We still can't find a house that will let our two small families rent together. Steve and I are so anxious and stressed and emotional it is showing in all aspects. We can't sleep well and we worry all the time we won't have a place for the girls to call home. But then we also feel reassured that we need to wait for what is good.
We have seen 3 properties that will allow sharers but they all just didn't quite meet the basic needs we will need. Yesterday was a tough day as I called Northwood Estate Agents to request a follow up call regarding a 4bedroom property for our 2 families to share. The woman that spoke to me was just so rude. She didn't ask about my back story or try and help assure me that other properties would come up. She just declared she was the director of the Exeter branch and she "would never rent this property with THAT many children as it would be to much wear and tear". I don't know if she meant to be harsh, but as I tried to understand why or if there was any negotiating with maybe us paying more deposit to cover the extra ware and tare, she wouldn't even let me get my comments out and then ended our conversation with the fact that she "is the director and the decision doesn't come down to what the landlord wants but that they as the letting managers make the final decision of who gets the property". I hung up the phone and cried. All we are trying to do is move our normal, hard working family to Exeter, to have a nice, clean, safe home for our 3 young children and be able to share a property well... and by well I mean look after it, keep it clean and in good order, pay our bills on time and contribute positively to our neighbourhood. But it just seems that Estate Agents in Exeter just don't care. That no mater what our story is, they just want what is an easy money maker. I can't blame them, but how I wish the world was different and place that dealt with helping people find their homes cared a bit more about how stressful and scary it is to move to a new place and make a good go at life! My rating of NorthWood Estate Agents is very low and I personally would avoid dealing with them in the future if I could. Other estate agents have told us the same but have been much more understanding and caring in the process and encouraged us to keep looking. This was not the vibe Northwood Estate Agents gave, instead making me feel like an inconvenience, stupid for having children and an unworthy customer.
HOWEVER, after I cried (secretly because my 2 year old little girl was hanging on my leg asking why I was sniffing and I want to be strong for her!). I called a couple other estate agents where we had viewed two houses that just won't work for us because they didn't have enough bathrooms/toilets or had very small kitchens. I spoke to an Estate Agents at Martin and Co, and what a world of a difference. She was so respectful and encouraging. She actually gave me a pep talk and said she would keep her eye out for us to try and help flag properties for us that would work. I know she can only work with what she gets, but wow, she provided such an excellent services I want to only look at properties listed through Martin and Co and I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend working with Madeline from Martin and Co as she is a wonderful human being.
Our emotions are everywhere. I feel a crazy person that we don't have a house to move to and we have to move in two weeks... but if I really start ranting it seems best to wait and get the right place then rush into something that won't work.
Steve and I are just so astonished by how Estate Agents in Exeter run and that there is such a lack of understanding, compassion or encouragement for families to live together. We keep saying... we just need to start our own Estate Agents when we get down to Exeter... one that encourages people to live together and find a way to make that more appealing to Landlords. Living together is soooooo much better for the environment, people, communities, economy! By our two families living together we 4 will be able to team work the child care of our 3 kids which means that the mamas will be able to get back to work easier, we will be able to share bills and thus keep them lower cost, we will use less goods and thus be less of a drain on nature and her resources, we will be able to encourage and support each other through low mental health times (which everyone has especially when moving to a new area and starting new jobs)... this probably will mean we get sick less, have to take less time of work, visit the NHS less and generally feel healthier as people! The list goes on and on.... To start an Estate agents that encourages families to live together... even short term so that they can save deposits to buy their own homes (which is a HUGE reason we all want to share) ... this is what Exeter needs more of! Especially if some of the profits made went back into the community to make affordable homes in a social enterprise model. I'm convinced we could get some grant money to start something like this... and we need to start something like this. We can't be the only families considering this way of life. right? #dreambrewing
Our trip down to Exeter this weekend we will look at a house we found on Gumtree and also a house that came as a recommendation off messaging local churches in Exeter (but the church house seems like it will be to small for us, but we want to see it if possible).
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