"Houses are like people - some you like and some you don't like - and once in a while there is one you love." - L.M. Montgomery

  I have fallen in love with two beautiful 4 bedroom, close to campus homes in Tempe. Like the kind of love, where you can imagine a future and life with; quickly start undressing the walls to be redecorated with decor of your own. A love that makes you want to host Sunday brunch, for all your loved ones to join. Am I a proud, secure feeling renter of ether of those bewitching homes? Nope. Rental house hunting has made me believe, love at first sight is never going to last.
  Outside of that I have learned some valuable lessons, as I continue this hair pulling process. The first house I fell in love with because of the backyard that takes you to a place that feels far, far from the heat and dry landscape of Arizona. I saw this house on a Thursday, with just one (out of 4) of my future house mates. We fell in love with it quickly and new we wanted the rest of the girls to see it immediately, but Rentals Tempe (which has the WORST costumer service possible) could not schedule us to see it until the following Wednesday. The next 5 days was serious anticipation to see the home with the girls and hoped they would fall in love with it like we did. Welp, as soon as we arrived to their office, the good looking, ridiculously rude worker informed us that the house was rented the day before, with simply saying, "gone". When we we responded with a, "whaaa"?, he again snarly replied "yesterday. Rented". My heart broke and rained inside my head, specially as none of the houses we saw that day could even compare. This is the first time I have ever been in any type of house hunt, and I'm not sure why I didn't realize houses and apartments are a whole other game, and that we would quickly need to pounce on the homes you know are just right. Lesson learned.
  After about a two week house hunt break, for finals and a chance to recover from our first heart break, myself and another one of my future roommates visited 2 homes Thursday. One of them, I think immediately we knew that house was not meant for us. The other though, again, love at first walk through. The nights of roommate bonding with s'mores being made in our fireplace; and brunch Sundays in our beautiful nook with natrual lighting lowing from the large windows, were imagined and so excited for. We had learned our lesson though, only a few hours after viewing I called back the Realtor to let him know of our very serious interest and what were the next steps to make this house our first home. He informed me that he had already promised someone "dibs" a couple days ago but by the next day at four he would know if it would go through or not. Today, I think me and all my roommates played this long waiting game, filled with angst. 4:30 rolled around to find this would not be our home.
  Honestly I am not sure what I have learned from this house going wry, I hope that it means something like when one door closes, french doors and a house with shutters open, but it is too soon to tell. Anyhow, I plan to keep ya posted in hopes that this house hunting hell is over soon!