It.. is... OVER

WE HAVE A HOUSE


Well, we don't HAVE it just this second in time, but as soon as the tenants leave, and I meet with the landlord again on Sunday, we have an apt.

It has been almost 2 months of searching to first find out if there are safe places that we can afford.
Then it was searching for an opening.
Then finding one who would accept Buttercup
Then finding one that was close enough to a bus line
then ....then.......then........
I found one.

And the landlord is a fabulous man.
The apt we are getting is still occupied because the people who are there are behind on their rent and are having a real hard time finding a place to go. The landlord ( george) is giving them all the time they need because he refuses to throw out a family.
Oh my.. that made my heart warm and fuzzy.
Not many landlords are that willing to help people out.
You miss rent, you go. Not with him. He cares about the people who live there and wants only people who are working class and reliable , but can not truthfully afford a high rent.
He doesn't take section 8 because he says there is enough of that for people who need it, but not enough of just affordable housing for those who don't quite qualify for section 8.

He is buying the entire block of apts to turn them into homes for people like us. He busts his butt on his rentals to keep them really nice.
For an 800 sq ft apt, we have some REALLY nice stone flooring, and granite counter tops.
Beautiful dark wood balcony and porch.
His upgrades are not what you would expect for an apt this cheap.

It is 525 a month.
about 60 bucks short of what we were expecting to pay.

I am so happy that we are now safe.

I am so scared that we wont make it.
What if we cant make it? What if our electricity bills are too high?
What if our car breaks down? What if we cant afford food? What if we cant afford basic living expenses? what if we cant afford a phone? what if what if.

It is so tiny though. very very tiny. And that breaks my heart a bit.
But the benefits outweigh the size 100xs over.
A few steps away there is a fenced play area for Bean and Buppy.
The balcony is a GREAT size and we can actually have friends over freely. It is our space. We can ( maybe) even still save money here .
The way the windows are placed, I can realistically open them all up and catch the breeze of a corner apt and help keep our bills down, and the apt clean and aired out. My poor kitty doesn't have to be locked up into a bedroom anymore because MIL doesn't like her and might kick her. We are still in the same neighborhood and close to the same bus stop that takes Ian straight to work so we can cut out our gas bill.
I can keep the same schedule with my clients that I have now with out having to add more drive time. We can still afford to keep Jillian in school. We can even afford a 10.00 a month dial up connection wich is mandatory because that is where I get my customers from.

it is worth it.
but it is so small . Oh boy.

but.. wow.
I found us a home.