Will post this here, just to record it....
Not that it matters, but for what it's worth, Bundesen really really sucked, at least for us.
We applied thru them for a place we really liked a couple of months ago, and it took more than three weeks to find out that we didn't get it. This might be attributable to the actual landlords, but... Of course for our $40 credit-check fee (we paid $20 for the same credit check at another realtor), they could resubmit our application to other places we liked.
I called them last Friday morning about one of their listings (half a mile from our current home), leaving a voice mail to ask that they put in an application (since they already had the previous one) and to call me ASAP, giving work and home numbers and the approximate time I leave work. We took it upon ourselves to check the place out Saturday, at least the outside, and stopped in at Bundesen (which is hello? closed on weekends!) and left a note for the agent, again requesting that they put in our application for the place and please call us. I called again Monday morning, again leaving a voice mail. She FINALLY called Monday evening at 6:30 -- at work -- to tell me there were (now) three applicants for the place and the landlord would be deciding this Friday (tomorrow), and would we like to come in and fill out an application? Grrr.
This whole thing (and really the whole time since the current landlord died) has been a HUGE exercise in patience, and most of the real-estate types with whom we've interacted have provided negative experiences (the Century 21 lady selling our place actually left like three or four cigarette butts in the ashtray by my computer - what the *(&#$)(& was she doing sitting at MY desk for the length of time it takes to smoke four cigs?!?!? - and further (we heard second-hand), had to express her opinions to prospective buyers about "don't all those guitars make a lot of noise?" We never saw her (just as well), but you just KNOW she's some skanky ol' pasty fat-bottomed red-nosed ho' with like fifty Big Mac wrappers in the back-seat of the Buick (and an overflowing ashtray...), acting like she owns the county... Of course we probably could've nailed her ass on the smoking, but of course we're trying to make the most favorable impression possible on the buyers, hoping against hope that we can stay on at $900-1000 in a market where $1200 is pretty much rock-bottom.
Then, too, we're dealing with that market, and with landlords who specify "No pets," "No smoking," "No fun," and "Nobody need apply"...
- and others who *literally* remodeled with a staple-gun in order to call a place "2BR" and ask $1450/mo for it, and we KNOW we have to decide fast and for sure that we don't want it because SOMEone will rent it -- and quickly...
- and yet others who have dragged a single-wide house trailer into their front yard so we can pay $1500, $1600 a month towards their kids' college and the kids are spending the money on drugs and guns at the high school.
- and others still who use words like "cute" to mean "tiny," and "rustic" to mean "falling apart," and "country-style living" to mean "outdoor bathrooms," and "sweeping views" to mean you see the landlord with a broom on his front porch from your permanently-fused-open bathroom window...
and they generally waste our time when we make an appointment, spend 30 valuable minutes driving out there, and then have to peel out when we see the friggin guy from Deliverance standing in front of the place the Beverly Hillbillies vacated after striking oil...
And gas & electric & water prices going up up up and dot-coms losing money and going down down down.
And oh yeah, a wedding coming up Apr 29, where we've made six people travel to death valley and stay in the "cheapest" motel for 2 days, and a reception coming up May 19 where we're committing 80 people to spend an afternoon with us, many flying in from distant parts, and for all we know, we'll be living in a car by then!
So, you can take my opinion of Bundesen with a grain or two of salt -- or all of Utah. :-)
It's been a long time since I've felt so powerless (gee, was it December? The Supreme Court & presidential election? Maybe it HASN'T been that long!), and I hope it'll be a long time before it happens again.
But we're really happy about the new place, and the time we have for getting all our stuff over there, and the room in which to put it, and the lack of staple-guns in evidence.
Friday, March 23, 2001
808, roughly...
No bike today, bringing boxes home from work, etc.
Movies:
Remember the Titans: Actually, probably the best of a recent spate of football movies, including as it does an actual story that contains actual relevance to something other than football. Denzel Washington, determined to have a meaningful acting career, does a good job. Loved Ryan Hurst in this movie - as it happens, I've seen almost every previous movie he's been in, but didn't remember him from those. Hmm, 7 stars (out of 10).
