ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!.

So as most of you know, Marc and I are living in this BeAuTiFuL state of California while Marc is attending Chiropractic School. When we moved from Utah to California, we moved blind. We had NEVER seen the apartment we were moving into. Didn't know the size, the layout, the area.. nothing. I am not going to lie, I was nervous to move and sad to leave Utah. Not a good combo!. When we got here I was surprised at how nice the complex was, our apartment especially. Granite counter tops, view of the orchard, nice blinds, cupboards ect... The only downside is the size. It is a 1 bedroom. As you can see in the layout below the kitchen/dining room/living room are all attached. Well, since I have this amazing job that allows me to work from home & Marc has this amazing career he is working on we need a desk area. The bedroom is to small for the desk, so it has to go out in our living room making the living room the computer area, the dining room the living room and the kitchen, well it's the kitchen. We have been making it work and have been very happy, but it is cramped. Especially if we have anyone over. We need a bigger place, but can't afford one especially on one income. So... I checked into some options...

Here at The North Park Apartments there are 6 different complex's. They have this program called the "BMR" (Below market Rate) As I stated before these apartments are VERY pricey, so this BMR option was great! Not only would we be able to move into a 2 bedroom apt, but our rent would go down by $400/month! The trick is getting into the apartment. You
1. Have to call and get your name on the list. (average time line 1-12 months)
2. You have to wait your turn for a call that someone has moved out (average time line 1-24 months)
So... even though this was a lofty goal, I set out to accomplish it. I called EVERYDAY to get our name on the list. Finally around the end of October I succeed. Goal #1 accomplished in 2 months!.

Now was the hard part. It is easy to call every day and ask to be added to the list. What is hard is to sit around and wonder where your name is at on the list, or if the list is moving quickly ect... Patience is not a virtue I was blessed with. About once a month I would call in asking where our name was on the list, but of course they would never tell.

Around the middle of January we had a mess up on our lease. They thought we had only signed a 6 month contract and called asking if we were moving out. Of course we would LOVE to get out of our lease instead of breaking it ($1000.00 fine) when the BMR comes available so I went to the front desk again to ask them to PLEASE tell me where our name is on the list so I can make a logical decision on if we should renew our lease or not. Understanding where I was coming from the lady looked at the list. She gets this big smile on her face and said "You're third on the list!" I of course got wided eyed with a huge grin and said "REALLY?!?!?!" Right as I said that her face turned pale... "Wait, I am so sorry... you are #43" ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? Talk about a shot to the heart! I called Marc and told him all about my dreams withering away and that I figured it would be MONTHS until we got the call, if we got a call that soon. So I just decided to give it a rest for a while and maybe check back around June-ish to make sure we were still on the list.

So yesterday (a little under a month after that happened) I am sitting in the kitchen making Marc's Birthday cake and I get a call. Now I am not the type to answer unknown numbers, but for some reason I did. It was a guy asking for Marc. Myself, being the know it all that I am, thought it was someone from our ward. I told him Marc was at the library & wouldn't be home for hours. Then I went on to ask if I could take a message. He was hesitant at first and asked if there was a better time to reach Marc. At this point I am covered in suds and thinking *just give me a message or hang up*. So I said, I am his wife and you can leave a message with me, but chances of reaching him are not that great. So finally, he decides to tell me why he is calling. He said "This is Chris with The Redwoods apartments, I was calling Marc about the BMR list" My heart stopped... I said "For the 2 bedroom apartment" He said, " Yes" I let out the biggest scream!! Of course he started laughing and said "I take it you have been waiting a while" YUP!. So he tells me that it's ours if we want it, that I just need to come put down the deposit. I said, "NO PROBLEM!" I then went on to tell him I had a cake in the oven that had 15 minutes left. Asked him if that was okay? He said "That is fine, we are open till 6:00." So I scramble to get all my stuff he asked for (pay stubs, check for direct deposit ect...) The buzzer went off, cake came out and I was out the door!. Mind you, I am SO excited that I don't walk to this other apartment... I sprinted!. I get there and walk in the door the same time this other guy walked in. I walked straight over to "Chris" and sat down at his desk. He knew who I was, but was just finishing up on the phone. The other guy sat in the waiting room.

As I am sitting there waiting for Chris to get of the phone another lady begins to help the gentleman that walked in the same time as I did. Finally, Chris got off and started to tell me all about this apartment. It was a 2 bedroom master suite!!! 2 bedrooms, two bathrooms, storage shed outside... we are talkin the works!. You have NO idea how ecstatic I was. Chris showed me the layout, told me the apartment number and everything. As we are getting ready to fill out the paperwork and put down the deposit his co worker comes over. (the same lady that helped the guy I walked in with) She asked him which apartment he was renting out. He said the BMR. She said, "Oh... that guy that just walked out of here is the tenant of that apartment and he just retracted his 30 day notice." Chris went pale white!. Eyes as big as golf balls as he drops his head down. (He knew how excited I was about it) Was like I am SO sorry!. **Because I had not signed the paperwork yet, he was able to retract** All I am thinking is "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" They called 42 other names on the list, got a hold of me and from the time he got off with me, it was only 15 minutes before I was there with a check in hand and the guy then chooses to come down and cancel.

I understand why they let the guy stay in his apartment even though he had signed his 30 notice. I wouldn't want to be kicked out of my apartment either, but seriously... how bad does that suck for us?. Chris felt WAY bad so he put our name at the top of the BMR list for the entire North Park, so hopefully we will get called back again soon & hopefully it will be as nice or nicer of an apt than this one was. What an experience...

Here is a picture of what we WOULD have been moving into....