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Welcome to Apartment Life, a monthly discussion of rental issues and lifestyle. Washington Post columnist Sara Gebhardt takes your questions and comments.

She invites you to submit questions and comments before or during the discussion.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Sara Gebhardt: Welcome, Apartment Dwellers and anyone else who has stopped in to join my first online discussion of Apartment Living. I'm here to take your questions about all things related to the rental lifestyle, but just remember that I'm not a realtor, a lawyer, property manager, professional decorator, exterminator, rocket scientist...you get the idea.

Silver Spring, MD: I'm guessing the answer to this might be: check your lease, but...

I'm desperately seeking color in my lovely little apt., and have been dying to paint at least one wall a bright color. My complex is managed by a national company. Part of me says - just do it & paint over before I leave...or will it matter?

suggestions on strategy?

Sara Gebhardt: Hey there, Silver Spring. Even if you just want to paint a wall, you might want to check with your management company to see what their rules are. Generally, they will just want you to paint it back to the original color before you move out. But, because they do hold the controls of your security deposit, it's a good idea to run it by management before immersing yourself in the colorful project.

Greensboro, NC: For the past two or three months, my radiators have been hissing like a surly poet throughout the night, marked with pipe-clanging explanation points. I called the landlord and she said heating system is merely trying to get all the air out. I think the goddamn Hindenburg must be contained down there. What are my options?

Signed,
Steamed

Sara Gebhardt: I feel you, Greensboro. I hate it when surly poets keep me up all night. The problem is, it's hard to kick that noise out since it's built in your temperature-control system. Radiator systems are difficult to revamp, and since you're basically at the mercy of your landlord's decision to change to a central heating system, you kind of have to get used to the clanging. That, or move out, or get ear plugs, or record the sounds and sample them into what could be the next best beat to hit the music recording business.

Bethesda, Md.: Sara -- I enjoyed your Saturday column on what type of apartment Joe Millionaire might have, if he were to live in Washington. Do you do that sort of fantasy stereotyping often? Like when you see somebody on the metro or standing in line at the store?

Sara Gebhardt: I'm not big on stereotyping, actually. I thought of it more as a humorous exploration of the issue of rich vs. poor in apartment living. And I certainly don't look at people on the Metro and wonder what kind of apartments they live in, though that might be an amusing past-time should I ever be sandwiched between 50 people near the exit doors.

springfield, va: What are the top resources for finding a good deal on an apartment in DC? Where should I begin my search? washpost.com, citypaper, hitting the pavement?

Sara Gebhardt: Because there are so many places to live in the DC-Metropolitan area, you have a lot of ways to find a good deal. You should probably begin with checking out the newspaper ads in Saturday's Post, or in the City Paper. Other ways to find good deals are to actually walk around to find buildings that may not have to advertise because they rely on foot traffic. Also, online apartment search firms www.homestore.com, www.apartments.com, www.thesublet.com are resourceful, and so is http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/ , which lists person-to-person ads.

Washington, DC: Do you know where my other black sock is? I left it in the laundry room.

Sara Gebhardt: I could take a wild guess that your other black sock is in that illustrious black hole for socks.

Papers That Don't Get Picked Up: Sara:

Kind of another side to the stolen papers. My neighbor will often go away for days at a time, and not stop delivery of her paper. They just accumulate on her doormat, which, frankly, abutts my door, too.

At what point can I pick 'em up and put them in the recycle bin....or read through them before recycling?

Sara Gebhardt: What you probably should do is ask your neighbor if they can cancel your paper next time. Do not take the papers without consulting the neighbor or management first. At least let your property manager pick up those extra papers and take the blame for their absence.

Atlanta, Georgia: Sara,
I'm a big fan and I think it's wonderful you have your own live chat now. This will be my first stop when I look for a new apartment in DC.
Emily K.

