I’m going to need knee replacement surgery very soon.
Jann’s house, where I’m staying, is one of those townhouses with many staggered levels. All in all, it has 5 different levels. So, when I’m downstairs using the washer and dryer — the huge kind that you can wash all of your clothes in at once and which requires a degree in computer programming just to turn on — I must then haul all my clothes back upstairs to my bedroom… four flights up.
The older one is, the more likely it is that one can afford a home like this. Unfortunately, the older one is, it’s less likely that one could deal with the stairs.
Between doing a little freelance work for the old office today, I’m going to wander around looking at apartments. I saw a very nice one yesterday, but the fine print is starting to wear on me. There’s fine print everywhere you look in California, from warning signs about substances known to the state to be carcinogenic — i.e., cigarette smoke — to the culture shock of the missing refrigerators.
Let me explain. Homes in California do not come with refrigerators, unlike back in Virginia. People haul their fridges from home to home like a television set here. It’s daunting to think that when I buy a home, I’m going to have to buy a new refrigerator in addition to new furniture.
The apartment I looked at did come with a fridge, as well as a washer/dryer. What it didn’t come with was curious to me: water or trash pickup. Now, I can understand paying for your own electricity, but those other utilities are universally paid by apartment complexes back home. Weird. Meanwhile, the apartment was $1500/month, which is pretty hard for me to part with considering that I am unemployed and no longer have an income. Everything I spend is coming out of savings and house proceeds.
If I’m going to spend that much, I’d far rather find a cool loft downtown and be bohemian rather than suburban.
I don’t know how practical this is in San Jose, but if I were you I’d immediately start looking for a house and blow off an apartment. You’d pay $1500 per month on a house note anyway, and you’d own it to boot. Hopefully you can find a loft you can BUY instead of rent. That way, there would be no hauling of refrigerators or going up stairs that never end or wondering if utilities come with it.
Of course you already know this. Get out the real estate ads and go for it! You never know- you might find a place really quickly, even if it’s a fixer-upper. Now, while you don’t have a job, is the time to take the time to house-hunt. If you were working right now it would really be difficult to make meetings with your agent and loan officer.
If you think I’m butting in too much, I can’t help it. I’m a mom. Ha ha ha!
Love
Kat
Part of mr agrees with Kat but in the end I still say secure employment BEFORE you buy a house. What happens if you get your dream job and then find out because you bought a house all the way on the other side of town every day will be commute hell!
But buying is better than renting. As you are no doubt now very aware of.
And just to let you know.
In Alaska houses come with a fridge, you pay.
Elec., Gas, Water, Sewer, Trash
In Seattle houses come with a fridge, you pay.
Elec., Gas, Water, Trash and seperating trash for recycleing is mandatory. (cans,paper,glass)