kjp

Work's kept me pretty busy lately (during the week). It's good, but tiring... Anyhow, I seem to have no time on the weekends as well :( This is annoying. Although I'm free for the rest of this afternoon and this evening.

Yesterday and last Saturday I was out looking for somewhere to live (ie: buying a unit / townhouse type place). On each of the days there was really only one place I liked. But each of those there were problems. The best place last weekend had a fair bit of smoke (although this would clear), but was too close to a main road. If it were hot and I wanted a breeze through the place in the evening, then it would get noisy. The best place yesterday would be good if it were just me in it. It was fairly small - designed for one person (or maybe a couple). I want to have at least two rooms, and aim to rent one of them out (so that I can get a bit of extra money to help with the mortgage).

That's the big thing though: it's going to cost heaps of money. In the area that I'm looking, basic two bedroom units / townhouses are from $200,000. And if you want something decent (like I do), you're looking at $230k - $250k. Ouch ouch ouch. I'm not planing to buy just yet: I'll probably be staying where I am for most of the remainder of this year. Towards the end of this year I'll need to sort out something. Maybe I'll rent for a bit, and try and save up a bit more. Hmmm. Maybe the market won't go up too much before then?? I have no idea of the timing of it though... It's pretty daunting really. I've never been in debt for any significant amount of money. I don't think that I'll like owing someone (the bank) a whole lot of dosh.

The other thing is: do I really want to buy a place?? I think that I do. Well; I do, eventually at least. I think that I'd like the permanence / security of a place of my own. The major concern is that it is a big risk: if a few things in life went pear-shaped (eg: got fired!? and major downturn in housing market) I could be in the poo.

I don't know: it's all a big mess in my head.

On Monday night a money / mortgage guy from one of the real estate companies is coming over to talk to me about mortgages, how much I can borrow, etc. Wow, that's tomorrow - this weekend has flown by. Hopefully things will be a bit clearer after that.

A few other things for the record:

Friday night I saw "Underworld" at J's place with a few of his group "the boys". The evening was pretty good. The movie was ok (not great): was all about vampires vs werewolves. Yesterday I dropped W & L off at the airport: they're over in Perth / South-West WA for a couple of weeks: the house is mine!