Sara Gebhardt: Thanks, I appreciate it.

arlington, va: If I am waiting for an elevator, and a man in a large wheelchair approaches after me, do I have to let him on first and wait for the next one?

Sara Gebhardt: This is probably a question for Ms. Manners. But I'd just say, use your common sense. Personally, I would probably let the wheelchair get on first, especially because I have two legs that could take me up the stairs. But that's just me.

Getting off to a good start: Next month I'll be moving into my first apartment. I'm VERY quiet and shy and have always found it difficult to make friends. I've never been a party girl, to say the least.

Any suggestions on how to get off to a good start? It's a tiny building, and at this point, I don't know anyone except the manager. Thanks.

Sara Gebhardt: So, you want to meet other people in your building? If so, introduce yourself to neighbors in common areas, such as the mailbox area or the elevator. Find out if there are places nearby to hang-out, whether that's a gym, a coffee shop. In a small building, there may be just as much getting to know neighbors as there is in a larger building. But don't pressure yourself to meet everyone as soon as you move in. It takes time, and a lot of people live in apartments like to keep to themselves. You'll recognize those like you after a little experience. Good luck.

Radiator Noise: I just read the post about the renter with radiator noise issues...my husband and I bought an older home with radiators. I don't know if this will be useful to the poster of not. Our home inspector said that the radiators need to be bled every so often to alleviate the build up of air in the system- this stops the hissing and bumping noises.

Sara Gebhardt: Here's advice about radiators from a reader.

RE: Silver Spring: As someone who used to work for a leasing company, I have a bit of additional advice about painting...

Most apartment complexes won't charge you if the color can be painted over with ONE COAT of white paint. Not many colors fall into that category. If you do decide to paint, and then paint over before you move, you might want to leave yourself enough time to paint the walls a few times to make sure the color doesn't bleed through.

Sara Gebhardt: And advice about painting....

Arlington, Va. : I'm a college student who is ready to rent her first apartment. I need to write up a plan of what steps to take. Any advice of what I should do first, and anything to beware of?

Sara Gebhardt: You should do a little research first. You can find a check-list of what you should look for when apartment-hunting on http://www.springstreet.com/apartments/mme/student/tip/apartment_checklist.jhtml . Also, once you've figured out where you want to live, be very careful reading the lease before signing it.

Arlington, VA: Can you talk about the merits and disadvantages of living in a building run by a big company v. a smaller building or apartment run by a single person?

I am currently living in a fairly crummy (but cheap) apartment that I rented while in college, and am looking to move in the next few months. I have visited some of the properties run by one of the local apartment magnates, and was impressed by the quality of the property and the integrated service, as well as the relatively low prices and move-in deals. However, I think that there are landlords out there with better properties and personalities than my current one, so your thoughts would be most appreciated.

Sara Gebhardt: I think both small and large management companies can be hit or miss. IT all depends on the actual managers and how attentive they are to residents' needs. When looking for a new apartment, the best way to figure out the management style is to talk to other residents, who will definitely tell you their gripes should they have any. Large management companies often have good customer service, but that doesn't mean someone who owns and operates a garden apartment themselves don't also have good customer service.

arlington, va: when is the best time of the year to get good deals on apartments?? or is there such a time??

Sara Gebhardt: I'm not sure if any time is better than another in terms of getting good deals, but right now, with the downturn of the economy, apartments are having promotions to attract customers. Since people are losing jobs and some are moving into group living situations as a result, apartments are more willing to negotiate or give free rent these days. Other than that, there's a lot of apartment turn-over in May/June, when students leave school. That may be a good time to find an apartment, but prices won't necessarily drop.

Glover Park, DC: Hi there. I recently moved into my building. It has about 80 units and most people who live there are in their 20s and 30s like me. I'd love to meet more people in my building but I feel like the only method is going up and knocking on someone's door which is certainly direct can be a bit awkward. Our facility doesn't really have social activities or anything. Any suggestions for a friendly neighbor who would just like to know more people in DC? Or any from the clicksters out there?

thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: Just like I told the other reader, you can meet people just by casual conversation when walking into or out of your building or in common areas. You can also ask management to arrange a social, under the guise of safety issues. Because the more neighbors you know, the more you'll be able to recognize intruders.

