9/1/2009 - Five Stars

Like good food or great sex, excellent property management is just one of those things you should never deny yourself.

This week, for the first time in my life, I have had a taste of just how useful a good landlord can be. First, said landlord actually knew how to handle a contract, what with the crossing out and correcting of terms. If I were a single lady who really dug contractual law, and that landlord were my blind date, I would have been totally turned on at that point. With my last landlord I had to suggest to him that we make alterations to my lease so that the stated terms matched the reality; though we got that done, I didn't feel like explaining to him why we should both initial next to all of the changes, so I let it drop and crossed my fingers that I wouldn't have any charges brought against me for breach of contract.

But wait. It gets awesomer.

The day after signing the new lease, returning from dinner, Scott and I ran across the gent who does maintenance around the apartment complex. We had discussed some repairs that needed to be done around our place, and realized that this would be the ideal time to get the ball rolling. we said hello and explained some of our issues, and - pay close attention, because this is where it gets good - the fixerman came over to our apartment right then and there and took care of what he could. He even fixed something we hadn't mentioned - he just noticed it on the spot and took care of it.

Suffice it to say, I am pleased. Because I have a picky aesthetic eye, I was a little uneasy about moving from an apartment that looked really nice (hard wood floors, moulding and baseboards in all the rooms, high ceilings) to a place that was perfectly acceptable but nothing extraordinary. But then, you know what they say...

So there you have it, folks. If I've learned it once, I've learned it a million times: you can't judge a book by its cover. My new diggs are modest on the outside (actually, if you are literally standing outside the apartment, it looks waaaaaay less like an abandoned crack house than my last place; that one was deceiving) but inside the place is totally tricked out. Great management aside, it's a veritable wonderland in there. Inside there's my cat, my kitchen, my love and my excellent - my most very excellent - life.