(no subject)

[jianantonic]

Looking for a new place to live is such a drag.  On the one hand, it's really fun to imagine myself in all these different places, but.  None of them are perfect.  The places I like the most are either kinda far out in the burbs, or don't have good parking, or they're just too expensive.  The one place I really loved?  It got TERRIBLE reviews on apartmentratings.com.  Now, I know people are much more likely to complain on the internet than take the time to log in to offer praise, but the comments were so consistently bad that I really have to think twice.  And now I'm pretty bummed, because I really loved that place.

So far, all the places I've liked the best have gotten shitty reviews.  There are places that get good reviews, though, so I know it's not impossible  to find one of these.  But we're kinda picky.  We really want to be on a MAX line.  We want to be close to the airport.  We need two bedrooms, a washer/dryer, a dishwasher, and a place with a gym.  And it's also really important to me to be walking distance to a grocery store (I don't really know why I feel this way, but I do...walking to the grocery store is just one of my things).  

Anyone in Portland know of anything that meets these requirements?  Or of a place so completely awesome that it's worth compromising?

Comments

[sillygoosegirl.livejournal.com]

The Round may be worth a look. I know it's on the wrong side of town, but the red line runs directly from here to the airport early in the morning and late at night (because they park the trains in Hillsboro).

[jianantonic.livejournal.com]

I've mentioned it to Z. I do love your place. Do you know what other apartments in the building are going for rentwise? I know you have a pretty good deal...

We're going to look at a place in Gresham this morning that looked pretty promising on Craigslist. We'll see...

[jianantonic.livejournal.com]

As of today we are now seriously considering apartments at the Beaverton TC and at your stop. I was just too disappointed in everything else we looked at. (The ones I really liked were all like $1300/month.)

[sillygoosegirl.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you didn't find what you are looking for. The only units I'm seeing for rent in the Round right now are the following:

#426 1/1 $1100 http://www.trulia.com/rental/3007588203-12600-SW-Crescent-St-426-Beaverton-OR-97005

#219 2/1.5 $1195 http://www.trulia.com/rental/3028900766-12600-SW-Crescent-St-219-Beaverton-OR-97005

#216 2/2 $1150 http://portland.craigslist.org/wsc/apa/2217079725.html

There were a lot more a few months ago when we moved in. (Including about a dozen that had just been turned over from the bankrupt developer to a bank.) I'll ask around and see if I can find out if they have been filled, or if I'm just not seeing them. The rents include all utilities except cooking/lighting electricity and phone/internet/cable.

We also really liked the Willow Grove apartments when we looked at them a few months ago.

[jianantonic.livejournal.com]

Willow Grove is one of the places we're looking. We're paying $650 for a 1/1 right now, and we want to upgrade to a 2/2, but would still like to keep rent under four figures if we can. Thanks for the info! We're coming out that way tomorrow morning to take some tours, I think.

[flamingophoenix.livejournal.com]

Your requirements sound very solid to me. That's what we required when we were renting, bar the gym.

One thing you might consider: looking for "one bedroom" apartments with a "den." My first apartment was technically 1BR, but it had a den, which I turned into my office, so it was really like a 2BR apt -- the second bedroom was just really really small. That could help your Google-fu, if that sort of architecture exists in Portland.

Good luck!

[jianantonic.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's a thought...but I'm also kind of attached to the idea of two bathrooms, which doesn't really happen in a 1BR apt. Until yesterday, I'd heard of half baths and 3/4 baths, but there was a 1/3 bath advertised (1 and 1/3, specifically), which blew my mind. Apparently that's when the bathroom has an extra sink and vanity outside the door, like in hotels.