Apartment-Hunting

So...some fairly significant changes on the home front for me and Anna Kate.

Up to now, we'd been pretty much sold on the idea of staying in the yellow farm house, or as we like to call it, the "doll house," that she's been renting for close to two years now. We knew that a purchased house would be a better long-term investment (rather than throwing money away on rent month after month), but our teacher salaries being what they are...well, you know.

But her Dad and step-Mom have been keeping tabs on the options available in the community. Since her step-mom is a realtor, she knows a great deal about the way this business works. So their help and advice has been invaluable. Deep down, we all know the best long-term solution would be to put our money toward a mortage on a house that we could put back on the market some years later and see a good return investment. But it's not likely to happen because such a move would bury us financially before we're even out of the starting gate. It'll be a couple years before I get my Master's, and even then, our salary raises will barely register.

Anyway...it looked like they had found something a week ago on another farm house out on New Harrison Bridge Road. Not a bad place - bigger rooms, nice front yard, back deck. But there was a catch. A big ol' catch. The landlord said no pets were allowed. Bad news for two little kittens by the names of Rigby and Leo. :( So that was out.

But since then, a new opportunity has materialized. One that could actually bear fruit.

We ventured out to Fountain Inn yesterday afternoon to check out an apartment whose landlord is friends with Anna and her Dad. As soon as we saw the place, we fell in love (for lack of a better cliche).

The place is something special. Downstairs washer/dryer/utility space. Wide-open living room. State-of-the-art kitchen. Snack bar. Shelf space. Roomy master bedroom with extension for an office. Two bathrooms. Two extra rooms. Ruddy brick walls. Window view of downtown.

And that's just scratching the surface.

Both Anna, I, and her folks came away from our visit thoroughly impressed with the apartment. And we've made an offer on it. Of course, there are factors to be considered. Money is always an issue. The gas bill in the winter could be steep. The floor needs to be repaired. Always the chance of counter offers that are more than we're willing to pay. But we already love the place too much not to at least take a shot on it.

Talk about the gas money such a move could save us. Our next-door neighbor is the gas station, in fact. A milk-and-bread run to CVS is only a block or so away, and Bi-Lo is maybe two minutes away for a more extensive grocery run. Library is just down the road. We could walk out on the town and take in outdoor concerts in the summer, or stroll down the block and dine in at Tony's Pizza or Subway. And for work? I-385 is a simple left turn onto Fairview Street. Pretty handy.

So if this all works out, the next few weeks are going to really heat up. Stuff to be moved, a lease to sign, etc. And this is all keeping in mind the fact that we're also preparing to get married!

I have to keep reminding myself that this is far from being a done deal. One counter offer at the right price, and we're right back where we started. But even so, it's exciting to fantasize about.