Here's the Hottest Thing in Real Estate: Katie's Apartment

The other factor could be the absurdly below market rental rate! For something so close to the train station especially.
I rent out some units in the same hood and find I can't leave a Craigslist posting up for more than a few hours unless I want 100 emails in my box.
At least the rental market is still strong.

"I don't think our landlord could find anyone who wanted the plain white walls, ugly brown carpet and dirty unmopped tile floor."

Was it also 1996? It probably had more to do with the market than the un-hip color scheme. Now people will pay anything for a roof and running water in NJ.

That part of Forrest isn't the best spot. You are right on the train tracks. Easy walk to Egans and Depot though. $1080 is about right, unless the bedrooms are oversized; but by the ad it seams that it is more of a 1.5 bedroom. Nice Brick wall Katie, I think that would be a selling point for me

No, I first rented the apartment in 2005 - it was only $950 a month back then.

It is a full 2 bedrooms, only problem is the one doesn't have a closet - but the bedroom without the closet is twice as big as the one with. The brick wall was what sold the apartment to me, but the long porch room is why I am sad to be leaving it.

Train tracks don't bother us one bit, they're across the street behind the other apartments. We have a 15 minute walk to Bloomfield Ave & Watchung Plaza, 5 minutes to Walnut St. I couldn't imagine living elsewhere in town. I am seriously having a hard time imagining myself not living here in two weeks :(

But I think the road trip will help ;)

Isn't the usual method the simplest? Whomever comes to you first wanting the apartment and bearing a check gets it. It's one thing if you are renting out your own home to someone, then maybe you want to interview them first.

Of course it's the simplest, but it's also the lazy way to do things and not quite fair. We wanted to find good people to live here who really wanted it. It's not fair for those people who get off work at 6:30 and can never make it to an apartment viewing before someone else scoops it up.

That is almost $500 a month less than we are paying for our 2BR on N. Fullerton.

Going by the pictures, location, and fact that there's a porch(!); I'd say $1080 a month is a bargain regardless of the wall color.

Hmmm.... You don't still happen to be showing it do you? :-P

Wow $1080/mo -- I think your walls could be green or orange and still rent - oh wait - they are - lol - really - and pet friendly too - heck where was this apt when we were looking - anything pet friendly was nothing less than $2K -- are you making the final decision or your landlord?

Che Bella Casa!

Yeah Jimmytown I think you're a bit off. 1080 for a two bedroom is about right -- in 1996 maybe. Katie you've got quite a steal there.
Totally great neighborhood too.