Lost Souls: Winona Ryder, with long hair, has made a career of looking frightened, and has probably kept Maybelline alive with eyeliner sales. She's now inching towards my list of unwatchable movie stars. I slept well, so give it 3 stars.
No bike today, bringing boxes home from work, etc.
Movies:
Remember the Titans: Actually, probably the best of a recent spate of football movies, including as it does an actual story that contains actual relevance to something other than football. Denzel Washington, determined to have a meaningful acting career, does a good job. Loved Ryan Hurst in this movie - as it happens, I've seen almost every previous movie he's been in, but didn't remember him from those. Hmm, 7 stars (out of 10).
Lost Souls: Winona Ryder, with long hair, has made a career of looking frightened, and has probably kept Maybelline alive with eyeliner sales. She's now inching towards my list of unwatchable movie stars. I slept well, so give it 3 stars.
Thursday, March 22, 2001
804.8.
And we pass 800 miles, 15 bike-days after passing 700! (I think I'm averaging a little higher lately; have ridden almost every day, but for a couple of errand-days...)
Weird cloud of something blowing across the road on Skillman this a.m. Gnats? Dirt particles? Dunno. Red-Tail on the wires near Bailey. Stayed in at least 2-5 through the whole ride, except where stopping for traffic.
Analyzed possible routes from Sebastopol yesterday. It'll be about 20 miles, but may not be too bad hill- and traffic-wise, cutting through some backroads and neighborhoods. Will definitely give it a try.
Work: got a document outlining changes to the templates from one of the writers in that other town. He clearly hasn't read any of the earlier correspondence, thus went to great pains to create, for example, cross-references to elements we decided not to use. In cases like this, I try to take some time before responding along the lines of: "you ignorant slut!"
Home: We've locked in the Sebastopol house with yesterday's deposit! It's like a 60% increase in rent, but we were in a weird little low-rent pocket here for several years, and I basically think of it like we were paying $1200, because that's the absolute minimum rent we'd have been able to find for a comparable place today. By this (admittedly somewhat twisted) logic, the increase is less than 25%. And it's very close to 100% more space, counting the attic. Once we pay the first month's rent (tomorrow), we will have keys and can probably start moving stuff -- we also get THAT break, two weekends for moving, a real blessing.
And we pass 800 miles, 15 bike-days after passing 700! (I think I'm averaging a little higher lately; have ridden almost every day, but for a couple of errand-days...)
Weird cloud of something blowing across the road on Skillman this a.m. Gnats? Dirt particles? Dunno. Red-Tail on the wires near Bailey. Stayed in at least 2-5 through the whole ride, except where stopping for traffic.
Analyzed possible routes from Sebastopol yesterday. It'll be about 20 miles, but may not be too bad hill- and traffic-wise, cutting through some backroads and neighborhoods. Will definitely give it a try.
Work: got a document outlining changes to the templates from one of the writers in that other town. He clearly hasn't read any of the earlier correspondence, thus went to great pains to create, for example, cross-references to elements we decided not to use. In cases like this, I try to take some time before responding along the lines of: "you ignorant slut!"
Home: We've locked in the Sebastopol house with yesterday's deposit! It's like a 60% increase in rent, but we were in a weird little low-rent pocket here for several years, and I basically think of it like we were paying $1200, because that's the absolute minimum rent we'd have been able to find for a comparable place today. By this (admittedly somewhat twisted) logic, the increase is less than 25%. And it's very close to 100% more space, counting the attic. Once we pay the first month's rent (tomorrow), we will have keys and can probably start moving stuff -- we also get THAT break, two weekends for moving, a real blessing.
Wednesday, March 21, 2001
797.3.
Not much to write, and blogger is crawling this morning.
Today, we hope to lock in the new place by making the deposit.
Talked to my neighbor last night - they're moving to the empty house behind, for $100 more. That means we're paying only $150 more for a virtually 3BR, 1.5BA, +living, dining, big kitchen, office, 2 car garage, etc etc, over a 2BR (where you have to pass through one br to get to the other) 1BA, living and tiny kitchen, 1-car garage place RIGHT NEXT TO THE LANDLORD. So we have the better deal by far.
