I've grown tired of my apartment complex, especially having to do laundry in a dirty, poorly-maintained laundry room. The quality of my neighbors is also starting to deteriorate; one of the apartments on my floor has been sealed by order of the Sheriff, which is not a good sign. So, with the help of my parents, I've begun a serious quest to find "a little casa on the mesa." (Bonus points to anyone who can name the movie that quotation is from.) I've learned a few things in just the few days since I've started:
Lesson 1. Topeka has a lot of junky houses.
Lesson 2. There seem to be only two types of houses in my price range: nice houses in terrible neighborhoods, and atrocious houses in great neighborhoods. The first group of houses are fine in and of themselves. They fit but the neighborhood around them (or close by) is slowly suffering the urban blight that seems to plague Topeka. The nicest house that I saw was definitely in the category of a nice house in a decaying neighborhood. The second group of houses would be great if I were a handyman or had lots of money to spend on repairs and upgrades. Unfortunately, I am much better at demolition than I am at construction, and being a private school teacher, I don't have a whole lot of money.
Lesson 3. The phrase "predatory lending" is redundant. I've never been quoted such ridiculously high interest rates and insane mortgage payments as what I've heard from the different agencies and banks that I've talked to. They're quoting me rates that are at least a half percentage point too high for the region.
Lesson 4. I'm going to have to trust God to open the doors, because right now, if I'm going to find a house, it sure seems like it's going to take a miracle only slightly smaller than finding me a wife.
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