A room of one's own, for a price

[bironic]

I have a new place to live! An extra relief after seeing so many places that were either dirty/cramped/outdated/inconvenient or off the market by the time I arranged to see them. It is bigger than my current apartment and on the top floor of a standard Boston-area triple-decker house, which hopefully means it will be quiet, though costlier to heat and cool. It's got light and trees and a tiny study off the living room that has a built-in bookcase and will fit my vidding computer desk. It also ought to make my commute more straightforward; TBD. Of course, it is substantially more expensive, in part because it's been six years since I rented at market rate and in part because of the square footage and location.

I've been having more feelings about it than expected. Excitement, curiosity, regret, fear (money, the unknown), pride, guilt, etc. There are so many things to second-guess. I want to move already and tackle what needs to be tackled instead of worrying about what might need tackling. Then settle in and, please please please, be content. Fall is coming, and rumor has it the new street is a trick-or-treating hot spot, which would be amazing.

The whole unplanned and rapid process was stressful and lonely; would not recommend. I will miss my current apartment, imperfect as it is. However, friends are wonderful, offering sympathy and advice and boxes as well as couch space if things had come to that. My mom made me cry a few days ago when she called to say she was sending a check to cover the movers' fee, unasked-for. I've worked hard in the 15+ years since college to be independent and not ask anything of my parents—would not have rented this apartment and hired movers if I couldn't make the budget work—and this moment of being taken care of just sort of broke me, in the good way.

Another delicate moment on Friday, my birthday, when, at the office party we hold for every such occasion, my editor chose to cater with an ice cream treat I'd once told her my sister and I used to get when we were kids: Baskin Robbins clown cones. She drove several towns out of her way that day to the store that makes them. :,)

Now it is time to take a breath. Having booked it months and months ago, I have joined a handful of local friends in a rental house on Cape Cod; first time visiting there after almost 11 years (noncontinuous) of living in Boston. Nothing on the to-do list besides read, write, cook, sit by the shore. I went to a vidder friend's wedding on Saturday a few towns over from the rental, which was a backyard affair and really lovely. When we return, a week and a half of regular life. Then fanworks. Then move-in.

If you have my old/current address and I haven't sent you the new one yet, feel free to ping me.

Comments

[hermionesviolin]

Yay, finding a place! I heard a rumor to that effect on Twitter but hadn't heard the official news from your directly. *hug if you want one*

[bironic]

Hugs good. :) I was so busy with the logistics & packing last week that I didn't post about it right away!

[minoanmiss]

*beams at you* Congratulations and well done!

[bironic]

Thank you, friend. <3

Finding decent housing

[jesse_the_k]

In the Boston area is hard—congrats.

The clown cones are adorable. I hope the cape supplies its magic breezes and cool nights.

Re: Finding decent housing

[bironic]

For sure, breezy! Sunny too, so far, and much seafood. Thumbs up.

[topaz_eyes]

A new place! That's great news! Uprooting is always overwhelming for awhile, especially since you've lived so long in your current apartment. But you will eventually re-establish roots in the new location.

Your mom and your editor are amazing and lovely people.

Enjoy your time at Cape Cod--you deserve the break!

[bironic]

I do like to settle, and though I talk sometimes about shaking things up, as my sister said, I would probably never have moved if someone hadn't made me. It's funny to me how many people responded with "Oh! It's time, then," when I answered their question about how long I've been in this place. As if a person is supposed to switch rentals with a minimum frequency.

Anyway: Everything you said. <3

[seascribble]

I am glad you have found a place and are being taken care of in the harrowing moving process. We found that our top floor of the triple decker was pretty easy to heat affordably even with oil, but that cooling it was a bitch. Could only really do it room by room. *hugs*

Enjoy the Cape! I love it so much.

[bironic]

Thanks! Sorry to miss your trip there in September. Will you be swinging through Boston en route?

Thankfully I acquired a window A/C from ~someone~ last summer! And it sounds like my dad and stepmom have an extra from when they combined households, so that's two A/Cs (and two parental favors).

Heating, we'll see - will it be warmer than the current place because it's two floors higher, or not, because it's bigger and does forced air instead of steam radiators? The fact that it was covered in space heaters and electric fireplaces when I toured it is concerning. (Current tenant has been out of the country for months.) At least forced air should be quieter than the mallet bangs of steam pipes!

[seascribble]

I will be! Shall have to try to see folks.

Thank goodness you are keeping cool, it's been unbearable this year. Fingers crossed for the new place to be reasonably acclimatable. Who even HAS forced air, my goodness.

[seekingferret]

Congratulations!

[bironic]

Many thanks!

[scribe]

Yaaaaay congratulations! And happy belated birthday! :D

[bironic]

Thank you and thank you!

[grammarwoman]

Congrats on resolving your living situation - may you have some restful nights of not stressing anymore about the search - and good luck on the prep for the next phase. Also, Happy Birthday! :)

[bironic]

Thank you and thank you - and thanks for the DW message on the day of, which made me smile. Please forgive the delay in reply.

>>may you have some restful nights of not stressing anymore about the search

Who knew there were so many ways to dream about moving? Ha. Soon over, hope hope hope.

[zulu]

Hooray! I'll have to visit all over again (in about 5 years) to see the new place. :)

[bironic]

Hee. God only knows where I'll be in 5 years, although if this place doesn't work out it's now very tempting to buy if only to avoid moving again. Other than that the house/condo market is even more nuts and $$$ than the rental market. Time to give up and buy a cottage in the countryside.

[yhlee]

Oh, huzzah! Congratulations on finding a new place! And happy belated birthday!

[bironic]

Thank you and thank you!

[jjhunter]

I would enjoy sending you the occasional postcard at your new address!

[bironic]

Sure! Will email. Stulti's got it, too.

[giddygeek]

The Boston real estate market is so ridiculous right now—I’m glad you found a place, but sorry it was such a hunt! Maybe in six more years, it’ll have evened out. And I’m glad there’s a vacation between finding a place and doing the move! A beautiful week to be on the Cape, too. :)

[bironic]

It did turn out to be good timing, post-tornado and pre-... whatever's coming next. There's notable storm damage a few blocks from our rental, but the neighborhood seems to have recovered rapidly. And the constant breeze tempers the heat.

In six years, will the housing bubble have burst? Or will things just keep climbing with influxes of biotech etc. until you guys are the new edge of the affordable zone? I mean, if you call Medford/Malden/Melrose today's affordable zone and then scope outward from there. Not that M/M/M are already 4x median home prices in most of the rest of the country or anything.

<3

[timespirt]

Congrats hon. I wish you well and hope you will be happy in your new home.

"HUGS"

Time

[bironic]

Thanks!

[j00j]

Glad you found a place! And that you have such a great support network.

[bironic]

Thank you, and yes, for sure. Makes such a difference. That includes everyone here as well.

[celli]

<33333333333

[bironic]

<3 !

[oracne]

ZOMG this post encapsulates many things I am feeling right now as I begin the quest to find a new place to live. Thanks for posting this.

[bironic]

I'm glad and sorry at the same time - good luck. <3

[bell]

So glad you found a place!!! *\o/*

[bironic]

Yes yes. Thank you!

Happy Belated!

[glassesofjustice]

Could it be that we share a birthday (7/26)?!

In my experience, when I lived on the top floor, I didn’t have to worry about paying more for heat as it rises and I got residual heat from the lower two floors, but definitely cooling is the challenge. I hope you enjoy your new place once you get settled.

I desperately wanted to go to Fanworks but it didn’t work out this year. I hope it runs again.