Finding a Place to Live

Finding an apartment was an interesting experience for me.  I knew I wanted to live along the interstate that runs through upstate SC, but I didn't really know anything about the cities along the expressway.  Thankfully I do have friends who live in the area, so they were able to narrow down some of my options based on safety and location.

First off I started looking for places in a familiar city.  Not only is it located between the two cities I'll be taking classes in, but it is also where my friends live!  I looked at a handful of complexes that were all in the same price range.

Side note: I had a few requirements a unit/complex had to fulfill for me to consider it.

• It should have 1 bedroom at most.  Studio style is preferred.
• I need to move in ASAP.
• It must have air conditioning, a dishwasher, and a pool.
• Pest control should be a regular service provided because bugs are icky and they're everywhere in the southern states (or so I'm told).
• I will have to be able to have internet service installed.

That being said, let's go back to apartments.

The very first location I visited was really nice.  It was right by a school and had a gorgeous pool.  I saw a Clemson-themed motorcycle in the parking lot near the leasing office, so I was feeling pretty good about it.  I went on a tour of a unit and thought it was pretty nice for the price.  I went into the bathroom and immediately announced my findings: "Um, there's a dead cockroach on the floor of the bathroom."  I was kindly corrected by the office personnel that it was actually a "palmetto bug."  The lady also encouraged me to be glad "it was dead and not alive."

Um, what?  By the way, I don't think I was so far off with my initial observation.  I'll let you search Google yourself to see just how similar the two species are.

Anyway, I figured since that complex didn't regularly check their vacant units (obviously - I mean, sweep it up!), I'd better check out a few other places on my list.  I was led to some other nice areas, all free of cockroaches palmetto bugs.  I liked most of the units I toured, but none of them were going to be available for occupancy until June or later, so they didn't really work for me.

I was next led to search for places in Clemson.  I wasn't really excited about the idea of living near a bunch of drunk college students, but I figured it'd be tolerable as it's quite beautiful in the city.  I didn't really look too much at these places, but I did get info from the school and had a friend who spent some time in Clemson identify some prime options for me.  I was about to schedule visits at a few of these places when I was taken in another direction - the other city where I'll be taking classes.

The whole time I'd been trying to locate a place to live (even before I left Michigan), I had been in regular contact with a few people from the 2012-2013 cohort of my program.  A couple of ladies I had been talking with live in this third city and had great things to say about the area.  They had suggested a couple of apartment complexes, so I decided to tour them.  I was pretty pleased with what I saw.  This city seemed to compliment my personality nicely.

I went back and forth for a day or so and ended up driving through each of the three cities again before making my decision.  I chose a complex right near the interstate (and a mall) and I love it.  I soon made myself right at home and started hanging out with a Clemson friend who lives in the same "neighborhood" (apparently they don't call them complexes here).

Needless to say, I have yet to see any icky bugs in my apartment.  I really hope I didn't just jinx myself!  The complex is beautiful, though.  There's a private pond with catch-and-release fishing for residents and also a "barking lot" for puppies to go and play outside.  People seem to be pretty friendly, so that's nice!  I hear/see kids playing all of the time, so it seems like a good place to live.