[BC] A Question.....

[Alan Kline]

Paul--

As far as finding an apartment, your best bet would probably be to find the website
for the local newspaper, and look for their on-line classifieds.  Chances are you'll
find a better selection.  If the local paper doesn't have on-line classifieds, there's
at least contact info for the paper itself, so you could call them up and order a few
days worth of the dead-tree version.

As far as order--always have the apartment locked up first.  Most landlords these days
will want to do a credit check, and that can take anywhere from a few minutes to a day
or two.  Then, it's usually a simple matter to call the utility companies and have the
service switched to your name.  The utilities usually reserve the right to require a 
deposit, but I've never had to pay one, even going back to my college days.  It's
ordinarily just a matter of switching the billing for that unit from the landlord's
name to yours.  Make sure you know exactly what day the billing will be switched, and
make sure it's the day you take possession of the apartment--no earlier.  If the 
landlord has to do a lot of work to get the apartment ready for you--cleaning, painting,
whatever--you don't want to pay for their electricity.  

The one "utility" that may take awhile is cable TV.  Even if there's an existing cable, 
and even if you know how to hook the settop box up to your cable and TV, they'll usually 
insist on having someone come out and do it for you anyway.

One bit of advice--if you look for a place in a large apartment complex, make sure that
they show you the actual unit that you'll be renting.  I had a place one time try to
show me a "model" unit, and not the actual one I'd be living in.  The model had beautiful
views of the pool and landscape, very convenient to the parking lot--and the actual one
had a beautiful view of an embankment 10 feet away and the garbage dumpster.  The parking
space was about a football field's length away.  I went elsewhere.  This is going to be
your home; make sure that you're comfortable with the unit and the surroundings.

Good luck!

Alan


------ At 01:28 AM 12/7/2005 EST, The Most Honourable Radiofldude at aol.com wrote: -------
>.......Since both stations I've worked for were interesting and different  
>expieriences, I never fully expueruenced al lthe necessary preparations to move  
>to another city. I know this might sound silly, but Im hoping someone with  
>expierience can explain it to someone like me........
> 
>Some questions might be kinda silly or stupid...........this question  
>pertains more to smaller and medium sized towns then big ones
>
>After applying for a job and getting an offer, in what order should one  go 
>about making arrangments for moving? How does one find an apartment and set  up 
>utility hook ups and such?
> 
>The reason I ask is because after applying for jobs, I just breezed thru  
>some online sites for apartments such, but didn't find any.
> 
>Any tips or suggestions??