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Might move soon. first time in 13 years. need advice.
Tallahasseeriel
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Ok so for the past like ~13 years my brother and I have been living in the same place, a little trailer park. Well recently we got a letter saying the city is starting forclosure proceedings on the property because the owner of the park hasn't been paying property tax to the city.
We still need to get legal advice from an attorney about specifics but like, my brother and my names are not anywhere on the paperwork for this trailer or the lot, it's all my mom and her husband. My mom is saying that we should be able to basically just move and they will deal with the ramifications of the foreclosure and what not.
Well that brings me to the fact that well, I've not moved in 13 years and when I did I was just a teenager moving out because my mom's husband didn't want us in his house. So I have no experience with it.
I know our basic options would be an apartment or another trailer, a house is more than likely out of our price range for the foreseeable future given we are both on disability and have a limited income as it is. Though I am looking into part time work soonish.
I guess I'm just looking for general advice about how to look for apartments as I've never lived in one, though there are going to be challenges with that option given my brother's stimming is to run around the house very loudly.
And if we do get another trailer it's probably going to have to be in my name given I actually have credit (though admittedly not great credit but better than none) and I have no experience with mortgages or shopping for something like that. Though there is always the option of renting to own a cheaper older model trailer but we'd probably have many of the same issues we've had for years with this one like enormous heating bills and the like.
We still need to get legal advice from an attorney about specifics but like, my brother and my names are not anywhere on the paperwork for this trailer or the lot, it's all my mom and her husband. My mom is saying that we should be able to basically just move and they will deal with the ramifications of the foreclosure and what not.
Well that brings me to the fact that well, I've not moved in 13 years and when I did I was just a teenager moving out because my mom's husband didn't want us in his house. So I have no experience with it.
I know our basic options would be an apartment or another trailer, a house is more than likely out of our price range for the foreseeable future given we are both on disability and have a limited income as it is. Though I am looking into part time work soonish.
I guess I'm just looking for general advice about how to look for apartments as I've never lived in one, though there are going to be challenges with that option given my brother's stimming is to run around the house very loudly.
And if we do get another trailer it's probably going to have to be in my name given I actually have credit (though admittedly not great credit but better than none) and I have no experience with mortgages or shopping for something like that. Though there is always the option of renting to own a cheaper older model trailer but we'd probably have many of the same issues we've had for years with this one like enormous heating bills and the like.
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This leads me to my second tip, though this is more the result of that singularly bad experience. I tend to prefer to rent from an actual leasing/rental company as opposed to a singular individual that just so happens to have a property/condo/trailer that they are renting out. The reason being that there tends to be more professionalism and maintenance requests are handled much more quickly. They also are much easier to search for reviews online to see if they are slumlords or known to steal you security deposit or anything.
Another thing I always check when looking at a new place is what the cable/internet options are, though how much this matters to you may vary. I work from home a lot so a crappy internet provider like Frontier isn’t an option because it could mean me being unable to work or perform other essential functions.
If you go the apartment route, since you mentioned your brother needing to run around and make noise you may want to see if you can get a ground floor unit so you don’t agitate the people below you, or conversely if hearing something like that above you would cause issues for you or your brother look for a top floor unit (but beware these ones are not fun to lug furniture into and out of when moving, or when carrying groceries in). You may also want to see when your touring if you can hear your future neighbors as this may indicate thin walls which I can also speak from experience and say are not fun.
Other than that, just make sure you tour a few or do a lot of online research on a site like apartments.com so you can get an idea of what you like/need and what’s available in your area.
I know here in Madison there are also a couple of non-profit organizations that assist with housing placement and tenants' rights issues for disabled and low income folks so there might be something like that where you are.
In terms of finding places I've had good luck with Craigslist, although you have to be willing to sort through the crap to find the good stuff.
Get help packing. Packing is more time consuming than you think it is. Even packing up 400 square feet can take a week or two without help. It sucks. If you can't get help with the moving, rent an appliance dolly. For 15 bucks it is easily the best money you can spend. I soloed a 250 pound solid wood Sofa with one.
Apartments are cheaper to heat than trailers in general.
Also check the complex during the day and the night.
My main concern at the moment is finding a place given that last time we moved I didn't do any of the looking since I was like 17 so I don't even know how to start that kinda thing.
I don't even know how to live in an apartment complex since I've never lived in one so I'm kinda iffy on even looking at apartments over another trailer situation.