I will find a way to ride my bike to work. Maybe not as often, but racking up more mileage when I do.
Not much to write, and blogger is crawling this morning.
Today, we hope to lock in the new place by making the deposit.
Talked to my neighbor last night - they're moving to the empty house behind, for $100 more. That means we're paying only $150 more for a virtually 3BR, 1.5BA, +living, dining, big kitchen, office, 2 car garage, etc etc, over a 2BR (where you have to pass through one br to get to the other) 1BA, living and tiny kitchen, 1-car garage place RIGHT NEXT TO THE LANDLORD. So we have the better deal by far.
I will find a way to ride my bike to work. Maybe not as often, but racking up more mileage when I do.
Tuesday, March 20, 2001
793.0.
Two hawks on the way home last night, both sitting still enough for me to stop and get a long look. One was a Cooper's or Sharp-Shinned, I think.
Oh man. The realtor (Martha Cooper from Bundesen property management in Petaluma) finally called me back last night around 6:30. Though I'd told her in my message FRIDAY MORNING that I'm usually home by 5:00.
The place we TRIED TO APPLY FOR ON FRIDAY has three applicants now, and the owner will decide on Friday. If we'd like to come in and fill out an application... WE HAVE ALREADY FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION WITH THEM - I told her this once in Friday morning's voicemail and again in a written message Saturday!
ALL she needed to do on Friday morning when she got my call (or at least yesterday, when she had my call AND my note AND my Monday morning call!) was get the previous applcation and xerox it, and add it to the pile for the landlord to consider. This was evidently beyond her abilities.
Meanwhile, we looked inside the place in Sebastopol with the owners, and they've accepted us. This place is $75 more than the Petaluma one, but is MUCH nicer. Clean, all fixed up (electrical, plumbing, paint...) and a LOT of space. We'll probably go for it.
The current landlord had the grace to apologize for evicting us, and had no problem with us moving out two weeks early.
They were supposedly adding chlorine or something to the water last night, and we had no water this morning. No big deal for me, as long as there's enough for coffee - I shower at work anyway.
Left the car at the Ford dealer for the tranny recall, and with full documentation on the head gasket problem. Hopefully they won't try to lube me up for a hearty screwing on THAT.
Customer service everywhere has gone completely down the tubes. I have no confidence that Henry Curtis Ford will honor what is clearly a known problem with the car, which is still within stated limits in which the refund supposedly applies. I believe they will try everything they can to weasel out of it, including offering money off on a new Ford or Mercury (basically a cheap trade-in on the Mustang [which they'll then resell for more]). If they honor this without wriggling, I will note it here, and I will definitely keep it in mind when I do buy a new car, 6 months to a year hence. If not, no Fords in my future.
I'm fuming still about the realtor, but happy with thoughts of the Sebastopol place. Please let nothing happen to blow THAT!
Two hawks on the way home last night, both sitting still enough for me to stop and get a long look. One was a Cooper's or Sharp-Shinned, I think.
Oh man. The realtor (Martha Cooper from Bundesen property management in Petaluma) finally called me back last night around 6:30. Though I'd told her in my message FRIDAY MORNING that I'm usually home by 5:00.
The place we TRIED TO APPLY FOR ON FRIDAY has three applicants now, and the owner will decide on Friday. If we'd like to come in and fill out an application... WE HAVE ALREADY FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION WITH THEM - I told her this once in Friday morning's voicemail and again in a written message Saturday!
ALL she needed to do on Friday morning when she got my call (or at least yesterday, when she had my call AND my note AND my Monday morning call!) was get the previous applcation and xerox it, and add it to the pile for the landlord to consider. This was evidently beyond her abilities.
Meanwhile, we looked inside the place in Sebastopol with the owners, and they've accepted us. This place is $75 more than the Petaluma one, but is MUCH nicer. Clean, all fixed up (electrical, plumbing, paint...) and a LOT of space. We'll probably go for it.