DC: To newspaper complainer:

Get over it. Do the newspapers REALLY intrude on your life? I could see if someone was gone for a few weeks, but a few days? Sheesh. Whiners like you make apartment/condo life unbearable.

Sara Gebhardt: There are a lot of opinions about newspaper theft.

Arlington, VA: When we moved into our new apt. we didn't know any of the neighbors. A fellow neighbor slipped an invitation under our door to attend a bbq he was hosting. From that point on, all the neighbors knew one another and it was a boisterous and fun place to live. Maybe the previous poster can overcome her shyness by being a hostess! It really worked in this case.

Sara Gebhardt: Here's a tip for meeting people.

washingtonpost.com: Apologies -- we seem to have an ad in the right side of the page -- which is veering into the text area - will try to fix it as soon as possible

Arlington, Va: Although everyone told me to buy over the years, I'm still renting after 14 years and I've come to consider it as a sickness that I can't treat myself as well as others do. Is it a sin to rent? I just can't make a commitment to a home or anything else.

Sara Gebhardt: It's not a sin at all to rent. If you like the lifestyle, then don't beat yourself up about not buying a home. There's a lot of responsibility as well as committment in owning a home. Just do your thing, and don't feel guilty about it. Apartments are not anything to scoff at.

DC: If I want to make a permanent improvement (nice, 2-year-old refrigerator from parents), can I ask for a break on my rent?

Sara Gebhardt: It certainly doesn't hurt to ask. Your landlord may have rules against such a thing, or they may be really happy to not have to upgrade their refrigerator, assuming yours is in good condition. Just figure out how they'll benefit from your improvement and make your case.

re: good deals on apts: Specific example of all the rent specials - I found a great apt a few weeks ago in Ballston. Not only am I getting two months free, but they are also holding the apt for me until March 15th. Other places we looked were having similar specials.

Sara Gebhardt: Here's proof that there are rent specials to be had.

WDC: I currently share an apt. with a good friend, but am moving out March 1 to live by myslelf. My friend is staying on in the old place. My question in about the security deposit. I need that $$ back--but I don't want my friend stuck with the bill when she moves out in the future, should the landlord assess any damamges (and knowing cheapo landlords, they certainly will find SOMETHING)
What to do?

Sara Gebhardt: You should definitely ask to have your landlord do a walk-through and assess damages. Then you can figure out how much money your roommate should give you. If there's someone moving in, that person could always pay your roommate his/her share of the security deposit.

Wash, DC: I live below someone with a dog. The dog has very long nails, which click on the hardwood floors (night and day) I've asked nicely for him to cut the dog's nails or put more rugs down (there is an 80% covered rule in our condo documents) The dog also barks at all times of the night and early morning, waking us up. The owner hasn't responded. I understand noise issues will occur, but I'm sort of wondering if I'm being too sensitive to the noise and if I should just deal, or whether or not I should go to the condo board for some help. THANKS!

Sara Gebhardt: If you have an 80% covered rule in your condo, at the very least you can ask the condo board to look into the problem. I'm guessing you knew about the pet policy when you moved in. It's good to understand that in multi-unit living there will be noise and other annoyances, and you did the right thing by talking to your neighbor first about your concerns.

