Prelude: a place to rest our weary heads...

It is 8:30pm on Sunday, July 18, 2010. Tomorrow morning, Dad and I will leave the Radisson Warwick Plaza Hotel at 7:00am to begin the approximately 11 hour drive back to Michigan. This has been a long journey, but we leave Philadelphia victorious: I will not be homeless on August 10th.

THURSDAY, July 15th: A late night drive

We left Ann Arbor at 8:00pm on Thursday after a round of strong thunderstorms diffused some of the week's oppressive humidity. I was impatient: our departure was two hours late. We were driving the 6 hours to our hotel reservation in Monroeville, PA (just past Pittsburgh). Dad and I took turns driving and arrived the Monroeville Double Tree at 2:30am. Did you know that when you check-in late at night the Double Tree gives each guest a warm chocolate-chip oatmeal cookie?! I ate the entire thing, despite the many preservatives likely in that cookie..

I briefly mused about Double Tree's genius in using the olfactory and gustatory senses to invoke a childlike sense of security and comfort. "It's just like coming home from school to mom's freshly baked cookies." Where did we get that fantasy from, anyway? I don't know anyone who lived that reality.

FRIDAY, July 16th: Driving, dreading and preparing

So we had driven 6.5 hours Thursday night and were in bed by 3:00am. Our alarm went off at 9:00am the next day - we had 5.5 more hours to go, baby! After $30ish dollars in tolls and our first introduction to Philadelphia traffic, we arrived at the Radisson Warwick Plaza hotel near Rittenhouse Square.

Our first order of business was a 1.5 mile walk to the visitor's center by the liberty bell, despite the terribly hot day. We were hoping that someone at the visitor center's information desk would be able to map out the good (and not-so-good) neighborhoods. The girl at the desk was about my age and mildly helpful, although not nearly as savvy as the Philadelphia matron who, last October, had pointed Patrick and I toward a hidden Philly cheese steak gem in South Philly.

After the visitor's center, we grabbed a quick deli dinner and I spent a few hours scouring Craigslist and updating my "Philadelphia housing hunt" spreadsheet. With all the properties listed online, and the range of prices and locations, I was beginning to doubt that Saturday and Sunday would be enough time. Anxiety was creeping in.

Before going to bed, I Google mapped public transit directions to our 9:30am walk-through, the first of two showings scheduled for Saturday. We would take the 8:48am bus route 32 to Parrish street.

SATURDAY, July 17th - DAY: in and out all around town

Up and showered early, breakfast was day number two of coffeemaker oatmeal. Yes, it's what you're thinking: after brewing our (unbelievably flat) hotel coffees, we removed the used grounds and ran water through the coffeemaker into hotel glasses half-filled with oatmeal. It makes for a pretty al-dente oatmeal but, hey, it's breakfast.

Despite our breakfast cleverness, we lacked expediency: we arrived at the bus stop a couple of minutes late. Although I knew that Philly buses have a reputation for tardiness, I was feeling rushed and didn't know if we had missed it, or when the next bus would be coming by. We decided to try an alternative bus route. Unfortunately, it was more than alternative: it was altogether wrong. We ended up way South and West on the Grey's Ferry line. The roughness of that area was quite a contrast to Rittenhouse Square near the Radisson. It was pretty obvious that Dad was wondering what kind of city I am moving to.


Eventually we got a bust transfer and found our way to the Fairmount Park area. We had missed our 9:30am showing. But, luckily, Chelsea (a fellow CYGP Corps Member) and her parents had made it to the showing in time. We weren't sure that we would end up living together (I already had committed to one roommate and we weren't sure what kinds of housing we would find), but since they had a car Chelsea's invited us to spend the day house hunting with them: driving, calling, touring, walking and getting to know Philly and each other. Meeting Chelsea and her family was yet another confirmation that the City Year Corps Members and Staff are pretty great people!

The showing we missed was in a modest area. Walking around the neighborhood we met some long-time locals. On one street, we a couple of neighbors were talking on their front step. They informed us that there was a house across the street that their neighbor (who lived next door) had been trying to sell for three years. The owners were a small elderly Greek couple. The wife happened to come to her door in her housedress and slippers to see what all the commotion on the street was about. One of the neighbors we had been talking with, Herman, asked if we could see her vacant place. Bessy, the owner, insisted that we had to have a realtor with us. Since we obviously didn't have a realtor, Herman (a retired Philadelphia policeman) was our stand-in. (I don't think Bessy exactly understands the realtor requirement estate business...) The neighbors were nice and the area was safe, but the property was not what we needed.