The current landlord had the grace to apologize for evicting us, and had no problem with us moving out two weeks early.
They were supposedly adding chlorine or something to the water last night, and we had no water this morning. No big deal for me, as long as there's enough for coffee - I shower at work anyway.
Left the car at the Ford dealer for the tranny recall, and with full documentation on the head gasket problem. Hopefully they won't try to lube me up for a hearty screwing on THAT.
Customer service everywhere has gone completely down the tubes. I have no confidence that Henry Curtis Ford will honor what is clearly a known problem with the car, which is still within stated limits in which the refund supposedly applies. I believe they will try everything they can to weasel out of it, including offering money off on a new Ford or Mercury (basically a cheap trade-in on the Mustang [which they'll then resell for more]). If they honor this without wriggling, I will note it here, and I will definitely keep it in mind when I do buy a new car, 6 months to a year hence. If not, no Fords in my future.
I'm fuming still about the realtor, but happy with thoughts of the Sebastopol place. Please let nothing happen to blow THAT!
Monday, March 19, 2001
787.7.
Almost t-shirt weather this morning. It will be nice to get to that point, and to be able to wear shorts agani, and to not have to carry the additional stuff: sweatshirt, full gloves, earmuffs, neck-warmer, rain gear...
Before anyone else says "That's illegal!" it is completely legal for a landlord (in California) to give a tenant 30 days notice without giving a reason. In this case, it's rude, but it's not illegal.
We're pretty comfortable now with the idea that we need to move, and have more or less organized our lives around that necessity, hoping to lock something in quickly so we can move on with our other plans. Hoping we can start making that happen today.
Scrambled all weekend, cleaning up the current place, looking for houses to look at, and looking at said houses. Unlike most realtors who are SELLING houses, the agencies who deal with RENTALS are mostly closed on weekends. So there's enormous frustration in knowing we have to move and not being able to take serious action towards accomplishing it before desperation sets in.
But we saw a few likeable places. Hopefully something will pan out this week and we can relax a little. The place that was $1375 is a trailer (actually, quite a few of the places are trailers - cheap income property on someone's land), but it's back from the road and fenced in, and has a washer and dryer and two-car garage, so not bad, and we've been trying to apply for it since Friday.
Lots of work (in the early morning hours) on the Born Today/Died Today pages, updated the timeline and alphabetical list pages, and figured out the keyword search feature, all of which makes me very happy. Total quotes on the pages slowly approaching 5000; total quotes in the database slowly approaching 10000. Next, I suppose, I'll try to find a useful way to post more of the unused quotes...
Almost t-shirt weather this morning. It will be nice to get to that point, and to be able to wear shorts agani, and to not have to carry the additional stuff: sweatshirt, full gloves, earmuffs, neck-warmer, rain gear...
Before anyone else says "That's illegal!" it is completely legal for a landlord (in California) to give a tenant 30 days notice without giving a reason. In this case, it's rude, but it's not illegal.
We're pretty comfortable now with the idea that we need to move, and have more or less organized our lives around that necessity, hoping to lock something in quickly so we can move on with our other plans. Hoping we can start making that happen today.
Scrambled all weekend, cleaning up the current place, looking for houses to look at, and looking at said houses. Unlike most realtors who are SELLING houses, the agencies who deal with RENTALS are mostly closed on weekends. So there's enormous frustration in knowing we have to move and not being able to take serious action towards accomplishing it before desperation sets in.
But we saw a few likeable places. Hopefully something will pan out this week and we can relax a little. The place that was $1375 is a trailer (actually, quite a few of the places are trailers - cheap income property on someone's land), but it's back from the road and fenced in, and has a washer and dryer and two-car garage, so not bad, and we've been trying to apply for it since Friday.
Lots of work (in the early morning hours) on the Born Today/Died Today pages, updated the timeline and alphabetical list pages, and figured out the keyword search feature, all of which makes me very happy. Total quotes on the pages slowly approaching 5000; total quotes in the database slowly approaching 10000. Next, I suppose, I'll try to find a useful way to post more of the unused quotes...
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