What should I do to find an apartment?

Dinosaur speaking but try a newspaper. A lot of older computer illiterate people rent out apartments.

Try section8.com

I think that is the address, not sure though.

Less expensive apartments and not all are pure section 8 apartment houses and will accept market rate. Not as widely advertized. .

Do not know Albany myself.

Second thought try a realtor. A lot of rental companies work with area agencies.

_ he is extremely picky_ That is counter productive. Beggars can’t be choosers. I suggest that since you are on such a tight budget, with a pet, take anything you can get for the time being and keep looking after you get moved.

Years ago when I needed a place to stay, I put an ad in the newspaper. I said something like, “I will give $25.00 to the person who is successful in helping me find a place to live. I am married, I have a dog, and I can’t afford more than “X” amount, including utilities. I want to live no farther than 3 miles from Ball State University. I put in “including utilities” because some places have the cost of utilities included in the rent, and others don’t.

$25 was a lot of money back then. You might want to increase the reward to compensate for inflation.

The phone rang off the hook. It worked because I tapped into the neighborhood network, and I got the story before the ad hit the paper: (“My neighbor is moving next month. If I help this person find a place to stay, I get free cash!”)

@Adirondackwannabe I’ll try and get a hold of a newspaper sometime when I can’t be caught reading it. thanks!

@Neodarwinian thanks, I didn’t know that. I called the housing authority and they weren’t any help

@Adirondackwannabe I can’t afford to hire a realtor, but I have thought of it before.

@snowberry the only issue with that is my aunt or someone I know reading the paper. I have to do this mostly in secret until I’m certain I have a place

In your supermarket they probably have a rental book at the front of the store. That is the easiest way to see all the rental complexes nearby.

Realtors cost nothing, the landlord pays them not you.

@Kairi So let your boyfriend give his number. Or get a pay as you go cell phone, dedicate it to finding a place to live, and keep it paid up until you get the place you want. Or get a PO box and have people reply to that by mail. In spite of the fact that most people won’t reply to a PO box, you’ve still got a chance, especially if you increase your reward.

At some point you’re going to have to start making your life happen, instead of letting it happen to you. It may get worse before it gets better, but don’t give up, and don’t give in.

@Kairi Right, you don’t hire a realtor. You just call a few offices and explain what you’re looking for. It’s using part of the old boy network. The rental places and the real estate agents keep in touch.

No, don’t be choosy. You can’t afford to be choosy.

My boyfriend and I lived for a year in a tiny studio. $600 and it included utilities. We’re in upstate ny too.

And you guys have a dog too? Really, can’t be choosy.

We found our places on CL. We’re in a nicer place now. More expensive but that’s okay. First year is tough. Take what you can get and DON’T BE PICKY.

There are a number of colleges near you. There is a lot of off-campus housing available, if you know where to look. Somewhere on the website? In the student newspaper? Bulletin Boards?

College of St. Rose, RPI, Skidmore, Union, Sage, and Albany College within 20 miles of Cl***on P***.

Try the local churches. Sometimes parishoners have rooms or small apts. to rent for a reasonable amount.

I have been using Zillow and Trulia to search for apartments in the areas that I am considering moving too, but it’s extremely unlikely that you will find an apartment in under $600 that will permit pets (even small ones.) I would tentatively suggest continuing to search Craigslist for someone searching to rent out a room in their apartment. For your budget, however, you probably aren’t going to find one for just the three of you.

If your boyfriend is going to be homeless though, as others have mentioned, you really can’t be picky. I have had friends kicked out of their homes and their had to live in their cars because they legitimately had no where else to go.

EDIT: Is there a reason why it has to be Albany in particular? Have you tried searching neighboring areas?

Also, as for the secretive part, that’s why you look online. My boyfriend and I signed a lease under his grandparent’s nose. They were so controlling and delusional. My parents were cool. I went to his grandparent’s place with a truck, hauled his shit with him, got in the truck with him, and we took off admist abusive voice mails and bullshit. That was over a year ago and I don’t have to deal with either of those cows in his family.

Just. Do. It. Don’t look back.

Look at ads for roommates. Your budget is small, that’s why people have roommates.

@JLeslie I’ll give the book a try. Last time I got a hold of one, my mother threw it away. ah ok. I was told different about realtors. thanks.

@Adirondackwannabe good way to put it

@seekingwolf I’m fine with whatever I find as long as my dog can come, I can afford it, and I can get to work from it without a car (which is what buses are for but they stop running at 7 at night and I work at 11). Other then that, I have no requirements. he just wants a safe place that’s in Albany basically, but he turns down a lot of my options. They go through my computer and found out that I was looking at apartments before. I brushed it off saying I was helping a friend (who was going to be my room mate at the time)

@gailcalled I’m not sure about the churches in our area doing that, but that’s a good idea, too. I didn’t think of that. as for housing like that, it’s almost the beginning of the semester so the chances of finding one (especially a dog friendly one) are slim at this point.

@muppetish Albany in particular because I need to be able to get to work. I won’t have a car when I move so I need other transportation until I get one, and the buses stop way before my shift starts. So hopefully something I can walk to if I can’t bus. I tried Trulia, and I can’t find anything that meets one of my requirements, let alone two of them.

No, you can’t be picky, but he doesn’t seem to get that. I understand wanting to live where it’s safe, but that’s why I’m looking into these things. I know the unsafe areas there because my old teacher is a cop in the area.

@jaytkay I’d try looking for roommates, but he has had some bad experiences with roommates (while I was there) so I’m not sure about that. a good idea, though.

You can use Trulia, Zillow, and realtor.com, but those all pull from the MLS, so you might as well use a realtor in the end if you are going to utilize those websites. No matter what the landlord pays the same commission, and if you have your own realtor they can sort through the listings much better, because they can enter more parameters for the search for you. They will be able to put pets into the search.

You are going to walk home at 11:00 at night?

@Kairi Do you know how to delete your browsing history? Delete it every time before you leave your computer, and they won’t be tracking what you’ve seen. And unless I misunderstand it, you can also browse incognito. Can anyone verify what I’m thinking please?

@snowberry Yes you can delete cookies that way.

For 600 a month you may have to either try a boarding home type of situation where they have pets and don’t mind one more or you may have to try a trailer home type deal. But keep in mind that trailer homes can be expensive to heat up in the winter.
You both can also try getting a bigger place and get a roommate or two. Maybe a college student.
Oh, forgot to mention. Go to a college near you and look on posts for the college of current students who are looking for roommates. Sometimes they have to settle in quickly and take a place and look for a roommate later.

I haven’t read all the other answers.
Do you have a doctor who will write you a note saying you need the dog for your health?
I have several residents that have notes from their doctor and I can’t deny their pet. It is none of the apartment managers business WHY you need the dog if your doctor says so, but most tell their doctor that they need it for their emotional well being.
You might also look for section 42 housing. It is a tax credit property and they have to reserve several units at a lower price for lower income residents.
Have you looked at apartments.com? That’s who I advertise with but I’m in California. Trulia and Zillow usually have old info.

First of all, estimate your budget & then find the apartment according to your budget. Then, find that locality which is suitable to you, near from market & your office or other important place. Decide how many room do you want. Check your neighbours & know about them. Ask about the electricity, internet & other general facilities from your land lord.

@Judi Good advice. I had no idea about notes from your doctor to keep pets in an apartment.

The buzz word is “companion animal.” It will also let you carry on a small animal on a plane at no additional cost.

@jleslie i start work at 11 at night and come home at 7 am. Except weekends when I work 7 pm until 7 am. I dont have the money to pay my own realtor but I can look for one

@snowberry its hard to get to the history on my computer but that isnt how they find it. They check my bookmarks and my email

@pandora I live in a trailer now. Unfortunately there arent any trailers in Albany and you have to buy the trailer first anyway. I don’t have a car so I can’t get to colleges but I can look online

@judi she is a chiuauah so I don’t think they’d buy that. And even if they would, I don’t think my doc will do that. I never heard of section 42. I’m not sure we have it in NY. We have section 8 but the waiting list is two years long

@judi I tried apartments.com but I didn’t get anywhere

@kari Again, the realtor costs you nothing. If they try to charge you something do not use that realtor, they are not supposed to be paid by you.

@JamesHarrison I have my budget but my boyfriend’s is too low so I would pay a bit more. Which I dont mind until he gets his job issue settled. I’m searching as hard as I can to find one but there isn’t much to choose from

@JLeslie sorry, I read that wrong. My bad

@Judi i’ll keep that ib mind

*in

@Kairi You can do this. Stop thinking “I can’t” and start making your life work.

