DESPERATE. need HELP on apartments in the Mt Vernon / Anacortes / Bellingham area (Everett: apartment complex)

[redhead.lala]

i've just moved to washington to work with AmeriCorps (meaning i receive a stipend & need a small apartment, house, or room that is affordable.. $750 or less!)
my job is in mount vernon, but i've had VERY little luck there finding ANYTHING worth renting at all. the only places under $800/month that allow small dogs that i've seen advertised are, for lack of a better word, very crackhouse-like... one was a good location in mv, but i was totally taken aback by the apartment itself & the people hanging around it. there was dirt & clumps of hair all over the floors, dark smudges & stickers all over the walls, & cabinet doors missing in the tiny 1 bdrm i looked at, & it REEKED of cigarettes, & according to the guy showin the place, it was "cleaned & ready"...
i'm really surprised..i've never had a problem finding a pet friendly studio or tiny 1 bdrm for $700 or less in any of there other places i've lived.
i've searched local newspapers, craigslist, & googled every apartment i've seen, but maybe i'm looking in the wrong place?
i can't understand where all the decent places for rent are... i mean, where do the normal people live, who need a decent, safe place but can't pay $1000/month for a studio or 1 bdrm? i know there's got to be college students in the area that don't wanna live in sketchville but are also on a budget & have a pet.. where do you find a place?!?

i wanted to live in MV but based on what seems to be available there in my price range, i'm open to looking elsewhere within reason (La Conner, Anacortes, Bellingham, etc)

thanks for any help or advice you can give...i'm desperate & getting frustrated, if you can't tell. & i really don't mean to offend anyone in the area by this post, i think it's a great area, & i'm SO excited to be here.. i've just had very bad luck apartment hunting i guess :/

[mishigas73]

If you're willing to live in Bellingham, I'd also take a gander at Everett. I'm sorry, I don't know too much about the rentals up north. Good luck!

[SHRS]

I live in Mount Vernon now, and have lived in the Mount Vernon area all of my life and have rarely seen any pet-friendly rentals here (regardless of the condition) and when I have they are usually around $900 and up. Though the landlords willing to rent to people with pets seems to be rising, due to the recession I'd assume.

I'd suggest checking out some of the smaller towns around MV (Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Clearlake, Bow, La Conner etc).

Also, I don't know if you'd object to living in a mobile home park but they do seem more open to pet owners then apartments/multiplexes and are much cheaper then most rental homes (the ones I've seen have been very clean, but you might want to develop a taste for 60s/70 interior decorating/appliances & wood paneling).

I do remember seeing a new apartment complex that allowed small dogs up near the Mount Vernon Haggen, but I can't think of the name.

[Dendrite]

Originally Posted by SHRS

I live in Mount Vernon now, and have lived in the Mount Vernon area all of my life and have rarely seen any pet-friendly rentals here (regardless of the condition) and when I have they are usually around $900 and up.

I'd suggest checking out some of the smaller towns around MV (Burlington, Sedro-Woolley, Clearlake, Bow, La Conner et.

Agreed- you might stumble across something in the outer lying areas. We own multiple commercial and residential properties in the area and as the above post suggested, the going rate for the type of housing you are seeking in this part of the country is, quite honestly, going to be in the $900-$1000 a month range. Sorry... it's simply what rental housing costs around here.

What about finding a room-mate to share the cost of rent with? A fellow AmeriCorps worker perhaps?

Best of luck and hopefully something turns up for you!

[Lupulin]

Had the same problem a while back when looking for a temp apartment in Bellingham that allowed pets. If you're still looking for something, you should check out Bakerview Terrace on E. Bakerview Road. Not the greatest place, but they allow pets and the units are clean inside. Rent is only $700 and it's month-to-month.