It was a rainy dark ugly weekend here and I didn’t do much but lull around, clean, pay bills, and attempt to organize my financial position so I can get on with moving. I'm now all caught up on bills, not a lick of credit card debt, holiday bills are all paid off, and I'm cutting back on all frivolties, scrimping and saving where I can. I’d like to be in a new place by the end of the year.

Sunday I went to do a Home Visit for the pug rescue. That’s where I go to people's homes, check out their digs and interview them about adopting a pug. I test them on their pug knowledge, experience with owning a dog, and I basically find out if they are “Pug Worthy”. You’d be surprised, a lot of people are not.

After the HV, I met with the realtor who showed me this country colonial I saw on the real estate website. It was an older house with some modern updates and the pictures made it look really nice. I'm a fan of old houses because they have character. For the record, I’m really a fan of newer houses too but cant afford any of the ones I like. This one actually had some acreage and privacy which are two of the things I'm looking for.

But when I pulled up in the driveway I quickly realized the pictures had only focused on the couple good things there were about the house. The first thing I noticed was paint peeling off the exterior. Inside the kitchen, dining room and 3 bathrooms were cute but there were uneven floor boards and not nearly enough cupboard or closet space. But the real scary stuff was down in the basement. On the wood beams, I noticed evidence of termite damage and there was a big open hole in the floor that was filled with water and a big old Sub Pump running with hoses and electrical cords attached and strewn about. There was even water leaking through the foundation on the wall -- and the guy couldn't tell me how old the furnace was. Scary shit. It reminded me of the Amityville horror scene in the basement with the devil face in the hole behind the cement....kinda gave me the willies..

Ugh! It was so bad that even the Realtor said to me “You don’t want to buy this house”. Now you KNOW it must be bad if the guy whose making his living on your commission is advising you not to buy! Damn, and it looked so clean and quaint in the pictures too.

I guess this is how you learn what to look for, what to ask on the phone before wasting your time going to look at it. But I’m already discouraged about what exactly is out there in my price range. It’s also scary thinking about buying a house when you’re single which as we all know, I AM. What happens if I lose my job or get sick or something, there is nobody else to fall on while I get back on my feet. Maybe it wouldn’t happen but I’m big on the what if’s when I plan things. I like to have all my bases covered and in this situation, they wouldn’t be covered. So yea, renting is throwing money away but on the other hand, if I was renting and something happened, the most I would lose is a security deposit. Far less of a risk and damage than foreclosure.

I’m getting different advice from different people too, making me even more confused. Some say now is a good time to buy while others say wait another year and the price of houses will go down and you’ll get more for your money. Still others when they hear that argument agree and say true but when the prices go down the interest rates will go back up and you’ll end up with the same mortgage payment anyway...

Hmmmm, I just don’t know what to do. Renting is immediate gratification and so much less of a committment. Once I find the right place, I could be in it in 30 days. If it doesn't work out, I just pack up and move back to where I am now. Buying is the better way to go no doubt, but I’m not sure if it’s the best way for me to go right now.

Next.