Back in North Dakota

Our job in Superior, WI was over and we traveled back to Minot, ND this past weekend.  The trip started off rather frightening as a heavy fog settled over the area.  We drove through the fog for about an hour before the sun was up high enough to start burning it off.  The rest of the day we had nice weather and arrived to 70 degrees in Minot.

I sure hope this is not a sign of things to come this summer with higher than normal temperatures.  We had such a gorgeous summer up here last year and are praying we get to experience the same this year.

We took a drive around the area over the weekend to begin our search for a place to live.  Yesterday we visited several possibilities and were shocked at how the property management companies are taking advantage of the housing situation up here.

The first place we visited told us they had nothing available right now but we could keep checking back with them.  When something did come available the first person who came in with a $500 application fee and a $35, non-refundable, background and credit check fee, for each person who will live in the house, would be able to rent the property.  Needless to say we are not interested in dealing with someone who treats their prospective tenants like this.

The second place we visited gave us a list of available properties and we drove past the ones we were interested in.  The first is a new townhouse but the roads to get to the property are not paved and are full of pot holes.  This would have cost over $2,000 a month.  The next was a small apartment in a very poor side of town that did not look very secure and the building was in need of many repairs.  The asking price for this was ON LY$900.

The BEST (or worse, actually) was the last house we drove past.  It was located in the area that was flooded last year and the neighborhood still looks like a war zone.  The house was still spotted with debris from the flood and there was a FEMA trailer in the backyard.  They ONLY wanted $1600 for this treasure. 

What a disappointing day.  We are very thankful for some friends who are in the process of buying a home up here and have offered to rent us their basement apartment.  We will continue to look for something else but yesterday's experience does not look promising so we may have to take them up on their offer.

It is really a shame to see companies take advantage of people in this way.  I understand making a profit but this is really going to extremes and as my husband keeps saying, "Their day will come.  What goes around, comes around."