Torn between two apartments.

[dacrunkest]

I am looking for a new apartment. I have found two really nice places, both in very urban environments (I am a city slicker...just my preference). Both the same price for a one bedroom ($675), both about the same square footage (about 700-750 sf). The first one is on the fourth floor of this really old but wonderful building (great architecture, hardwood floors, ect.) and a nice city view. The other is on the first floor of a newer building. It's nice, but not "charming" like the other one. The fourth floor apartment includes heat, the other one comes with a washer/dryer (heat in the second one is electric, so cheaper than gas - tops $80/mo in winter according to the electric co.). However, there is a major downside to the older building apartment - no parking except street. You can pay for a garage space for about $70/mo, or you can fight it out for street spots every night. Also...the main street that the apartment is on is no parking after 7:00PM, so you have to park down the street a little (about 100 yards).

So I am wondering which one I should go with...and I have to give the answer tomorrow to keep whatever space I want (both are waiting on my prompt).

If it where you, which would you chose?

[TinyDancer]

Ooooh this is tough. I usually opt for "charming". . . but two dealbreakers for me are parking and washer and dryers in my place.

I would go with the newer one.

Right now I'm in a temp apt until I can move into my condo, and I don't have a parking spot. There is hardly ever a spot less than a few blocks away. While this is not a huge deal, it does make me pissy when I have groceries, suitcases . . . or it's raining.

[wordsmith]

I ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLWAYS pick the vintage building, just a personal choice. I would probably not even look at a building that was newer construction, unless I absolutely had to due to price. I dislike modern apt. buildings, my past apts. have been an 1850s-construction boarding house/former brothel (no joke), the ground floor of a Victorian house, and two late 1800s brick three-flat walkups on Chicago's north side.

But, all else being equal, I pick my apartments like I pick my men...going with the gut. :)

[dacrunkest]

It overlooks the Plaza...it's just that I feel a little uneasy parking my car so far from my apartment...the other apartment is good too...it is in Quality Hill, and it is not a modern building, but has been "refurbished" so it looks clean and new. Probably my favorite area of KC since I moved down here...

[Chameleon]

Guaranteed, close-in parking and not having to haul laundry outside would make me lean towards the first floor apartment, mostly because I have bad parking karma and I don't like community washers/dryers. I'd prefer the privacy of the fourth floor apartment and would probably pay the $70, at least until I was sure it wouldn't be too stressful to park on the street.

Are they both close to work/groceries/gas stations/video stores? Any idea how noisy the locations are?

[dacrunkest]

Quality Hill is next to the trains...you hear them. It's right downtown (literally), but I don't mind that noise.

The vintage apartment is off the Plaza (actually on Roanoke behind the Plaza), which can get noisy on the weekend nights because there are clubs around...but I don't mind that noise eaither.

[wordsmith]

I've lived on a freight train track (currently, yes, literally ON it, my building used to house train passengers when there was a passenger line there in the late 1800s), on the Chicago El track, two stories above a major city bus line stop, so buses were hitting thier airbrakes every twenty minutes under my living room windows, across the street from a late-night Latino discotheque, and in between two firehouses and two major hospitals (one where I was nearly level with the helicopter pad!). I haven't lived next to an airport or a quarry yet, but so far, I can get used to any noise.

[dacrunkest]

I can sleep through a bomb blast...seriously, I think I am almost dead when I sleep.

The ONLY thing I worry about is that if anything were to happen to my car I would feel really bad...I drive to Minnesota two weekends a month to take care of my aunt because her husband passed away in August. And so I really need it...that's why covered, secured parking is kind of attractive. Otherwise, I would so go for the other place...

decisions, decisions...

[Chameleon]

You might not mind the train noise but your guests might...

I think it would be really cool to be living within stumbling distance from clubs but I would prefer not to park on the street or have to compete with nightclub patrons for parking or risk some drunk person damaging my car. The vintage place sounds really cool if you can afford the $70 extra for a guaranteed parking spot.

[EmberMae]

I would take the place with the W/D and the better parking. Soo much more convenient, in my book.

[dacrunkest]

well, it's official...I went with the vintage building. Street parking is not going to be as bad as I thought it would be...there are always spaces nearby (I talked to some tennants today). Also, KCMO police informed me that that area is not to bad in terms of vehicle-robbery...it's always pretty well lit, ect...

[wordsmith]

Good choice! :)

[yankeeyosh]

I ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLWAYS pick the vintage building, just a personal choice.

We are just total opposites, words... :)

[dacrunkest]

My new (vintage) apartment building:

Pics! (http://www.kcpremierapts.com/cgi-bin/tour.cgi?property_id=10460&show=photos)

kind of an illusion...the building is actually separated from the one next to it (which is more modern looking and is something else entirely.)

[wordsmith]

It makes you register! Can you post as image attachments?

[dacrunkest]

that sucks...I can't...it's a flash slideshow. Oh well...I will take some and post em next week!
http://img477.imageshack.us/img477/5023/thumb00003239pf9.th.jpg (http://img477.imageshack.us/my.php?image=thumb00003239pf9.jpg)