We have looked at 18 apartments. All of them have had some sort of serious flaw. I really thought one today would be 'the one', but then we found out that you have to walk outside to get to the basement. I have no interest in walking down or up a flight of icy steps in -30 degree F weather carrying a laundry basket full of clothes in order to do my laundry. We've seen two places that require walking outside to get to the basement (and thus the laundry machines), and I'm not doing it. It might be different if it was temperate here, but 9 months out of the year it is freezing cold and snowing.
I'm really discouraged. I was hoping we'd find a place so I could give notice tomorrow, but it's not happening. Nothing is comparable to what I have now. Nothing has made me want to pack up all my stuff and move. I'm sad.
We've been talking about getting pre-approved for a mortgage, but I don't want to stay here for years on end, and neither does he. I want to be by the ocean. I was thinking we could find an apartment here and share it for a year or two, and then move west, and consider buying a home there.
My life on the whole is really boring. I'd like to spice it up but I don't know how. I've considered moving to Honduras, I've considered joining the Peace Corps, I've considered going to grad school in NYC, I've tried finding a new job. I feel like I'm wasting my 20s. I'm SO going to find myself in a mid-life crisis.
Nothing spent today, even though I'd like to. It's tempting to take a trip over to Ikea, but I'm going to stay at home on my couch and wallow in my self-made dispair while watching HGTV.
really bummed
April 30th, 2005 at 09:46 pm
April 30th, 2005 at 10:16 pm 1114899360
Five years ago DH and I relocated from the midwest to the southwest. Though things are generally on a much smaller scale here - social life, choies of entertainment, etc. I am totally grooving on it because we are also out of the race with the Jones's. The race for who has the most stuff just hasnt taken hold down here. Or at least its not as dramatic with the people I am meeting.
Oh, and the housing market is better too. Found a steal for way under 100k. Some work needed, but I know we could never have found it pre-move.
For me it was the lack of sun that did me in. The other thing I really like about the SW is I never realized just how much of a midwestern work ethic I had until I left. Everyone else up there pretty much has it. I swear that is why it was so hard to get ahead.
I've read your moments of dispair and could have written them myself. Maybe a change of location is a good thing...
April 30th, 2005 at 11:03 pm 1114902191
The only thing that I will warn you about is that if you think real estate prices are bad in the midwest, they are horrific on the west coast. I don't know what they are like in Oregon but up here in Seattle, right now, prices are mind- bogglingly bad. Your basic starter home goes for about $300-350K. Rents, though, are fairly stable (with the lack of renters, landlords want to keep you & they're less likely to raise your rent). Go figure.
May 1st, 2005 at 12:01 am 1114905700
I'm sorry you're feeling so bummed. But I would like to say that you should be careful what you wish for -- i.e. some excitement to spice up your life. I know I for one have had more than enough "excitement" in my life this past year or so to last me a lifetime!
Laura
May 4th, 2005 at 04:12 pm 1115223169