Or "13 Easy Steps to get a suite in Vancouver:"
1. Clarify your priorities. It sounds easy, but it took me about four days stuck to my laptop looking and looking again at Craigslist; and there were so many options (furnished-unfurnished-shared (bedrooms)-suite-in Downtown-in Burnaby-Richmond-price...) that it was quite confusing to arrive to a conclusion of what to look for.
2. Its better if you do an Excel matrix (me and my methods). It allows you to compare all the important parameters:
Location-Price-Furnished-# Rooms-Separate entrance-Private bathroom-Area(sqft)-Cable TV-Internet-Laundry-Availability-Term-Deposit-Contact-Other...
3. Finally, start calling for appointments. As you feel nervous because you don't have a job and in multiple ads they ask for references; first you start sending e-mails so as to begin slowly, gently. At last you receive the first response from a Rebecca Something: "Thanks for your interest Francisco. Are you working or a student?” Shhh...t...! Is there an option for "None of the above"?
4. After answering that you are a landed immigrant but that you're a professional person, 35 years old, who worked for a multinational company, who has lived by yourself for 13 years without a single complaint from your landlord: in short that you are a very decent person... and swallowing the bitter pill because Rebecca chose not to answer to your reply... Well, continue sending e-mails.
5. Now with some practice, you decide you've find the guts to start calling. What can go wrong, anyway? Ok, James. Ah, he is in a meeting and will call back. Eric. That it’s ok, but he has other offers and he'll call back too. Hmmmmm...
6. Spend the whole day without receiving any answers either by e-mail or telephone. Then, around 18:00 as if by magic, they start returning your calls. That if you can come tomorrow. Yes, at what time tomorrow? Yeah, on Sunday. Ah, Vincent. You are available tomorrow? Ok... Phew. Thank goodness.
7. Saturday arrives and you get up early because you have to visit places with the owner of the settlement company that received you at the airport and has accompanied you for the paperwork process (PR card, SIN)... 9:00 and Prasad is not showing up. Hello? Yes, Prasad? Will you come to go see the places with me? Ah, I had to confirm you and as I didn't you did not schedule the visits... Ok, I understand. Adios. Sh...t. Now what?
8. After hesitating for a few minutes, with no other choice, you find the guts and decide to go by yourself. Luckily there is Google Maps, which is a wonderful tool for this and as you are entering the addresses the indications of what Skytrain station to go, which bus line to take, the number of the bus stop appear. Putting together your itinerary, you take flight decisively (or maybe not so much).
9. It is 10:30 and I am calling James because I just got off at the Edmonds Skytrain station but the 106 bus does not pass until 10:40 and he will not be available after 10:45. Ok, I will drop off later. I decide to go nevertheless just to know its location (Eric's house is around anyway). I get off one stop before, walk to the place noting that the area is ok, a little neglected though the house is nice. Then I return and go to Eric's. The suite has a bedroom and a living room (I just learned what a suite is...). It's just okay. The rent does not include Cable TV (Eric says he doesn't watch TV, just internet) and it is available until June 1st. Ok, thank you very much Eric. On my way back I wander to know where the supermarket, laundry, etc. are, for the sake of convenience.
*** We interrupt this list momentarily to go find a sports bar or Italian restaurant to watch the UEFA Champions League final on Commercial Drive. Commercial Drive is an eclectic street (as Carol would say) with many restaurants of different nationalities... A very lively and interesting area of Vancouver where I definitely thought someone must be watching the game.
The trouble is that when arriving at the station I took the wrong direction and went to Victoria, where I found nothing more than Chinese, Japanese and Indian restaurant; where I can tell that the match had for them the same importance as the Miss Universe contest has for me...
Back to Commercial I (finally) find what I was looking for. I enter the first sports bar and it’s packed. I keep looking and I don’t like the ambience at second Italian restaurant that I find, so I keep walking. At the end I enter the "Roma Sports Bar" in a corner and although it is also full, Milito's second goal and the Inter fans' celebration invite me to stay, standing at the exit door. I watch the last 25 minutes of the 2nd half, and when the match ends the majority of Italians takes off as well as five or six crestfallen Germans (Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0). I have then two slices of pizza and a local beer, Kokanee, for lunch.
Now let’s get back to the list ... ***
10. I'm (according to Google Maps directions; this thing is never wrong!) at Metrotown (station near the Metropolis, a fairly large shopping mall) and looking for Route 129 that will take me to my next destination. But when I realize the bus frequency and the time it is, I give up and I end up buying a White Chocolate at Starbucks... it's a cold day and I need some extra calories. With my chocolate in hand I go near Renfrew St to check out the furnished suite that Vincent rents and that caught my attention since I saw it.
According to my itinerary, I must take another Skytrain line (Millennium instead of Expo) so there I go. I get lost at the next station, so I return to the previous one. Hmmm... It seems that the thing does go wrong sometimes because it was in Expo line anyway... After wandering for a time, I arrive an hour ahead of schedule but when I call Vincent, he is able to see me now.
Uh-huh, in many homes here in Vancouver you have to remove your shoes to enter a house (I do not know if it’s just to avoid spoiling the carpet in winter or if it’s a cultural habit). The point is that the apartment has its own entrance with alarm and I note that the carpet and the place are pristine -that is, overly clean. Although it’s a basement, there is plenty of light and it has two rooms, the living room with a sofa, cable TV, desk, dining table, fridge, microwave oven, etc.., a very clean bathroom and a bedroom.
Vincent tells me that he is quite selective to choose his tenants: First he asks for responses by e-mail, if he likes them he interviews the candidate by phone and in person and it is just then that you’ll get the place. No problem, I choose carefully too...
We get to talk a little bit, he tells me he is from Brunei -I don't have many references about it-, and that he also worked at the “Pecten” company; that his last tenant was an Australian or German that returned to his country and that he likes to keep everything clean, which is evident.
After clarifying the details (Yes he can give me the suite before June 1, charges C$ 75.00 to clean the carpet when leaving the place or every two years) and I realize that in fact neither Vincent asked nor did I say anything about my job -which makes me think I have a good chance of getting the place-. He tells me he will have a couple more interviews and that he will call me back to confirm, no later than Tuesday. Ok, thank you very much Vincent, nice to meet you...
11. Now back to the Skytrain and then to Edmonds, to finally visit James suite, which is very nice, very spacious and with plenty of light. It is unfurnished though, so if I get here I will have to buy the basics. James is the only one who asks me to fill out a form; I leave my phone, my references (Carol, Andy and Prasad) and even the number of my “job” (we creatively invented that I work with Carol's cousin in web development, how about that? hahaha) and then back to the motel.
12. I realize how good I feel about being able to look after myself again, walking around town without knowing it and realizing that it was (as always) not that difficult. Mental ranking of visited sites:
a. The Vincent furnished suite - just concerns me that he is not very agreeable on overseas visits... we'll see.
b. James' unfurnished suite - It's very nice, but the location is not the best and would have to buy furniture.
c. Eric's unfurnished suite - Just OK. Same location as above and also furniture to be bought.
d. Oakridge unfurnished suite - Ugly, dirty and poorly maintained.
13. After going back and forth in the 321, Skytrain, the 106, Skytrain, the 129, Skytrain, the 106 again, and finally the 321 Skytrain to the motel, almost getting off the bus I receive a call: "Francisco, I have great news for you. I choose you..."
And the winner is: Vincent... What a good tenant he has found!
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