Looking for a new home?

Few weeks prior our departure to Houston, my husband and I were on and off busy googling for a place to rent. Lucky for all of us, we live in the era of the Internet; we used various websites to shortlist and find our new home, thousands of miles away.

First of all, we shortlisted the area, that was convenient and closest to my husband's office.

Next, we shortlisted another goal, it had to be small and cheap, 1 or 2 bedroom apartment. 

We had to scrap the idea of cheap apartments after reading numerous horror stories online about certain certain apartments. When I mean horror, I don't mean anything ghostly, I meant like break-in and vandalism. Imagine having a one year contract with the apartment and regretting your decision for one whole year......We changed our goal to affordable.

When we arrived in Houston, we were staying in a hotel for 2 weeks. During the first weekend, we drove around visiting our shortlisted apartment. We had to take note of the apartment open and close hours. We didn't engage any agent to help us find our place, we did it all by ourselves.

I fell in love with the first apartment we visited, which was the most expensive one of the list. Subsequent apartments couldn't live up to my benchmark.

This was my benchmark when choosing an apartment,

1. Security, such as entering the premise requires access cards

2. Solid doors, so that an intruder can't kick my door down

3. Dryer and Washer, cos I don't want to use a common launderette

4. Gym, so that my husband and I can stay fit and healthy

5. Location, walk-able distance to mall or supermarket 

The next day, we paid deposit, and chose an auspicious day to move in.

To make up for our 'affordable' rent, we cut the luxuries of using the heater during some cold winter nights by wearing more clothing, or not using the aircond by wearing less clothes, and we didn't subscribe for cable TV, and we are using a 2MB Internet, which we are doing ok, except for the frustratingly slow internet....