Update.

Ok, well, I can't remember what I've written about last, so if it's redundant, please forgive me.

I have a roommate. If you've read my pre-move story, you'll know that I had a roommate when I first moved to NYC, and we moved to different units in Flatbush Gardens. Well, we're back in the same place. She got fired/laid-off or something. Apparently unemployment lasts 56 weeks now. Since I was the co-signer on her apartment (because she didn't quite make enough to meet the income requirement), I told her she had to move in with me, or someone else, but I wasn't paying for her apartment. Honestly, the 2-bedroom was a little big for just me... I mean, I don't really need a whole room for my two bikes. So, she's back to living with me, which makes my rent rediculously cheap.

I also now have a cat. There are like 30ish stray cats in the complex. She found a younger one (10-months maybe) who was friendly and didn't have a pussy eye like this one we see all the time. So she took it home. He's very friendly, but I don't much care for animals in the house. Oh well, he's ok.

The good, the bad, and the clogged.

So I’ve moved. The place looks pretty good. I really think it’s pretty much exactly the quality I had in DC (but much bigger, more expensive, and less “safe”). Safe is a term I use in a very stereotypical way. “Safe”, as I use it here, is “word on the street” rating of the safety. Because, honestly, I feel very safe, and everyone seems very nice. Unfortunately, safety is not a majority vote. It only takes one person to make a place “unsafe”. They gave us our apartment keys, but not our mail keys.

They clearly did not finish the place. There are several things wrong such as:
The kitchen window is broken (though only one of the double panes, so it’s still closed).
The security gate on the kitchen window was removed and not put back up.
The entry light has no cover on it.
The front door is missing two locks and a working peep-hole.
There is no phone-jack in this apartment.
The dinning room electric outlet does not work.
One outlet in the living room barely works.
The bottom hinge of the smaller bedroom is not properly installed, which means the door does not close.
The bathtub is missing the drain ring and stopper.
I requested that the child proof window guards be removed.
The radiator in the small bedroom is missing the control knob.
The bathtub does not drain.
Dirty laundry was left in the built in hamper thing.
Debris was left in the bathroom.

There was less wrong with the ex-roommate’s place, but some different things. Like the smoke detector isn’t working. The paint job was ok. A little sloppy around the edges (i.e. windows). The grout job in the bathroom is less than great, but that’s ok. The floors look great, and are certainly better than the floors I had in DC where the wax would chip up in big yellow flakes. However, it is pretty easy to scratch the floors, and initially, some things were sticking to them. I think they’ve mostly dried now.

The only thing on the list that is an emergency is the fact that the bathtub does not drain. The referb guys thought it would be brilliant to let all the grout and construction powder/dust debris go down the bathtub drain. At this point the office is closed though. Fortunately the lady from last night gave me security’s number, and I called that. They were very nice, and said that the apt complex has 24/7 “emergency” maintenance. She put me on the list. It took about 3 hours for him to come, but that’s fine. They installed the sink in the wrong place, so he couldn’t open the drain access port all the way. He got it open a good amount though and sent this snake down. It took about an hour for him to fix it. Not his fault though. He was excellent. He gets a full five stars, all around. He was nice, friendly, hard-working, didn’t give up and say he’d have to call a plumber Monday. He even cleaned up the construction debris left in the bathroom. Emergency maintenance gets my highest rating.

So, we’ve started unpacking. We’ll go to target tomorrow. Good times.

Do I like it? Very much so. Will you like it? No idea. It's not luxury. It's not for everyone. But I'm a simple person, who likes functioning and adequate over fancy and luxury. I'll take some pictures later.

My review of FatRate Movers

(Part 21)

My review of FatRate Movers

Do you see what I did there? I left off the “L” turning FlatRate (a good thing) into FatRate (a bad thing). LOL, I’m hilarious. But seriously, I have a complaint.
Ok, so they showed up on June 3rd instead of July 3rd, I can’t really complain about that since they didn’t try to charge me or anything and showed up again on July 3rd.

