The debate

To move or not
To move or not
1 comment

Pros of current apartment:
- Brand new - and spanking clean
- Big, beautiful, white kitchen, with new appliances (you know how I love to cook)
- Attached baths to both bedrooms (A and I have separate bathrooms!)
- Walking distance to library and current place of work

Cons of current apartment:
- Small closets
- No cross ventilation
- No patio
- No place to grow plants/herbs (This really sucks- fresh herbs are expensive!)
- No view (But I do get to hear church bells)
- Isolated- no like-minded people

Pros of proposed apartment:
- Bigger, more spacious (Giant closets, cathedral ceiling)
- Extra room for a study
- Patio with a great view and a small vegetable bed (for growing herbs! and tomatoes!)
- Walking distance to future place of work
- Plenty of friendly neighbors
- Greener (Lots of beautiful trees/trails for walking/biking)

Cons of proposed apartment:
- Small, dingy kitchen (No, it can't be fixed)
- Old apartment, old appliances (and old carpet)
- One and a half unattached baths


If you actually read through the list, its only fair to give me your opinion. :)




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Scott

Interesting about the like-minded people thing. What kind of neighbors do you have now? I know that can be frustrating.

The kitchen does sound like a downer.

Over time I've accumulated a pros-and-cons checklist for house-hunting. It's gotten outta control. :-)

Purplesque
Current neighbors: bunches of medical students who like to party as hard as they study! :) They aren't bad neighbors, but I feel distinctly old living amongst them.

There is only one really important thing in that whole list, the darned kitchen. Its not just small and old but all dark and cheerless. Maybe they'll let me paint it..

Thank goodness its just an apartment and not a house! Are you happy with your current checklisted place?
Scott
We've been keeping an eye out for something bigger. We found one place that hit a remarkable number of checkboxes, but the price was a little too queasy-making. We're not under pressure to move, but that's good and bad. We have to keep ourselves motivated.
Purplesque
Yes..I know what you mean.

The motivation to grow our own herbs is what's going to propel us into moving in the end, I suspect.
Aubrey

The cons of your proposed apmt. actually remind me of my apmt. The dingy kitchen is chiefly my fault, but in my years here I have baked turkeys, vats of lasagna, legions of cookies...one can cook in a restricted space.

(also, my apmt. has 5 large closets and at this moment I'm typing this under a tall, raftered ceiling)

My carpet was laid down sometime during the Civil War. It isn't too much of a bother, really.

Can the appliances be replaced?

How old is your apmt? Usually in the really old ones there are charming little nooks etc. that make the 'discomforts' worth while.

Fanny
[this is good]
I don't know what your climate is like but given that the new place has a patio and views would you be able to spend a lot of time entertaining your nice new neighbourhood outdoors? I understand the kitchen problem - my kitchen here is not great mainly because the cooker comes from the stone age ...

...however, before I lived here I lived in a beautiful place, beautiful apartment, fabulous appliances BUT - my neighbours weren't friendly, I had no garden and I was very unhappy. Here, my kitchen may not be fab but I have wonderful neighbours, a garden and I'm really much happier. Gardens, patios, growing and planting really makes a difference to me.
Singing Horse
Oh, God, this is a difficult choice! I can't stand the either apartment. But if I had to choose, I'd stick with the current apartment. The kitchen is too important for me. But again, not being able to grow plants/herbs sucks. If you entertain regularly, you might consider making a new kitchen in the proposed apartment. But that will cost a lot. There's no other possibility? If none, I'll stick with the current apartment.
Flamingo Dancer
6 of one and half a dozen of the other....maybe stay where you are?
Zotta
[this is good]
Don't know and don't envy you the difficult choice! I would discuss it with A.
but most of all, your gut. Meditate on it and see what comes up. Maybe
take some notes on your meditation; maybe not. Give it some breathing
space. The Romans drank on a big decision; not sure that's such a hot idea:)!
Amy Jeynes

I have to agree... if the small kitchen is a real downer for you, perhaps keep looking in the same neighborhood as the one with the dingy kitchen.

On the other hand, if you could find a way to add some light to the dingy kitchen... as long as it's CLEAN, you might be able to work with it. Maybe do food prep at your dining table? Buy an electric wok? If you have a lot of cooking stuff to store, maybe kitchen storage is critical also; I'm not sure.

Bookmole
I think the kitchen is a deal-breaker. I know, for me now, I could not have a bedroom without attached bath - having had one, it has moved to a must-have.

