Another blog post in the Point Of View series. Thanks to Lily for her thoughts:
Hi. My name is Lily Fimamut. I’m 22 years old and have always lived with my parents. I love them tremendously but I needed my freedom and was looking forward to finally moving out. I nervously began my search on the internet a month ago. I can’t remember the specific websites I went to because there were so many but after emailing and researching I decided between 2 places whose location and price was ideal. One of them I’m living in now. The other one I’m not because … well… read on to see:
Your property had different pricing on different websites.
$969 on one website. $979 on another. Your Craigslist ad showed $929. Which was it? I’m glad the pictures looked good and the location was excellent because I probably would’ve moved on right there. It did make me want to call and talk to someone about it though. That led to the next problem:
No one ever answered when I called.
I left several messages for you and you called me back only once. You would think that would make me scratch them off the list but as I said I really liked their offerings. I finally did get to talk to someone and they were pleasant enough. I put aside my apprehensions and agreed to come in to check it out.
I never felt comfortable.
I’ve never rented an apartment before. Sure I had a lot of information already because I surfed around on the internet but the agent for Neverland Apartments never made me feel like this could be home. They had been arguing on the phone with someone when I came in and I could tell they were preoccupied when speaking to me. Renting was a stressful and life changing decision. I was planning on spending $1,000 a month and paying that much scared me half to death. I just wish I could’ve spoken to someone who understood that.
Your prices changed.
On the phone I was quoted $969. After chatting for a minute with the agent in the office I was told $999. Which is it? You said that your specials change daily. Why? Did you add features to the apartment overnight? I don’t understand what changed. After arguing with the agent she told me that she could get me what I was quoted yesterday. I was upset now but I really wanted to see the apartment so I stayed.
If you show me an apartment that you say is ready to rent… make sure it is
Oh my GOD the smell. It was a cross between mildew and moth balls; like my Grandmothers house after a thunderstorm. You can’t tell me that the leasing agent didn’t smell that. I couldn’t help but notice the missing dials on the oven. Just another quick tip, make sure you have the toilet seat connected to the toilet and not leaned up against it. It’s the little things you know?
The rental process was really confusing
So wait… I need to sign the lease within 5 days but move in within 14 in order to get a special? I need to sign the lease within 5 days and move in with 30 to get another kind of special? If I want a 15 month lease it’s one price but for an 11 month one it’s another? My goodness… just imagine if I went to Macy’s for that fabulous Dooney & Bourke I saw last week and they told me that I had to buy it within the next 10 minutes or I couldn’t get the price? What is this madness? I don’t appreciate being manipulated.
So after I found a couple of dead bugs in one of the bedrooms and spoke to the agent afterwards for 10 minutes about the rental process, I left. If she asked me one more time to fill out an application I was going to scream. Neverland Apartments is out of their mind. Here’s the final footnote to this:
Your automation is extremely annoying
Stop sending me automated emails about specials. I don’t care. I’m already living at Carolwood Apartments. Take me off your list! Wouldn’t you know it… the opt out isn’t working.
Editor’s note: Happy renting everyone.
