Real Estate Round Two

For the second weekend in a row my wife and I got in the car, headed north, and met with my mother in law to see a few places. While we both would prefer to move when our current lease is up at the end of May, we are still trying to find the right place that would fit all (or most) of our needs while keeping us within budget. We found one such place last weekend but were quickly rebuffed when the owners of the spacious apartment decided to pull the rental off the market and put the unit up for sale. With the past week still fresh in our mind, we headed out with some understandably lowered expectations.

Our first stop in Lansdale justified our curbed enthusiasm as both the neighborhood and the property were the complete opposite of what we are looking for to gain greater comfort in our surroundings. We could tell that this was a possible reaction based on the listing but pulling up to the house and walking in the door confirmed every lackluster expectation. Put it this way, it was so bad we didn’t even bother walking upstairs, we walked around the first door, around the chair holding the back door closed and met back at the front door where the sunlight was scattered by the cracks in the windowpanes.

House number two was a bit on the older side but was a solid standalone home with nearly an acre of land. The house met many of our needs and even had a single car garage as a bonus. However, it was at the top end of our budget and had many uncertainties regarding utilities. In the end, I think it would be a great first small home if we were looking to potentially buy (no ideal but solid) but it was a little too much of s stretch with regard to renting.

The final showing of the day, which we found thanks to Zillow, was a little bit further out than our original target area but still within a reasonable distance from both our jobs and the major arteries running through the area. It was the next county over but checked off many of the things that we were looking for in a new place. However, what really motivated us to go a little further and consider the apartment/condo was the fact that, after factoring in the additional expenses, it would be the same monthly cost as our current apartment but with more space, a better layout, and a little outdoor area for ‘relaxation’. Moving would still be a little financially tight but this at least seemed to be manageable.

So, after discussing the this last showing over a late lunch and running through the pros and cons when we got back to our current apartment, we decided to put in an application and see what happens. Actually, I will be sending the application in the morning as I have long since blocked out how involved this whole process can be and pulling together all the necessary information is proving to be more work than I wanted to add to my weekend. Once this is sent in, it is then out of our hands. I guess we will have to wait and see what happens… again!