Where To Go? What To Do?

 

I have been having the constant debate with myself lately of whether or not we should move once our lease is up or whether we should stay where we are with the hope of saving enough money to buy our own place next year. I know which one makes the most sense but I also know what the best thing is for both of us. However, even with both of those considerations, it is not a clear cut decision as it would seem upon initial glance.

Where we are now is not a place where we are comfortable… we don’t enjoy the community that is around us and it leaves us needing to escape whenever we can by getting in the car and going somewhere else. The rent is great and the people we encounter in our own building are nice but the congested location and overall discomfort that we feel in the area doesn’t allow for us the relaxation that a ‘home’ should have. We know the area and it is close to family and friends but there is only so much that can tie us to a place where we are not comfortable.

We have looked for a place to move, somewhere that checked the majority of the boxes on our lists of what we are looking for in a community and a home. It has been a time consuming project that has occupied our minds and has put a number of miles on the car but it seems as though we have finally found a location for serious consideration north on Route 309. The prices are reasonable and the land, overall, seems less densely packed, both positives in our view. It is also close to all the stores that we would need on a regular basis which my wife prefers.

In the times we have visited is seems to be a comfortable area and also a location that meets our commuting requirements. While it keeps my wife’s commute the same, maybe a little shorter, it cuts my commute by nearly a third. However, when it comes to driving to work there are many more alternate routes for the two of us in comparison to our current location. As a bonus, there is at least one range about 5-10 minutes down the road which my wife is indifferent to by a definite perk for me.

What is overlooked time and again by many people is the simple cost of moving. We want to move north and be somewhere that is comfortable and convenient for both of us but it would seriously put a dent in our home owning aspirations and delay that goal by at least an additional year. But, the most important thing about a going home at the end of the day is being comfortable and looking forward to walking through the door. For that reason, it may be the most prudent to delay homeownership and move somewhere where we are comfortable and feel like we are at home.

But, really, it is still up in the air as I am sure my mind will go back and forth many times every 24 hour period. So, you are going to have to keep reading to find out if the move happens or if I will continue to write from the same apartment where this all started. What would you do in this situation?