Google Maps, to my surprise, actually responds to the queries "trailer park" and "mobile homes," which look like actual trailer parks and not RV spaces like I'd expected. So, try that. Then you can use Street View to sort of look around without having to drive out. I didn't find any trailer parks ("mobile home communities" appears to be the keyword) through apartments.com, but I did through mhvillage.com so maybe try that.
That said, driving around is often a great way to find a place and eliminate places that are too sketchy or whatever for you.
I'd forgotten about how much fun Street View is. Too bad they don't seem to go into the trailer parks themselves, but you can get a pretty good view from the surrounding streets.
Keep good notes!!! As you look around, everything will start to blur together, so you need to mark down the name, cost, extra costs, good impressions, and bad impressions. Taking some cell phone pics is good too: make the first picture of the rental sign with the name of the place, then you'll know the next few photos show that place.
Good luck!
Edit: Don't forget the sun. I hate glare. Think about which windows will get hit from the east (sunrise) and west (sunset). North-south places may be better in some geographies. And pay attention to street lights or security lights that might shine through at night. And pay attention to flagpoles that could make a clang-clang-clang noise as the halyard hooks hit the pole. Also dogs. Fucking dogs. That's why visiting your short list both day and night is a good idea.
Dolly's are one of those things where, if you're ever considering renting one, you might as well just buy one for another $40.
You can use it for so many things, like rearranging furniture or moving a heavy appliance to get behind it (and you don't have to rent it again).
However, you can fall into the trap where you put all the bins with the things you don't want in the corner and ignore them because they're mostly safe.
I do get that that's expensive, and may not be feasible, but definitely something I recommend for when you, or anyone, can do it. A lot of places that sell bins may still have them for sale, as they always go on sale at the beginning of the year for whatever reason.
Like all the advice about actually getting my body and possessions moved to somewhere else is great but I'm trying to stay calm in a very new and uncomfortable life development and honestly that part worries me the least.
Before you start poking around online, search and see if there are non-for-profits in your area that help navigate your state's social services for low income and disabled people. (My brother worked for one when he was in college. They basically listen to what your situation is, tell you what your options are, and help you navigate the paperwork.) You probably have more options than you think.
Also, apartment prices online can actually be jacked up by like $100, to pay for the online listing. If you can, walk or drive around the area you're thinking about living in, and see if there are signs advertising rental agencies. Write down the agency name and number, and call them directly.
Last time I moved we barely even used the dolly I rented from UHaul because the one I bought was much easier to use.Moving still sucked but it cut down the time and effort significantly.
Moving can be super emotional. We get used to a certain place. I’m currently moving from a dump to a nice place and sometimes I catch myself regretting it even though objectively it’s better in almost every way. For your own situation try to think of the positive, there must be things about your current place you don’t like or can improve, this is your chance to do so.
I just don't know how to find a place I can afford that isn't a junk heap or one of the subsidized housing complexes in the area which are invariably junk heaps with the added problem of being filled to the brim with junkies and drug dealers given this is the Midwest and the whole opioid epidemic.
Also I want to avoid apartments if possible still because one I'm just really unfamiliar with living in one and two my brother's stimming is really loud. also the whole potential bad neighbor problem is common for apartments in the area as I understand it for the same reason as the previous paragraph.
we are on disability but we are on the upper end of income for it because we get it based on what our dad paid in since we were disabled before we were 22. so like we could get another trailer as long as the monthly price works out but it's stressful to think about going into that much more debt if I even qualify given my current credit balances.
really I'm just stressing about how the searching and application processes will work and how we can make ends meet once we get something. like I said moving our actual stuff is pretty much a non issue in my mind. lots of our furniture is probably just getting left here as well as our appliances since most trailers come with those installed. the thing I have most of is cookware probably?
Although the purchase price of mobile homes are pretty reasonable.
That won't lock you into anything too long term
The problem is probably going to be somehow saving for the deposit (one month's rent) and the first month's rent to move in. while also paying the bills we have ongoing here like the propane that needs filled again already (500 bucks right there) since basically live month to month and don't have any savings already since this is all happening on short notice.
not to mention the cost of boxes and a uhaul for a day.
And yeah my brother is involved with the board of developmental disabilities here but we haven't heard back from his case worker yet, but we did only think to email her yesterday so she should get in touch soon.
I also asked my case manager at the local mental health center if he could ask around about services that can help with this kind of thing but it could take him a while to find that kind of stuff.
I mean worst case scenario I imagine we get a 90 day notice at some and I don't know if we need to legally keep paying rent at that point, if not we could probably save up much more easily? That's something we need to talk to an attorney about.
As for family helping out the only family that ever really helps us is my mom who is my brother's payee for social security and she is kinda doing all she can currently.