After that "showing," we found one or two places that would have been liveable, but nothing great. There was one BIG home in a transitional area, although Dad seemed to think it was still a little to early yet in the neighborhood's transition. However, we did find the Spring Gardens community garden, which was super exciting! The surrounding area is really cute, too. There were "apartment for rent" signs nearby, but we couldn't get a hold of any property managers.

We had lunch and then headed down to more showings in a different part of the town: Center City. Here we saw apartments in a few different buildings. The first was horrible; the bedrooms only had one window, and that window was to a dark shaft in the center of the building! We also saw some HUGE apartments that looked like they belonged in a haunted house: chandeliers, hardwood floors, black and white tiled kitchens, big windows and all. It was strange to think that these apartments were in buildings that looked pretty modern from the outside.

At this point, we had seen seven or eight places but still didn't have any great options. We had one more showing for the day in yet another part of town: University City.

We all piled into Chelsea's family's car and followed the GPS across the Schuykill River. When we arrived at the property, we saw that it was a pillared mansion split into apartments... that had substantial fire damage in the center unit! As we were 30 minutes early, we canceled the appointment. Before turning in for dinner, we did a little more looking in the area but it was always the same: driving to the location and deciding that the neighborhood was no good.

It had been a long day, and we ended with only one option: the large house in the transitioning neighborhood. Even so, that property wasn't super appealing. I had heard that with houses when it's right, you just know. So far, that hadn't happened.

SATURDAY - NIGHT: Providence.

Our day with Chelsea and her family was over, but Dad and I had one more property to see. I had been told not to live South of South Street, and this last place was about 5 blocks outside of that line. I nonetheless had a good feeling about it. This is why:

Exactly one week earlier, I was really stressed about the impending housing hunt. To help ease the anxieties, my family suggested that I make a list of everything I would be looking for in an ideal house. So, I did:

- 4 to 6 housemates, no more than 2 girls per bedroom and bathroom
- Safe neighborhood
- Rent less than $400 per month
- Good windows/light
- YMCA within 10 minute walk
- Farmers market within walking distance
- Hardwood floors
- Spacious kitchen
- Near public transportation

I felt ridiculous listing some of the things that I did, knowing how limited my Americorps stipend would be, and the price of housing in major cities.


That same day, my friend and former housemate Rebecca attended a wedding in Livonia, MI. At the reception, she met a very friendly young couple, Joseph and Tara who happened to live in Philadelphia. Rebecca told Joseph and Tara that I was worried about finding housing. They gladly shared their contact information and said that they knew of some places I might be interested in. She gave their info to me, and we corresponded that week before Dad and I came to Philadelphia.

It just so happened that Tara was moving out of her house and her 3 housemates were looking for someone to fill her old room. The room was in our price range and also happened to be across the street from a YMCA and within 15 minutes of two farmers markets.

Now one week later, Dad and I were visiting it as our final stop.

We didn't plan it, but Tara's old house was on 17th Street, and so was the Radisson Warwick Hotel. It was a nice 10 block walk from the hotel to the house. When we arrived at the house, it was obvious that the neighborhood wasn't as expensive as that near the Radisson, but it was certainly nicer than anywhere we had looked earlier that day. And there was a potted flower by the front step!

I was sold the minute I walked inside. The house is only 6 years old. It's nicely painted and has all hardwood floors. I nearly cried when I saw the second floor kitchen and living space. The granite counter tops, cherry cabinetry and stainless steel appliances of the kitchen sparkled in front of me. Turning to my right, I saw the spacious living room with three couches, canister lighting and a bay window. The room I had come to look at was on the third floor. I was almost scared to see it for the fear that it would not be suitable and I would have to forgo this beautiful home.

Luckily, that was not the case. The room was huge, had two very large closets, a bay window, and its own bathroom with a jacuzzi tub. It was like Christmas morning.

Dad and I spent 45 minutes talking with the housemates, Christy, Abbie and Liz about particulars. As we walked back to the Radisson I called Mom, Rebecca (to thank her profusely!), and my future roommate Sarah (Swade) to tell her how amazingly blessed we were. We would be moving into a beautiful spacious and fully furnished home with housemates who knew Philadelphia well.


Instead of the real estate madness that I had worried would consume the next day, Dad and I toured and enjoyed Philadelphia, my new home.