“Geez, Toeps, can things never just be calm for once?” Ha, no. I’m Toeps, and I always need a project to sink my teeth into. It’s usually a project that improves my life, so that helps, but calm? No, that’s not really my thing.
This afternoon I had a call with a real estate agent – the same agent who helped me a little over four years ago when I bought my mini-apartment-slash-office in Hachioji (video tour here). I contacted him again because I’m considering selling the apartment.
“What?! But wasn’t that apartment your peaceful place? Your low-stimulation haven? And last but not least, fully paid off and therefore basically free?!” True. But hear me out. I wouldn’t do this if there wasn’t an upgrade in sight. There is a plan.
“Oh, are you two buying a house together?!”
No, François and I are not buying a house together. I’d like to, but the husband doesn’t want that, and I can hardly force him. We’ve talked about it for hours. I’ve explained all the benefits, tried to remove every objection, but he’s not budging. He thinks the house is completely fine, and the costs too.
I don’t. I think the house is cramped and cluttered. My own room is okay, but the living room is packed with furniture, books, DVDs and games, a kotatsu, and a floor chair I constantly have to hurdle over whenever I clean the litter box, poop scoop in hand. The cats themselves, as sweet as they are, are intense too. And all that fur everywhere…
In short: I love being in Hachioji. But from where we live now, it’s an hour by train. That’s fine if you’re staying there for two or three days straight, but not if you just need to quickly go there and back. If you forgot your AirPods, or need that one specific piece of paper. Back when François still lived with his ex, he would sometimes come over. Now, in the past year, he’s maybe been there once or twice. It’s also not the ideal place for friends visiting Japan to stay over. It’s just a little too far from where we are.
So here’s my idea: sell Hachioji, and replace it with a one-room apartment closer to home! Small issue: this neighborhood is a bit more expensive than Hachioji. Even so, during my search on Suumo (Japan’s real estate website), I found one (1) apartment that would be perfect. Slightly more expensive, but still just within my budget, and only a 17-minute walk from our house!
Of course there are all kinds of uncertainties, catches, and complications. First I’d have to sell my office, and only then could I buy something else. I don’t have 6.5 million yen (about 35 thousand euros, the price of the potential new office) lying around to bridge that gap. But selling takes time – at least if you want to get a reasonable price. By then, that other apartment will of course be long gone. Sure, maybe something else will be for sale by then, but maybe not – and then I’d be stuck without one for a while. And without my office, I’d go crazy! (Sure, I could occasionally book a hotel, but that feels wasteful too…)
Even though I really believe in this plan, I did get a bit sad on Friday when I looked around my lovely little office. Suddenly I didn’t want to move at all. And what a hassle it would be! But then I think of the possibilities: friends being able to stay around the corner, François dropping by much more easily, no more endless train rides (look, I love trains, but still…) and never again: “Oh shit, my charger is still at the office!”
So yes, this is what my brain is busy with right now. Along with the question: how can I gather as much money as quickly as possible, so I don’t trap myself with this good idea. Oh right – sell lots of books! Push the promotion a bit harder. I’m thinking about an English translation, and yesterday I met someone who might be able to help with a French version of But You Don’t Look Autistic at All. More books, more sales, more possibilities. But making books also costs money. And honestly, I’m still financially recovering from Autastisch leven; the trip, living in a hotel for seven weeks, and all the other costs that come with self-publishing a book. It will all work out 100%, I know that. But timing.
The agent just emailed me with three pricing strategies: sell quickly for less money, sell within a few months for medium money, or sell slowly for more money. Now of course you’re all going to say I should choose the last option, but that’s not really who I am.
Anyway. Any tips? (Or a magical pile of cash?)
Whoa, so oldschool! An RSS feed!
Save this link in your RSS reader and follow my blog however you want it – chronological, in your mailbox, in your browser... Yes, the past is here!
https://www.toeps.nl/blog-en/feed/Related posts
Switchings
I always find switching gears difficult. So when I returned to Japan after seven weeks in the Netherlands, I already knew I was going to struggle for a while. I had been doing so well in the Netherlands.
My new book Autastisch leven has officially launched!
Hooray, my new book Autastisch leven was officially released yesterday! The book launch last night at bookstore Broese in Utrecht was a big success, but before that…
Bye bye balcony Fuji
When I moved to Japan, I spent the first month and a half living in my office. Now, that sounds worse than it actually was, because my office is simply the tiny apartment I bought back when we were all stuck at home during COVID lockdowns and border closures. To meet the requirements of my business manager visa, I quickly needed to find a separate living space (home offices aren’t allowed), and I found one on the 10th floor of the same building. A bat had to be chased out first, then it needed a couple of weeks of ventilation, but after that, it slowly but surely became my home.
The Ikea haters
“Ikea furniture is not made for moving. It will break.” The Japanese gentleman from the moving company looked troubled. He spoke in Japanese to Google Translate, and then his phone spat out the translation in Dutch. Just before, he had asked if all my stuff was from Ikea, to which I cheerfully replied, “yes.” I love Ikea. The Japanese do not.
I like to move it, move it (the Japanese way)
Ever find yourself in this situation? You plan to move just a bed, so you contact a moving company, and before you know it, half your stuff is at your boyfriend’s place? That’s exactly what went down this Tuesday on moving day.
The apartment next door
Those who have read my new book know that, when I had just arrived in Japan and was still sleeping in my office, I wanted to rent the apartment right next door. It seemed so wonderful: a three-second commute, a shared internet connection, vacuum cleaner and pantry, and (after dismantling a partition) a very long balcony, so that I could even go “round the back” from home to office and vice versa. But alas, I just missed it, settling instead for an apartment on the other side of the building, and five floors up.