That should be "too much money to live someplace with NO trees." It's very urban. But it's cute inside.

It's still early in the game for February 1st in urban areas. Say no.

Hrmm.. What about the neighborhood? Nearby restaurants, grocery, transit, laundry, etc? Noisy streets? Noisy bus stops? Those intangibles could help count for/against a particular location. My GF lives in the lower haight, and her proximity to "stuff" in comparison to my suburban place is a revelation.

But I do have trees. Lots and lots of trees.

The "stuff" aspect is good. Also, I can ride my bike to work. And the neighborhood won't cause my mom to hyperventilate. It's safe. It's not too noisy (as far as I can tell). despite a highway that's only a couple blocks away. And it has 14' ceilings, which I love.

I like people better than squirrels. If you ask me now, I really don't know how many trees are there near my apartment. Could be none, or a whole fucking park a couple blocks away. I generally get my fruit from the supermarket, my shady cool place to relax in the nearby cafe, and my strategic sniping point on my terrace. Oops, erase that last one.

Update: according to Live Local, no trees in my block, but a few on the adjacent ones.

I hadn't used Live Local before- very cool. And there do seem to be a few trees. And 2 baseball fields.

Is it unappealingly urban? Would you not like to walk down the street?

No- the street's fine- interesting, even.

I just grew up in the boondocks so the lack of greenery is distressing.

So far the places that have green have some other large thing lacking (like a kitchen).

Part of the problem is that there's a house in Richmond (which makes Mom hyperventilate) that seemed pretty good, but the landlady is too weird and flakey and won't commit. I need to put it out of my mind, but just knowing it's there...

I think I'm talking myself into taking it. There just isn't too much else around these days, seems like.

I'll just have to bring my lunch to work from now on.

(taking the non-Richmond one, that is.)

Heh. Lack of kitchen is bad.

It sounds like you like it, but you think you shouldn't? Nothing you're saying about it sounds horribly negative.

Keep looking - Richmond, even Point Richmond scares me, but I am - as someone from the East Bay called me - "a Marinite snob".

GOOD LUCK and I hope you don't have to settle for something you don't really want! I can put you up on my couch for a week if you find yourself homeless.

:) thanks!

I like Richmond, though. It's a little more blue collar.

I don't know about your area, but ours is very tight with the housing market. For every place that's for rent, you get 100 people with applications. If you can afford it, I'd say take it. A year will fly by, anyway.

redvixen's comment is very accurate. I have lived in the same house for 9 years now, I forget how tough it is to find a rental that you like - and that the landlord is willing to rent to you - over 100s of other applicants. Especially in the Bay Area.

eh. I'm the perfect tenant. But you're right, and I've taken it. I'm glad I asked a bunch of urban-dwellers! I'm feeling better about it. what can I say- I'm a hillbilly at heart.

Woo! Congrats!

small_ruminant, once you've moved in, get a lot of nice big houseplants - like Ficus, etc., and make it your own greenplace. If you have a housewarming, tell your friends that this is your plan, and they'll help you out with some nice green gifties, probably.

Thanks! I have two big pots outdoors I was going to give away but I guess I can just make them indoor pots and green things up myself. That's probably the way to go. Their bird life will be a little sparse, but you can't have everything.

Yeah... But a good location on an interesting street with all the "stuff" goes a long way, and the high ceilings are for swooning. I miss those. A lot.

I'm kind of a princess about where I live. Not really about anything else (except my mate), but if I don't live in a place that feels good to me, I actually get ill. I was agoraphobic for one year in Dallas, and more recently (within the last five years), here, when we lived in an apartment I didn't like (for some reason that I couldn't really figure out - it was a pretty nice place), I started having chest pains. Every day, all day, every 15 or 20 minutes, lasting 3-10 minutes. It was bizarre. I couldn't sleep because they would wake me up. I had tons of tests, and apparently it really was psychosomatic or something, though I still find that hard to believe. But, yeah.

Your place sounds great, though; you just have to make it an fabulous oasis. All the rest seems really good. Also, the other place? Flaky landlady? Bad juju.

taz, I'm totally the same way, although I never put two and two together until I leave the place and then I figure it out (when I'm not sick any more). My current place has been great but the landlady cut down the tree in front and it turned out that was really the only thing that made it nice (though it gets good light, too, when it's not foggy.)

I'm viewing the new place as an interim one until it's year's up. If it turns out to be fantastic I'll know by then and just keep it.