The workers showed up at 7am.
Today we found our apartment!
We left the finca at 9:45, the G-dogs met us expecting a
handout, and we were on a bus after a 5 minute wait. We took a taxi to the other apartment. This one was on the 5th floor, was
3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, looked dated and the bedrooms appeared smaller than
the one we previously saw just down the street.
Teresa didn’t believe me so we went back to that 7th floor
apartment and then she agreed.
The realtor said he had another apartment to show us. He took us near downtown where he showed us a
3rd floor apartment that reminded me of
the larger apartment I had in Laureles.
It was clean, looked new or newly painted, with 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
(don’t know why you’d need a 3rd bathroom especially one off the
kitchen utility room; how lazy can you get), includes a garbage chute in the
outside hallway, and a hot water tank. The
bedrooms are large: 352cm x 343 cm, 314cm x 287 cm and 314 cm x 288 cm. The living room/dining room area is 760cm
long with the former 415 cm wide and the latter 353cm wide. The bathrooms look new and all include a
shower. There isn’t a balcony but I
think it’s more secure without one. The
only negative I could see is that the 2nd bathroom has a small
window in the top of the shower area but it isn’t frosted. (As the joke goes, not to worry, the
neighbors will only look once!) Here's some photos of the new apartment:
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| Dining room |
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| Living room |
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| Faux balcony off living room |
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| Master bathroom |
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| Master bedroom |
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| Hallway leading to 2nd bathroom and other bedrooms |
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| 2nd bathroom |
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| 2nd bedroom |
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| 3rd bedroom |
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| Kitchen |
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| Utility area next to kitchen |
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| Small hot water heater across from utility area |
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| Drying room (new computer room?) |
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| Storage area for housecleaning supplies |
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| 3rd bathroom |
We told the realtor we wanted it so we went back with him to
the agency where we signed some papers and they gave me a Bancolombia account# to which I’m to make the 1st month’s payment of 1,450,000 plus
commission of 290,000, tax of 46,400 and 22,000 for the application study. Laura met us and then we walked back to the
apartment so she could see it. She loved
it!
We walked to Carbón de
Leña where the ladies had fish and I had a hamburger for a total of 54,500
(about $19).
We waited in line at the Bancolombia for about 20 minutes
only to find I can’t transfer the money
using my debit card – I have to give them cash.
I took out the maximum I’m allowed for daily withdrawals but came up
200,000 short. We met Wilson back at the agency where he loaned me
the 200mil.
We all walked with the realtor to a notary office where we
had all the documents notarized, went back to the bank, waited in line for
another 20 minutes and finally made the payment. Back at the apartment another lady from the
agency joined us and they went through a complete inventory of the apartment
for about an hour and a half. A young
man also showed up and changed the locks for 30,000 pesos. I understand we are in estrato 3 so we won’t
have to pay extra for utilities.
Back at the agency we had a copy made for ourselves of the
bank payment receipt.
We walked to a small store where we picked up 2 bags of milk
and a bag of dog food. I asked Teresa if
the family that wants the finca will keep the terriers but she said she’s not
sure. If not we will have to give them
to a shelter.
Teresa told me she wants to sell the washing machine and buy
a new one so we don’t have to move it.
After a 5 minute wait we were on an express bus back to the
finca. We got past Guillermo’s house and
then the black dog came out looking for his treat. We got back to the finca just before
dark. (I carried the large umbrella with
me all day but of course we didn’t get a drop of rain.)
Teresa called someone and I understand he’s going to take
some of our stuff to the Envigado apartment tomorrow.
Teresa informed me we have a parking space in the lower
level that we can rent for 60,000 pesos a month. Also, when she rents the finca she will save
the money towards Laura’s au pair expenses.
T-shirt of the day: Shut up and kiss me.
Usually we have a small wc near the kitchen for the maid or whoever stays in the little room next to the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteUsually we have a small wc near the kitchen for the maid or whoever stays in the little room next to the kitchen.
ReplyDelete