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[springers]

I was reading that you have rented for 15 yrs and am moving into a larger condo. How is it going?

[dooBdoo]

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@springers wrote:
I was reading that you have rented for 15 yrs and am moving into a larger condo. How is it going?

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Hi, @springers!   If you'll use the "@" feature, @sfnative will receive a notification of your thread.  I added it here so she'll see it.

I wish you well in your move to a new home!

[sfnative]

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@springers wrote:
I was reading that you have rented for 15 yrs and am moving into a larger condo. How is it going?

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@springers

@dooBdoo

Hi springers!

It's very kind of you to ask.  We've been here a month now and have most of the unpacking completed and 2/3 of our windows have new treatments, as the windows were literally bare when we moved in.

It's quite a nice condo community, in small rolling hills/grounds, with stairways and paths to get you from one level to another and up to the big pool.  We have many gorgeous trees, both conifers and those that are presently beginning to turn gorgeous colors.  Honestly, living in this condo is like living in a detached house (with a huge two car garage which has a 15' built-in work bench).  Though we do have an attached neighbor to our north, we never even hear a peep out of them and have no one on our other side, just landscaping.  Our orientation is east-west: morning-evening.

There is much to do to the interior of this condo, as the former owners lived here only a short period of time, then defaulted on the loan.  What we walked into were no window coverings (as stated above), half painted walls in weird colors, some rooms have wallpaper partially ripped off,  none of the appliances worked so needed replacing, all of the carpet needs replacing (but that's going to have to wait due to the cost of purchasing all of the appliances), and I sure would like to get rid of the cottage cheese ceiling on of these days.  I used to know someone whose husband quit a 6 figure job - high stress -  to start a job removing cottage cheese ceilings and he loved his job.  Gotta find someone like him up here in Portland.

Our front yard is ridiculously small compared to other front yards we've had.  It's a triangle, the base of which is about 12,' with the length up to the apex about 17.'  Right now there are some ridiculously wrong, wrong, wrong hedge bushes in this small space.  You know - the kind you would plant to include to make a REAL hedge.  So, what I have are 5 separate hedge bushes, each of which looks like a coffin lying down or standing on end. LOL!  I'll be making a request of the Maintenace folks to have the grounds people remove all of these bushes so that I do some decent landscape planning in this small space.  We have a patio-size back yard, which is incredibly different than the house we just left.  That rental had a backyard that was 1/3 of an acre and had 6 fruit trees and 25 feet of berry bushes.  I will miss the fruit sources for sure, but can plant in our little back yard, if I want to.  My plan, though is to create a Japanese themed garden in what little soil I have in back, as most of it is covered concrete patio.

(From 1973 through early 2002 we owned a house, but came into some serious financial times and no longer owned a home, so rented since that time.  Honestly, I didn't think we'd ever own again, so this condo is a blessing.)

Hope this gives you some idea of what's going on.  I have two photos that I want to post in the thread about autumn decor, etc., but cannot save them off of my flash drive.  This is so weird.  I've done all of this at work, but cannot get it it to function at home.  Will pull my husband into it and get those puppies posted soon.

Thanks, again, for asking.

[SuesCat]

@sfnative Best Wishes & Much Happiness in Your New Home! I really like the idea of a Japanese themed garden. A neighbor of mine had a wonderful design like that, so beautiful, calming. Good Luck with the projects on your list! Take care

[Marsha2003]

It sounds like you will have a terrific place once you make your desired changes.  Congratulations on finding a good buy.

[feline groovy]

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@sfnative wrote:

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@springers wrote:
I was reading that you have rented for 15 yrs and am moving into a larger condo. How is it going?

---

@springers

@dooBdoo

Hi springers!

It's very kind of you to ask.  We've been here a month now and have most of the unpacking completed and 2/3 of our windows have new treatments, as the windows were literally bare when we moved in.

It's quite a nice condo community, in small rolling hills/grounds, with stairways and paths to get you from one level to another and up to the big pool.  We have many gorgeous trees, both conifers and those that are presently beginning to turn gorgeous colors.  Honestly, living in this condo is like living in a detached house (with a huge two car garage which has a 15' built-in work bench).  Though we do have an attached neighbor to our north, we never even hear a peep out of them and have no one on our other side, just landscaping.  Our orientation is east-west: morning-evening.

