A forced hand
Last week out landlord arranged to have insulation installed in the ceiling. This evening a tree man phoned up at the real estate agent's request to take a look at some of our trees.
Our two year lease expires in a week.
I'm getting suspicious that all these updates are being done so they can increase the price by the maximum allowable (10%), possibly with the hope we'll move out so they can increase it by 25% to a competitive rate. This has currently got to be the cheapest three bedroom house in Northcote (it was two years ago when we moved in). The other possibility is that they're about to give us notice and put the house on the market.
The idea of moving after becoming so thoroughly settled in this house, street and suburb is despairing. We hoped to live here until we buy a house in 2013, when our First Home Saver Account matures.
On the other hand, we're not going to have access to our house deposit until a month after Jack starts school. We have zero chance of buying a house in Northcote - the only thing I've seen on our imaginary price range is a two bedroom flat in the horrid block on the other side of our back fence. I don't want to start him in school here for a few months and then move him, or enrol him in a far-away suburb we hope to buy in without any certainty.
I'm going to phone the agent tomorrow to ask about signing another two year lease, which was our original plan before these suspicious updates began. Hopefully this will prompt them to reveal the owner's plans. If it's a 10% increase to $330 a week, we'll possibly stay if we can get another two year contract at that rate.
Then again, there's a number of three bedroom houses in Reservoir for only $260 a week. Putting that $70 a week difference into our house deposit account is very tempting. As Reservoir's where we'd possibly be buying a house in three and a bit years anyway we'd have plenty of time to get to know the area, join a new playgroup and make new friends before becoming permanent residents.
And if they're planning to sell then we don't really have a choice.
Our two year lease expires in a week.
I'm getting suspicious that all these updates are being done so they can increase the price by the maximum allowable (10%), possibly with the hope we'll move out so they can increase it by 25% to a competitive rate. This has currently got to be the cheapest three bedroom house in Northcote (it was two years ago when we moved in). The other possibility is that they're about to give us notice and put the house on the market.
The idea of moving after becoming so thoroughly settled in this house, street and suburb is despairing. We hoped to live here until we buy a house in 2013, when our First Home Saver Account matures.
On the other hand, we're not going to have access to our house deposit until a month after Jack starts school. We have zero chance of buying a house in Northcote - the only thing I've seen on our imaginary price range is a two bedroom flat in the horrid block on the other side of our back fence. I don't want to start him in school here for a few months and then move him, or enrol him in a far-away suburb we hope to buy in without any certainty.
I'm going to phone the agent tomorrow to ask about signing another two year lease, which was our original plan before these suspicious updates began. Hopefully this will prompt them to reveal the owner's plans. If it's a 10% increase to $330 a week, we'll possibly stay if we can get another two year contract at that rate.
Then again, there's a number of three bedroom houses in Reservoir for only $260 a week. Putting that $70 a week difference into our house deposit account is very tempting. As Reservoir's where we'd possibly be buying a house in three and a bit years anyway we'd have plenty of time to get to know the area, join a new playgroup and make new friends before becoming permanent residents.
And if they're planning to sell then we don't really have a choice.