I'll back up. About a month ago we decided as a family that it made sense for us to end our jobs as resident apartment managers. Believe me, the job has its definite perks- free rent on a rather nice two bedroom apartment, plus a small salary. These are things that allowed me to go to college, and gave us the ability to pay down a lot of debt, all while staying at home with the kids. We're thankful for the blessing, but it's time for us to move on. Apartment living only lasts so long when you have two very active little boys. Let's face it, they need space to run, and I need to regain some sanity. These along with many other reasons led us to begin our search for a new home.
Let me explain something about the rental market to those of you living outside the bay area. Just because we're ready to move on doesn't mean we can just pick a place and move there. We live in a two income society, and we are a one income family (I stay at home with the boy). Now, most of the world right now is a two income society, however the norm in the bay area is for BOTH of those two incomes to be six figures. This is what we're up against. Rentals are no longer given on a first come first serve basis (assuming the first applicant is qualified). The rule of thumb that the applicant must make 2-3 times the monthly rent no longer applies. At any given open house in a decent safe neighborhood with good schools, there will be 7-10 applicants within the first FIVE MINUTES. This is NOT an exaggeration. Not only are rental prices at an all time high, but the competition is too, and I really have no explanation as to why. We have good credit, are financially stable, don't even have a car payment, and we were turned down for FIVE separate properties. One landlord actually rented a three bedroom house (the golden unicorn here in the bay) to a single man, rather than a family of four. We turned our applications in at the exact same time, and yet he was chosen because he works for a local .com and makes more money than he knows what to do with.
Because renting to families with kids is frowned upon (no matter how illegal it may be), we were doing our best to find something before I really started to show. A young couple with two kids is taboo enough around here, factor in a baby and we would have been doomed.
Finally this week we were approved to rent an adorable little house on a double lot (hello HUGE yard!), directly across the street from out favorite park. The very best part is that it is less than a mile from Nolan's office. No more twelve mile bicycle commutes. No more leaving before the rest of the house is awake, and coming home an hour before the kids' bedtime. We can have breakfast together, dinner at a decent hour, he can even come home on lunch. As far as I'm concerned that makes everything worth it. We're stoked!
I'm hoping to be able to take some pictures of the house tomorrow, if I'm able to I'll post them :-)
Pregnancy update:
I had my first ultrasound to check the baby's brain on Thursday. Baby is super active, measuring two weeks bigger than he/she should be (no shock there, I grow them big!), and best of all- no bleeds!! His/her little brain looks perfect :-)
So, for now we hold our breath for a few more weeks until we go in for the next ultrasound. These will continue, most likely monthly, until 36 weeks when, as my doctor puts it, "we bail." This Thursday we will also meet with our him to schedule the first week of treatments. Can I just say how fast that crept up on me? Barely 13 weeks, but so much has already happened, and is about to happen.
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