I lose my place on December 13. I go to Secret New Location (requiring a passport and Arabic phrasebook) on February 1. In between, I got nothing.
So far, I've chased down the real estate agent from the vacant place down the street to see if he would sublet. He said no. I followed up on some Craigslist sublet ads, but typically flaky Craigslisters can't be bothered to respond to my inquiries. I called Candlewood Suites to see if I could bargain them to a reasonable price, but they didn't call back yet. I checked into corporate furnished housing by the PATH. Their idea of a bargain is $3,800 a month.
I saw a small, renovated rental for $875 a month last week. I didn't take it because it required a lease, and I thought it would be a waste to pay for it for the months I'm out of the country. Now I'm regretting that decision.
I realized yesterday that I could spend the balance of December in Barcelona and come out ahead financially. Great! Well, great aside from those pesky inconvenient holidays, which require family time and a tricky commute from El Raval.
Anyway, supposing I have an early Christmas with my family and can stomach the idea of holidays alone in Spain, I'd then only be looking for a New York place for the month of January.
My options seem to be:
-Look into a "women only" place like on Bosom Buddies. There are two in Manhattan and one in Jersey City. I'm a litttle worried someone might try to make me sing with them or be social if I stayed in one of these. Though maybe I'm meet someone like a young Tom Hanks. Maybe he'd loan me some dresses for the singing circle.
-Go through a sublet agency. NYHabitat.com has offered me one for $2100. Plus their fee and $2100 security deposit. (Yow, it sure adds up.) It's a block from my PO Box, a block from my old Avenue B digs, and about ten feet from hipster infestation.
-Force the friend splitting up from his wife to put up with me at Babcock's. That would make three of us. Chippy, Pond Scum, and me. And Chippy's dog. A sordid bunch, but they probably wouldn't make me join a singing circle. Babcock's place cannot officially be sublet, but we're just his dirty, transient friends. I don't think the co-op can make rules about the type of friends one can keep.
Something will come up. But I am starting to get nervous.
5 comments:
SERIOUSLY, we're good for two weeks at our friendly B&B in Western Mass. Two hours from the three-hour train to Springfield. Guaranteed door-to-door service, off the train, and free meals. The downside is its far from NYC, but I've learned to deal with it. And it'd be great to see you. Email me at my website, www.ideamechanix.com.
Thanks Marcus, but the problem, y'see, is that I have 9-5 job in Manhattan for the month of January. That's the tricky bit.
Now would be a super-convenient time for my prince to come.
I recommend reserving a motel for the night after settlement so that you aren't rushed. Trying to fly out immediately is tempting fate!
I answered a Craigslist ad for an only slightly expensive studio in Alphabet City. It sounded all right, but of course I know from experience that putting an ad on Craigslist means getting inundated with responses. But many of those are flaky, so maybe I'll get a reply.
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