I have looked at several apartments in the last week and I am beginning to think that apartments are a little like used cars. The ad tells you absolutely nothing about the thing and you just have to get into it to find out if it will be a good fit.
Trust me, many are not.
I looked at an apartment last night after work and used the lemon law (dating rule where you can get up and walk out of a first date in the first five minutes if you are sure it will flop...Laura may have tried to use it on me..). It smelled like stale cigarettes, greasy deep-fried fish and unwashed clothing (the apartment, not our first date). So I gave the landlord a handshake, thanks for your time and I'll keep looking.
While, browsing through ads, I've discovered that if you see the word 'bright' in an ad it will be immediately followed by 'basement'. There are several thousand basement apartments in Peterborough and they are all bright. No one advertising a first or second floor apartment uses the word bright. Attic apartments tend to be accompanied by either 'spacious' or 'cozy'. If hydro is not included in the rent it is cheap. If the building is shared the neighbors are always quiet.
All apartments have been recently redone. Recent is a fairly subjective and bendable word in this context. For example: Elizabeth was recently crowned Queen of England, the Leafs recently won the Stanley cup, my six year old nephew recently washed his hands, etc.
All buildings are well cared for. I even came across an ad in which a homeless person on the corner of Aylmer and Simcoe was trying to sublet his cardboard box. Let me quote.
Bright Spacious Refrigerator Box
$375/m + +
Clean, recently renovated, does not in any way smell like cat urine.
Just steps from public transit, in a friendly neighborhood.
Partially furnished. Pets are OK, candles are not.
Call One-eyed Al.
I took a look at it. It wasn't bad. It was weird how quickly Al answered when I called. I barely raised my voice.
Tot ziens.
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