can make or break who your next roomie might be.  If you’re in the reverse position of the interviewee, take a look at the the dvd collection…it’s all you need to know about compatibility.

Some great questions to ask a potential roomie are:

-Are you a weirdo?

-How often do you bathe?

-Have you ever been arrested?

-Is that even your real name?

-Do you own any Vin Diesel movies?

-Should I sleep with my door locked?

2. Not wanted, dead or alive – the only pets you should have in your new apartment are ones you brought in with you.  Any other critters are a no-no.  Be on the lookout for mousetraps, roach motels, or an actual dead bug body.  If these are around before you’ve moved in you might have some tiny roomies you didn’t plan on…and these little guys will hog the bathroom and punk out on the rent.
   

3. Be prepared & wear clean underwear – real estate in NYC is competitive.  If you don’t come into an apartment viewing prepared someone else will walk away with your 2^nd floor walkup.  Bring your id, bank statement, pay stubs, shoe size, grocery bill, and a letter of recommendation just in case.  Be prepared for anything so you have it just incase, like your mother always said “always wear clean underwear – you never know!”
   

Good luck and happy hunting!