We like it… but we don’t think it’s right for us, for a lot of reasons. We really, really miss having a dishwasher. Not just because we’re lazy, but also because without it all the dishes pile up on the sink and eat up what little counterspace we have. Also, our washing machine is out the back and we don’t have a dryer, so I can only do clothes when the sun is shining. This is a pain in the ass. The living room isn’t really big enough or configured properly to allow for much entertaining. We’ve got a great little courtyard in the back, but you have to walk down the side of the house to get to it so we rarely use it (or maintain it). The house is drafty and there are lots of bugs. There aren’t any closets so we’re just using big crappy old wardrobes. Lastly (and possibly most importantly), it’s not cheap. We realized a few months ago that Sydney is currently a renter’s market and we could probably get all these things for what we’re paying now. So we started looking.

And Saturday we found it! Totally new, modern, huge kitchen with dishwasher, nice stove, loads of counter space, and a bar. Internal laundry with dryer. Huge built-in mirrored wardrobes including a WALK-THROUGH in the main bedroom that leads to the en suite. (I have wanted a walk-through closet my whole life.) Cable and Internet ready. A nice courtyard that opens up right off the office (i.e. 2nd bedroom). Rent is exactly what we’re paying now, but it includes a secure car space as well. (Which we won’t use, but we can rent it out to someone else in the complex and thus shave a few bucks off the rent.) On top of that, the location is great. It’s only about two blocks from one of my gym’s locations so I can switch my membership. We’re only five minutes walk from the Broadway shopping center so we can actually shop in the big cheap grocery store rather than the little expensive local Newtown one. And we’re only a couple blocks from Victoria Park, where I can run and we can swim in the pool all summer!

We filled out an application on the spot, then went home and talked talked talked it over. Our only bit of hesitation came over the location. Yeah, it’s great and all… but it’s not Newtown. We like living in the hippie gay-loving quarter. We like being less than 400 yards from four different cafes. We love having 100 different restaurants within walking distance. In a way, it kinda felt like we’d be selling out to move. Not that we’re in the suburbs now or anything (in fact, we can still walk to Newtown), but now whenever we go there we won’t be locals. We’ll be tourists. It’s an admittedly egocentric position to take, but that’s how we felt.

So we called Rodd’s mom and she talked us into it. It’s more important to have a comfortable house, really. That’s where we spend most of our time. We can still go out to eat, but now it’ll require more of an effort (which hopefully means we’ll do it less). So the Snook is off handing in our deposit right now. I’m excited. 🙂

Oh, and we’ve got so much space now that we’re probably going to get a sofa-bed… so bring on the visitors!

sounds like you’re moving close to where we are! a GOOD apartment and decent rent is important so i’m happy to hear you found somewhere nice 🙂

Congrats on the new pad!