ylimer

- Ship all your media (books, CDs, DVDs) via USPS. It is shipped at a much cheaper rate. I think you can send about 200lbs. for less than $100. - Ship your heaviest stuff in large flat rate boxes. I stuffed all my shoes in two boxes and it was $16ish a box. They would have taken up a lot of room in my car. - Price out freight for shipping furniture. You can get a mattress box from a store and ship it freight for cheaper than it would cost to get a uhaul rental sometimes. - If you know your parents will be sending you package, leave a bag of off-season clothing for them to use as packaging materials. - Sell everything you can and rebuy/CL when you get there. You'll be sad when you realize how much you spend in shipping vs. how much it really would have cost to just sell and rebuy. - Don't forget, the heavier your car, the more gas you go through. Hope some of these help!

A quick tip: Write different departments or try to get on their listservs and ask about housing. There is usually a room or two that open up in a department and you'll be living with folks that are more senior than you in grad school, know the area well, and are not in your department. Might make it a little easier to swallow if you know some grad students already live there as well. When I was in my Masters program, there was this one house that people just cycled through over the years, so it was never listed on a website. It was solely internally advertised.

Anyone attending UT-Austin and looking for a higher-end place to stay in Hyde Park? I wouldn't post this anywhere else, but I think it would be kinda awesome to get another sociology student in my condo while I'm gone. It is fully, fully furnished, all-inclusive, and in the best location possible. It's right in Hyde Park and a stone's throw from the bus stop. If anyone is interested, I'm definitely looking for the right person. Message me for more details.

Yay, it's over! My waitlist from Oregon came through. Such a relief.

Oh dear God make it end today...

Lipstick lesbian

Yay! I'm glad you have a better offer! Thanks for letting us/me know. Any news helps this miserable existence of waiting...

Shit, I gotta do my taxes too. /cry

Hey no worries, take your time. I saw someone decline Irvine, so maybe they'll be able to sweeten your pot

Well, I received some extra news from Oregon. They offered 8 people admission for 5 spots. There are 3 on the waitlist in no particular order. Only one has accepted. So, it seems like I need at least 4 people out of 7 to decline for a 33% chance of admission. It could be worse right? Right?

To address Lypiphera's good point, this is the main reason I would advise to purchase a condo only. With condos, maintenance is very low because you're only responsible for the inside. So, you might have to replace a faucet here or a refrigerator there. You'll never have to pay for the biggies though like a roof, or foundation issues etc. Just make sure you get an inspection! Second reason to stick to condos, homeowner's insurance is super cheap. It's basically like renter's insurance, because the HOA insures the rest. I think I pay like 14 bucks a month. Third reason to go condo, it's way easier to rent out if/when you move. You could even make a profit. Lastly, if you look at a mortgage as a cost, it certainly paints a dimmer picture in terms of cost savings, but it's technically not. I look at it as just putting money into a long-term investment account.

I wanted to add one more thought. Even though I probably spent the same if not more money in the past 2.5 years, a huge chunk of it went into an "investment" account called home equity. So when you're crunching your numbers, remember that you can be paying your own mortgage, or someone else's. Only one will you get some of your money back, technically. Just be smart about the housing market.

Ok, I have a few cents to add. I'm not gonna lie, I didn't read everything before my post. So, I bought a condo right before a Master's program (and was planning on staying). I have to admit, it was the best decision ever. But you have to be careful, here is my advice. - Get a condo. Houses are going to be so much more work than a condo already is. - How much square feet do you think you need? Now buy something 75% as big. You do not need space if it costs much more. - Get a 15 year mortgage. If you can't afford the difference, buy a cheaper property. You might not have to pay PMI then as well. - Look for a mortgage with credit unions. They tend to have more flexibility. - Location, location, location. Better a 400 sqft apartment near the university than 600 sqft slightly out of the way. - Buy what you would want to rent, not settle down in. As much as you want to nest, when it's time to leave, you'll want it to be rentable. - Think you'll fix things? You'll get around to 30% of it, it'll cost twice as much, and take three times as long as you expected. Here are the details of my purchase: I bought a 410sqft condo in a very desirable neighborhood in Austin, TX. I was 82k and I put 15% down. I do not pay mortgage insurance. My interest rate is 3.425% I have a 15 year mortgage and my payments are about 500/mo. Plus an additional 150/mo for taxes. I pay 171 in HOA fees, which includes utilities, cable, and internet. So it costs me little over 800 a month, which is about what it rents for. After about 2.5 years, I only have 60k in principal left, and luckily the property value rose. I'm looking at about 40k in equity. It was worth it! But I settled for a lot less than I "wanted." That being said, I ended up applying to PhD programs and fully intend to buy when I move. So, I'm probably going to lease my condo this Fall. I'm sad to go.

I would love to know the answers to SocialGroovements questions too!

Post here if you care to wait with me in all your anxious glory. Where are you waitlisted? Are you gonna wait? I am on Oregon's waitlist and it is the only "offer" I have. If anyone declines Oregon, I'd love to know... I think.