Movin' Out
Also when I was a kid, my babysitter was a huge Billy Joel fan. She got me hooked. "Glass Houses" was the first album I remember recognizing as a record - I was seven when it was released in 1980 - and I bothered her all the time to play it for me. Anyhow, I'm listening to "The Stranger" right now - my other favorite Billy Joel album. I have yet to accomplish anything meaningful this morning. I did go to Panera Bread for coffee, but I went in my pajamas and flip flops. I came home and sat on the deck, drank the coffee and watched Milo chase some bunnies from the woodpile.
I spent yesterday morning packing up my things here. I'm moving out this week and leaving the pretty gardens and peaceful neighborhood behind. And I'm really fine with it, mostly because I am ready to move on. I can tolerate some temporary unsettledness for now. It's all about delayed gratification, which sometimes can be better than instant gratification. I like both, but my ideal living situation is going to have to take a backseat to other priorities right now, like studying/passing the bar and bulking my bank account back up.
So Milo and I are off to stay with my parents for the next 8 weeks or so, at least until the bar exam is over in July. As I've mentioned before here, I adore my parents. They are fun and generous, and they tolerate my insanity. While I do try to tone down my more difficult attributes when I am a guest in their home, I have my moments. I can be a bit bossy and tense, especially when it comes to my little dog and miscellaneous noise. In my defense here, my parents have a huge German Shepherd named Samson, otherwise known as the Velociraptor for his tendency to open his massive jaws and pretend that he is going to eat Milo, and my dad likes to play his Jesus tunes on Sunday morning at 6am. Both of these things make me a little bitchy, especially when I am stressed out. I stayed with them after I left my ex-husband, which was obviously a stressful time for me. And now I'm going back under another stressful time - studying for the bar. My poor parents.
I've been tossing around the idea of renting vs. owning. I want to buy, but I have considered renting for a year to give me more time to house-hunt (which I really enjoy doing when I'm not under pressure to do so) and settle into having a salary again (meaning being able to save a decent down payment). On the other hand, I hate to throw a year's worth of money into renting when I know I am not going to be leaving Indy in the foreseeable future, and then to have to pack up again in 12 months and move all over again. I've moved a lot over the past few years, and I am more than ready to settle down for awhile. Decisions, decisions...
Yesterday afternoon, I decided to check out some options. Luckily, I know where I want to live, so I drove around looking at several condo communities within my designated area. I also visited 2 apartment complexes and an apartment home complex. I ruled those out rather quickly. First of all, renting at one of these places would run me more than a mortgage once you add in the fee for pets, the carport fee, etc. Ridiculous. And second, I don't need Melrose Place outside my front door. I don't need to pay fees for monthly cheese and wine parties or barbecues by the pool or yoga classes.
I ruled out a couple of condo communities, and ruled in one that I hadn't yet considered. But toward the end of the afternoon, I decided to check the one community at the top of my list. This place is not far from where I am right now. The condos are well-maintained, great landscaping, great location. I have been looking there for a couple of months, but nothing has been up for sale. Until yesterday - a perfect place, right on the pond with a deck and backyard, adorable front yard and entrance, two bedrooms, two full baths, cathedral ceilings, fireplace and attached garage. And it is well within my price range. It is an awesome place.
Tomorrow I am going to contact the listed realtor and see if I can get this ball rolling in the right direction. Knowing exactly what you want is half the battle.
I spent yesterday morning packing up my things here. I'm moving out this week and leaving the pretty gardens and peaceful neighborhood behind. And I'm really fine with it, mostly because I am ready to move on. I can tolerate some temporary unsettledness for now. It's all about delayed gratification, which sometimes can be better than instant gratification. I like both, but my ideal living situation is going to have to take a backseat to other priorities right now, like studying/passing the bar and bulking my bank account back up.
So Milo and I are off to stay with my parents for the next 8 weeks or so, at least until the bar exam is over in July. As I've mentioned before here, I adore my parents. They are fun and generous, and they tolerate my insanity. While I do try to tone down my more difficult attributes when I am a guest in their home, I have my moments. I can be a bit bossy and tense, especially when it comes to my little dog and miscellaneous noise. In my defense here, my parents have a huge German Shepherd named Samson, otherwise known as the Velociraptor for his tendency to open his massive jaws and pretend that he is going to eat Milo, and my dad likes to play his Jesus tunes on Sunday morning at 6am. Both of these things make me a little bitchy, especially when I am stressed out. I stayed with them after I left my ex-husband, which was obviously a stressful time for me. And now I'm going back under another stressful time - studying for the bar. My poor parents.
I've been tossing around the idea of renting vs. owning. I want to buy, but I have considered renting for a year to give me more time to house-hunt (which I really enjoy doing when I'm not under pressure to do so) and settle into having a salary again (meaning being able to save a decent down payment). On the other hand, I hate to throw a year's worth of money into renting when I know I am not going to be leaving Indy in the foreseeable future, and then to have to pack up again in 12 months and move all over again. I've moved a lot over the past few years, and I am more than ready to settle down for awhile. Decisions, decisions...
Yesterday afternoon, I decided to check out some options. Luckily, I know where I want to live, so I drove around looking at several condo communities within my designated area. I also visited 2 apartment complexes and an apartment home complex. I ruled those out rather quickly. First of all, renting at one of these places would run me more than a mortgage once you add in the fee for pets, the carport fee, etc. Ridiculous. And second, I don't need Melrose Place outside my front door. I don't need to pay fees for monthly cheese and wine parties or barbecues by the pool or yoga classes.
I ruled out a couple of condo communities, and ruled in one that I hadn't yet considered. But toward the end of the afternoon, I decided to check the one community at the top of my list. This place is not far from where I am right now. The condos are well-maintained, great landscaping, great location. I have been looking there for a couple of months, but nothing has been up for sale. Until yesterday - a perfect place, right on the pond with a deck and backyard, adorable front yard and entrance, two bedrooms, two full baths, cathedral ceilings, fireplace and attached garage. And it is well within my price range. It is an awesome place.
Tomorrow I am going to contact the listed realtor and see if I can get this ball rolling in the right direction. Knowing exactly what you want is half the battle.
posted by Amanda at 8:15 AM
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