So I'm talking to my mother about moving off-campus. We've found a lovely little spot (I can post pictures if requested) that I'm all but sold on, and my mom doesn't want me living away from home during the summer (as would happen with a 12-month lease). So we talked about.

Mom: "So, do they have 9-month leases?"
Me: "No, mom."
Mom: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes, mom."
Mom: "Well, have you called them and asked?"
Me: "No, mom."
Mom: "Well, then how do you know that they don't have 9-month leases?"
Me: "Because I know they only offer 12-month leases."
Mom: "Well, how can you know that if you haven't called them?"
Me: "Because they only offer 12-month leases, mom."
Mom: "Well, what's the harm in calling them?"
Me: "Because I know that they don't have 9-month leases, mom."
Mom: "Have you called them?"

At this point, I got tired of it, so I bull****:

"My friend Brandon called them and asked them."
Mom: "Oh."
*pause*
Mom: "Well, are there any other places that offer 9-month leases?"
Me: "No, mother."
Mom: "Are you sure?"
Me: "Yes, mom."
Mom: "Have you checked around?"
Me [more bull****]: "Yes, mom."

Then, to top it all off, she starts in about how she's not sure that she can justify the "extra expense." So I do some calculation.

She's putting in $377/month for 8 months (my part/month is $415, so this is nice). So I do the calculations for me to stay in my current dorm next year: $746.88/month. I'm saving her about $400/month just by doing this!

It's so frustrating, that I want to cry, but all I can do is laugh at how ludicrous it is!

Maybe you should call them. You might find they do offer 9 month leases.

Tell her that the cost of Gillett/Hudson is going way up next year (which it is, because of the electrical updates and A/C going in). Don't tell her about Hatch/Schurz still being cheapest. However, if you do decide to go home, subleasing is an option.

BTW, where are you going. A couple of friends and I are getting a duplex up in Derby Ridge.

If six month and twelve month leases exist, I don't see why a nine month lease couldn't. What's your reason for not asking for one and, furthermore, wanting a twleve month lease so bad?

Providence Court - about a minute past Nifong on Providence.



Because they only offer 12-month leases. Nothing shorter.

So then that place is out of the question. It just seems odd that the only evidence you've offered is your statement that they only offer a twelve month lease. You didn't ask them but you know they only offer twelve months. How do you know that? We're not your mom so you can tell us!

If you think your mom would be agreeable to a place that offers a nine month lease, look for one.

Not in a college town anywhere near the campus. It's going to be 12 months or nothing. You won't even find a month to month near a college campus.

Are you sure?

I'm dead

See, now, this makes perfect sense and is along the lines of what I was guessing. Landlords in the area probably think (correctly) that their property might sit idle for months if they offer 9 month leases. Still, I would imagine someone there would go against the norm.

Errr...the 20 or so apartments that are all within a couple blocks of the college campus where I live ALL offer 9 and 6 month leases. And yes, I did check them all when trying to decide where to live.

She did some research herself, and found no 9-month leases herself.

And? Is your point that she actually researched it while you just pretended you did and came up with nothing? If you actually cared enough to find a place you would check yourself. In other words, you would call every listing, visit every real estate office, and scour online listings. I actually don't get the problem either. Do you need her to cosign the lease or something? If you want to move in to a 12 month place just do it.

I know one guy,Hinkshaw, Henshaw? I don't remember the exact name. However, when we were lookinf for places, we found out he had some studio apartments on east campus that were for rent on a monthly basis. Of course, these were pretty shady places. No stoves either.

Still, I say subleasing is probably your best option if she's that insistent.

It's more of a matter of crossing my parents. Yes, I did look at other properties. We researched on the web and looked through things like Apartment Finder. We were looking for a 2 BR/2 BA with utilities, cable, and internet.

This is one we found that matches our requirements. Most of the other apartments are 2 BR/1 BA. They all have 12-month leases. But she won't take my word for this.

She also keeps insisting that she doesn't "know if we can afford this," and has (out of nowhere) now informed me that I'll have to pay for my summer courses I'm taking at a community college. But let's do the math.

For me to stay here, in the dorm, is $5,795 for 8 months. That's $746.88 per month.

Now, if she gives me $377/month for 8 months, that's a whopping $3016.

Now, she says, "We don't have enough money for this," yet she'd rather pay $5,975 instead of $3,016? Something's not adding up here.

Ah, I see. Understood.

There are alot of things you not taking into account with your figures though. You have to sign a lease (or possibly your mom if she's going to be financially liable). Alot of legal repricussions are involved with that that she may not want to deal with. Roomate burns you, etc. We've all heard the stories of college roomates screwing each other over, figuratively speaking. Plus, your talking about eight months when the lease is for twelve so you're obviously leaving something out here.

If I couldn't get a subleaser, I'd get a summer job - in the unlikely case of failing that, I'd get a student loan.

I would be signing the lease. I would be financially responsible. I know the guy who's going to be my roommate. He's been living in an apartment with 2 other guys and has kept up on his payments for a year now.

In those figures you're including things like utilities and internet and such right? I remember I was going to move off campus then started adding everything up. While it was slightly cheaper to move off campus, it just wasn't worth it. I have good cable, fast internet, utilites that I can suck dry without having to worry about how much I'm paying for...it's less of a distraction to live on campus for me...although I do want my own place. I think I'm just going to wait until I can buy a house >_>

CLEARLY YOUR MOTHER SIMPLY CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SEEING YOU EVERY FEW MONTHS.

What? Do you realize he lives in Missouri?