So, they come in to check on the stuff. They have to compare the “FlatRate” inventory to what’s in the apartment. My quote has 25 boxes on it. They said they counted 60 boxes. That’s kind of a big difference. We didn’t add stuff since the quote. In fact, I took several boxes to good will and the dumpster. Maybe we can’t pack properly. I know I can, and I know my roommate can’t, but she had like 20% of the stuff, so that can’t be it. Maybe we hide our stuff well, or maybe they’re running a low estimate high move cost scam. Anyway…. They’re already charging twice as much as the average price quoted on craigslist (i.e. the dubious 2 men and a truck, $50/hour), and that’s on a quote for less than half our loose stuff. As far as I’m concerned, they came in to do the estimate, they decided how many boxes we had, we did not add stuff, so they should move it for the quoted price. I would have thrown them out of the apartment and started calling craigslist numbers to see who needed a job if they had tried to charge us more. They didn’t, they just tried to pad their tip, with a “we’re supposed to call dispatch and get a new quote, but nobody wants that, but we’re only being paid to more 25 boxes, so maybe you’ll remember that with a tip, but I’m not pressing for that, just pointing it out…”

Once we settle the box issue, they get to work. They’re 4 of them and they’re super friendly. Very professional, fast, etc. It took them about 4 hours to get our stuff out. I dropped the roommate off at the complex and went to JFK to pick up my parents. It took them an hour to get there (took us a half hour), but that’s ok, they have a big truck. Then the roommate calls to tell me they’re giving her crap about not being able to find parking. What? You’re MOVERS, . . . in New York City! Isn’t this like your job? Anyway, I’m mostly not there for this, as I drive my parents from the air port to the new place. The roommate, or at this point, I guess I can officially say ex-roommate. The ex-roommate says they’re going back and forth between management and security trying to figure something out. During this time they manage to park the truck at the point that is literally closest to the front door of the building. But they’re still upset, because the complex is arranged such that none of the entrances are on the streetside, and you have to go into the central courtyard to get to the entrances. It’s like, 200 feet max, and they’re saying it’s too far. This time they actually do call dispatch to get a bigger quote. However, dispatch (or I’m told this) says that the sales woman forgot to put that in the contract so they can’t charge us for it. Whatever. At this point they have our stuff so I’d have to pay them, but I sure wouldn’t be giving them a tip if I was charged more.

They finally get they’re act together. I try to help a little until 3:30. Then I have to go return the rental car. Since that’s near my old apartment, I turned in the keys, and got my dry cleaning. By the time the subway got me back to newkirk, they movers had just left. There were 4 of them and it took them from 9am to 5pm or about. I don’t know what a normal tip is in that situation but I gave the guy $120. I hope that was reasonable in light of the excellent job they did, but tempered by the crap they gave the ex-roommate while I was gone.

Anyway, all in all, they get 3 stars. 5 stars for performance, minus 1 star for price, and one star for the bullcrap.

I think if you can get a recommendation of a good craigslist type operation then you’re better off. That way they don’t give you crap. If they have to walk 2 blocks then it takes longer but you’re paying them by the hour so it doesn’t matter. If I can find a per hour crew that won’t steal or destroy my stuff, I may go that route next time.

Pre-Move Costco Run. I love Costco.

(Part 20) Ok, move time is upon us. First, I have an extra couch that was left for the garbage downstairs a few days ago. It’s a perfectly fine couch and the roommate loves it because it’s purple. So I hauled that upstairs and Flatrate told me it would be an extra $150 to move it. I can buy a used couch for that much. Anyway.

My schedule this holiday weekend is kind of packed (no pun intended). On Thur. I move. At 1pm, on Thur., my parents’ flight lands at JFK, and they will be visiting for 4 days. They leave on Sunday, which is also my birthday. Then I have to take a major professional exam on Monday. Oh, and BTW, my parents are not currently speaking to each other, so that should be fun. When we planned the visit, I didn’t even know this part of Brooklyn existed. They thought they’d be staying at my nice place, doing fun things, while getting along. But things change, now they’re staying at my “cheap” place, helping me unpack, while not speaking to each other. Oh, and Clay Aiken was supposed to be in Spamalot when I bought the tickets, but now he’s not. My parents are huge Idol fans, so I picked that show, even though I’ve already seen it.

Anyway. I don’t even want to tell you what the plan originally was, because it sucked, but I came up with a new plan. Wed. at 4 pm, I left work to pick up a zipcar truck (ziptruck?). I also bought a gps navigation unit shipped 2 day express (thank you amazon.com prime). I make the roommate guard the truck (no tickets please), and I park right behind the UPS driver who has my gps unit (timing). I carry the roommate’s couch down and load it into the truck. I also haul down two air conditioners, and some tools. Off to Flatbush Gardens. I drop the roommate off to pay the remaining money on our places and get the keys. I park and start unloading. We dump the stuff off and immediately head to Costco. Which was insane, especially the last several rows as Costco employees are yelling “the store is closing in five minutes!” I don’t even want to tell you how much we spent, but even without my new glasses, it was a new Costco record for me. I think it was a new personal record without counting the glasses or roommate’s stuff.

