APARTMENT HUNTING ON THE RANGE THAT IS CRAIGSLIST

For the past week I've been hitting up Craigslist looking for 1 bedroom apartments, and although I have found a few promising leads here and there, I think it's time to offer some "pointers" to to people looking to rent out apartments on said website.

1. Pictures

These are helpful. Although I lucked out with my current place, I think it was just that, luck. I found this place in a random ad in the Chicago Reader; that being said, it's 2008 people, and it's called a digital camera. I won't look at ads without any pictures, as I distrust anyone looking to rent a place from anyone that lacks the ability to point and shoot.

And if you can operate a digital camera, it helps that the picture you take does not look like this:

(Nice pile of trash)

2. Location

There is a HUGE difference between say, Bucktown and the western edge of Humboldt Park. Some potential landlords seem eager to gloss over the fact that their properties are in less than desirable areas, (no offense to the residents of H.P.) but at the least, include the address, or even the nearest intersection when placing an ad. Also, the area around Midway Airport is not "hot".

3. Amenties

Paying for heat SUCKS. My current place has radiator heat, which I cannot control. However, I am not responsible for the cost, and like Jimmy Carter, I have few if any qualms about donning a sweater if it gets chilly (which is rare, steam heat works good).

Central heat, while an obvious benefit, can increase one's living cost significantly. Either way, it should be noted which utilities are included and which are not.

Fuck Me with a T-Square, this is going to be annoying until it gets done.

I'd also like to note that the adjective "newer" is less than and not equal to the adjective "new". And this is not because I am a appliance snob; I'm just a snob that reads too much into adjectives...