My new apartment in DC!!

Or the lack of...

Back in February I posted an ad on craiglist stating I was looking for a place to stay for the summer. I had several inquiries (some OK and some just creepy). A few days after I posted the ad I received an email from someone who was looking for a summer roommate. She was my age, my personality, had a stable job, sent pictures of the apartment with dimensions, said that we didn't have to be friends but she needed help on the rent.

I thought I was the perfect canadite for this room. We exchanged a lot of information about ourselves to see if we both thought we would work personality wise. Soon, we agreed that we wanted to live with each other and she sent me a contract drawn up by her attorney.

She wanted a $600 deposit and $600 for the first months rent, but my mom and I agreed to make a visit during my spring break to meet the roommate and see the apartment before I gave all the money. So I sent a moneygram to her attorney to hold my spot.

I figured this was normal. I mean all the times I looked at apartments in Maryville they requested a deposit and some even asked for the first months rents straight up. Even on my apartment in Maryville I put down a deposit like 3 months before I moved in to ensure my spot.

Once I received the contract drawn up by the attorney I had an attorney glance over it to make sure it seemed OK. We made a few minor changes and I emailed her a signed copy back as well as sent a moneygram.

From there, she stayed in contact. She added me on MSN Messenger and we sent emails back and forth. I was busy constantly with school so there wasn't a ton of communication, but there still was some.

About a week before my spring break came I emailed her to remind her I was coming out this weekend. She said it wouldn't be a problem and that she was more than willing to meet me and show me the apartment.

My mom and I flew out to D.C. on Friday night. It was a low elevation flight due to bad weather, but the lights over D.C. were beautiful.

On Saturday, mom and I woke with the notation to meet her at 11am. After we ate breakfast we made a quick stop to the room where I grabbed the camera and we wrote down all the information needed for the apartment. Leaving behind the contract and copy of the moneygram.

We managed to find our way to the apartment after getting turned around a few times and having to detour for construction.

When we walked up to the front door of the "condo" we had to wait at the door to be buzzed in. Once we walked in we proceeded to the front desk where I had to tell the desk clerk who I was wanting to see. I said my "future roommates" name and the lady said, "we don't have anyone by that name."

I told her my reasoning for being at the condos and she said that the room we were looking at had two females not by that name there, but was willing to let us go up and knock on the door. We did and of course, no answer.

From there we went back to the front door where the lady told us to call the police. Before we did we caught a cab back to the hotel and grabbed the contract, moneygram, and printed all the emails between her and I. (Cab=$20)

We then caught another cab back to the condo ($20) where we called and waited on the police to arrive.

As we waited for the police to arrive, mom looked through the classified newspaper section for other housing options. Everything is so expensive! But, we came across a housing option for summer housing/interns. We called and they allowed us to come look, but before we did we spoke with the police.

The police pretty much laughed at us. Yes, I know we made a mistake, but I am in Missouri and need a place to stay in D.C. I can't just go check out every option that comes available. Plus, everyone that I have asked for advice on housing has told me to use craiglists.

Anyways, the police tried to tell us the grammar on the emails was our first clue that it would be a hoax. I said that it was how today's generations writes. (it really wasn't THAT bad) and mom told him that we didn't know if I was speaking to a foreigner because 80% of D.C. area is foreigners. The police just laughed, called us wrong and questioned where I actually I was from because my ID said one place but yet my moneygram came from walmart near school.

There wasn't anything we could do at that point. The police left without taking a police report. So mom and I caught another cab ($20) to the house we called on. The rent is double than what I originally thought I was going to pay. It is a studio apartment and to be honest it was a nice apartment.

I can't apply for it until closer to my move date because they have so many people that come and go, but the lady pretty much guaranteed a place for me. She said she has a lot of interns over the summer.

I am still not sure what I am going to do, but at least we know that there are still options.