We load the truck, and head to the UPS depot. That took some effort to find, but get there a little before they close to pick up the roommate’s air conditioners. There are crazy, crazy people at UPS at 10pm in Brooklyn.

Back to Flatbush Gardens for the Costco unload. It’s painful. We forgot my shopping cart, so we’re stuck with a cardboard box and a luggage cart. It’s not too bad, but certainly not fun, and we’re getting very tired by now. The cart breaks with a huge final load, so one of us is stuck like an idiot in the middle of the courtyard watching the stuff while the other takes slow trips up to the apartment. We meet a nice lady whose “baby’s daddy is up in this building with another woman.” (Roommate’s building). She advises us that it’s a crack house, and in the 16 years her baby’s daddy has lived there, she’s been attacked in a life threatening way 3 times. Anyway. She seems a little, um, upset, and just generally not happy with the area or the building her baby’s daddy is currently in (her terms, not mine). So, we take her warnings with a grain of salt, and also, 16 years is a long time. The current management admits before they got there, fixed it up, implemented very strict rental application guidelines, and added a 24/7 security force, that it was a crack house with a serious crime problem. We hope today it’s not so much.

Once the stuff is finally in the apartments, I install the air conditioners, and we go home. I’m asleep by 4:30am and up again at 8am. Good times. I through some laundry in the washer, take a shower and go downstairs to feed the meter that starts at 9am.

Checking on the progress, for the July 3rd move in.

(Part 19) We went to the Sunday open house to take some measurements and see the renovations. As the pictures show, the renovations are about half done, and so far look nice. We're pretty happy with everything. I made a floor-plan based on the measurements that is in the picture album (with a queen sized bed in the one bedroom for size perspective). Even though they were busy, they let us take out time and didn't rush us too much. They couldn't leave us alone because the door doesn't lock without a key at this point in the renovation. We measured the windows for window A/C units, and some other rooms.

When we got there, there was a broker who had brought like 10+ people. Flatbush does a lot of advertising (which is how we found out about it), so I felt bad for them. The standard broker fee is 15%, so assume they negotiated down to 12%, on a studio at $875, that's a $1,260 fee they'll have to pay him. They could upgrade to a one bedroom for over 8 months for free with that money. I mean, no one likes paying for things, but I see the benefit of a broker. They can help the rental market of single units, or low volume units, but it seems a shame to get them involved in a place that advertises in every local paper and other places. Oh well. (And no, Flatbush Gardens does not pay brokers for business).

So the plan is: get the keys July 1st or 2nd, install the window A/C units we bought on amazon.com that are currently being shipped there (with $42 in sales tax, thanks to NY's unconstitutional internet sales tax), and move in on July 3rd. My parents were already scheduled to visit for like a month before I even decided to move, and coincidentally will arrive as I'm moving to the new place (i.e. the same day). So, that should be fun.

Fourth visit

Our first event as signed flatbush residents.

(Part 18) Ok, we don't live there yet (moving July 3rd), but we signed a lease and are now officially and legally obligated to be flatbush residents. We're excited, and had our first "Flatbush" experience already. Walking back to the subway to go home (for another month and a half at least). Halfway down the stairs to the Newkirk subway stop, a guy is peeing in the corner. He didn't even look homeless, just wanted to drain the tank before his subway voyage I guess. Anyway, good times.

Signed a lease.

(Part 17) Third time's the charm. The units they mentioned were available. We went to see them. They looked like crap because they have not been renovated yet, but otherwise very nice. Mine is on the fifth floor, and the roommates is on the second floor of a different building in the same courtyard area. I took a picture of the map with all the unit numbers, see below. Also took pictures of the units. However, I cannot tell which pictures are of her place and which are of mine. Her bedroom is 10.1 feet by 12.25 feet or 124 sqft. My rooms are 9.67 feet by 13.33 feet or 129 sqft and 8.08 feet by 12.3 feet or 100 sqft. I didn't measure the other rooms (read a post after I move in and I'll tell you), and frankly those could be wrong. I was in a hurry.

Third Visit

I have no idea.

