New place

It's been a stressful week (mostly for K) sifting through apartment listings, making appointments, and viewing properties. K viewed 10 apartments of quality varying from "total crap" to "really nice". I only viewed two and I haven't even seen the one we decided to go for.

We went through 3 periods of thinking we had found a suitable place and it wasn't until the 3rd time that we settled on one. The first was a brand new, purpose-built top-floor flat for £695 pcm. While it was really nice, it was just way too small. The second possible winner was a sizable two-bedroom in an older building for £700. K was fairly happy with it, but when I saw it, I was less than enthused. It had the same type of ridiculous boiler that we had in Winchester, everything was electric (water, stove, heating), the heating consisted of "storage heaters" (radiators with thermal bricks inside that get heated over night using the off-peak electricity and then release their energy during the course of the day), and the vibe of the building, as I sensed it, was one of a place where old people wait to die. I know that sounds terrible, but that's how I felt.

K found the third one this past Friday. It's in Canford Cliffs (which we've been told is very posh), about 5 minutes from the ocean and is actually cheaper than the one we're in now (£695). She initially thought the flat would be "total crap", judging by the pebble-dash, turquoise-painted exterior. However, she was pleasantly surprised by it and has me completely convinced. We paid the agency fees yesterday morning (a stinging £306 that we won't get back). While we were sitting with the estate agent, someone called requesting a viewing of the flat. She informed them that it had just gone off the market. Phew! We're booked in for another viewing this Thursday so I can see it and we can decide if we need to get rid of any furniture. Not sure when we'll move in. It's technically available on March 1st, but that's because the couple living there had to give two months notice because they're breaking their lease (they're splitting up... a lot of that going around!). However, we might be able to work out a sooner date than that.

It's a relief to have found a place to move into. Now K can get back to work on her PhD.