So, a little over a year ago, I was bitch-slapped by reality and came to the conclusion I needed to sell my house. The first trick was finding a realtor who wasn’t pulling numbers out of thin air just to get my hopes up. The third one was the right one. So we listed this place for about $30K under market, because repairs are most definitely needed - so it was to be sold “as is”. Over the course of the several few months, the asking price was lowered six times, and each time, the best offer was well under the listed price. I finally accepted an offer, but then the buyer backed out. I accepted another offer - that buyer couldn’t get a mortgage. Finally, last week of December, I accepted an offer that was good, and the buyer had a mortgage lined up. We went to contract in January this year, and we’re supposed to close this month. ::fingers crossed::
MEANWHILE
I started looking all over the web for apartments in my price range and geographically desirable area. I searched Craigslist, apartment clearing house sites, and realty sites. They were few and far between.
The first place I checked out was a little cottage on a corner plot that was not landscaped - all dirt, including the driveway. It had three wooden steps up to a wooden stoop - I didn’t even get out of the car.
The next place looked good on paper - it was a sublet and very affordable - “close to the parking” he said. “easy walk” he said. As far from the parking as it could be and still be in the complex. ::shakes head in disgust::
At this point, it seemed cart-before-horse-ish for me to find a place I liked that I couldn’t commit to without a buyer, so I stopped.
About a month ago, I renewed my search. I have been in contact with 7 different realtors, and have, so far, seen 6 places. The first had steps to a landing and another step into the building before I could even get to the apartment. Not to mention a oriole parking situation.
Next was a place so close to the Great South Bay that it explains why it was advertised as “completely remodeled”. I didn’t see or smell any evidence of Sandy’s wrath, but I’ll bet you a dozen donuts the water was waist high.
Next was a place with two rooms, each barely bigger than my cubicle at work, with a “kitchen” built into the the hallway between the rooms and the bathroom.
The came the place with lovely space, off street parking, a washer/dryer in the apartment, some steps I’d have figured a way to deal with, and cost well over my budget - which I didn’t find out until I liked the place.
Then came the furnished place, which meant I’d have to pay for storage in addition to the apartment. Then the lovely place, again with off street parking, a w/d, decent space, but with a step down into the bedroom - I am not surefooted enough for that - plus the commute, with morning traffic, would have been over an hour.
Then the cute little cottage, where little is the operative word. Plus, street only parking - and it was as far back on the property as it could get. Oy!
Coming up, a second floor unit in a building with an elevator, but my credit rating my not be enough; and a lovely first floor unit with a list of potential tenants as long as my Fourth Doctor’s scarf.
I will keep you posted as I explore the never-ending parade of boxes people like to call apartments, and apartments with application requirements that could get me in to the CIA.
I sure hope the rest of you have a decent week. Mine is going to be one big headache.
Since it’s just 6:00 PM Sunday here, Monday is a while away, so I’l say “tomorrow.”
Tomorrow is Hubby’s 49th birthday. We aren’t doing much, since we’re still on our clean low carb diet. (126lbs between us so far.) And we’re pretty broke this month.
We are going to a local pub that we’ve been known to frequent. I took sugar-free Jello in to one of the bartenders who will make lots’o jello shots. Strawberry/tequila and orange vodka. She said selling the rest will be easy. She just won’t tell anyone its sugarless.
So, anyone in the North Seattle area tomorrow after, say, 1:00 PM feel free to drop by Boud’s Pinehurst Pub and have a jello shot. Swampy, you should be able to get a flight out tonight. ;):D:cool:
Why does the weekend go so fast? Back to irk in the morning. I have to write a budget for my program and only have 10 days to get it done. On top of all my other duties I can see the burning of some midnight oil.
Rosie good luck on the house sale and finding a place you like that is without steps.
Hubby is doing wonderful after his ablation. Fingers crossed it sticks, poor guy has been in and out of AFib for several years. If he goes for 6 months without AFib they will take him off blood thinners.
Moooom nice pottery. The yarn bowls are a great idea. I could use some spoon rests when you get some ready.
I’m feeling irritable and dealing with customers is more than I feel up to.
So I bopped on over to my friends house and by mistake I took the beltway the wrong way and had to go the looooong way around.
So I get behind some jerk in the left lane who is driving between 50 and 55. Every time somebody tried to pass him he would bump it up to 70+ until he caught up with the next bunch of traffic in the middle land then he’d slow back down to 50-55.
So if you are the guy driving the outer loop of the beltway with your finger up your nose at @13:30, I’d like to salute you, but I don’t have enough middle fingers.
A friend of mine is on my case again about aspartame. She’s convinced it causes tumors, cancer, wrinkled laundry and night vapors. I try to point out to her things like Snopes and such and it doesn’t do any good.
Aspartame gives me a headache like all artificial sweeteners. Stevia does too. I don’t care if it wrinkles my laundry, but giving me a headache is beyond the pale.
I’m off to the Prelinger Archives to find out if I’m popular.
So don’t stop posting here, but stop by the Pit as well – if you want to vent without worrying about language (or others’ feelings, apparently… but don’t you dare diss anyone’s cats).
My cold is mostly gone, as is the sinus infection. The antibiotic hasn’t made me horribly ill. Too bad I still feel like I have a massive lump of mucus stuck in my trachea and nothing will dislodge it. So irritating.
Now that I’m no longer sick AND I have plenty of time off from work this week (I went from over 30 hours last week while sick to 11 this week while not sick - gotta love retail), I really need to get caught up on my homework. It’s entirely possible I’ve dropped 2 classes down from A’s to B’s but I just don’t care any more. Now that I’ve been accepted into the respiratory therapy program, these two particular classes wont even matter for my second degree.
I’m back after two weeks away-ish. First was my actual vacation, followed by my son’s spring break, which wasn’t time off, but was so disrupted by other stuff that I feel as behind as if I’d had the week off.
I spent last weekend with my other sister and am now sporting the most tweenager-licious inappropriate-for-a-54-year-old sparkly turquoise manicure.
I’m taking my chances with the 40% change of rain and riding my bike today.
Happy Monday, all. Sending good housing vibes your way, Rosie.
Swampy, you should be able to get a flight out tonight. ;):D:cool:
