I've been ticking things off on my to-do list: I've started packing, I've gotten quotes from movers and reserved a date, I've been getting quotes on condo insurance, I have a big list of all the services I need to contact re. change of address... but I don't know yet what my address will be at the end of the month!
I'm still kicking myself over the mis-communication with my landlord, but I'm just going to let it go. He is a great guy who let me live there for 6 full years without ever raising my rent, and he even lent me an air conditioner to use, for which he pays the electricity bill, so I can't really begrudge him anything. I didn't want to leave him in the lurch, and it's unfortunate that I didn't have more accurate information about my closing date, but I haven't burned any bridges and that is how I prefer things to be.
So I have the option to stay with a family member for a while, but as I've said, I don't like to ask people for too many favors, so I am also looking into some options for subletting an apartment. If I live with a roommate, I could actually end up saving some money, though chances are I'll probably end up paying a little more than my current rent. August sublets are pretty common-- it would be nice to find something open-ended, in case things drag on much further, but if I have to move again after a month, it won't be that big a deal, as I'll just be living out of a couple of suitcases. It will be a fun experiment in minimalism!
So my move is going to cost me a few hundred dollars more than I'd originally planned on, and I'll probably have to spend about $50-75 a month for having my stuff in storage. The agent says the construction could be done within a couple of weeks, as they are really on the final touches, but that good ol' C-of-O could take a couple of months longer. Unless I get REALLY lucky, it sounds like I can kiss my locked-in mortgage rate goodbye. At this point, I doubt it will be that big a hit-- yes, every penny more hurts, but the biggest hike in rates (hopefully) seems to have happened back just after I signed the contract. I've already resigned myself to having to face a budget that will be a bit tighter... on the other hand, every month this thing is delayed is another month closer to my next raise!
Someone is probably wondering if I have any regrets yet! Not really-- as I've said before, my only real regret is not having gotten my act together to buy something sooner. But I've still been keeping an eye on the listings, and I haven't seen anything else on the market that offered what I want for a price I could afford. So I think I've made the right choice. The next couple of months will probably be a drag, but in the end, it will be worth it.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Moving Update
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2 comments:
Don't do a change of address yet. If it's possible, I'd just put it on hold and stop by the post office for pickup 2-3/week.
Being in limbo for weeks (and possible months) would definitely upset my comfort zone. I'd be one helluva grouch! It's good that you have a positive outlook though. When the construction is finished, I hope you have a smooth transition.
I was in the same boat at the beginning of this year. I bought new construction in May 2004. They hadn't even broken ground yet. I was originally told that delivery was scheduled for Sept 2005. So when mortgage rates started to creep up in March 2005, I felt pretty safe putting a one-year lock on a mortgage. No. Construction ran a little over, then waiting for the C of O took AGES. I ended up closing on April 7 2006, after extending the lock once (at a price, of course!). And I sort of bulled my way in when I heard that the lower floors were closing. The developer was nice enough to let me be one of the first to close, in spite of being on the 7th floor (they started from the bottom with closings). Anyway, it all worked out for the best, but there were many, many phone conversations to make everything come together. In my excitement, I almost told my landlord about my new property, but somehow managed to contain myself. I had rented from him for 3+ years without increasing the rent. So I wanted to do whatever I could to make my move easy on him as well. Anyway, long post to commiserate with your situation. :)
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