(Part 16) I was wrong, they still aren't very organized.
I called 5 times Wed. morning. All answering machine. I didn't leave a message because the last message I left took over 24 hours to get a response.
On the 5th time I tried Nora's extension and Amy picked up.
I think this is pretty standard. The phone number will always go to voicemail and Nora's extension (100) will always go to Amy, the girl who sits at the desk.

Amy gave me the voicemail of the person I was supposed to call early in the morning. I left a message. At 12, Clay called me; he is not the person I was supposed to call. Anyway, he was tasked with calling me, i.e., he was allegedly up to speed, but thought my roommate had already picked a place (she hadn't), and that I was unwilling to live on the first floor (she has a preference for a higher floor, I don't care). Anyway, after I corrected his perception of things, he said he'd call back.

He did actually call back. This will allow them to retain half of a responsiveness point. The rest have been lost forever. Anyway, he said I cannot come today, but I should come at 6pm tomorrow. I asked if I could come any earlier and he said it won't be necessary. If these units are not there tomorrow, I'm done. I will move back to Florida before I live here if they have nothing again.

Extremely disappointed.

(Part 15) We showed up at our appointment time of 6pm. After waiting around for a half hour, we were told at 6:25pm that all of the two bed-rooms were already rented, except for the less desirable one of the two I already saw. I am very annoyed at this. I specifically asked for the earliest appointment possible so that this wouldn't happen. I was told that the June 15th availability would not be ready until after Sunday. This is not true, they can do it anytime. I was told people can't sign leases on Sunday open houses. This is not true, the unit I wanted was leased on Sunday. Though Sunday is far more convenient than Monday, since they allegedly don't lease on Sundays, I asked for the earliest appointment I could get on Monday. I was given 6pm. Though it turns out I could have come much earlier (my favorite of the two I was shown was leased to someone else a couple hours before I got there).

I honestly don't know, maybe it's me. Maybe I've been working for an efficient company for too long, and living in a so-called "luxury" building for too long, but it seems to me they have little to no organization skills. Maybe being grossly understaffed is how they keep the rents lower. But seriously, charge everyone an extra $1! a month and hire someone (at $2,500/month) to answer emails, and write things down.

Ok, so having wasted a Monday evening (that's 3 hours of Mario Kart I'll never get to play), we're told that they're evicting a bunch of people soon, and we should call this specific person (whose name I can't spell) early in the morning. Anyway. We're now looking at July 1st. Keep in mind, I was hoping to living in a unit by this weekend. Oh well, at least they sound like they might make an effort this time to do something for us.

More waiting...

(Part 13) I called the number at 10am. No one answered and so I left a message for Clay. By 3pm he had not called back so I called again. This time someone answered, "Flatbush Gardens, this is Clayton, how may I help you?" Well, that was convenient. I asked Clay if he got my message, and he said he had not and they were super busy (they're losing more responsiveness stars). I asked him about the deposit transferring and he said they'd very much rather not, since the deposit means the refurb people start attacking that apartment to get it ready for you, and if you're like "um, just kidding" they get annoyed. So I told him we wanted to go out again and look at June 15th apartments. He said they don't compile the list until Sunday, so we set up another 6pm appointment for Monday. I hope they have a couple of good ones.

Apartment hunting, it's a thinking man's game.

(Part 12) So we took the night to think about it. Playing Mario Kart Wii helps me think. I had been pretending all along that I'm just looking, that it's just a possibility. However, in reality, I think this move was fairly inevitable even before the first Thursday night walk around the neighborhood, and certainly was fairly inevitable after that. The only question left is, do we move June 1st, or wait to see what opens up for June 15th?

I've decided to wait for the 15th. Clay seems to think there is a two bedroom that's pretty nice fairly close to the subway stop opening up. I'd hate to live in an apartment for several years that could have been better if I had just waited a couple more weeks. I'll call Clay tomorrow at 10am to ask if we can put a $500 deposit on our favorite units, and transfer that deposit should we find a nicer place in the complex available June 15th.

Apartment picking day.

