July 18, 2007
What would you do?
A little over a week ago, I learned that I have a network that I can tap into. I have few readers who have vastly different gifts, talents, strengths and experiences. (spoken in a whisper: Don’t tell, but I think that we are the Body of Christ… you know fingers, toes, ears and all.) That last one was a warmup for today’s question. This is for one of my daughters.
What would you do if you were a young newlywed and you were about to move all the way across the country from North Carolina to San Francisco? What if you planned a trip to find a place to live and you were only going to be there for a day and a half. How would you find a place to live? Money is very much of an object because you are a grad school student.
I have been out of the apartment finding business for so long that I don’t remember the old rules. The new rules, I suspect, are much different. I know they take credit histories and stuff that I don’t ever remember. What information will they ask for? How do you know it is safe to give them your SSN? Bank account numbers? What’s reasonable?
Ready… set… GO!
Jimazing Thoughts 
Paul said,
July 18, 2007 at 8:59 am
There are a lot of resources on the internet for finding apartments; I have a feeling your daughter and son-in-law are already on top of that. They can probably call ahead and have some appointments lined up at places they think look promising. Mine I think I found through rent.com.
When I got my apartment a year ago, they asked for employment information and called my new boss to verify my job and means to pay. Of course, I called my new employer so he could be expecting that call and have permission to answer. There shouldn’t be any need to give out personal information until they have found someplace that they like and are to the stage of filling out the paperwork for a lease application.
When I got my apartment last year, I think the only verification they did was to call my new boss and verify my employment information. Naturally, said boss needed to be warned ahead of time and given permission to provide that information.
In fairness, I should say that it was my parents, especially Mom, who did the legwork for my apt. since I was overseas at the time.
Rebecca said,
July 18, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Since Erin will be attending a university, I would check on the bulletin boards on campus and offices with support services for studnets.
Also, since she is active in a church back home, she might stop in a church office of that denomination (or someplace of interest to her for worship) and ask if they have ideas. Back in Boone, Jim found me an apartment by asking around at church. =)
jimazing said,
July 18, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Thank you for your comments. I’m sure they will prove useful to Erin. It can be unnerving to take such a big step. I am reliving so many feelings that I had as a young man learning about life.
Please pray for Erin to have a safe and successful trip. She will be in San Fran over the next couple of days.
ded said,
July 19, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Daughter #1 took a job in Seattle which starts Sept. 1.
She will be amking $9.00 an hour as the job is with AmeriCorp. She located a room to rent in a home with a family for $250.00 monthly on Craigslist.com/.
Of course, Craigslist has many options and an exchange of letters of reference for such personal interaction is SOP.
Erin said,
July 19, 2007 at 11:17 pm
Thanks everyone, you are sweet. I found a place from Craigslist. The 1st place I looked at 2 hrs after I landed. We were approved in 15 minutes after applying. Ridiculous! Here’s to not being homeless!
Judy said,
July 20, 2007 at 3:00 pm
I feel for you and Jeannie and know how you feel. Remember both of mine live in Los Angeles, and here I am on the east coast.
I think the biggest problem I have had is just letting go. I know I let go to a great extent, but I still find myself wanting to “fix it” or “find the right..whatever” for both of them.
I suppose it is just hard for me to understand that they are on their own and I have to just trust that I did all the right things when they were growing up, and that they will make the right choices for themselves.
I know Erin and Justin will be just fine also. They are on their own journey now. We just have to sit back and be happy for them.
I love you guys. Love, Judy
jimazing said,
July 21, 2007 at 3:55 pm
I am so thankful for friends like you. Your input into Erin and Justin’s life is immeasurable. Blessings on you all. As you can see from her comment, the first place Erin found was just right for them. What an answer to prayer!
Judy–Thank you for your thoughts. I am learning to let go and it does help a lot. My desire is to be a partner with each of my girls and their families. Not to tell them what to do, but to be a secondary support for them. I want to use the gifts, talents, strengths, experience and resources that I have to help them get the things that they want from life. I think that is a much healthier perspective at this place in life. I don’t know if you saw my father’s day post, but the graph really tells how I feel about where we are. I have no control whatsoever. I have whatever influence they each allow me to have. That is a strange place to find myself, but it is freeing too. I love you.
Judy said,
July 24, 2007 at 5:34 pm
Sounds like you have already figured out what has taken me years to just start realizing. Every word you said is sooo true. I am still trying to “let go”…