Movin' on Up?

Those of you who have been waiting on pins and needles for my next blog post can thank my dear Nana, who e-mailed me yesterday to gently remind me that I have been slacking. I admit, the blog has taken a backseat for a while--we have been busy with the move and Tom's job hunt, and when I did get a quiet moment here and there, I was busy savoring it and being too lazy to blog. But, have no fear loyal readers, I have returned--and I bring good news!

Tom landed a job.

We are so, so very happy. The relief in itself is huge. No more resume-editing, no more looking up previous employer addresses for the 80 millionth time, no more scouring Indeed.com for hours upon hours each day. The other emotion we're feeling though could probably best be described as "told ya so!". To be fair, we had plenty of people who were very openly supportive of our decision to move back to Ohio (and we are eternally grateful to those people!), but there was no denying the hint of doubt/concern/what-do-you-mean-you're-quitting-your-job tone in the voices of some. We knew this decision was risky, but we had faith that it was right and we feel so vindicated now that things are really falling into place. Our house will be officially sold on Tuesday, and Tom starts a job as a sales rep for ADT Security on the 24th.

The decision to pursue (and eventually accept) a job in sales was one we didn't take lightly, but Tom is really excited about the competitive nature of the field and his new boss even suggested that Tom reach out to old football contacts so that he can still help coach (!). One of the biggest perks of this new job is that it will allow me to continue to stay home with Libby.

And as much as we are enjoying living with my parents, I (not surprisingly to anyone who knows my impatient nature) began looking for rental houses online before the ink was even dry on Tom's offer letter. We plan to rent for a while so that Tom can get settled into his new job and so that we can have some time to determine where exactly in lovely northeast Ohio we want to put down roots.

Looking for rental prospects sounded like fun. Its kind of like house-hunting as a buyer, without all the added pressure and financial stress. If you make a mistake when you pick out a rental, so what? You're not tied to the place for thirty years. And after dealing with the process of selling a house, we were looking forward to leaving contract negotiations and closing costs behind us for a while. Plus, with Tom's new job offering us some extra income, maybe we could find a real steal of a rental and save some money for a while.

It all sounded great, so I began my search where all knowledgeable renters begin--Craig's List. At first, the possibilities seemed endless--there were so many listings! But then I narrowed by price (we're trying to save money, right?) and pet policy (I don't think Ron and Melis want Bauer and Scarlet to become permanent residents here). Suddenly, my list was a lot shorter. Nevertheless, I e-mailed a few prospects that looked good. I got a few responses, too. They all started out encouraging--"Yes, the unit is still available!" Then, they all mysteriously turned in the same directions--"We have been transferred overseas so we cannot show you the property, but if you send us the deposit, we are sure you will be pleased..." After some quick Googling, my suspicions were confirmed--those listing that had appeared too good to be true? They were. It was a classic Craig's List scam.

Still not feeling totally defeated, we made phone contact with a landlord in Broadview Heights--super close to Tom's office, right price, 3 bedrooms, a walk out basement and a yard! Since there were no photos online, the landlord was kind enough to give us the address of the property so we could drive by it ourselves, which we did this morning. I probably should have taken a photo, but this will give you an idea--

Actually, this house probably has a leg up on the one we saw, since this one is in sunny Jamaica as opposed to lovely northeast Ohio. 

 

 

As we pulled out of the driveway, Tom asked if I wanted to take Libby to the park down the street, so that all was not lost on our trip. I politely declined and informed him I never wanted to visit Broadview Heights again, thankyouverymuch.

Maybe living with my parents for an eternity or so isn't looking so bad after all...