I was riding back through some random subdivisions off Brockley Avenue coming back from my ride from Voorheesville. I spend a lot of time studying and observing homes these days, and my phone is constantly suggesting new houses up for sale across the region. Truth is Iβm just dissatisfied with all of the options. Donβt get me wrong, there are options out there. Some more expensive then others, but I have investments and cash I could tap, and I could certainly get a mortgage if thatβs what I wanted.
But I just find it hard to want to own a home, with all the burdensome nature and commitment of owning a home. I donβt want to give up travel or my future of some day getting out of New York and moving to a deep rural area in an off-grid cabin. I concede I work hard, make good money, and produce good results for my agency β thatβs what I was named Director of Data Services β and why Iβm so busy sourcing, linking, adding data to system and delivering results. Iβm really proud of my job, and itβs fun finding new ways to query and link data, even if itβs in an suburban office building overlooking the old city garbage heap and at times smells like a port-a-john being down the street from the North Albany Sewage Plant and Sludge Incinerator.
I look at so many houses, and theyβre all alike. The walls, the vinyl siding and carpeting. Often many are quite dumpy like my apartment. Others are nicer looking but are the same basic materials. And some a really fancy, in the urbane sense of it. Certainly Iβve been over to the houses of politicos, Iβve stayed at some really nice β in that urbane sense β places down in Westchester and Long Island. But theyβre all kind of same, and donβt really speak to me. The idea of the fancy mowed lawn, the kitchens full of knicknacks and appliances, the big screen TV, the home internet and gadgets I sometimes see at peopleβs houses have little appeal to me. And theyβre all so large with multiple bedrooms, basements, and places to collect clutter and dust.
Lately, the Midwestern states have noticed Iβve become interested in potentially moving out west. I now regularly get advertising about the benefits of moving to and having a career in Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa. Theyβre probably is a demand for skilled labor there, and Iβm certainly interested in the desire to get away from the high cost of living in New York, along with the gun laws and burn ban. Though some of that has changed now that cannabis is legal in New York but not in as much of Midwest. Things though are changing on that front. I really am interested in more of the shed-to-home or small cabin route, indeed even that 700 square foot house next to my parentβs house seemed a bit too big for me. Plus I would really like to do the simple off-grid set up β I donβt mind an outhouse or a simple shower set up, chopping wood or dealing with limited electric power β I do it a lot at camp. Yet basically none of the houses Iβve looked at are like that. That said, the properties I even marginally liked, arenβt getting much interest by the others who want the big and fancy houses.
Truth is I want simple, not fancy. Old fashioned and reliable. Sustainable and not needing to be tossed every 5 to 10 years. Maybe I should look more into old houses out in the country. Maybe I need to back off my high horse about owning a lot of land as buffer from the neighbors, lest them smell me burning something I shouldnβt be or shooting guns and playing music. Hell, I live in the city now, Iβm pretty civilized when Iβm home and not in the wilderness. People out in the country have bonfires, they have livestock. And maybe Iβm ready to settle down β traveling is fun β but it gets tiresome, especially as there arenβt all that many new places nearby to explore. But what do I know.
Iβm just rather worried about my housing situation come the winter, and the continuation of my month-to-month lease. Bar the annoyance of the construction next door and the peering eyes of the new landlord, itβs been fine with the higher rent. But my apartment is so drafty and so beat up at this point, even if I plug leaks and keep the heat down, itβs going to be a tough another winter here, especially if the predictions of extreme cold this winter come true. I do have options, Iβm not starved for cash, but I still want to be able to invest in my future and not deplete my assets, and I know any place Iβm forced to move to will likely be much more expensive, and may very well require me to drive to work. And itβs still not home, until I buy my own land and either build a house on it or live in the structure it comes with. Hopefully not with carpet and asbestos or vinyl siding, though thatβs basically what my rental currently has, so I guess itβs not the end of the world.
