Living Arrangments

[glowbelly]

um.. try doing a local search on apartments in your area. figure out how much each one of you can afford and then go from there.

the best places to look are in areas that are undergoing development...you know, the ones that are borderline ghetto, but there is a lot of new construction and renovation going on. you can usually get in an apt in one of these areas for a lot cheaper than anywhere else in the city and then you would have a lease, which would lock in the rent amount.

also, know your rights as a renter. i'm pretty sure that it's standard that renters do not have to pay utilities unless they are on a separate meter. the way landlords get around this is by charging more for rent (which is legal). what isn't legal is for landlords to ask you for gas or water money separately from rent when you don't have a separate meter servicing the space you live in.