… to bring you breaking news!
I’ll soon have one more person living in my place 😀
The BF’s lease is up in two short weeks (sort of caught him by surprise), so he plans to move to my place to buy us some time while we hunt for the ideal rental. We both think it’d be best to have ‘our’ place, rather than ‘my’ place, cause let’s face it, I know I can be a little particular! There’s so much to organise, in the next two weeks, and then looking forward from there, I thought I’d share my list with y’all
The next two weeks
Get spare cardboard boxes from work/fruit & vege shop for the BF to packMake space in my wardrobe for his clothingList all BF’s bigger ‘stuff’ (furniture etc) with measurements- Make space in my house for his furniture (and a plan for what’ll be at mine in the short-term)
Speak to my parents about temporarily storing some of the BF’s furnitureGo to open for inspections – see the places, but review the leasing agents…Make inquiries with agents about renting my place,and the likely rentMake a budget – rent I’ll receive, bills for my house, bills for a new place,rent I can pay out, savings goalsWork out suitable rent/cost sharing between me and BF in the interim periodHalf of what my neighbours paySpeak to my cousin about borrowing his trailer for move day 1Find a car with a toe bar first!- Collect details on utilities etc for BF to cancel/change his address
Book cleaner to do ‘final clean’ at BF’s place (then I’ll likely want to stay there!)Saturday/move out dayBook in accountant (for tax)and discuss best $ options with house/loan etc- Bore readers with inventory posts 🙂
Share my new rental ‘wish list’ with readers, and my ‘what I (inadvertently) love about my current place’
After finding a new place
Procure even more boxesStart packing up my house- Patch holes and paint (ie Lack hanging shelves, maybe hanging birdcages?)
- Switch-a-roo washing machines (? Leave bf’s at my place, and take mine to new place, perhaps)
Set up new utilitiesAdvise all of change of address(yikes, but I’m good at it now!)
I’m sure there’s more for this list – so suggest away! And ask questions too, cause that’ll prompt my brain!
This is exciting! I like how you've worked out an action plan. Is your BF already in your city, so you'll both be moving within town? Moving is always a big deal, but combining households and setting up budgets and being together 24/7 (minus work time) – now that is a big deal – congrats!
Thanks Dar! The BF lives a short walk from my work. I live a short walk to his work (well, I think short is anywhere up to 15 mins walking, he does not walk to work!). So he's moving into my suburb/neighbouring suburb. Having only moved to Sydney a year ago, he's not got a lot of stuff, so it'll be easier than if he had a more established home. I'm sort of excited about the 24/7 – from fights about 'I never see you' to 'PLEASE! Just go to the gym will you?' hahahha
Yes, that is it exactly 🙂
How exciting for you both 🙂 After being in your own place do you think it will be difficult to go back to renting? Although there are definite perks to being a renter in terms of getting things fixed/replaced.
I think I'll need a landlord who'll show some flexibility/leniency – I mean, I didn't trash my own home by hanging art! I think I'll be happier with renting now that I've had a chance to make a place mine before. It will be nice to just call someone to fix something, but knowing me, I'll probably just fix it myself!
That's so exciting!!! Big news – gosh, you'll have so much to organise! You'll be so glad of your inventory posts – it should help a lot with the moving process. Very excited for you!
Thanks Fiona – I hope to finish off all the inventory posts, and in doing so, perhaps trim things a little too. At least then I know what I have!
It's so much fun house hunting (when they are nice apartments, of course, which they aren't all!)
How exciting for you! Can I offer a word of advice? Add to your list of things to do: a discussion about division of duties/housework.
Oh yes! My neighbour informed me bathroom/toilet cleaning equals garbage duty, and you swap weekly-we're going out for dinner on Wed so I'll get her to pitch it again! It's great to have someone to help with the cooking so far 🙂 anything's better after doing it all yourself
Good luck with it all. I hate moving, it just feels like there is always so much to get done and never enough time to do it in.
True that. Might be a good use for my mounting annual leave balance. And I do love a touch of planning!
Congrats on taking that next step with the BF!
Thanks GMD!
Congratulations, and good luck finding an apartment. Will you be renting out your place or selling it? I love renting because I only take care of what I want to around the place, the rest I call the landlord. 😉
Perfect now you mention it – take care of what you want to! But knowing you, it'd be most things! I'll be renting my place out, and am hoping to use it as a bargaining chip – some agents might like another rental on their books, and in exchange, I might have my application for renting favoured (it's incredibly competitive to rent here in Sydney!)
I know from past experience it is hard to start a relationship in one person's home, you are very smart to be looking for a rental to start new. As for what I will repair, it's the little cheaper things. I'll caulk windows, replace washers and fix clogs. But when the heat goes or the door knob needed replaced I called management.
I know from friends that 'neutral' territory is better! My friends, who know how I love DIYing in my home, would rather I fought to stay there, but I would rather not fight! I've never tried new door knobs… maybe I should!
Door knobs are easy to replace but can be costly to get a good brand, which is why I called management.
