I agree with the poster who encouraged Raptor to rent in his target area. I have been renting for nearly two years (outside of my target area) and must admit that it is an emotional drain. Knowing that my rental locations were temporary, I was reluctant to drop roots and become part of the community. As a result, I have a sense of disconnect that I can’t seem to shake.
My husband and I finally decided that this time around, we should move to our target area (RSF) with the idea that this would be a trial run — does the community, school and location really suit us or not? We have lived in areas that were similar to RSF in Hawaii — one we loved, one we didn’t. The funny thing is that we thought we’d love the one that ended up not being a very good fit.
Buying a home (at least for us) is more than just picking out pretty house in the right zip code that fits our price range. It has to FEEL like home. I feel fortunate that as renters, we have the ability to sample the wares before we buy.
Raptor’s approach to home buying may or may not work for him, but I just don’t think I could find my home by driving around looking at random homes in an arbitrary price range. Sure, I’d find a house, but probably not my home. To me, the difference is too huge to ignore.
Raptor – go rent a house in Fairbanks. Let your wife make a few friends and begin her new life. Renting shouldn’t mean putting your life on hold – but it will if you don’t take full advantage of the freedom it provides.
-Kilohana, weary renter, housing bear until the bitter end
