Today is D-Day
Today marks the official start to the last month of this year. It also marks the ending of my lease. A lease that is for the apartment I have called home for the past year and a half. Where I planned to live for the remainder of my time here in New York City.
Two months ago I applied to get on this lease, to take control over my apartment from a girl who had sole custody of our three bedroom, one bath apartment, who made it terribly difficult to do anything with the apartment. This lease which was relinquished to us two months ago when all the shit went down in my apartment and two of my roommates moved out. The same lease which we will be denied getting today.
I found out via text last week from my roommate that we wouldn’t be getting the apartment, that we would be losing our home as soon as December 1. It wasn’t definite but there was a 98% chance we wouldn’t get it and the 2% was pretty dismal. I cried in my cubicle, stressed and frustrated and wanting to hitch hike to california to murder whoever it was that had control over my living status.
I don’t have a new apartment. I don’t have anywhere to go to. My life is completely up in the air until who was supposed to be our Former Leaseholder gets back to us on whether she was able to extend our lease til the end of january. So we can at least have time to plan, have time to figure out our next step and find ourselves a new apartment.
I wanted my next move to be out of New York. While this might be the perfect opportunity to do just that, with the economy the way it is and with how wishy-washy I’ve been over where I want to go, I can’t just pick myself up and move with a weeks notice. Even two months is pushing it, I need time to sort things out, I’m not ready to leave New York just yet.
However, when I move into my very own first apartment with Ireland, with my name on a year long lease, I am binding myself to NYC for an entire year. A year I didn’t want to give New York City. 6 months, maybe. 12 months? I just can’t give NYC another year of my life.
Maybe this is for the best, maybe this is how my life was supposed to be, maybe NYC still has some more chewing left to do on me before it can spit me back out. Because this is what NYC does. Right when you’re focusing on praying not to lose your job, your apartment gets swept up from right under your feet for a new renovation and a higher price tag. Right when you think you are affording NYC nicely, your job gives you two weeks unpaid vacation over christmas and the MTA proposes a fare hike that is out of your budget.
I love you New York, but you really need to stop fucking me over.
I lost my first apartment in Virginia to “development.” And they made it even worse by offering to let me buy my own (albeit rented) home for $300,000-some. It was devastating and scary and I did not know what to do. Luckily my knight in shining armor Jason asked me to move in with him, and the rest is history.
I hope it works out for you, whatever you do.
There’s always Michigan. (That is what I tell myself to stave of the crazy that Massachusetts is trying to make me.)
i’m sorry to hear about your apartment! that really sucks. i agree about the MTA fare hike, absolutely ridiculous, especially with the amount of people who use the public transportation here, and how more and more people are going to be using it as the economy continues to slump. i hope you find a place that isn’t too expensive.
hey so im a total lurker, but as a fellow nyc girl i wanted to jump in. i know exactly how stressful this is – woah TERRIBLE. you have every right to be totally freaked out. BUT from personal meltdown experience, i have to say it will be fine if you want to stay in the city – in my unfortunate experience of moving every year the past three years, if there is one thing ive learned its that apts in nyc (well, the cheaper ones) move in the last three weeks of the month and unless youre getting a broker its not even POSSIBLE to look before. Deep breath. this will definitely all work out.
New York can be such a dick sometimes. Not cool, not cool at all. I agree with Charlotte though, it’s tight but you’re still in the right time frame for looking for an apartment.
Holy…
I’m so sorry to hear that you’re going through this, it sounds completely nightmarish.
Whether you decide to stay or leave, I hope you have some stability soon.
I lost my first apartment in the city (actually it was in jersey city) in basically the same way. It sent me into a tailspin and caused a lot of stress, and a lot of grief, but it was one of the best things that could have happened, because I wound up in Astoria for 7 months and they were the best of my life.
Also, I signed the lease in Astoria knowing I would break it. Yes this meant I lost my security deposit. Yes it was worth it.
I’m looking to move to the east coast if anyone needs a roommate! lol.. I just have no idea where to begin my journey.
Yuck. How stressful. Just know thay everything will work out the way it is supposed to. The hard part is not worrying yourself to death in the meantime. Good luck!
I am probably preaching to the choir, but have you tried Craigslist for shorter-term housing? My brother has used the NY-CL and found plenty a roommate through that service. It could be just the fix you’re looking for.
aw man that is awful. hopefully it’ll all work out though and by some miracle you won’t have to stay for a full year. maybe a miracle can happen?
When it rains, it pours, right?! I’ve been wanting to move to NYC, but am wondering if it’s worth the stress and money. Maybe this is some kind of sign though, like you said, that you should move on (and out of NYC?) It’s funny how things have a way of happening sometimes. For sanity’s sake, I hope your lease is extended at least until after the holidays!
Delurking….
You don’t know what city ~ hell, even what country you have wanted to live in for some time. You’ve changed your mind a many number of times, correct? So instead of freaking yourself out, see if you can find some work, even temporary jobs/contracts and move back home with the family. No one wants to go back home to mum & dad (for example), but knowing your belongings are safe in storage (and away from crappy leaseholders and landlords), while pocketing your wages for your big move can be a huge relief. Take those few months at home to breathe, reflect, deflect (all the negative stuff) and figure out where you should be hanging your hat and calling. You are too scattered right now and it’s scaring the crap out of you.
It’s amazing what having those few months away from the crazy can bring you….this is a 35 yr old gal speaking from experience. I had my fiancé, apartment, job, finances, love, self-esteem and more ripped from me with no warning. And I had like zero time to think about it…the decisions had to be made now. So I chose to surround myself with a little family love whilst I took those few months to pull my head out of the fog and rebuild my life and my future…..
Good luck!!! And remember to breathe…..
Ooops…I meant hanging your hat and calling home….
dang me hitting submit too soon.
there’s always Michigan! In a non-sarcastic way I mean
Times are tough all over… hopefully things work out for you, but if not, that’s what family is for, right??
You can come to Pittsburgh! It’s cheap to live here but no less dismal.
If you know that you don’t want to stay in New York, then don’t spend a lot of energy and money in order to stay in New York. Times are difficult all around, the future is uncertain. I’m sure you have friends and family around the country who will give you a chance to catch your breath and figure out what comes next. I’m sure you can find friends in NY to stay with until your paid two weeks off, and during that time, you can take care of whatever business you need to take care of in NY.
Maybe now is a good time to go overseas and teach English or something….
Oh no! This is terrible, I feel for ya. NYC can be SUCH a bitch.
Maybe you should move home, Ashley.
Canada doesn’t want you anymore. You said mean things about it.
This is so frustrating! I hope you figure something out soon.
Come to Brooklyn!! It’s nice here. And cheaper
Sorry this is happening to you. Nothing sucks more than worrying about being homeless. Being that I’m finding it nearly impossible to find a job in my desired field with this huge economic downswing (what a fabulous time to be finishing a ridiculously expensive Master’s degree!), I have *no* idea how I’m going to afford this apartment when the student loans run out… or when I have to start paying them back! It’s terrifying.