shirenomad | Oh give me a home... (Reply)

Here's the housing options as they stand, for the morbidly curious. In order of my likelihood of taking them:

Very comfortable interior. Love the neighborhood atmosphere; very green. All three of the current residents have a good feel to them; I think I could get along with them very well (they seem to have a friendly and slightly geekish quality to them). This one most felt like a home. Close to the freeway and about five minutes drive from the office. Room's slightly smaller than I'd like, so I may wind up having to stash my books and/or Gamecube in the living room or den. Cheaper than any other option save #6.
I found myself in the area with an hour to kill before anyone would be home to show me the room, so on a lark, I walked to the office and back. Took me 20 minutes each way; gas savings will be major. And the room is huge (converted garage). I could easily fit everything I own in there and have a comfortable amount of space left. Oh, and a pool. Major downside is that I'm sharing the house with four other people (most of them notably older than me), so there's plenty of room for personality clashes, especially since I didn't get the chance to meet all of them. Also, the most expensive option (not that it isn't a steal for a room of that size, but it's still borderline I-simply-can't-afford-that; if it weren't for the mentioned gas savings I wouldn't even be considering it).
The room comes furnished with all the furniture I'll need save bookcases, and it's all nicer than what I have. (I'd probably see if Brian, Allen, or Hacker needed to borrow my old desk/bed/dresser for a while if I went with this option.) And a whole bathroom to myself. And a whole balcony to myself. And more cookware than I'll ever need. The house is very luxurious in general... which is also a downside, as I had the feeling I was intruding on someone's much nicer home (which technically I was). It's owned by a 50-ish couple; they rent the room out regularly and are apparently used to tenants, but that doesn't change the fact that if I conflict with anyone there, I'm automatically the one out on my ear. That and some noisy parakeets makes this one a firm "maybe."
Basic apartment complex, basically of the type I spent the last two years of college in but gated and very clean inside. The room is about the size I need (books would end up in the living room, likely). One roommate, college student, female (before you get any ideas, she's not my type). For the most part, everything I need, but other than the complex's pool nothing stands out about it. Also, the lease expires in February, and the current tenant didn't give me a straight answer about whether she intended to stay past that point. Oh yeah, and the complex laundry facility is pay-to-use.
The room was frankly too small to warrant what they were charging for it, given what I could get at other places for the same or cheaper. As the place was just purchased by the current owner, it's still going through some renovation, which may not be finished for a while (the place doesn't even have a washer/dryer or high speed net yet). And as he's renting not just one but three rooms and hasn't selected anyone for any of them yet, I have no idea who my roommates will be besides the owner... and the owner, though he seemed very responsible, talked my ear off both times I spoke with him. About the only advantage to it was that it was the second closest of the locations, after #2.
Definitely a personality clash with this bunch; I smelled "slacker culture" (and cigarette smoke) from the moment I stepped inside. The house was very "lived in" and needed some repairs and cleanup, which they claim are coming but I'm not so sure when. Large backyard, large living room, but getting to the bedroom involved going upstairs and then traversing the length of the house along a narrow hallway... I shudder to think of getting my furniture in there. Nothing to recommend it but the slightly cheaper price tag, and I could get #1 for the same amount, so...

When it comes down to it, I could go with any of the first three. Assuming nothing better gets back to me in the next week, I'll probably offer my acceptance in the order above, but I've got at least one more promising lead tomorrow.