Ah it all makes sense now. Actually talking about this makes me think, in an ideal world I'd like to replace my bathroom door as the past tenants damaged it by using too long screws for the hooks on the back. But it's hardly critical, just cosmetic
I wouldn't change out the door, if it's wood I would fill it with wood putty and paint or re-stain it. Simple, easy and cheaper with no waste.
Oh, the issue is that the screws are too long, and I can't get them out, cause they liquid nailed them in! (I would have replaced the screws when i was painting, if I could have got them out. Anyhow, I think it's a 'core' door, which means it's not great, but it serves the purpose.
I would love for a new place, too. Its really hard to start in one person's place.
It so nice looking – so annoying missing out on the good ones though! I think I'll post about them, just to share the fun! Thanks for stopping by
Congrats, that's exciting! There's not much advice I can offer you since before my boyfriend and I moved in together, we were spending every day together anyway. I think it's important to realize that being together all the time under the same roof doesn't mean you have to constantly interact. Neither of you is a guest anymore, and everything is a joint effort. I usually cook and he cleans, and he can be reading/watching TV/playing a game while I'm blogging. You should have your "me" time still! I agree that it's a smart move to start fresh. As it is, I playfully claim my stuff as my own (my bed, for example) but everything is arranged in a way we both enjoy. Compromise will be your friend.
Thanks EM, there's some good advice there – especially about interacting all the time. We have been spending time together, but not everyday with work and other commitments. I have asked him what of mine he'd like to veto, and so far there's nothing – but the majority of 'stuff' will be mine I think. What's this compromise you speak of :p
Congratulations!I'll be interested to see how you get on going into a rental vs. owning as we're about to do the same.
I think I'll struggle with the 'restrictions' that come from renting, for sure! But I'll diligently report it all here. Sorry – your comment went to spam 🙁 Bad spam filter, bad!
When Tim and I started dating, one day he just sort of stopped going home. He was working for a friend in exchange for rent (horse farm). He didn't have much in the way of furniture and what he did have, went in my friends barn loft.
We tried the fresh start thing but ended up back here because the mortgage was cheaper than rent someplace else and my tenants were looking for a house and I didn't have the money to float the empty unit while I was out of work and it was cheaper to move back.. When we moved back in we still ended up with the same stuff. I did trade out his desk, which his dad made, for mine that I carried up her piece by piece and put together. And we've bought pieces together and replaced pieces I had.
I think when we moved back in, he felt more like it was our place. We just can't wait to pay off some stuff and move into a house, which we'll more than likely be renting and not buying for now. I totally feel that home ownership is overrated…lol.
I think I would get him settled and then start planning your next move. They say moving ranks up there with death and divorce and puts a lot of pressure on a relationship. Too much change causes a lot of stress on a relationship (ask Tim). Take things in stages and give yourself a timeline that you'd like to go buy.
I am blown away that the mortgage was cheaper than rent! That's just insane, in Australia.
I got sucked into the home owning idea – but I'm ok with that. I like DIYing and not having to ask for permission, or fight about who pays (I pay, always!).
I thought about your comments about the stress and pressure of moving – I feel pretty relaxed about it at the moment. I think packing up my things every few months (so four times a year) at boarding school has made me accustomed to that stress – the 'how much have a I got, where will I pack it all, will it all fit' thinking. But I know there'll be stresses I haven't thought of too! After reading this comment, things that I overlooked the bf doing in 'my' house I now look at and think 'maybe I should say something if doing this will irk me every day'. But we'll see… Patience and compromise!
I put down a substantial down payment….but I have very little equity in my place now. I owe more than it's worth.
I was suckered into owning a home as well. I was going through a divorce and my ex bought me out of the home we had together. I wanted to leave the money in the bank and rent an apartment but friends and family were like, you need to buy a home. I was 32 at the time. I was riding in the morning, working 9 to 5 (well) and sailing a few evenings a week. The thought of having a house and lawn to care for didn't excite me. I wanted to rent an apartment. I had my ideal location…but I heard so much crap about throwing my money away by renting…that I decided to buy a condo.
I sure wish I'd of listened to my gut and not what everyone else said because remember what I said about stress. It took me 6 months to realize I hate city living. I would have been happier renting out someones basement apartment for a year or splitting a house with a friend than blowing all my money on something that was supposed to be a good investment.
Some of my family really feel guilty for pushing. But who knew. I was here a couple years before the recession hit. There's a lady in the next building over. She bought her place after me and paid a lot more.
OH what a heart breaking story! Australia's not had the 'correction' in the property market the US has, but we're all a little cautious that it could happen. Our interest rates can't get much lower 😡
It's about living and learning, right!
Last I checked interest rates are around 3.3%, give or take. I haven't refinanced (I'm at 4.75) because, well…I don't want to be here too much longer. But if we end up renting it out, we'll just pay it off sooner than the 30 year note. I already 8 years in it. I still have aspirations that it will sell. I know I'll still lose money, but my goal is not to write a check to get out. We shall see.
Hmmm, if you could be bothered, it'd be worth refinancing. I hope I'll pay my place off before the 30 year mortgage, which is why I read so many personal finance blogs to keep me on track and aiming high! It's scary to think you'll lose money by selling, it's against the adage 'property always appreciates' :((