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O/T: Moving!!! Finally

helena_brass's picture

I am SOOOOO happy right now woohoo! BF and I have been planning to move for a while now, and after three or four months of serious looking we finally found a decent place. It's a little more money than we wanted to pay, but we can rest easy knowing this place is safe, clean, and well-managed. We put in applications and went through that whole process. The property management company approved us last week and the homeowner gave us the okay on Sunday! We're signing the lease on Friday. I cannot wait. It's finally starting to seem real.

It's going to be a HUGE change from where we live now.

NOW: studio, maybe 250sqft, significant moisture/mold issues, not much storage space, no oven, tiny fridge, NO privacy when kids are there (or ever, but usually that's ok), the bathroom is always a meat locker and the toilet leaks, the shower is tiny, and our obnoxious, retired landlord is WAY too up in our business, but we don't pay utilities and it's totally secluded and safe (I don't even lock my car at night). $900/mo inclusive

NEW PLACE: 3bd/1ba, maybe 1000sqft, a KITCHEN with full-sized fridge, oven, plenty of cabinets and storage space, washer/dryer hookups (HELL YES no more laundromat!), an actual tub in the bathroom, brand new double-pane windows and a new high-efficiency heating/cooling system, brand new high-efficiency water heater, a very hands-off landlord, a separate bedroom for the kids, a small backyard (it's all mud right now, but still), we can have pets (I love living with animals, so I'm very happy), a little less secluded and safe (will certainly have to lock up at night), we pay all utilities and water is a minimum $120, but the landlords were very thoughtful and hence put in all the high-efficiency appliances so at least the energy bill won't be so high if we're conscientious. $1400/mo plus utilities

The initial expenses are going to be pushing what we can afford, especially considering that we have very little furniture to fill up so much space (we have a table, two chairs, a full bed, a bbq, and a tv...that's it). Thank god the house comes with blinds! We have money set aside though to purchase a few essentials like a couch, a couple twin beds and mattresses for the kids, a shower curtain and area rugs (needed because it's new carpet and it's very muddy outside), and eventually a washer/dryer. I'm also planning to turn the third room into a little study/library with a comfy lounge chair and all the full bookcases that are still at my mom's house. There's a little space for a workshop in the backyard for BF, so we'll each have a little separate space. We've only been together a year, but eventually we'll probably want some individual spaces to retreat to for ourselves. Blum 3 Wow, a real home where I'm actually planning for the future? Gosh, a couple years ago I never would have seen this coming!

I feel like I'm in such a different place than my friends, and it makes me feel a little lonely. On New Years Eve they called me to drunkenly wish me a Happy New Year, and every time the phone rang all I could think was that maybe it was the property management guy calling to tell us that the homeowner didn't approve our applications! Haha, am I totally lame? Blum 3

Comments

happymostly's picture

Im happy for you Smile 950 for THAT studio though?? Not sure where you live, but here, the cost of something like that would be no more than 400$ a month! the new place sounds great! and its a house right? I cant wait for me and dh to move into a house of our own, so tired of apartments! have fun moving! Smile

helena_brass's picture

Thank you!!! Oops, I meant to write $900/mo, but still yes, it's quite overpriced. Originally it was just BF living there and it was only $700/mo, but when I moved in the landlord upped the rent ("for utilities"). We live on the outskirts of the SF Bay Area, so it's difficult for me to determine how inflated things are; all the housing seems way too expensive.

It is a single-family house, yup! I feel you on the apartments--it will be so nice to have an actual house! I hope you find one too--maybe better priced! Blum 3

happymostly's picture

oh okay! i see why its that high Smile I live in Oklahoma and things here aren't nearly that high!

StepX2's picture

Without knowing any of your bio, I had a feeling you were talking about the SF area by the way you were describing everything and the overpriced rents. I lived just East of you in Sacramento. For a moment there I was thinking NYC until you mentioned the safety factor Smile A small studio apt in NYC and in a "safe" area would cost much more than $900.
Enjoy your new place!