Thursday, February 28, 2013

Signing on a new dotted line

View of Brooklyn Bridge from IKEA ferry on *sparklingly [http://www.sparklingly.blogspot.com]
{ View of Lower Manhattan from the NYC Harbor during our Pioneer Schooner evening sail  |  August 2012 }

The definition of naiveté: assuming it would be completely fine for us to time the end of our NYC lease to 6 months from when we're eligible for each others' citizenship, because of course we'll be able to work the system of three different governments to apply for and receive permission to live abroad AND prepare for an international move within 180 days.

So very, very foolish, on our part.

All of which to say that my home in Lower Manhattan—where I've lived for 6 years—may no longer be my home come spring. I've lived in the same building the entire time, although I've moved apartments within it twice, and we assumed (again, naive) that if our lease expired before we had the proper paperwork to move, we'd just go month-to-month, which I've done before.

But, I haven't verified that we could do that again, and in the meantime, our building emailed us yesterday to say that our rent was going up 15% a month. So, either we take a gamble and assume all the timing gods will work in our favor and we should ask if it's still possible to do a month-to-month lease for a few months (at the higher price), or realize that it would not be a mistake to assume we'd need another year to sort things out and really prepare ourselves well for an international move so it would make more sense to move somewhere else where we could either pay the same rent, or slightly more—but not 15% more!—for a better apartment.

And, did I mention we have two weeks to decide? And, that in NYC, you have to basically give up your apartment before you find a new one, which means that if we decide not to renew our apartment we'd have to tell them now, but we wouldn't be able to find another apartment until a month or so before it's available, which works out to me being a basketcase and not knowing where I'm going to live for 6 weeks.

Fun!

8 comments :

  1. what about finding a place for another FULL year. Aim to leave earlier and if everything aligns and you are ready to leave earlier then a year, just sublet the appt!? just thinking out loud. I've sublet my apt twice, worked out beautifully, there are always so many ppl looking for a place.

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    1. Yep, that's what I meant——option two is realizing it'll take another year to sort things out so it's better to sign another full-year lease at the same price (or slightly higher for better apartment) somewhere else. Will see... :/

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    2. well not exactly- you can say it'll take you less then a year to sort things out, but to make sure you're not stressed sign the apartment for a full year. That way you have a fall back if paperwork takes LONGER, and if you are done in 6 month you can sublet the apartment to someone for the remaining 6 month...

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  2. Apartment stuff is always so stressful! And expensive, if you have to pay a realtor fee. I'm actually back at my pre-San Francisco building (different apartment though) after a couple of not-so-great places. Hopefully, I can just stay here until we buy a place. I've averaged a new apartment for every year since college...not fun.
    Here's to hoping your living situation resolves itself quickly!

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    1. Thanks! And, whoa! I suppose I shouldn't complain since I've only been in two buildings since college (although I've moved into four different units, with one repeat!).

      I had thought I'd have one more rental before buying, but now looks like it'll be one in NYC and one abroad before we settle on a long-term place. I can't even think about what the difference would have been had I bought 6 years ago when I wanted to (I didn't because wasn't sure I'd stay in NYC that long...argh).

      Thanks for the encouragement—-hopefully I'll have some good, not too expensive (fingers crossed for a no-fee place and low moving costs!) news to share soon'ish!

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  3. boo! although i'm (selfishly) happy that we may actually be on the same coast of the same continent for a little while again!

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    Replies
    1. True, that was definitely tallied up in the "pros" column ;).

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XOXO,
J.