Apartment hunting--ad nauseum

I am currently searching for a new place to live. My girlfriend and I have decided to do the whole living together thing. After much discussion and debate, we are looking to live in Cedar Rapids. Iowa City is just too expensive, espeically with the drive back and forth to CR for work everyday. I will also be organizing prom next year at school, so it will be an advantage to live close to all of that. I will miss Iowa City, but we promise to come visit and have dinner there at least once a week--especially since there are no good restaurants in CR.
So we found the perfect place yesterday. A house split into two, two bedroom apartments. Ours would be upstairs and it is HUGE!! There is a little patio area, a washer and dryer (almost new), walk-in closets (you know how great that is for me!!), central air, and amazing woodwork. The only drawback is that there is no dishwasher. I don't do dishes. I warned the g/f of this. She still agreed to this place. We'll see what happens there. We even talked the landlord (who lives in the downstairs apartment) down from $675 a month to $600. Score!
Now I just have to get out of my current living situation in IC. The roommate who owns the house is currently studying in China. I have been sharing the house with two other guys, after thinking that there would be 5 of us splitting utilities, it got a little pricey. We are also trying to rent the place out for the summer and next school year, so I have been showing the house to all comers. It appears that half the population of Hawkeye Court is now moving in with me. I have two new roommates from China and in August the place will be totally filled with Chinese students. The guy who just moved in spent an hour yesterday at 4 AM going up and down the stairs and in and out the front door. It woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. I was not happy. I am now trying to deal and negotiate my quick exit from this place. Hopefully my role as realtor will get me a deep discount on July's rent.
And as if that wasn't enough housing issues, I am also trying to find a place to live in Madrid this summer. I have it narrowed down to two places and will probably pick one today or tomorrow. Not bad, only 450 euros a month and really close to my school. It turns out that this was probably the easiest process of them all. No endless parade of viewing apartmens all over Cedar Rapids and no crazy Chinese people to deal with. I can't wait to get to Madrid. Three weeks left!