Change the password on your e-mail, or set up a free account that they don’t know about. Then you can go to your new e-mail and send a message to yourself with your favorite links there. I have done exactly this because I got tired of having the computer get a virus and us having to wipe the memory clean. It works quite well.

Your stuff remains private IF
* You always sign out of your new e-mail address.
* Never write down your e-mail address or password (keep it in your head).
* Delete your browsing history or better yet, browse normally the areas you normally go to that they already go to, and browse incognito when you’re looking at sites you don’t want them to know about.

@snowberry I made a new email that they can’t access for my moving stuff. They did this with the old email. If I can’t find the history, they can’t either because neither know much about computers beyond turning it on and email.

@Kairi, my son has two chihuahuas that are legitimate companion animals. It is not the apartment owners responsibility to “buy” anything or to second guess your doctor. It’s the law. Part if the Americans With Disabilities Act. It’s considered a reasonable accommodation.

They can still put a key logger on the computer you use. If they have that on there, they can still see every single keystroke you make. Just something to keep in mind. If they really want to see what you’re up to, they could find someone who knows how to make it happen.

I suspect a key logger is an external device plugged into the back of the computer or along one of the cords.

@Judi I just thought people might find it odd that a Chihuahua is a service dog. sorry if I came off as offensive. I still don’t have a doctor that would be willing to vouch for me and saying I need her. (though, honesty, I was diagnosed with a depressive disorder so I suppose that would count)

@snowberry It’s a laptop that’s with me almost 24/7. I don’t think they can find a way to do that, but I’ll keep an eye out.

UPDATE

His parents are coming home on Monday and he needs to be out of there ASAP, as he isn’t welcome and wasn’t supposed to be there the few months he was there. I’m at a loss for what to do because we can’t afford a hotel and he won’t go to a shelter.

@Kairi He can look in the newspaper for a room for rent.

Then I suppose he can wait and see what happens when they show up, ask a friend to bunk on their couch, or go find a shelter/live on the street.

Why don’t you post a question regarding how to spot if a key logger has been installed? And ask if it’s possible to have one if it’s a laptop with a wifi hotspot running the internet. Then you’ll know.

@JLeslie he doesnt have the money to afford rent in nyc. I can look in the albany one though at work

@snowberry it seems like his only option for now IS the street. His parents kicked him out so he can’t stay there at all and, like i said, no close friends that would help him

@snowberry to br honest, i dont think they even know what a key logger is

*be

That’s too bad. Let us know how it goes. OK?

@snowberry i will. It doesnt look good tho. His lil bro said something awful to him and its all shot to hell

@Kairi, I feel like there is a lot more to this story. I could be wrong, but he sounds like a spoiled brat whose parents have had enough. He’s burned all his bridges and now has to live with the consiquencess of his choices.
I could be wrong, but if he was staying in his parents house against their wishes while they were on vacation I would bet I’m right. I’m just sorry you’re getting sucked down in all of this as this relationship has obviously effected your relationship with your family as well.
Tell him to quit playing victim and put on his big boy panties.

@Judi That may very well be the truth, but I’d say that this is not the first time he’s done this sort of thing. People always act in predictable patterns.

@Kairi if you stay with him long enough, you’ll see the pattern too, and you may not be any more happy than his parents are now.

Keep your eyes wide open on this one.

@Judi he does act a little spoiled sometimes but he was abused since childhood so I know its not his parents having had enough. They let him stay when he comes into town and didn’t seem to mind him being there but still he should get out. I didnt have a good relationship with my family anyway. They’re overly religious and overly protective and I’m the exact opposite so we clash

@snowberry i’ve got my eye on it. Issues only normally come up when he goes to the city. When he’s upstate, things are different

Be careful not to make excuses for someone’s poor behaviour because they were abused. I used to be guilty of this myself.

My boyfriend was beaten severely for years by his mom who smoked crack through pregnancy so he has health problems still. His sister tried to have sex with him. Yes, it’s utterly f-d up. He has issues. He’s in therapy. It doesn’t matter what happened he needs to treat me with respect and not expect freebies because life is not fair.

@seekingwolf Exactly. You teach people how to treat you.

@seekingwolf @snowberry it started with them but its him that chooses his own path and actions, I agree. I just know that they never treated him well so they fight. Other then that, I’m not sure what he does to piss them off

Do any of these players drink or take drugs? The parents or your boyfriend?

@JLeslie dad drinks, boyfriend is straight edge, and I’m not sure for everyone else.