(Part 11) We both arrive around 6 and wait for our leasing agent, Clay. It took a while before we went out to look at places. They found 5 units to look at though. 3 one bedrooms and 2 two bedrooms. The first one bedroom was very nice, and spacious with an entrance right on the street (most units only have entrances facing the courtyard (i.e. the center of the block)). However, those units (1425 Brooklyn Ave) are 3 blocks from the subway and both my roommate and myself are pretty pretty lazy. The next one bedroom is a little closer, 2/2.5 blocks from the subway. It's a little smaller, but nice. There's a two bedroom in the next building that is also nice. We see one last one bedroom and one last two bedroom. These are near the management office (which is near the one mail room and one laundry facility), at the corner of Foster Ave and New York Ave. They too are nice. We've now come to the realization that the only thing that matters is size and layout, because they all look the same before being renovated, and they are all of similar quality after being renovated. Though some have tile-floor kitchens and some have tacky laminate floor kitchens (the first being far superior, see pictures). Also, the color of tile may vary after renovation. They seems to buy mixed lots of tile to save money. However, I (and probably most people) prefer that little bit of a hodge podge color look in tiles, as compared to a uniform color look. They look nice. So yeah, if you don't care about tile v. laminate, or slight color differences, then the post-renovated units are all going to look the same (basically).


So, we like them all. Probably want to think about it. Clay seems anxious to leave because his friend (who is apparently picking him up) is waiting. He tells us of a two bedroom near the subway that over looks the basketball courts opening up for June 15th if we want to come back. He also recommends that we could pick now, or call him early tomorrow morning and he'll hold the units for a little bit while we arrange a money order for the deposit. So, we part ways to think it over. Seems likely we'll ask if we can hold our favorites until we can come back to see June 15th apartments, and do that asap.


BTW, Clay doesn't live in Flatbush either. Though I asked him about that, and he said he applied and was approved, but is nervous about living there since they might call him to fill in all the time. A fair concern. He says the guy in the video (see www.flatbushgardens.net) still lives there.

Click for better quality pictures:

Movers generally like to know where and when you're moving.

(Part 10) The move estimate lady came this morning. We have a doorman to stop all visitors and a phone in each apartment. The doorman said "Someone from flat rate movers is here to see you". I think it's safe to say the apartment building is wise to the fact I plan on breaking my lease. Oh well. It's a nice lady who came to do the estimate. She had spiky heels that poked holes in the un-assembled boxes I had on the ground. She was cute. I was like, "maybe you just give me an estimate on moving my roommate out and you and I can be roommates ;)". Just kidding, that's gross. Um, so she poked around. Asked some questions. Most I didn't know. When are you moving? Where are you moving to? Then she gave me her card and said she'd email tomorrow. I said, "maybe we could discuss it over dinner", and she said, well nothing because I didn't really say that. Off to work!

Maybe I was rejected!

(Part 9) We think that they said the application takes 24 hours, but I cannot find that on the website any longer. Anyway. Three days later I email Nora saying we applied and asking how long it usually takes. I forgot to say my name so she replies asking. I reply and she replies saying we were both approved. So that's good. Though she's starting to lose responsiveness points. There seems to be a good number of people working there, so maybe she should delegate more. Oh wait she did. A few hours later one of the other people calls to set up an appointment. I can basically leave work whenever I want, but find it difficult to resume work after I've left for a little while, so the later the better. Also, the roommate can't leave work before 5. I ask for 6:30, and they recommend 6 so there is time to see several units (they close at 7). So, six it is. With no available appointments Thursday evening and no appointments at all Friday evenings, we go with Monday evening at 6. I have a move estimate person coming from FlatRate Movers Monday morning.

I fear rejection.

(Part 8) What's next? Oh yes, the obligatory credit/criminal check. Nothing like paying $35 to see if you're worthy to pay someone 1000s of dollars. I went to work after the Sunday viewing. It was a really productive day at work, which is unusual for a Sunday. I also applied online. You can pay the $35 online as part of the application. Also, which is hilarious: for a 3.5% fee you can pay your rent via paypal/credit card. You know you've arrived at a classy place when you can pay your rent via paypal. Despite my healthy fear of rejection, I have no doubt both of us will be approved.

Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! The inside edition.

(Part 7) You'd understand the title if you were from the south. Whenever something exciting is happening on a Sunday, I always think of the commercials advertising car shows and gun shows. They'd always have huge graphic letters in neon colors saying "Gun Show!" and the announcer would semi-yell "Gun Show! This Sunday! At So-and-so place! Sunday! Sunday! Sunday! Be There!". With the "be there" in the same aggressive tone, but quieter and trailing off... I'm still not 100% sure why they advertised gun shows during Saturday morning cartoons, but whatever.

