There are pro's and con's to a long closing date when buying a house.
Pro's
- Obviously, time.
- Paperwork - lawyers, mortgage
- Packing
- Planning the move
- Ability to live a little prior to leaving. We're still hosting house concerts, Thanksgiving dinner, having friends over.
- We can say "good bye" to things that make this neighbourhood great, but won't be so easy in the new house. Things like our favourite restaurants. I know I could always go back, but it's not going to be convenient and we'll have new favourite spots in the new community.
- Using up food in the fridge, freezer and pantry, kind of highlighted how much of a food hoarder I can be. We have a lot of roast beef to eat.
Con's
- Everyone thinks I've already moved. It's weird the number of people who think I'm already there and asking how the new commute/neighbours/etc are. Mr. Lina's manager asked if he was going to vote on his lunch time last week. Um, no, not driving 70 km to vote and turn around to go back to work for the afternoon...
- I'm in a limbo of not wanting ANYTHING coming into the house - food, books, movies, STUFF. If it can't be consumed in 30 days, then it's just another thing that needs packing and unpacking and is likely to get lost.
- I sure hope none of the appliances break as we would have to replace them.
- The excitement of the new house has become less tangible.
- I feel sad that I'll be saying good bye to this house and neighbourhood.
- Limbo extends to hobbies. I have a fairly empty sewing room, but no table to work on and most of my fabric is in storage and I don't want to make a mess.
Mr. Lina has been changing our address with, well, everyone. Utility companies, Canada Post, banks and ID, on and on. It's good, but getting the update of every single one is actually stressing me out a little. Because I'm not ready to do that and I have ID that I have to change myself. The things that I'd change easily don't seem to want 4 weeks notice.
I need to find some of the excitement again. It is looking like we'll be going to the new house on Sunday to get quotes for finishing the basement. Hopefully that kick starts the "ohboyohboyohboy" feeling that will make address changing and packing more exciting and less... scary.
It's so exciting and exhausting! What helps me get through it is thinking about the first dinner party, first overnight guests. And I strategically plan the first song played in the new home. In our first purchased condo we played "Let's Stay Together" by Al Greene and danced in the kitchen surrounded by boxes. It was like a scene from a Julia Roberts movie. Not to say there wasn't crying and yelling and "I changed my mind". But I usually think of the Al Greene moment first. :)
ReplyDeleteI hadn't even thought about a first song. That's something Mr. Lina would think of though. I know he does for new cars.
DeleteGoing to the house has done the trick. It was nice to walk in and still feel like I'm at home.