Need place to live -- Washington PA Hospital in January?

[TC3200]

Hi. I am scheduled to start there in January 2011, but am relocating from outside the region. I am having huge problems finding rental housing in the Washington area, because I have 3 indoor cats. I am a mature adult with a credit rating and some income, but that is not making it any easier to find someone willing to rent to me. Also, the Marcellus shale business has filled up the available houses and apartments since two years ago, I am told. I have contacted Howard Hanna & Century 21, but they have no rentals. Several independent landlords and property managers won't rent to pets people. One or two were willing to, but they had $600 - $800 slums with NIL safety or security to them, and that is not a good idea for s single woman.

If anyone knows someone who wants to rent a good-sized 2BR or possibly a house trailer to me or if you are in the same quandry and want to possibly share a rental house, PM me and we'll chat. Or speak to Patty Zink. The housing (sale) market is so bad that surely is someone willing to rent a small house for 12-24 months.

I was at the CPR class at Waynesburg on Oct 30 and maybe spoke briefly with some of you. But as you know, that was a long day of training and it didn't offer much time to make new friends.

[TC3200]

Is there anyone who is a Washington Hospital student on this board?

[TC3200]

Nobody else from Washington, I guess. I am contemplating buying a place so that I will have a roof over my head. If someone needs a roomie, please contact me. I am finding it really difficult to work with the landlords down there, when I am 2 hours away. wth do people with pets rent down there, anyway? The %$#@%# slumlords want $600 - $900 /month plus utilities for absolute dives that are not safe to live in. They must be paying only $350/month on the whole building, then they duplex it and charge each one $700 - $900 per month. What a ripoff.

I can buy cheaper than I can rent. And I don't want to buy, b/c I will be tying up cash that I wanted to keep for contingencies. And I don't want the maintenance and upkeep because I will be busy with school. @#$%@

I am posting all of this as a warning. With all the Marcellus shale work going on there, you can't find anything available except slums, and you can't get anyone but slumlords to rent to you if you have pets. If you are male or have a male living with you, that might work. But it's not feasible or safe for a woman living alone.

[TC3200]

Bump, because this situation still is not resolved. I will be starting as a commuter from 2 hours drive away from Washington.

I will consider renting a room, rather than renting a full-size place and moving all of my stuff.

FYI, expect the rent on any decent 2-4 BR house with garage and parking to be at least $1200 / month plus all utilities. For $700 - $850, you can (at times) find an older house near the hospital for rent. But it will have street parking only, and that will be very limited, and probably won't accept pets. And don't expect good security, air conditioning, or pleasantly-updated, either. The rental homes in the region are rentals because they are less than desirable for owner-occupancy. I've seen a lot of water leaks, mold problems, load and loads of lack-of-security and safety, and loads and loads of no-place-to-park-any-decent-car.