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I just rented a house!


Remember the pictures of the little salmon-colored house I posted in October? Well, I kept going back to it every time I was in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Last week we drove by and the realty sign was down. Oh, oh. I figured the owner had either sold it or the listing had expired. It was dark, so I didn't see any other signs.

I talked to the owner in church this morning and the listing had indeed expired. So, he was trying to sell it himself, dropping the selling price to $35,000. I asked if he would be willing to lease it to me for a year with an option to buy after that. We dickered around a little and reached what I thought was an excellent agreement. Compared to the rental prices in So. Cal, this is a definite steal at $450/month. I gave him a security deposit, and when I asked what he'd charge me to move some of my stuff into the house from my RV this week, he told me "absolutely nothing."

What convinced me that this was the best thing for me right now was this: when Harry and I were talking at church this morning, the minister walked over to me and pressed a $20 bill into my hand with her comment: "Here's some of your earnest money. We need you here." I tend to believe things like that happen for a reason.

The owner has no problem with my digging up the small yard a bit for a garden, and I'll now have built-in adjustable bookshelves for books and sewing supplies. There's also all the furniture I'll need until I find some of my own.

So, plans have changed a little. Instead of driving the RV back to San Diego for Christmas and hanging around in Blythe, CA for a few months, I'm going to find a place to store the RV and just drive the pickup. I can drive faster and not use so much gas on the way and the way back. I can get all my stuff out of my mom's storage shed (not that much, really) and take it back. I plan to move in sometime in January and keep the RV as I've got some plans for the coming fall/winter.

Writing my blog and rereading what I've written has shown me that it's definitely time to step out of the nomadic life for a while. I love the small city of Bartlesville and the people. It's a very friendly place, a place I could definitely make my home.

Whoohoooo! I loved that place when you put up pics two months ago! I'm glad you got it. Can't wait to see pics after you are moved in. Sounds like you have found your home!

Well holy smokes!!! Not sticks & bricks but sticks & shingles!!!!

Good grief I thought you figured that the roaming life was your's?? I know that you had mentioned Lou when you talked about staying on the road. You two might be burning up the highways with that commute!!!

Congrats Chris, I hope it is all that you want it to be. Don't forget the curtains!!!

Chris,
As you said, things happen for a reason. Good for you! I can't wait to see pics after you get moved in and put your personal touch on the house.

And even better - you have a year to live there and discover if this is the place for you.

Good idea Chris to rent first with option to buy. By the time a year has passed, you'll know if this is the town & house for you, and if settling down is what you want to do. Best wishes!

I do remember seeing those photos on another message board. It really is a cute house and I also remember how much you also like the town. Good luck. ~ Shell

now you need a housewarming gtg
could you store the rv in the yard? Being a small town, zoning might not be critical
of things like that.

Congrats. Smart to rent for a year so you can decide if settling down is for you. I've still got my house but am not interested (yet) in moving back into it. The house is small but the yard was huge.

Thank you all for your good wishes! I appreciate all your comments very much. As I wrote to a friend in California this morning, this RVing was never, ever meant to be a permanent thing; it’s been a way to avoid the high rents for dismal apartments in Southern California as well as the boring, dead-end jobs available, and see parts of the country I’ve never seen before. Perhaps it might be different if I wanted to pay for a larger RV, but that's not on the agenda. I can’t say I’ve really enjoyed the hard work as a waitress and housekeeper, but it has been a way to pay the bills and afford to live, augmenting a small divorce settlement. It has been a great way to meet so many wonderful people I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and to keep in touch with them.

I’ve always been a fairly rooted person with a garden, sewing room, books, friendly neighbors, and a place in the community, and have intended all along to return to that type of lifestyle if I could ever afford it again. The additional money from good ol’ Uncle Sam has finally made that a possibility. I guess finding all kinds of photos yesterday morning that I thought were lost in a hard drive crash several years ago finally made me realize that, “okay, now it’s time.” They were pictures of gardens I had in Portland that I’d emailed to a friend in Canada. Looking at them, I got extremely homesick for that type of life. I’ve been ogling that little house ever since getting here in October, knowing it was probably the most perfect home for me that I’d ever seen. I can’t ignore the fact that it will be a great place to invite people for meals, etc. I can’t ignore the fact that it’s owned by a long-time member of the UU church and the fact that the minister is so welcoming and desirous of my help with their very small church in the middle of the reddest state in the country. There are opportunities here as well as challenges. And, because Bartlesville is so close to Coffeyville, there’s really no reason I’d have to give up the RV life permanently as I could still volunteer as chaplain/minister here for several months if Mark gives his approval.

I could park in the area behind the house temporarily. However, that’s not part of the property. Harry owns that whole strip back there, from the alley to the other street, and is willing to sell part of it if I decide to buy the house. This morning I found covered, locked, secure RV storage for a very decent price. I wanted covered because I'm unsure about the weather here in the winter. So, that will be worth the little bit of money for the peace of mind.

And so a new phase of life will begin sometime in January.

Remember when you first found the "perfect house" so glad you got the opportunity to go back and claim it. Sounds perfect for you and still allows you to roam around when you want to. Many, many happy hours in it.

Chris, I'm so happy for you !!!
I loved the pictures of that little house and I can sure see how you fell in love with it ! Can't wait for the pictures after you move in.
I can see why you want to settle down again - I too miss having a home base. I just haven't found the right place to settle yet
Enjoy this new phase of your life !!! It'll be fun to follow along with you

Chris, I'm so happy you are following your heart. That's what this forum is about ... finding ourselves within and without. Perhaps your RV was destined to simply carry you until you arrive. Perhaps you have. God bless. janice

Congratulations!! Sounds like you're right where you want to be at this particular time. carold

Chris I know exactly what you felt, when I walked through the gates at the Yuma property I just knew I was meant to be there. God answers our prayers. I have a new church not far away and I just knew I wanted to be part of this community. I'm so happy for you and this new adventure.