Movin' on up
I signed a new lease today on a house that's a bit closer to work than the apartment I'm in now. I put a deposit down on it back in the middle of December on the condition that they fix and clean up a bunch of things. The house had a lot of potential, but it was a wreck when I looked at it. Honestly, I couldn't believe they were showing a house in this condition to potential renters.
I was originally supposed to finalize everything and get the keys this past Monday after I returned from Cancun. I went by to do the walk-through and make sure they'd done everything they had agreed to, only to find that the place was still basically a wreck. They'd done a couple of the more major things, but that was it. The guy from the management company who was doing the walk-through with me said that the owner had told him that everything had been done. I think he was as disappointed in the situation as I was and told me he wouldn't blame me if I walked away from the deal.
I'd told him that I'd have to think about it and that I'd call him later. That bought me some time to do some quick searching online to see what else was out there right now. Even with the shape the place was in, it was still the best deal I could find for a house in that location with similar amenities. I called him back and told him that I could give the owners until Friday to finish what they'd originally agreed to do over a month ago. We spoke again later that day and he said the owner was also upset that everything wasn't done - he lives out of state and was told everything was good to go by whoever he has here - and would have everything finished by Wednesday.
When we did the walk-through today, all of the major problems had been fixed but the place still wasn't in the best shape. I told them I'd finish up with any cleaning/painting that needed to be done and took the keys. I really hope I'm not making a mistake with this place...so far the landlord's aren't exactly making me feel all that confident.
Renting a place is always a crap shoot, so I'll just hope for the best. At least with a house, I don't have to worry too much about the living habits of my neighbors. I'm *really* looking forward to that. It's funny - I lived in an apartment before I bought my previous house and after that apartment experience, vowed I would never share a wall/ceiling/floor with someone else again.
By the time I left that house, I had decided that I hated doing yard work and shoveling snow and an apartment seemed like a welcome relief. Plus, I'd have all the community stuff like a pool and exercise room. Of course, I never ended up using either.
So, here I am in a house again. Will I be pining for an apartment in another couple of years? Maybe I can find some neighborhood kid to come over and mow my lawn and shovel my driveway and break this vicious cycle where the grass is always greener somewhere else.
I was originally supposed to finalize everything and get the keys this past Monday after I returned from Cancun. I went by to do the walk-through and make sure they'd done everything they had agreed to, only to find that the place was still basically a wreck. They'd done a couple of the more major things, but that was it. The guy from the management company who was doing the walk-through with me said that the owner had told him that everything had been done. I think he was as disappointed in the situation as I was and told me he wouldn't blame me if I walked away from the deal.
I'd told him that I'd have to think about it and that I'd call him later. That bought me some time to do some quick searching online to see what else was out there right now. Even with the shape the place was in, it was still the best deal I could find for a house in that location with similar amenities. I called him back and told him that I could give the owners until Friday to finish what they'd originally agreed to do over a month ago. We spoke again later that day and he said the owner was also upset that everything wasn't done - he lives out of state and was told everything was good to go by whoever he has here - and would have everything finished by Wednesday.
When we did the walk-through today, all of the major problems had been fixed but the place still wasn't in the best shape. I told them I'd finish up with any cleaning/painting that needed to be done and took the keys. I really hope I'm not making a mistake with this place...so far the landlord's aren't exactly making me feel all that confident.
Renting a place is always a crap shoot, so I'll just hope for the best. At least with a house, I don't have to worry too much about the living habits of my neighbors. I'm *really* looking forward to that. It's funny - I lived in an apartment before I bought my previous house and after that apartment experience, vowed I would never share a wall/ceiling/floor with someone else again.
By the time I left that house, I had decided that I hated doing yard work and shoveling snow and an apartment seemed like a welcome relief. Plus, I'd have all the community stuff like a pool and exercise room. Of course, I never ended up using either.
So, here I am in a house again. Will I be pining for an apartment in another couple of years? Maybe I can find some neighborhood kid to come over and mow my lawn and shovel my driveway and break this vicious cycle where the grass is always greener somewhere else.
posted by Jessica at
10:15 PM
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3 Comments:
I totally know what you mean by the grass is greener syndrome. (Funny aside: In the past, I've had a hankering to move to Seattle, and I bet the grass there really is greener.) I live in a house right now, and part of me totally hates it. It's too big for me, I spend too much money paying somebody to clean a pool I never use, it has yucky well water, it's too far away from downtown, it's is in a conservative county, etc.
But... It is really nice and quiet when I want it to be, and when I don't, I can crank up the tunes without worrying about disturbing the neighbors. It's in a big yard so I'm have a nice slice of nature just outside the window. And my cat likes it.
By
Karen, At
January 25, 2009 8:21 AM
I remember how excited I was when I purchased my first house. I remember staring at the deed so impressed with myself that this little piece of the planet belonged to ME.
The feeling eventually passed and by the time I sold the house I just wanted out of it.
By
Waldo, At
January 25, 2009 8:22 AM
I was moving things into the house yesterday and was seeing all this potential. The only thing is, I'm a renter and the things I want to do aren't changes you make as a renter. That was kind of a bummer until I remembered that in the four years I actually owned a place, I didn't do any of the things I wanted to there either.
I guess I just want what I can't have, however that situation manifests.
By
Jessica, At
January 25, 2009 10:06 AM
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