Some extra storage and a patch of grass in the back

Hello.  For those wondering, we haven't blogged in a while as we have been either spending our spare time looking for a new place to live or have been up at my folks' cottage in Quebec.  

Magnus and Matt Getting Our Feet Wet

Regarding the house hunt, “Some extra storage and a patch of grass in the back”, is what we told our agent we needed when we started looking for a new place a few months back.  We also wanted to be within a 30 minute commute by public transport to work.  As we started looking, we also realized that we wanted a bigger kitchen, a basement that could hold someone who is 6’3”ish, and, after seeing and losing the first house that we had bid on, a quiet tree lined street where kids could play.  

On Saturday morning, we thought we had found it.  It had been listed on Friday, caught my eye, and we decided to try and see it.  As it turns out, they were not having Open Houses and our agent was only available at 9:30am on the Saturday.  When we showed on Saturday to look at it, there were 3 positive signs: the decrepit house across the street that I had seen on Google Street View had recently been renovated, there were plenty of parking spots on the street (the house does not have parking), and there was a young boy biking round and round on the street.  After walking through the house once we realized that we had found our place, price dependent.  After a couple of offers and counter offers later that day and on Sunday, by Sunday afternoon we had our extra storage and patch of grass.

 

With the expectation of a positive inspection this Wednesday, we should be moving in in early October.  Not too bad of a process.  When we found out on Sunday that we had gotten the house, I was at a friend's moving some storage.  He and his wife told us that they had looked for over a year, lugging their newborn around Toronto every Saturday morning.  Glad that wasn't us!

On Sunday night, when discussing with Karen how we would lay out  the new place (where to put a TV, how to best use the 3^rd floor loft, what furniture do we need for the basement, etc…) she said, “They say you should live in a place for a year and really discover what you need before going out and buying  everything.”  Amen to that, Sister!

So, with that, we will try to take advantage of our last few months in King West, which is why I am writing this from our 3^rd floor back deck.  Funny thing is, I just realized that our current deck furniture won’t all fit at the new place!