The apartment I never would have picked became our family's home. I've learned to love it.

The author didn't think she'd be able to compromise on her list of apartment must-haves, but was able to adjust. Courtesy of Renate Flanagan. When hunting for an apartment in Washington, DC, there were a lot of things on my must-have list. I began dating a guy whose apartment lacked nearly all of the amenities I enjoyed. I sucked it up to save money and compromised, and five years later, we're still in the same place. Right as I turned 30, I moved to the Washington, DC area for a new job. I had just gotten out of a serious relationship and was finally moving out of the small town I had grown up in. I was ready to begin a new chapter of my life and eager to embrace a metropolitan lifestyle.