Silver Spring: Hi,

I'm looking forward to getting my own place this summer in the Montgomery county area. When do you suggest I start looking?
Thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: You could start researching complexes you want to live in as soon as now. You probably want to give yourself a few months to find a place, but if you start now, you may be able to get on waiting lists for highly popular buildings.

washington, dc: i don't think i'll be able to make the chat - i wanted to get this question in early.

i live in an apartment in dc. it's located right near one of the universities. it's chep, but nice. the only main downside is that my building is full of students. most are nice and fairly quiet - weekends, to be expected, are a bit noisy - but for the most part, it's not bad. except for my upstairs neighbors. they are SO loud.

i suspect they don't have any carpets (part of the lease requirement), as a result, their music is incredibly loud - i can even hear it outside in the hallway before i enter my apartment. they have at least one party or gathering each week during the evenings - and they go late into the night. people run around and general stomp all over the place. i've gone upstairs a few times, but don't think i should keep going up there to ask them to be quiet. short of moving, what do i do? do i keep asking them to be quiet? do i go to the landlord? do i call the police on their noisy week-night parties at 2:00am? i just don't want to make it worse for me.

i'm already planning to move sometime in the next 4 months or so to another city, but you never know with this economy if that will change. i don't want to start a new lease somewhere else.

thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: Again, if you've asked them about keeping the noise down repeatedly, then it's time to get a third party involved. This means the landlord, who can check about the carpeting and issue a noise violation if it's warranted.

Alexandria, VA: If you had your choice, would you prefer to have a 70" closet with the basic rod and a shelf or two or would you prefer to have 2-3 pieces of furniture (armoires) along the same wall? I have the option of building in a closet, but can't decide if that's the best choice. Any suggestions on what criteria to consider?

Sara Gebhardt: Anybody want to weigh in on their preferences?

re: color in the apartment: if your landlord won't let you paint, you can use fabric!!!!! either make a lightweight frame the same dimensions as the wall, or staple directly to the wall (no different than nailholes later on) it really does work!

Sara Gebhardt: Here's another way to add color to your apartment...

Alexandria, VA: People who say renting is a waste of money don't understand finances. I own a house, but definitely see the advantages of renting. In terms of the mortgage interest deduction, you are paying $1 to save 33 cents. You also have to pay for maintenance and repairs on the house, something you don't have in an apartment. It costs tens of thousands of dollars to buy a house, nearly 10k to get a mortgage.

Renting makes much more sense than buying if you move more than once every 5 years. If you think you'll stay somewhere (in the same house) for 5 years, then buying can make sense. Otherwise, you're throwing your money away.

Sara Gebhardt: Renting vs. Buying opinion.

Re: good rental deals: While I'm all for them, the downside is someone like me who has lived in my building for five years and I have recently found out they are giving two months free to new renters. Can I ask for two months free? I moved in when they could not keep up with the demand and with the economy now in a downturn, the opposite has happened. You think they'd want to give the longtime good tenants a break too.

Sara Gebhardt: The problem is that if you're on a fixed lease, you will have trouble renegotiating to get those two months free. Yes, you would think they want longtime tenants to benefit from their specials, but the bottom line is that they are a business and are trying to make money. If you have a good repoire with your building manager or owner, you can discuss this issue with them and say that you're thinking of moving to cash in on the rent specials out there. (But don't say it if it's not true.) It depends how much you offer the building -- i.e. do you bring in new renters, will others follow your lead if you leave -- but negotiating in other ways is sometimes possible. Not always though.

DC: Hi- I have an upsatirs neighbor who walks very loudly. I'm uncomfortable with confrontation, so is it too chicken to slip a note under a person's door asking them to try to tread lightly or is it nicer to have the face to face? Also, I'm wondering if maybe a person would prefer to get a note rather than have someone show up on their dorr complaining?

Sara Gebhardt: I am a fan of in-person discussions. Notes could be lost, burned, trashed, resented. As long as you don't antagonize a person, talking face-to-face will give you more clues as to whether or not the person will take your concerns to heart.

Clarendon: I live on the ground floor of a 12-unit building and about 6 poeple park their bikes in the hall right outside my door. I called the manager about it and he posted a flyer that bikes need to be stored in the laundry room.

