Stalking the Craigslist for almost a year has paid off for me in a big way.
Since I knew about a year ago that I wanted to move back to L.A., I started to 'do my homework' and started to check out my options for housing.
At first it was just to browse.
Then it helped me to determine my needs and my dislikes when I would see a posting and would either go 'blah' or 'ohhhh' on instinct.
By the time I was awarded my base transfer, and the move was in full motion I knew EXACTLY what I wanted in a place.
Privacy was my big thing, though the trickiest.
Since I didn't want to spend a lot of money to get my own place, I knew it would be sort of hard to get the level of privacy I was looking for without compromising the space I would be sharing with another person.
So many of the postings were for a 2 bedroom 2 bath condo/apartment, and I knew that wasn't going to be good enough for me.
I wanted someone that had a life of their own, but not picky or super neat, so I wouldn't feel like I would be walking on eggshells.
I would see a posting that would ask for someone to share a townhome with, and I would get excited since that would be a bigger place to share than an ordinary 2 bedroom place. Then I would 'hear' the pickiness of their personality with the way they wrote, or the pictures they uploaded were just not that great thus turning me off.
I wanted space as I need time to decompress once I come home from a trip, and I treasure my alone time.
I also didn't want to get my own place as that would force me to purchase furniture sets and kitchen items -- which would be more costly.
I was looking for a place that was big enough to give me my space but was already set up as a living space so I didn't need to buy anything.
Then I finally found my place. After hours and hours and hours and hours of searching and emailing.
I am renting a room in a 7000 sq. ft three level mansion in one of the finest area code in the country.
My own ensuite bathroom and a huge walk in closet attached to my room.
Free utilities, including wifi and cable.
My room would be on the first and the other residents would be on the third floor.
A fabulous kitchen with island counter, sub zero fridge, front load washer and dryer, a library, game room, pool, jacuzzi, a waterfall......
All for a price I couldn't even begin to imagine would be enough to live in a studio apartment in the area.
Within days I met the homeowner, and that was the only place I saw.
I will post some pictures once I settle in, within next few weeks.
I am so excited.
