Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Looking For A Place To Live

So we've been here for about a week now. Mr. Milk started his new job yesterday and it seems to be going well so far. He is excited and impressed with what he has seen thus far. We've both felt that we are here on vacation. It still doesn't quite feel real, but at this point I think it will just take time. 

We took a couple of days to just relax and get over the jet-lag, and last Wednesday we went out searching for apartments to rent. We spent three days looking around Nicosia, the capital city, where Mr. Milk will be working. We found a vast number of places, but what stood out was how small many of the bedrooms were! We saw one apartment that boasted a roof-top garden, but the bedrooms were barely large enough for a baby! What good is a garden when there is hardly any space to move around within the apartment?! The other thing that Mr. Milk was rudely awakened to, is that most apartments don't come with appliances, aside from the stove. Stupid? Yes! Common? Very. I don't know why this is the status quo but it is. 

We've narrowed down our choice to 3 apartments. Unfortunately most of the pictures are on Mr. Milk's iphone so I can only show you one. It's our first choice anyway, but I only have pics of the outside at the moment. It's still under construction and will be available August 1st.

This is the building from the back/side view. The apartment we are interested in faces this way. 

Here's some of my handy, childish photoshop work, to show you which one we are interested in. Its "L" Shaped so isn't as big as it might seem from this picture, although it is one of the largest we have seen. 

Here it is again from the very back. The balcony doors are for the joint kitchen, living room, dining room, and the 2 windows to the left are for the master bedroom which has an en-suite bathroom. It's a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment, which I think we could be very comfortable living in for several years if we had to.

The other apartment we saw is furnished and belongs to a friend of Mr. Milk's. Basically its a bachelor pad. While Mr. Milk was very excited when he saw this apartment, I was less so. It wasn't as bright, or roomy, or clean (men!), as many of the others, especially compared to the one above. But the catch is, that since he is a friend, he will rent us the apartment for the same price as the unfurnished ones we've seen! This would help us out a ton financially. Problem is, I can't see us staying there for more than a year, at which point he will also likely want the apartment back.

So this is our dilemma thus far. Our stuff should be arriving mid-June and it would be nice to have a place to put it all! Luckily there is space at my parents house to keep it for a while if we decide to take the apartment in the pics.

11 fabulous blogger's comments:

Born to be Mrs. Beever said...

Hmmm...I don't think there's a right or wrong answer/decision. It's just a matter of what you both want at this point: something more comfortable that you can ground yourself in for a few years if necessary or something short term to save money and give yourself the time to look for a better location/place.

Keep us updated...bummer about the lack of options but praying something amazing surprises you!

Anonymous said...

Was just wondering how apt hunting was going chocolate lover. This looks good (the one above)! Hoping to connect with you via Skype this weekend?? Off to work. Miss you both!

Kim said...

Oh man, apartment hunting is such an emotional experience! Luckily, we had some options when we moved since the economy was (and is) tanking pretty hard and young people are moving out of the city. But it was still a ton of stress finding a place, submitting our application and wondering whether we would get it.

The apartment you showed looks promising, and 2 BR/2 BA is so nice!

Discovery Street said...

wow...the pic makes that place look HUGE!! I know this must be super stressful. But soon you'll have a place to call HOME...I have a feeling everything will fall into place!

JazzWhispers said...

I've always hated trying to find new places to live, so I am definitely not envious! I hope it all works out for you! The one in the picture looks beautiful!

Salt said...

Wow that place looks beautiful! I love the balconies and it seems so open and airy! I can totally understand the want to settle down in a place where you aren't going to necessarily have to move again in a year. You just moved to the other side of the planet! :)

That stinks about the appliances. Strangely I noticed that about a lot of places in California...no refrigerators in any of the apartments. I always thought that was so bizarre.

Nicole said...

My 1st apt had both appliances...when I moved in with the BF our 1st apt had them and our apt now only came with a stove! I was shocked :( apparently it is common I had just gotten lucky before! When I moved to Chicago the rooms were half the size of the ones here in L.A. I almost cried lol anyway good luck with your hunt! :)

Dancy said...

Wow, I've never heard of no appliances for renting!

This looks like it's on the beach, so I vote for this one. ;)

NuFlaiir - Planning a Destination Wedding said...

Good luck on your apt hunting. It can be really fun but also very stressful. That picture looks so beautiful. Beach??

~lilian~

Mariel Torres said...

seems very trendy and modern... i love the fact that it has so many windows! good luck darling!

Mrs T said...

Good luck with the house hunting. Hope you get the place you want!