Since I wasn't still sure of a place I shot a few emails and made a few calls to have a look at more apartments the other day. All three of them were in downtown, one on Prospect st., the other on S. Aurora and the third near the State Theater on W State St. Unfortunately all three were free only during the afternoon, around three, and none were willing to show around after 4:30. So I again set foot in the blazing sun.
It took me about 30 minutes to reach my first destination on Prospect st. Again, the sun was shining brightly and it was hard to look ahead without squinting. As I walked all the way down East Ave and then crossed Collegetown I again came across the digital signboard that read "100 deg F". I made a quick stop at subway, took a bite of sandwich and refreshed myself with some cold water before covering the last few inches. The house that I looked at was pretty spacious and was at a good location with commons just a few blocks away but then again the thought of going to college all the way was dreading, especially after listening to people talking about the horrific winters. Nevertheless, sooner or later, I had to take a place since I had been staying at my friend's place for almost a week and was still living from a suitcase so there was no option but to find the right balance between the cost and comfort from the available options.
I then headed off to the next destination, next to State Theater. Now this was right in the middle of Commons and had quite a bit of life around it. I was impressed with the location and the proximity to everyday needs. But when I went two floors up to have a look at the apartment I was disappointed. Actually, that day there was a smell of something burnt that was lurking in the hallway and the air in the apartment smelled stale. The top floor was really hot and the entire place seemed abandoned and plundered. I guess my opinion would have changed had someone been living there but, with such a spacious but empty apartment, I couldn't conjure a healthy image of living there.
Both these places were about $1750/3BR but the second one included utilities. I was so drained with such a long walk in the heat that I didn't have the energy to go look at the third apartment. I went straight to starbucks and sat for a while with a lemonade before I could cool off. On my way back I got a call from the apartment I was awaiting that there could be a possibility for me to move over since the landlord wasn't showing much interest in the other party. I spoke with the landlord and things seemed to be on track. There were a few issues around payment of security but I could manage all that and, in the end, we decided to sign the lease.
So we decided to meet on Sunday, 24th, to sign the lease. I was still a bit apprehensive because throughout the morning I couldn't get through the landlord to confirm the time but it was all ok when he called back. We decided to meet at about 8 pm in the apartment just so that I could have a look at it again and ensure that things were in order. That day the apartment wasn't as appealing since the tenants had moved quite a bit of their stuff and the ACs were also off. It was then that the landlord told me that the past week has been unusual for Ithaca as it has never gone beyond 90-95 deg F. This was also confirmed by my friend who, I was surprised, hadn't bought an AC even after living here for four years. So I guess this is just a temporary phase and soon its all going to transition to "white"!
We finally signed the lease and I am going to shift into my apartment the coming Monday. Btw, it was a coincidence that I found a college senior on the way and it was a delight to know that he was living in the house right opposite. In fact, in my very own house, the ground floor was occupied by my batch mate which was another surprise. It felt secure to know that there are known people living around and that there would be company.
Now, I'm keeping an eye on mails that advertise "moving sales". I can't wait to get my apartment, and my room, in shape!
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