The house hunt that wasn't.

So maybe, just maybe, the thought of driving 7 hours to Tampa on Saturday, meeting with just 3 realtors and finding a home to rent was just a tad ambitious, even for us.

The first home was BEAUTIFUL, but the locals had warned us that although the area was safe, it was a heck of a commute for Greg. We had high hopes as we whizzed past suburbia and all the conveniences I have come to enjoy.

It became rural, more rural, and then we started to laugh as we turned from road to road, convinced that GPS had failed us and gotten us lost. All we saw was strawberry fields and run-down trailers used by migrant workers.

Oh and pitbulls. Lots of pitbulls guarding the shacks.

Nothing says "welcome to the neighborhood" like pitbulls.

And then, right smack next to a row of rusty trailers and barking pitbulls, was a BEAUTIFUL home. With a fenced yard. A pool, and a covered lanai.

Ahem. Needless to say, we didn't even get out of the car.

We called the realtor and told her not to bother. She then proceeded to tell us that 95% of the areas that we had selected homes to look at were, in fact, the only nice neighborhoods in very sketchy areas.

I guess, "gated community" was not just a nice ammenity. It was a NEED.

Alrightythen.

We then spent the day driving all around Tampa and found 2 really nice areas and actually viewed a beautiful house that was perfect for us, just really really over-priced.

Oh, and the other area that is beautiful apparently doesn't have a single home for rent. And we spent hours looking.

So now we are re-considering the idea of renting an apartment for 3 months to give us more time to hunt.

Although I am a bit discouraged, as I was in prayer this morning, I realized that this is SO not-eternal. How I handle it is, but on the scale of life's problems, this is a tiny blip on the radar.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God has lead us here and I trust that He hasn't forgotten about housing.

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.


Comments

  1. The CampbellsOctober 26, 2009 at 9:00 AM

    If you need any help looking, let me know. I have relatives that live in Brandon, Parrish and Cortez. They are a little far from downtown Tampa but they may be able to help point you in the right direction.

    ReplyDelete
  2. KimOctober 26, 2009 at 12:12 PM

    Good luck hunting! You all left so quickly we didn't even get to say goodbye. Guess we will have to make a detour through Tampa on the way to our next cruise (which may be a LONG way off). Miss you like crazy. Hugs and kisses to all.

    ReplyDelete
  3. JenniferOctober 26, 2009 at 8:04 PM

    I have a friend who is a real estate agent in Tampa. I sent her your blog. They are very dear friends of mine and she can help you. I've worked with her husband for over 15 years. Her name is Edie and her email address is fly4us@aol.com. Good luck. I'm sure it's a very stressful time right now. You guys are in my prayers.
    The Cannon's

    ReplyDelete
  4. Andy and AmyOctober 27, 2009 at 10:00 AM

    We rented an apartment for a few months when we first moved here. It was good to get a feel for different areas before we bought. It was kind of a fun adventure for the kids. Life seemed more simple for awhile. (Less cleaning, too!) We'll be praying for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnneOctober 28, 2009 at 1:59 PM

    Rent the apartment. That way you can take your time getting the house and stuff in order. And you can pace the move a little better for the girls. Wowza, am I bossy or what???

    ReplyDelete

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