So, housing is incredibly difficult to find in the Netherlands...correction, AFFORDABLE housing is incredibly difficult to find. Their prices are outrageous and most don't even include basic appliances such as a refrigerator or stove!! and we are talking about rentals here. For example, for a 600square foot place, it will cost about 750Euro, not including utilities. And that's a big chunk of change when they take out 45% of your income for taxes!!(socialism at it's best). Needless to say, finding housing has been an issue for Dan. We've had great prospects but somehow they have all fallen through. For example, we had a fantastic place to rent and Dan told the realtor (yes, we have to pay a realtor fee =to one month's rent in ADDITION to a deposit...) that we wanted to rent it so the realtor set up a time to meet with the landlord for Dan to sign the lease and give the deposit. This was on a Friday and they had set a time on Monday to sign the lease. Monday morning Dan receives an email from the realtor, stating that the landlord rented out the place over the weekend. . .!!!uhhh...what?!! Same with another place we had decided on. Only this time dan went to tell the realtor that we wanted it, less than 24 hours later, and it too was rented. It's been a very frustrating process for Dan and myself but moreso for Dan as he has to ride his bike all over Leiden, looking at different apartments. He is looking at two more tomorrow and hopefully one of these will be "the one".
We aren't even being picky. We have decided that we would take something less desirable for a short term until we get settled and see if i will be able to work or whatnot. But it's proving difficult to even do that! Pray one of these tomorrow works out. The picture above is the actual apartment. There is one upstairs and one downstairs for rent. The little balcony goes into the bedroom. It's cute. We'll see if it works out.
Why can't DAN be the one to steal it out from someone else over the weekend? If others can do it, so can he. I say, camp out there, and the MINUTE someone walks in, say< "This apartment is mine." It worked for Joey Tribiani. He needs to find a way to contact the right people immediately instead of waiting.
ReplyDeleteyeah, he has been beating down the door. he's sees several apts a day. the whole housing thing stinks! we bought ourselves a little more time so that's good. I know something will pop up and then we can all rest a little easier!!
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