Step 1: Good grammar. If your initial email looks like 'Hey i hurd u hav an apt 4 rent', your odds are slim. Use grammar and eloquence. ELOQUENCE.
Step 2: Have really, really, ridiculously good references.
We actually really lucked out. Early in July (because I was all antsy and wanted this sorted asap), we found a few places on Craig's List and emailed them. The lucky part was that our first choice emailed us back right away, and even said she'd hold the place till September so long as we gave her a deposit and our references checked out. Naturally, our references hailed us to the skies, so we were in. Before signing a rental agreement (on the computer! Oh em gee, turns out there's this tablet thing that actually lets you sign something on the computer. Took about 20 tries to make it legible, but still awesome), our wonderful landlady even took a video tour and posted it on a private YouTube link just so we could see it. K is seriously awesome as landladies go.
I tend to have really good landlords. For an example of a bad one, this one's bad news:
The Landlord
Landlords here seem super nice though. I emailed another one before our place was settled, and she emailed me back to say they wanted someone ASAP but would keep me in mind in future. And then, she actually emailed me when something else came up. (The end must be near!) And so I emailed her yet again to say I already had a place, and she emailed me back to say thank you for letting me know. Vancouver, this isn't.
I asked our landlady how she ended up in PG since she's from the lower mainland herself. This is what she said:
'I decided to move because I was working full time (for my dad who is probably the worst employer on the planet) and doing the CGA program correspondence (which is hard enough as it is basically full time as well). Basically, was so stressed I was having breakdowns and panic attacks where I hyperventilated until I passed out. When my mom remarried she had moved to PG, so I wasn't totally alone. I moved in with her, continued with my studies and took a couple of months to look for a job in an public accounting firm. I am still with that same employer. I absolutely love my job.
As for PG.....well the 8 months of winter suck a bit. But, it is a dry cold so sometimes it doesn't even feel as cold as Vancouver because you are not wet. It might be -40 but it will be clear and sunny 85% of the time so it is just gorgeous (the -40 only usually lasts a week or two, its usually between -10 to -20). The summers are good, lots of sun, averages between 24-30 degrees. Housing & property taxes are cheap, groceries are a bit more expensive because everything gets trucked in from Van. If the Enbridge pipeline goes in as proposed, there will be a lot of jobs popping up, I think the town will boom a bit. Downtown PG looks a bit rundown...but they have been fixing it up for the 2015 Winter Games. Lots of potholes because the cold winters with snow scrappers and then hot summers are murder for asphalt. The university here is new and pretty amazing, great sports facility on campus. There are never ending outdoor activities here, hiking, biking and swimming and lots of mountains, trails and lakes are a short drive away. Favourite summer activity around here is floating down the Nechako river in a tube. When its not -40 the snowboarding is awesome...even my brother who is the biggest PG hater had to admit that when I took him out when he was here visiting.
I would have to say the number one downer for PG is the air quality. When you first get here you will think the town REALLY stinks....give it two months and you won't smell it anymore.'
May I just say, we've only smelled the pulp mill once for about five minutes since we moved 3 weeks ago.
Introducing, Mr PG!!
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