Searching for Home (5th in a series)

Hmmm. Some interesting developments on the apartment search over the past twenty-four hours or so.

We went to see a place in town last evening and we actually liked it quite a bit. It would be much smaller than we currently have. But honestly that's to be expected.

The positive things about this place are numerous:

1. There are a lot of windows. And two of the largest ones overlook a park that is directly across the street. It looks like this park gets a lot of use--in a positive sense. (Living next to a park in the city is not always a good thing.) But it sounds like this is a great neighborhood gathering place. Lots of organized sports activities for kids and adults. And lots of folks walking their dogs in the morning, according to the woman who lives there currently.

2. There is a nook in the bedroom that would fit a computer desk for a little office space.

3. We would move sooner (likely mid-May, gulp, in about two weeks??) rather than later.

4. The decision would be made. And the amount of mental energy simply searching would be over with. Then I could devote all our energies to packing.

5. The scale is our scale. Not like Nu-topia. We know how to live in a neighborhood like this.

6. It's just a couple blocks away from a tremendously cool, hip, happening shopping district with a fantastic locally-owned coffeeshop and an equally fantastic locally-owned bookstore. So lots of character and city-like energy. I could write my dissertation in the coffeeshop, maybe. :)

7. We would be staying within the same school district, so E could keep going to his school and keep his friends.

8. It's comfortably in our rent range. A bit more than we're paying now, but not a risky stretch. In order to qualify for the apartment, you need to show that you earn three-times the monthly rent. And we do. Just.

Some negatives, though.

1. No fireplace. No pool. Nothing that shimmers with a feeling of amazing new-ness.

2. Tiny. We would really have to get rid of a lot of stuff. (A case could be made for this being on the positive list, though.)

3. The outside of the building isn't very attractive. Kind of blah and grey.

4. It's still as far away from church as we've been.


That's not a lot of negatives. And they're frankly not all that compelling...

Well, it's not a done deal. There was a couple who got there just before we did and they gave a check to hold the place. However, when we contacted the rental agent today, he informed us that those folks were having second thoughts and he advised us to go ahead and submit our own paperwork in case they do back out. (It's a ferocious market in the city.) I have to say, it's starting to look like we may pursue it.

Here are a couple photos: