Impending Eviction!

We are to be out on June 27. The problem, we don't have a place to go. The place we wanted to go gave us the runaround. In order for the US Government to rent a place, the owner has to have the property document and because construction is still on-going, they won't have it until mid-July. The place hasn't been evaluated for fair market value, either so that will add more time. The real estate agent said we could move in sometime in September, but then said we couldn't afford it. The story keeps changing. Finally, we went to the housing office and they called the bank. The bank sold our unit and if they can't turn it over by the end of June, they have to pay substantial penalties so that is why they want us out so desperately.

Our choices:

1. Jump through some hoops to take the house in Hannam and hope he really does renovate the garage.

2. Take an apartment in the complex near our current one. It is large and pretty nice, but doesn't have nearly the view of our current places, lacks the amenities (which we really didn't use), and no one knows how to get here.

3. Move into temporary housing and put our stuff in storage and try to find something else.

4. Call other real estate agents like mad and try to get another place and moved by next week.


We also need the government to come take the government furniture back. hope that can be scheduled next week. Yikes! Trying not to freak. Yoga breaths. Remembering to be a light.

After talking it through calmly with my husband, we are going to try to make option #1 work. Tomorrow, we are going to the house to tell him which furniture we want him to leave and what we want him to take out. I think the fact that it is furnished is a good sign, because we don't have livingroom furniture. Also, he has a child's bed and night table that we will keep as Ian moves into his first room. The rest, he can take out.

The reasons I like the house:

1. It has enough space in the right places for our stuff.

2. It has livingroom furniture. It isn't what I would pick out, but it is nicer than the mauve government couch we have now and have to return.

3. It has a layout that will enable us to provide a gentle transition for Ian into his own room.

4. We can grill out. Curt really likes to grill and I know we will take advantage of this benefit of having a house.

5. If we have to bring the dogs (if we bring Roxxy back, we will probably take my sister's dog, Teddy as well) back from the States, we will have a little yard for them.

6. It is walking to distance to restaurants and cafes, Soonchunhyung Hospital (perhaps for baby #3 or backup hospital for homebirth of baby#3--not pregnant, just planning), Hannam Village and public transportation. I think the metro stop is a bit of a hike, but the bus goes right by there so it is accessible for visitors. It will be easy to tell people where we live.

7. It is very close to a complex where a group of my friends live so we can get together more often with them.

8. It is fairly close to the base. It took us 12 minutes drive to get from the house to the base during rush hour.

9. It is pretty from the outside. I'll post pictures once the deal is done.

The things I don't like:

1. Parking is tricky. If he fixes the garage, this will help, but I am still going to have to improve my driving skills and I will probably scrape some more paint of the 'ole Hyundai in the process of learning, but that is o.k. I know in advance.

2. The kitchen and bathroom aren't super spectacular, but they are nice. The kitchen is large at least.

3. The stone steps are treacherous, but you can enter the house from inside the garage.

4. The prospect of dealing with an individual landlord instead of a management company is a little scary, but could potentially be much better.

5. We are going to have to handle the trash by ourselves. Korea requires extensive separation and recycling. We just take our unsorted recycling down to the trash area of the parking garage and the building guys sort it. But, this is small. We can handle it.

6. I'm afraid about the cost of utilities. They are built into the the rental agreement so I hope things work out so it covers it all. They increased the amount for the utilities so we should be covered.


I really hope the house works out. After listing my likes and dislikes, my likes are much stronger. So, my plan for the next week:

1. Meet with new landlord to tell him which furniture we want to keep.

2. Arrange pick-up of government furniture and appliances.

3. File loose papers and try to get rid of some unnecessary items.

4. Buy grill.

5. Move.

My sister is coming for a month-long visit on July 2. So we'd really better get this done quickly and not end up on the street!