Renting AGAIN......

I am kinda bummed, because we will not be buying a home right now. I had been working with a real estate agent and looking at properties. I was getting really excited! I hate throwing money away by renting. I spoke with a mortgage broker and decided we would be really stretching our finances if we bought a home right now. Our lease expires April 1st and we have to find a new place to live. Ugh! I hate moving! I found a few rentals but they are vacant and want renters now. We won't be moving until the last weekend in March. If anyone knows of an available rental property, let me know! I am looking for a 2 bd home with a yard on the East side, Sugarhouse or Holladay if possible. Our current rent is outrageous, so we are looking for something more affordable. I am hoping we can pay off some bills and save up for a down payment. Maybe by the time we are ready to buy a home, the prices will have dropped. (P.S. the home prices have only dropped 6 % here in Utah compared with Vegas or CA which is much higher) We are gonna be so old by the time we buy our first home!! In reality, I realize that the first 10 years or so of a mortgage, we would only be paying on the interest. So I guess renting isn't bad, just disappointing. But it makes sense for us right now.
I will miss where we are living.....it is a great area, the neighbors are nice, the homes are beautiful, it is safe.....but we will not be able to find another home in this neighborhood in our price range! :(

Vegas trip

Chris, me, Mom & Dad

My Vegas friends

Last week I drove down to Vegas to meet up with my fam. My Mom was there for a conference and my Dad came along. Chris drove up from Santa Barbara. I was so glad the weather was ok, I didn't want to get stuck in a snow storm, I don't have 4 wheel drive!! It was a long drive (6 hrs ea way) but I listened to my book on tape (cd) and I was good to go! My lumbar was killing me by the time I got back to SLC....I am getting old! Next time I might consider flying....but I like road trips! And its good to have a car, so I don't have to feel stuck on the strip. I wish Adam could have come with, but he had school.

It was a little weird being a tourist, after living there....but it was fun. We stayed at the New York New York in one hotel room, me, Chris, M &D..... note to self, I am too old to stay in a hotel with my parents. My parents snored and my Dad was sick so he was coughing all night......good news he is feeling better. I got see old friends, so that was great. Me and Chris went to my fav restaurant Bahama Breeze and met up with some friends from my old work. I met up with my friend Ida and her daughter for dinner at CPK. My fam and I had dinner with Adam's fam, Joe & Geri. I spent one day running around town, going to Trader Joes, Ulta cosmetics, etc to stock up on the stuff they don't sell here in Utah. It was a fun trip and I'm glad I got to see a few friends & family. I don't really have a group of friends at work with this new job, so that is something I definately miss. It was great to see my fam, I am such a nerd!! I am looking forward to going home to CA in April for my sister in law's baby shower.

It has been an adjustment living in Utah after living in Vegas for 4 years. I love the change in seasons and the mountains! It is nice to have scenery instead of brown desert!! I am looking forward to a mild summer.....Vegas summers are dreadful. I am looking forward to Spring, I am done with Winter!!

To buy or not to buy?

So I finally updated my blog....it was about time! The Christmas & New Year's themes needed to go! I just barely changed my cell phone ringer from my fav Christmas song!
We have been looking at houses, deciding if we want to buy. Our lease was only for 6 mo and it ends in April. I talked to the landlord and we may be able to extend it until June, but its not a for sure thing. They are renting a home until April too, so it depends on their landlord as well.
I just hate throwing money away renting. I'm tired of it. We could have established a ton of equity with all the years of renting! Ugh!
Anyway, so I have been looking at properties in Sugarhouse, Millcreek, Holladay, etc. I wish we could afford a home in the area we live now, but they are too expensive.....they range from $350-$400 K. The neighborhoods are so nice. I love the older brick homes that have been remodeled, love them!! I don't want to be driving in a snow storm to get to work downtown either, so location is a priority. I guess if it was near Trax, that would be ok?
My agent took me to look at homes yesterday.....I saw a townhome in Holladay in the same complex I used to live! What are the odds of that? It was really nice but it wasn't an option because it didn't have a yard for the dogs.
The other homes were not possibilities either....they were on the west side, not great neighborhoods and located on main/busy streets. (Sally- you are so right, Vegas had much better options in terms of reasonably priced homes!)
So we are continuing to look....if we don't find something than we may have to find another home to rent! Ugh!

I heart my pugs

I was looking through some old pictures and found some adorable pictures of us & Harley. She loves to give kisses, beg for scraps & sleep in our bed. She used to be a tiny little thing, now she's a fatty! The first picture is of Harley dressed up for the Pug O Rama in Vegas....yes there are 200 pugs and their families every year in costume! The other one is Harley on Adam's shoulder, she can't fit there anymore, but she tries!! She still loves to sit on the highest point, usually its pillows or the arm of the couch.