(no subject)
A lot's happened in my life so far this year, and I haven't posted about any of it. That's pretty typical for me, I suppose. But now I'm facing a housing dilemma and I could use some impartial advice.
In January, my parents decided to separate. It was pretty abrupt, and things moved quickly; my mom got a lawyer, my dad got a new place to live, and he's moving into a condo April 1. Mom will then be selling their townhouse, which means everything I still have stored there will have to come live with me or find a new home.
At present, I'm living in a lovely old house near Yonge and Eglinton. I'm taking care of it for a family that's living in New York; they intend to stay for at least another year. When I told them I was getting married, they said they'd be okay with Ewan moving in, but they're planning to have us cover our own utility bills and pitch in for the taxes they pay for the house. I think that's quite reasonable.
But the house is still full of their stuff. And now that all of my stuff has begun accumulating in the living room, I'm starting to think maybe Ewan and I should find our own place this summer. Whenever members of the family came home (for reading week, etc.) I just cleared out and stayed at my parents' place. That's not really an option anymore, and although I (and eventually Ewan) could stay with his folks, they don't have a dedicated guest room, so it's less convenient. The homeowner would also like to renovate one of the bathrooms, which would take a few months and be a pain.
If we got our own place, I'd like a two-bedroom (or one bedroom with big den), which is likely to cost us if we want somewhere in a decent area. It would be much smaller than the place I'm in now.
Ultimately, is it better to pay less for a bigger, fully-furnished place and deal with some inconveniences, or find a new place that's likely to be smaller and more expensive, but is exclusively our own? I really have no idea.
In January, my parents decided to separate. It was pretty abrupt, and things moved quickly; my mom got a lawyer, my dad got a new place to live, and he's moving into a condo April 1. Mom will then be selling their townhouse, which means everything I still have stored there will have to come live with me or find a new home.
At present, I'm living in a lovely old house near Yonge and Eglinton. I'm taking care of it for a family that's living in New York; they intend to stay for at least another year. When I told them I was getting married, they said they'd be okay with Ewan moving in, but they're planning to have us cover our own utility bills and pitch in for the taxes they pay for the house. I think that's quite reasonable.
But the house is still full of their stuff. And now that all of my stuff has begun accumulating in the living room, I'm starting to think maybe Ewan and I should find our own place this summer. Whenever members of the family came home (for reading week, etc.) I just cleared out and stayed at my parents' place. That's not really an option anymore, and although I (and eventually Ewan) could stay with his folks, they don't have a dedicated guest room, so it's less convenient. The homeowner would also like to renovate one of the bathrooms, which would take a few months and be a pain.
If we got our own place, I'd like a two-bedroom (or one bedroom with big den), which is likely to cost us if we want somewhere in a decent area. It would be much smaller than the place I'm in now.
Ultimately, is it better to pay less for a bigger, fully-furnished place and deal with some inconveniences, or find a new place that's likely to be smaller and more expensive, but is exclusively our own? I really have no idea.