What do you do when you want to acquire a new skill?

[Coidzor]

So I've been having to learn apartment hunting and car shopping skills and theory these past few weeks while further putting off planned tutorials on some handyman basics that a friend was going to run me through in preparation for a project that while still technically on I think is indefinitely tabled, possibly for sometime in the spring or the next patch of dry, non-frigid weather. Question passed my mind to ask so here I am, haha.

Usually my first instinct is to talk to a friend or close contact that I already know is reasonably well-informed or can at least point me in the right direction a bit better than blindly Google searching and then move on to reading up on the subject as much as I can. Though, I've found that given my temperament, I often keep on reading and don't transition as well to actually doing or deciding when I've found enough sources and digesting and so on if it's not an issue that basically forces my hand to action without a whole lot of time for research.

Rather big source of procrastination, actually, that, since I realized that I'll keep on trying to find new sources or keep reading up on it from existing sources until I've got a clear picture in my mind of what exactly I need to do rather than intuiting from what I do know even when I know enough that the rest of the pieces really should just fall into place.

Not sure if it's something more serious or if it's a relationship between translating from reading about something to carrying it out in the real world that I like to compile completely before actually getting underway, but that's life sometimes, haha. Really annoying for more physical tasks like carpentry or partially disassembling and reassembling even a relatively simple mechanical device or subjective visual ones like painting where reading about it is almost impossible to convey the information meaningfully...

[snoopy13a]

Apartment hunting is simply reading the classifieds or Craig's List and making phone calls. With some larger complexes, you can just walk into the main office and ask if they have vacancies.

Large complexes usually bring better assurances of maintenance and off-street parking. Sometimes they will have other niceties such as a pool or a gym. The downside is that large complexes tend to be more expensive and their leases are normally written to favor the landlord as much as legally possible.

Renting from a smaller landlord tends to be cheaper and the lease terms tend to be shorter. This is normally an advantage for the tenant as default provisions are often tenant-friendly. On the other hand, smaller landlords can be touch-and-go regarding maintenance. Plus, you won't be getting a gym or a pool or anything like that. Some landlords are very good in their obligations (one small landlord I had was great at this). On the other hand, you have the stereotypical "slum-lord." Best prediction of whether a landlord is a slumlord is the quality of the neighborhood.

Most places don't allow pets. Some places do and since these places are rarer, most large complexes that allow pets have lots of pet owning tenants. So, if you hate animals, don't sign a lease at a pet-friendly building.

In order to sign a lease, you'll probably need to pay the first month's rent and a security deposit (normally for a month's rent) up front. In addition, many places--especially large complexes--will want a paycheck stub and may run a credit or criminal background check (so bring your bank information). If you have poor credit, they'll want a co-signer on the lease.

The main problem in a buying a car is paying too much. The actual details aren't that difficult, and the salesmen will walk you through it--it's their job, and they want to make money. They will do a credit check on you (unless you're paying in cash, and you should bring along a paycheck stub and your bank information. For a new car, you can look on-line for the suggested manufacturer's retail price. Also note that sales tax and other fees on a car are signficant so a $19,000 car may you cost over $21,000.For used cars, the bluebook helps as a general guide to the car's value but remember that the dealer will charge more (they have to make a living after all). If you don't drive much, leasing might be a thought.

For haggling for a better deal, I'm not the person to ask.

[RandomNPC]

To acquire a new skill I either do what you said and talk to someone I can stand (I know a few mechanics I'd never ask for advice) or like in other skills, get a few sources and cross reference data. If you watch three youtube videos and get the same instructions, read the comments, sometimes there's a right and wrong way to do something that verbal instructions don't cover.

Edit: As for apartments and car shopping:
Apartments are pretty much "Here's a lease take it or leave it."
Car dealerships around here have a 3 strike rule. They'll haggle 3 times, then just sit there and say "There's nothing else I can do" until you agree to the price. Then they mention you get to pay X extra in tax title and fees.

[Slylizard]

Complete a quest or two and level up obviously... how else would you do it? :smalltongue:

Seriously though, I find that friends/parents are a veritable gold mine of information. Amongst that network there's usually someone who's been through whatever I want to know before.

[ForzaFiori]

Car dealerships around here have a 3 strike rule. They'll haggle 3 times, then just sit there and say "There's nothing else I can do" until you agree to the price. Then they mention you get to pay X extra in tax title and fees.

If your real good at haggling, you can get outta that. My grandpa (who may be the best haggler ever) can talk a used car salesman into selling a car below blue book and have the dealer cover the tax, title, and fees.

I wish it was an inherited skill. I can't haggle worth crap. :smallsigh: