My Opera21 June 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006 5:14:57 AM
Just an initial update on the house we plan to lease.
It is in a residential neighborhood that seemed pretty quiet to me. Houses are very close to each other, but this one has a spacious (for this region) backyard pretty enclosed by shrubs, trees, etc. Very nice low (like 12" above ground) deck that wraps around the back of the house and connects to a side one-car garage (not otherwise connected to the house I think.
Coming in front door, there is a small hallway area with another door into the living space (vesitbule) with an ample closet to the side. House main level opens into a stairway area with a very small room (about the size of a walk-in closet) to the immediate left, then a bathroom to the left, and finally a bigger room immediately to the right of the bathroom (right now used as a TV room). Between these three rooms, it could be a master bedroom area maybe. Dead-ahead of the vestibule is a large living/dining room area that has a big fireplace in the center--hopefully we'll be able to partially warm the house with wood as electric heating is very expensive. Kitchen is a corner layout with smaller appliances than we're used to. Dining room may or may not be separate, I just don't recall right now--but I have photos of two different dining tables, one was definitely in the kitchen area, so I surmise the other must've been somewhere . . .
Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms and a bathroom--very small with sloped roops. Basically, the upstairs is the "attic" under a relatively peaked roof. We're not sure we can fit beds and much else in there, but hey we've got sleeping bags and camping pads, right? Looked like decent number of built-in closets (mostly with mirror sliding doors to answer Norwegian thirst for more light).
Basement was most confusing as it is partially finished. There was definitely something like a family room down there, and a bathroom. The realtor thought they must've intended to put a sauna in there at some point, but haven't yet (rats). Lots of small rooms that can be used for storage. Markedly cooler in the basement (but we're starting with summer temps in the 60's, so could be a factor of that)--something tells me it might not be the most popular place in the winter though.
I felt like I should snap this house up as the market is pretty quick around here. Our major competition seems to be the oil companies. No view to a fjord or anything, but space was more important to me, and maybe that's why no one went for this earlier? Or maybe we're just doomed. Given my earlier experience of picking a rental in Dayton, Ohio, I'm afraid the confidence level should be low . . .
Lots of shopping nearby, so that'll be convenient. About 9 KM away from work, with very convenient highway access. I guess, getting a place rapidly that has at least the right number of bedrooms (albeit small), allows pets, and is within our housing allowance = victory.
All for now.
And back again later in the day. Signed the contract, now just waiting for the landlord to sign his copy. So, as of 14 July, I'll move out of the hotel apartments and into our house. At that point our housing allowance begins, so we'll be O.K. Wrote a check for $5000 worth of NOK to begin building up cash reserve to pay security deposit (38000 NOK) and 1st month's rent (actually 1/2 month). One good thing--both landlord and tenant go to bank and set up a joint account for deposit of security deposit, at the end of the lease, presuming no problems, we (tenant) get the deposit back plus accrued interest--so, kind of like a savings account for us that we can't touch for 3 years. But, better than states where you lose interest on money.
Also, looks like we can arrange for most utilities without a D-Number, and possibly even the toll-road autopass--we'll see.
All for now, again. Here is a map of where we'll be living.
It is in a residential neighborhood that seemed pretty quiet to me. Houses are very close to each other, but this one has a spacious (for this region) backyard pretty enclosed by shrubs, trees, etc. Very nice low (like 12" above ground) deck that wraps around the back of the house and connects to a side one-car garage (not otherwise connected to the house I think.
Coming in front door, there is a small hallway area with another door into the living space (vesitbule) with an ample closet to the side. House main level opens into a stairway area with a very small room (about the size of a walk-in closet) to the immediate left, then a bathroom to the left, and finally a bigger room immediately to the right of the bathroom (right now used as a TV room). Between these three rooms, it could be a master bedroom area maybe. Dead-ahead of the vestibule is a large living/dining room area that has a big fireplace in the center--hopefully we'll be able to partially warm the house with wood as electric heating is very expensive. Kitchen is a corner layout with smaller appliances than we're used to. Dining room may or may not be separate, I just don't recall right now--but I have photos of two different dining tables, one was definitely in the kitchen area, so I surmise the other must've been somewhere . . .
Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms and a bathroom--very small with sloped roops. Basically, the upstairs is the "attic" under a relatively peaked roof. We're not sure we can fit beds and much else in there, but hey we've got sleeping bags and camping pads, right? Looked like decent number of built-in closets (mostly with mirror sliding doors to answer Norwegian thirst for more light).
Basement was most confusing as it is partially finished. There was definitely something like a family room down there, and a bathroom. The realtor thought they must've intended to put a sauna in there at some point, but haven't yet (rats). Lots of small rooms that can be used for storage. Markedly cooler in the basement (but we're starting with summer temps in the 60's, so could be a factor of that)--something tells me it might not be the most popular place in the winter though.
I felt like I should snap this house up as the market is pretty quick around here. Our major competition seems to be the oil companies. No view to a fjord or anything, but space was more important to me, and maybe that's why no one went for this earlier? Or maybe we're just doomed. Given my earlier experience of picking a rental in Dayton, Ohio, I'm afraid the confidence level should be low . . .
Lots of shopping nearby, so that'll be convenient. About 9 KM away from work, with very convenient highway access. I guess, getting a place rapidly that has at least the right number of bedrooms (albeit small), allows pets, and is within our housing allowance = victory.
All for now.
And back again later in the day. Signed the contract, now just waiting for the landlord to sign his copy. So, as of 14 July, I'll move out of the hotel apartments and into our house. At that point our housing allowance begins, so we'll be O.K. Wrote a check for $5000 worth of NOK to begin building up cash reserve to pay security deposit (38000 NOK) and 1st month's rent (actually 1/2 month). One good thing--both landlord and tenant go to bank and set up a joint account for deposit of security deposit, at the end of the lease, presuming no problems, we (tenant) get the deposit back plus accrued interest--so, kind of like a savings account for us that we can't touch for 3 years. But, better than states where you lose interest on money.
Also, looks like we can arrange for most utilities without a D-Number, and possibly even the toll-road autopass--we'll see.
All for now, again. Here is a map of where we'll be living.