Anyway. Sunday! We're off to church. We're late due to track maintenance, or general MTA stupidity. It's hard to tell because either way they call it track maintenance. I don't fault them too much though, I mean it's one of the only 24/7/365 mass transit systems in the world... Well, at least they try to run all the time. We start at church. I love the outside of this church. It looks like a castle. If a legion of archers and swordsmen were to attack Flatbush, I would take refuge in this church. Everyone at mass seemed nice and friendly. Lots of families. One white dude other than me. The three of us kind of stick out, but my view is that minorities in this country feel like minorities all the time, it would do white folks some good to experience life as a minority for a while (i.e. being the only person of your general racial background in a large group). I know what you're thinking, I'm a master of race relations. Like Jerry Seinfeld and his black and white cookie. That's sarcasm, I'm sure you think I'm a racist jerk. Well, that's what the comments are for.

Off to the apartments! We sign in. Tell them we want to see a studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom. Then we do just that. The Studio is small. It may be larger than the quoted 400 sqft, but not by much. It also has a less than full sized fridge (but so did my studio in DC and it was fine for one person). I mean it's not a dorm fridge, it's like 10/11 cubic feet. The problem is, I can't imagine who would want a studio. I mean the marginal monthly difference in cost at this complex is not much. $150-$175/month for the next size up is not that much. Don't get me wrong, it's a good amount of money, but when you're paying $875 for the first 400 sqft (i.e. a studio) why not pay an extra $150/month for an extra 150/175 sqft (i.e. the one-bedroom)? Square foot per dollar, that's a good deal! So we check out the one bedroom. You can see from the floor plan that the bedroom doesn't have a closet, and just relies on the closets near the bathroom. It's pretty nice though. Bedroom might be 11' by 11', which is the current size of my roommate's bedroom. Living room isn't huge, but it's not tiny either. Like I said earlier, government projects, built as small (i.e. cheaply) as possible; so everything is just a bit smaller than your average. It's not bad. Kitchen has really nice tile on the floor and walls. Bathroom is very well renovated. The wood flooring isn't anything special, but nice and new/newish. My DC apartment had parquet wood flooring. The little 6 inch square kind, and there was this yellowish coating that was more than slowly chipping up. Flakes of this crap were on the carpet and stuck to my feet. It was odd. Anyway, this flooring seemed much nicer, and not having that issue. Two-bedroom! Same size kitchen and living room. One room a little larger than the one bedroom's bedroom; the second room is a little smaller than the one bedroom's bedroom. To be honest, you'd have to be pretty hardcore to put an adult in the smaller bedroom of a two-bedroom place. It's a great office, nursery, guestroom, chinchilla farm, maybe child's room with twin bed, but I think an adult might go crazy living in it. It does have one or two windows, which I have found in NYC is the definition of a bedroom vs. office, and both rooms have a closet. I'd say the smaller room is 8' by 10.5' and I'm pretty good at guessing distances.

We were shown around by a guy named Zach. He doesn't live in Flatbush.

Flatbush NYC

The night adventure.

(Part 6) I usually work until around 8pm, but today was a longer day and I was finishing up at 9pm. Not super tired, I figure, you know it's really won't be a fair assessment of how comfortable I am in this area if I only go during the day. After all, I come home after dark almost every weekday. So I jump on my usual 4 train and when we get to Borough Hall I just keep going. Of course I have to transfer to a 2 train because the 5 only runs during rush hour. On the train with me is a Jewish couple that stay on to go all the way to Flatbush Ave/Brooklyn College (the next and last stop on the 2/5). I get off at Newkirk with about a 100 folks. I am the only Caucasian person in the group, but my position on this subject is "who cares?" I walk the circumference of one block, which takes me into the center of the complex (it's a two block by two block square). About half way around the block (almost the center), I do see one security guard, and the looks genuinely interested in what's going on. There are houses across the street and some folks are playing some music and hanging out. A block later is the park where several people are playing basketball. There's three food stores right there (key foods, meat market, produce store), a laundromat, dry cleaner, and several other convenience type places. It's not "Sex in the City" NYC, but it's functional and niceish, and frankly if you want Sex in the City NYC rent the DVDs because I'm pretty sure that's the only place you'll find it. I'm not going to lie to you, I've seen nicer places, and I've seen safer places. However, it was nice enough, and safe enough. I don't think the roommate will like it, she won't even ride the subway from JFK at night (or ever but that's a different story). I head home to go to bed, with a new level of excitement for Sunday's open house.

From floorplan to possible gameplan.

