Moving Prep - Phase I - For Rent

There are many phases to moving, I'm discovering. Or rediscovering. It's been 10 years (!!!) since I moved to Florida from Kentucky, but this is the first time we are also preparing our home for rentors. Finding a tenant for our condo has been our first priority ahead of The Big Move.

I took pictures, made flyers and posted the unit on craigslist, and while we waited for phone calls from interested prospective rentors, we set about repairing and beautifying our home.

You know those little issues around your home that you've been living with for years and that have been on your to-do list for years that you've almost forgotten they are even broken? Well, while we can and have lived without their proper functioning for some time (or know to stick a board under the open window to keep it up), our tenants would likely expect to be able to open the window and have it stay open on its own. What a concept. So while we've been feeling pretty good about ourselves for finally repairing said issues, it's a little humbling to realize that to the naked eye, nothing looks different. Since you can't see what we've done so far just from visiting, let me take a moment to point out our recent improvements and pat ourselves on the back for one second.

- Replaced the ceiling fan in the master bedroom. (Motor was busted and it would no longer rotate.)
- Replaced the microwave. (Turntable wouldn't spin... hmm, sounds like a theme)
- Repainted baseboards
- Repainted the front door, front and back
- Replaced the cover on the doorbell that has never worked. (Prettier to just cover over it than have a Please Knock scotch-taped to the broken button.)
- Replacing the carpet in the master bedroom with laminate flooring (work in progress)

I am happy (and sad) to report that our condo has never looked better. Nothing like finally fixing up your place for strangers to live in! We've had 2 prospective rentors come take a look, and I am expecting one of them to sign the contract on it today. Pending the credit and background check and approval by the homeowners' association, we'll have tenants. Relief! Then I can really start packing without worrying about how nice our house looks.

Then it's on to Phase II - Finding a rental for us in Ohio.

This weekend we'll be back in Ohio to familiarize ourselves with the area and find our rental home. We will be renting in Cincinnati for a year while we discover which area, school districts, etc. we want to be in prior to purchasing a home.

Michael looked at me yesterday and said, "We are moving in a couple of weeks." Crazy! We've been so busy with all the packing and planning it really hasn't sunk in yet... but I know it will be here before we know it.