New Home Hunting Take 1

The Skippie Team (aka, The Husband, Monsieur Fifty, and me) is looking for a new home.

Since our current cozy little abode was The Husband’s before I moved in, it’s a fine size for one single man, kind of big enough for the two of us, but you throw an ever growing Fifty into the mix, my shoe collection, and an occasional house guest, and forget about it.

(Not to mention The Husband’s weight bench is in the living room… no where else to put it… have you ever tried decorating around a weight bench?)

Home hunting is beginning to be a bit of an ordeal so naturally I should be posting about it. Let you in on the joys of dealing with real estate agents in the south of France (and if any French real estate agents are reading this, well I’m sure you are a lovely hard working person and please do not take anything I say seriously. Because I don’t).

We’re pretty flexible about what we’re looking for…

A two bedroom (one bedroom will do if it and the rest of the home is large) house or an apartment with a terrace or small garden (no point in living in Provence if you can’t sit outside… once the rain stops that is).

And that’s that. See, told you I was flexible.

Potential Home 1…

About fifteen minutes down the road from where we are now, and heading in the direction of Papa’s house, so that’s good.

The Husband came home from work and we headed off. On the way I asked him if the house had a garden. He said he didn’t know. Then I asked him if it was one or two bedrooms. He said he didn’t know. Then I asked him if he knew what time wasting was. Joking.

(actually I’m not, but I didn’t want to seem mean).

Seriously. I asked him why he didn’t ask because what was the point if it was one small bedroom and no terrace or garden. Get this… he actually mumbled something about the agent phoning him, and him not being able to hear because he was driving and the window was down. So I asked him if he thought about rolling up the window. He started to mumble something again. I gave him that one eyebrow up, wife look, and he cracked, admitting that he hadn’t asked anything at all.

Because why would you even bother?

Sure go ahead, show me everything you’ve got, including the twenty room villa with the vineyard and tennis courts.”

(I mean what type of an excuse is that? The whole window open thing, ridiculous. The Husband is a horrible liar but I guess, that’s a good thing).

We pulled up and from the outside and not too shabby. It was a creamy yellow stucco, and looked new.
(Which is strange when it’s wedged in between centuries old houses on both sides. How do they manage to do that when all the houses look like they are connected? Clearly a question for another time, unless anyone reading this knows the answer…).

And it seemed nice inside. New dark tiled floors, fresh paint and lots of windows.

But one small bedroom (with no closet and not much space for an armoire) that you had to walk through to get to the garage, which in itself is like a death trap. Not joking. I opened a door to what I thought was a closet and there was just black open space. It’s like having your very own black hole into the abyss.

Right after I almost plummeted to my death, the agent came over and turned on a light to reveal a very steep and small rickety ladder-like stairs that bring you down to the garage. Well, that won’t do at all. That’s a big ol’ accident just waiting to happen. A few too many glasses of wine and oops! Game over.

Plus, the open plan living room, dining room kitchen upstairs would be way too small once furniture, Fifty, and a weight bench was moved into it.

Oh, and no garden or terrace.

Next.

bisou

16 responses to “New Home Hunting Take 1”

  1. Here in the US we have a show called “International House Hunters” or something but since you're moving within France, I guess we won't be seeing you on it. Hee hee. Good luck, it's fun looking. If I ever find a job we'll be back to our search!

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  2. Boyfriend and I just got back from tour, and the apartment hunt has begun. Wish us luck, as I'm wishing it for you!

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  3. I've been wanting to look for (but not actually buy) a place in France for a long time, so I'm excited about getting to live vicariously through your house search!Not sure how comfortable you feel about doing this, but I'd be interested to know what things cost down there (especially since everything here seems mind-bogglingly expensive).

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  4. Good luck! I remember our house hunting days here, and our stories sound similar. Teeny rooms, and weird layouts. One home had a miniscule kitchen, no living area, one huuuge bedroom, and a hole in the wall bathroom. Oh, and a dank dark basement that ran the length of the hole house. Husband said, we can make the living room and kitchen downstairs and the bedrooms upstairs. The basement had two windows, 10 inch by 10 inch. No enlarging of windows in ancient houses!! I was not living in dungeon, so we skipped that one.Hope you have better luck with the next one!

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  5. whole, not hole. keyboard is locking up.

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  6. Ally is right, the show is on HGTV called “House Hunters International” and actually they would put someone like you on. They often do segments with U.S. ex-patriots living now in France. The fact that you are moving around in France makes no difference.Here's the link if you are interested. :)http://www.hgtv.com/about-us/are-you-buying-a-home-outside-the-united-states/index.html

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  7. I LOVE your posts so much! You always get me laughing out loud. Thanks for always brightening my day! xo

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  8. Ahhh, Marriage. Now I have to go catch up on your other posts.

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  9. Oh, we're all going to enjoy this so much. Remember to take pics of the truly horrid ones!But you know we'll all rejoice when you find the perfect ( or as close to perfect as real life gets) one.

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  10. Alas poor The Husband! I see a time of great tribulation ahead for him. Be kind to him dear Sara Louise he is but a man and knows not what he does!

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  11. And, just remember that there is something very special about your first HOME together. Despite the problems finding it – or perhaps because of them! – it will always be the place you think back to with a special affection. Enjoy the trials and tribulations of looking.

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  12. “No point in living in Provence if you can't sit outside.” Absolutely! Thought I extended that philosophy to my own househunt here in Canada. 🙂

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  13. Sounds like both fun, and a possible headache… can't wait to hear the horror stories. 🙂

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  14. Happy House Hunting! Until the “perfect” home arrives your stories of homes will be most entertaining. Really! Check: always turn the lights on when approaching a dark abyss…I was thinking of nasty spider webs and tombs below..

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  15. La Maison de 'Death Trap' doesn't work well at all. Not to mention small bedroom, lack of space, and NO terrace (what the crap is that about anyways?). I don't envy the task ahead of you! Hopefully, something great will pop up soon for you all!

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  16. Grrr. Grrrr. Grrrrrrrrrr. We are homehunting since end of February. There is literally nothing on a market, and every weekend I am in for a new bout of disappointment. I want a new HOME!!! Good luck to you guys!

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