(Part 5) The roommate and I have decided that it can't hurt to look. They have open houses from 12-5. Nora says they'll be closed this Sunday, but open again the first Sunday in May. I'm a church going Catholic, and my roommate is a non-church going Catholic. Having a church within walking distance is fairly important to me. Fortunately, there is a Catholic church right across the street at the Newkirk subway stop. They have some masses in Creole for the Haitian population that is huge there, but 11am is English, so that's perfect. We've decided to go to mass at 11, and the open house at 12. It would be nice to go this Sunday, but we can wait another week.

The intervention; my friends think I'm nuts.

(Part 4) Ok. I have to be honest. Things are moving kind of fast, but I feel good about that. Like rapid weight loss, maybe it's unhealthy, but seen as a really good thing. I've informed my friends, co-works, etc about my idea of moving to what NYC.gov calls the boarder between Flatbush and East Flatbush.

They think I'm nuts. "It's not safe." "You'll get shot." "You'll get mugged." Etc, etc, etc... Then I tell them how cheap it is, and they briefly want to join, then decide there's a reason it's that cheap. Well, maybe there is. I'm not stupid. I may have only been in NYC for 8 months now, but I'm not stupid. I know almost exactly why it's that cheap. (1) It's less safe, (2) it's less nice, (3) it literally used to be projects, (4) McDonald's is a viable contender for best restaurant in the area, (5) it's farther from Manhattan than other places, and (6) it's populated by 99.999% black/hispanic. Here's the thing though. Number six is a major reason it's so cheap, but number six doesn't seem like a valid reason to me. Isn't saying I can't live there because I'm white racist? Shouldn't I be ashamed to let that be a factor, shouldn't my alleged "liberal" friends be ashamed to say that's a reason why I shouldn't live there? Anyway, I'm sure I'll have a long rant about my ignorant views on race relations some other time... For now it's all speculation.

I am honestly concerned about safety. However, I do also think people exaggerate, and over concern themselves. No, I don't want to be mugged. However, the money I'd save in Flatbush is WAY more than the money a mugger would take from me. Honestly, as long as I don't get physically injured, I'll feel like moving there was a good idea. If I get beat-up a little it will be a wash. If I get beat unconscious, stabbed or non-fatally shot, I'll feel like I lost. If I get killed, well it doesn't really matter does it? Please tell my family I love them.

There is much to think about.

The interview... More info please!

(Part 3) More information, reply from the leasing manager: (Note, I exchanged a couple emails, and this is a consolidated FAQ list from those several). BTW, Nora Gross get's 8 out of 10 stars for email replies. Always informative and professional. Almost always a response. However, sometimes only 99% responsive to all the questions, and often with a length delay. Lengthy delays might be a good thing, because I think they're very busy, i.e. people want to live here.

(1) Are utilities included?
-- Yes, there is a $285/year fee for installing your own window A/C units, but everything else (heat, water, electric) is included.

(2) What is the square feet per unit?
-- There are approximately 2,500 units in 59 buildings. Units may very slightly but they are all very similar. Approximately, 400 sqft (studio); 600 sqft (1-bed); 800 sqft (2-bed); and 1000 sqft (3-bed).
[Poster's note: These used to be federally funded projects, and thus are remarkably uniform in construction and have less sqft per bedroom than your average apartment.]

(3) Pets? -- cats and dogs under 40 lbs.

(4) What's up with the security?
-- There is a porter in each building with a radio, and 24-hour professional (i.e. allowed to make arrests) security for the complex. Approximately 10 people patrolling at any given time.

(5) Elevators? -- One per building, totally redone and modernized so that repairs are efficient when needed.

(6) Laundry? -- Brand new central facility, and retail facility across from the subway stop. Dry cleaners right next to the subway.

(7) Package receiving? -- All units have one central mail room next to the laundry room for the whole complex. There is a package receiving room that will accept packages or take outgoing packages.

(8) Security deposit at lease signing? -- A non-refundable $500 deposit will secure a unit and be applied to the leasing requirement. At signing the first month's rent and a security deposit equal to that is due. Bank checks only. Lease dates are the first and fifteenth of every month, unless that's a Saturday or Sunday and then it's the Friday before. You may move in anytime on or after your lease date.

(9) Availability? -- Several studios and one bedrooms to choose from. More than one 2-bedroom unit is usually available to choose from. No three bedrooms are available and rarely become available (no wait list is maintained).