I saw almost a dozen apartments today. I am exhausted, but I think I have narrowed it down to a top three. At least for now. Unfortunately one of the problems I am having is keeping them straight in my head. I can’t remember which one had the counter top I liked, and which one had the walk-in closet. Which one had the balcony? Notes would have been good.

I was originally planning on a three bedroom. But since I am now going to be paying rent and a mortgage, I will have to settle for a two bedroom. And seeing how convoluted everything is right now, I am not foreseeing any changes in the immediate future.

Out of the two bedrooms I have seen, several met the majority of my needs. For those of you who suggested I get the kids involved in this decision, although that sounds like a lovely idea, I don’t think a two and three year old are to be entrusted with choosing our living situation. Besides, they are both very easily amused.

Option 1:

2 Bedrooms. 1.5 Baths. Brentwood.

I love the area. As for the apartment, the kitchen is spacious with tons of counter space, comes with new appliances, and has a nice little nook for dining.

I am not a fan of the 1.5 baths situation. Since the kids won’t each get a room I figured it would be best if they got the master bedroom. There are two of them, they come with many things, and they spend far more time in their room than I do. Actually, I spend almost no time in the bedroom – other than sleeping and getting ready in the morning I hardly ever go in there. I assumed that they would get their own bathroom that comes with the master, and I would take the hall bathroom. In this case, the hall bathroom does’t have a shower or bathtub. That is a problem.

The apartment comes with lots of storage space, which is always a plus.

Option 2:

2 Bedrooms. 2 Baths. Santa Monica.

I love the area. The apartment is a great size, and the hall bathroom has a shower stall.

The kitchen is a decent size. This one doesn’t have quite as much counter space as the one above, but the counters are nicer.

Also, this one comes with a washer and dryer in unit, which is pretty convenient.

There is a little gym downstairs, which would mean I would no longer have to run around in the streets before dawn. But then again I would be minutes away from the beach… so…

Right now I am completely enamored by the fact that the apartment is only a few blocks from Third Street. But I am not so sure living this close to a giant tourist attraction will bode well in the long run. The view, however, is amazing.

Option 3:

2 Bedrooms. 2 Baths. Sherman Oaks.

This apartment is by far the largest of the ones I have mentioned. The bedrooms are visibly bigger, as well as the kitchen. It also has a balcony (and I love balconies).

It has two full baths, and I think this one also had a walk-in closet which is nice.

This apartment is also closer to where I will be heading every day. However, both the Brentwood and Santa Monica apartments aren’t too far from UCLA, and I used to make that commute from and into the valley every day for years, so I am not unfamiliar with the route.

Rent wise, all of these apartments are comparable in price, so that is not a deciding factor.

This is the first time I have gone into apartment hunting with a clear idea of what I want. You would think that would make thing easier, but actually it complicates matters. I am a lot more picky, and more stubborn about settling. I know I am not going to find the “perfect” place, but I am unfortunately more hesitant to compromise on certain features.

But I need to make a decision soon.