by leah and elina furman

Availability When can I move in? You know when you're to be ousted from place A — make sure place B is waiting for you when that time comes. If the current tenants won't budge until June, but you're homeless come May, don't do anything rash like plop down a deposit. Count the extra expense of moving your stuff out of A, then taking it to storage for a month, then moving it to B. What about the interim costs of room and board? Time, money, and at least a month with an unsettled state of mind are the costs of a wrong date of availability. Now ask yourself, is it worth it? If it is worth it (in New York City, where the next renter is likely on the stairs behind you, it might well be), there are companies who will find short-term housing for you. The price will be high, so if you're moving to a new job, it's worth asking about relocation expenses. next Leah and Elina Furman are freelance writers living in Chicago, and are currently writing The Everything After College Book, to be released by Adams Media in the fall of '97. © 1997 Tripod, Inc. All Rights Reserved.