Over 2 years ago we applied to 2 co-ops and then another the following spring. This past spring, we were offered a place in the one that we really wanted. I explained that we had just moved, I was 6 months pregnant and dealing with dad’s death and that now was not the right time. I figured we would have at least another 6 months before our names came up. Nope, 2 months later we got another call that we were up on the list and as I was due to give birth at any moment, we again had to turn it down and lose our spot. Two weeks previously we had received a call from one of the other co-ops that we had applied to that our names had come up. As that place was offering a 2 bedrooms it was easy to turn it down and wait for a 3 bedroom.
You can already see what is coming, can’t you.
This Friday we got a call that our name had come up again for the co-op (not the one that we really want) and this time it is a 3 bedroom available for February. We decided to go to the interview and check the place out. It was essentially offered to us but they had been unable to show us the place so they couldn’t offer it to us outright.
Sounds great! My housing needs solved and I can focus my attention on my other two wishes. So why am I feeling like it doesn’t seem like the right decision to take the place? When Ryan and I got together we promised ‘no settling’ and we repeated that promise to one another in our wedding vows. This feels like we would be settling because we are afraid. Neither of us have felt very good since our landlords implied that they would be moving in sooner that the 2 years that they had previously thought. That combined with Vancouver’s crazy housing market that seems to defy all known laws of economics and common sense has led us to feel like suspect financial decisions will be be the only way for us to purchase a house in the Lower Mainland (one day I’ll write about the advice we got from financial planner as to how we could purchase our house). If we don’t purchase, our home stability will always be at the whim of another person. It would seem, then that getting into a co-op is exactly what we should do.
Except, I don’t want to live there.
It is not just that there is carpeting in the living space and that we would be living on top of somebody. There is also the fact that it is not as walking friendly as our present location and I worry about mould. However, there are many positives – lots of kids, community oriented, stable, 1250 square feet, and cheap rent.
Still don’t want to live there.
I feel like I am being childish and over-demanding in not being ecstatic about being offered this place. It feels like we would be settling because we can put check marks in most of the boxes and as no one ever gets to check off all the boxes taking the place is the ‘right’ and ‘responsible’ decision to make.
We will go and look at the place (tonight if the snow isn’t too bad) and then we will have to make a decision by tomorrow.
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