There is much to do to the interior of this condo, as the former owners lived here only a short period of time, then defaulted on the loan.  What we walked into were no window coverings (as stated above), half painted walls in weird colors, some rooms have wallpaper partially ripped off,  none of the appliances worked so needed replacing, all of the carpet needs replacing (but that's going to have to wait due to the cost of purchasing all of the appliances), and I sure would like to get rid of the cottage cheese ceiling on of these days.  I used to know someone whose husband quit a 6 figure job - high stress -  to start a job removing cottage cheese ceilings and he loved his job.  Gotta find someone like him up here in Portland.

Our front yard is ridiculously small compared to other front yards we've had.  It's a triangle, the base of which is about 12,' with the length up to the apex about 17.'  Right now there are some ridiculously wrong, wrong, wrong hedge bushes in this small space.  You know - the kind you would plant to include to make a REAL hedge.  So, what I have are 5 separate hedge bushes, each of which looks like a coffin lying down or standing on end. LOL!  I'll be making a request of the Maintenace folks to have the grounds people remove all of these bushes so that I do some decent landscape planning in this small space.  We have a patio-size back yard, which is incredibly different than the house we just left.  That rental had a backyard that was 1/3 of an acre and had 6 fruit trees and 25 feet of berry bushes.  I will miss the fruit sources for sure, but can plant in our little back yard, if I want to.  My plan, though is to create a Japanese themed garden in what little soil I have in back, as most of it is covered concrete patio.

(From 1973 through early 2002 we owned a house, but came into some serious financial times and no longer owned a home, so rented since that time.  Honestly, I didn't think we'd ever own again, so this condo is a blessing.)

Hope this gives you some idea of what's going on.  I have two photos that I want to post in the thread about autumn decor, etc., but cannot save them off of my flash drive.  This is so weird.  I've done all of this at work, but cannot get it it to function at home.  Will pull my husband into it and get those puppies posted soon.

Thanks, again, for asking.

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Good to hear , Becc...   8-)

(do also update me re: your hair & upcoming reunion!)

But the one thing that's absolutely priceless about real estate is location/neighbors, and you truly lucked out in that respect.

Most everything else can be adjusted.

[sfnative]

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@Marsha2003 wrote:

It sounds like you will have a terrific place once you make your desired changes.  Congratulations on finding a good buy.

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@Marsha2003

You're right!  It was a rather good buy, as it was a HUD/FHA condo and it seems that working with the feds scared away prospective buyers.  My husband's 3 yeas of law school and his dogged personality proved a useful tool in this case.  Thanks for the congrats.

[sfnative]

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@SuesCat wrote:

@sfnative Best Wishes & Much Happiness in Your New Home! I really like the idea of a Japanese themed garden. A neighbor of mine had a wonderful design like that, so beautiful, calming. Good Luck with the projects on your list! Take care

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@SuesCat

An initial clearing was started just after we moved in, so folks around us wouldn't have to look at the scraggly growth roses and bushes.  However, on Wednesday I'm going to really get in there and see how far I can get. (I bought myself a baby chain saw.  My husband laughed.  I told him NOT to laugh and told him that gardening is serious business.  He's clueless.) 

It's now when this type of work must get done before all the rain starts and it gets really cold.  If I can get everything cleared and ready for spring, I'll be really happy.  This will give me the winter to decide how I want to go about creating my little bit of a Japanese garden.  Because I have a 2 y.o. granddaughter, I think I must try to include a small bridge. LOL!

[Lilysmom]

@sfnative, good luck with the cleanup!  I have spent most of this week doing my Fall garden cleanup.  Great idea to get this cleared up before the winter and then plan at leisure!  By Spring, you will be raring to go!  LM

PS.  Consider a Satomi Dogwood if you have room. They are so gorgeous!

[LTT1]

@sfnative  I am enjoying hearing about the condo... sounds so lucky to have found a project, even tho expensive right now.  You will have a lot less maintenance over the long run, right?  Hope you are doing well... and working, too?  That is good!