After an exhausting 11 hour drive on a rainy Sunday, we drove around the small village of Elmhurst which is right outside the metro area of Chicago. It is right on the commuter rail line, and has the most adorable downtown. Just imagine a River Market on steroids with places like Trios, Brave New Restaurant, La Scala, and PF Changs all right next to each other. There is an old style theater right in the middle and all the usual conveniences and shopping within six or seven blocks. We fell in love with the area immediately. All the hard work of scouting ahead from the internet and newspapers were for nought. Everything was too high, didn’t allow pets, had no parking, or mistook being right next to the railroad tracks as “convenient to commuter line.” Crossing things off the list, we were forced to just drive around and pick phone nmbers up off of signs.
We found this old building with several “for rent” and “for sale” signs in the yard and in windows. Either someone had been murdered there or the place had just been renovated. Lucky for us, the place was recently rehabbed. We looked at a one bedroom, and thought the deal was good. It was a charmer with hardwood floors, tall ceilings, and french doors between the living room and dining room. Too cute! Then, we muscled our way in to see a two bedroom that was being shown to someone else at the time. We waited for the others to leave, and started the negotiation.
We struck a deal, and followed the guy back to his office where we signed a handwritten lease. Done! We did it in one day, which was a record for both of us. Luck had nothing to do with it. Complete desperation made us drop all the conventional apartment buildings and complexes with pools and game rooms for a vintage building with no elevator. Did I mention we are on the fourth floor? Any other apartment building would have called the stairwell a “workout facility” and charged us extra.