I would wait for an apartment with herb-growing potential and a big kitchen.

Could you not have window boxes or pots on window sill?
Purplesque
:) Oh, I know you're right, Aubrey. Unfortunately, the apartment is not old enough to be interesting. There is a fireplace, though, and good light. I doubt that the appliances can be replaced (its hospital-subsidized housing), but maybe we can get permission to paint the kitchen a lighter color.
Purplesque
Likewise, P. Maybe the kitchen can be rescued, somehow..the patio and the view are probably worth it. Thanks!
Robbbiedobbbie
[this is good]
I didn't stop to read all of the comments (lazy; I'm sorry) so maybe someone already said this -- the new place with the tiny dingy kitchen -- tiny is manageable. Not easy or fun, but manageable. Dingy-- maybe you could make small cosmetic improvements?
So much of the rest of the place sounds WONDERFUL, based on your lists......
How long will you stay there? That's part of the decision, I'm sure. Given the state of gas prices and food prices, being able to walk to work and grow food seems REALLY cool!
Patio?? with a VIEW???????? that's like going on vacation! Sort of. And how big is it? Can you put a grill out there? Would you be allowed? Just a hibachi? That's like a kitchen outside.

Bigger rooms, extra room, hgih ceilings........yum.
The friend and neighobrs-- wow. Do you already know them? that's great!


Purplesque
Its hospital housing..I don't think we can build a new kitchen. lol..it would be quite a feat if we manage to paint it. I don't know, SH..the main thing is that we want to be in a more active place, where we can go for a walk, meet neighbors, invite people over for a casual cup of tea. Still thinking...
Purplesque
Thanks, Z..I think we are headed towards a move. :)
Purplesque
Yeah, we're still thinking..almost there!
Luminous Heart
oh! i went through similar debates in my recent apartment search. it seemed like i could never get the best of both worlds either. based on my priorities i rejected the bigger places, more convenient places, cheaper places, etc if they were old and had ugly kitchens or bathrooms. that was just the priority i placed on things, even though i don't even cook =) i finally landed a place that was brand new with a beautiful kitchen and bathroom; i sacrificed a bit on size and closet space, and it is quite far from work... but it's worth it. i guess it all depends on your priorities... judging from your list, i can kinda figure out what you're leaning towards =)
Purplesque
You know, thats a great idea..my big concern was that all our current kitchen stuff wouldn't fit in the new one. But maybe we can just use the extra closets for storage..

It could work. :)
Purplesque
Naah..I asked them and they gave me some long-winded answer about why I couldn't.

Attached baths are a Huge convenience.
Purplesque
Thanks, RD! The rest of the place is Quite nice..I'm already thinking about buying (or maybe even painting) a couple of tall paintings for the living room. There is also a nice fireplace. The patio has a view of the Capitol..and a gorgeous grassy slope leading down to the river..its amazing! Not big enough for a grill, but definitely a Hibachi.

Most of our friends live out there.
Purplesque
Lol..seems like I'm headed in the exact opposite direction! The idea of moving in an old place is not very comforting, but it is prettier on the whole. Plus, my in-laws are coming for a long visit later in the year, and we feel they'll enjoy the greenery and the view in the other apartment a lot more. (If only the darned kitchen quit bothering me..)
Emjay
My two cents worth ...... we lived in a 12th floor one-bedroom apartment for 7.5 years. When we started looking to buy something late last year my number one "want" was that the house or condo had to have some outdoor space - a balcony, a deck, a patio, a courtyard - just something where I could try to grow a few things and sit occasionally. Getting two bathrooms is really, really nice too! :-) You can still make delicious dishes in tatty kitchens!! And, you can cook a lot of stuff on a weber!
Purplesque
I hear you, Emjay. We've lived in this apartment for only a year, but the lack of a small outdoor space really gets to me. I have a thing with fresh air..I miss it only when I can't have it. :) Here's my to-grow list- mint, basil, lavender, rosemary, green chilli peppers, tomatoes (and maybe zucchinis). And to be able to make grilled portobello burgers and flatbreads..yeahh!

If we move, we'll actually to downgrading from two full (attached ) baths to one and a half bath..but I think we can live with that.
Lakshmi
I am late. However, I vote for the "proposed" apartment.
Purplesque
And that's where we are headed in another month! I'll probably come begging for decoration ideas.

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