Well, the laundry room is in the basement and someone would need to lug a bike up and down a flight of pretty trecherous stairs to got to it. The upshot is people are ignoring the flyer and still parking bikes in the hall.

I understand both sides, so what can I suggest to the manager that will get the bikes out?

Sara Gebhardt: You can suggest a better storage area for the bikes, such as a bike rack out back. Lugging bikes up stairs is unreasonable as well as storing them outside your apartment.

All over, Everywhere: What is the easiest way to address the universal roommate problem of cleaning?? I drew up an organizational chart outlining who should clean each week in the hopes that that would help. (Yep, I'm analytical) I have, of course, mentioned it to both roommates in passing. One girl, one boy. I always get the casual 'sure, i'll do it' but it never gets done. (I'm talking, dishes and bathroom mainly) Any words of wisdom?? I'm thinking I need a different approach. Thanks!

Sara Gebhardt: Well, it's hard to change roommies' behavior, especially when you have to live with them and want to maintain a good relationship. Have another sit-down discussion about cleaning, and if they don't reform, you can't really do much except look for cleaner roommates. There's a lot of give and take in group living.

Alexandria, VA: How exactly does the "Apartment Life" writer get through an entire chat without a single comment about the dearth of affordable housing in the area?

Sara Gebhardt: I'm amazed, too, that nobody (including the person who posted this one) is really asking questions about area-wide expensive rents.

20 years in DC Apts, now homeowner.....: Owning is best; renting with a sympathetic landlord is 2nd best; condo owning is pure hell.....When you rent the landlord can control or kick out noisey, rude, stinky-cooking tenants. In condos, those people OWN and can't be kicked out. I lived in "The Condo from Hell" and my neighbors literally drove me out of my home. Don't do it. There are just some people who do not belong in spaces occupied by other people.

Sara Gebhardt: Another to add to the rent vs. own topic.

Washington, DC: Has the great boom in rent prices levelled off? I'm seeing a lot more apartments in my area and in DC overall, and I'm seeing actual rent decreases.

Sara Gebhardt: The boom in rent prices hasn't necessarily levelled off. Rent decreases are happening, but not at such a rate that you should run out and rent a new place. At least that's my opinion. The prices in the D.C.-area are still fairly high in terms of national apartment rental prices.

Washington, DC: How common is it for renters to work out with their landlords arrangements that allow the renter to make minor improvements to the apartment (such as installing wire shelving and organizers in the closets) in exchange for a break in rent, etc.?

Sara Gebhardt: It's not all that common, as I told a previous poster. But it doesn't hurt to try. Usually the management will allow you to make the changes but not give a break in rent.

Washington, DC: Sara-

I live in a 200 unit building managed by a property management company with many apartments in the DC area. The fantastic front desk staff are being let go because corporate has decided to instutute a new program which will replace the front desk function with a person who does administrative tasks in addition to monitoring the front door. The current front desk staff are beloved by the entire building and we want them to be given the chance to be trained for these new positions, not fired without ever being given the opportunity. We have asked the property management company to evaluate whether this can be done, but we are not optimistic. What can we do? Not only are these wonderful people losing their jobs, but we are losing people who know our building inside and out and make us feel safe.

Sara Gebhardt: It's good that you and your neighors are banding together. I imagine you're going about it the way I would. You can petition the national company to keep your front desk staff. If you get most of the residents in on it, the national company may see it as a way to keep tenants happy. Or, they'll refuse the plan. But you won't know until you try.

Bethesda, MD: Who does your hair?
It is so pretty and curly.
Any special styling tips?

Sara Gebhardt: On this frivolous note, I'm going to sign off. If I didn't get to your question, or if you think your issue is worth pursuing in a future column, feel free to email me at gebhardts@washpost.com. My next online show will be February 27. Until then, walk lightly, cut your dogs nails, meet your neighbors and try your hand in the art of landlord-tenant negotiation.

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