It’s great to see YOU here this weekend! Can I offer you some coffee? Tea? Hot chocolate? We’ve had a slightly colder week with a low of 23F one morning. My daughter was excited to wear her new winter jacket for the first time. We’ve been wearing hats and gloves for a couple weeks now. The weather have been clear, with beautiful star filled nights. In fact we’ve been admiring the stars and the moon during our morning walks. The afternoon have been pleasantly sunny in the 50’s. What’s the weather like in your area?
The owner of the house we are renting have finally realised the severeness of the horrible ventilation. Two weeks ago we got a new fan in the bathroom, and earlier this week we’ve had three vents installed throughout the house. I’ve noticed the indoor air quality getting a lot better. (I believe there might be some permanent water damage to the bathroom though.)
I mentioned last week that I’ve decided to move closer to town anyways, and that I’ve started to look for places there. It’s really difficult to get any living quarters in our town, due to it being the “capital city of our region” and its close (everything is relative) proximity to Stockholm. Finding a nice place to live is even harder unless you are a millionaire (literally. I’m not a millionaire. I’m a teacher, and a single mom.) Considering this I was happily surprised when being offered not one, but two very interesting apartments this week. I’ve been applying for maybe a total of 30 apartments these past two months. These two were among these. There is a point system, and the ten people/families with the highest points applying for a place get an offer to view it in person, or online. If you are two adults with income in one household your points are connected and you have a much bigger chance of getting a good place. As a single mom, having lived outside of the country for several years my points aren’t the highest, but not the lowest either. I don’t have enough points to get a super affordable apartment as they tend to be very popular (many people competing for them,) but the ones in the upper margin of my budget are within reach (not as many people are competing for them.) Basically meaning that I’ll likely get a slightly bigger apartment than the minimalist in me need. The upside is that it would also be in a better neighbourhood, and likely a newer building. Due to Corona I only viewed the two apartments I’d been offered to view online. I said yes to both, but I know that I’m number nine in line for one of them, the other one I do not know. For that first one the eight families ahead of me would have to say no, or not qualify financially, for me to actually get the place. (You can calculate yourself if you qualify financially to be considered. I know I am qualified for both with a good margin.) I’m hoping to find out this coming week if I am lucky to get one of them. The one I’m number nine in line for is brand new, and the other house is built in 2012. The house built 2012 is a passive house, very energy efficient, with a huge balcony with glass screens, basically my own greenhouse. In the passive house I would also have access to a big community greenhouse for year round gardening with my neighbours. The passive house is a few minutes further from main street, but still in the town center. It has nicer surroundings, with more green areas, but is also more expensive than the brand new house. The brand new house is one street up from the main shopping street. It is also close to a very nice co-op (with amazing vegetables) that I’m a member of. I really like both of the apartments, and both of them would be great for us. They are bigger than we need, but not insanely big. The passive house apartment is 860sq. ft, and the brand new apartment 720sq. ft. We live comfortably on less than 500 sq. ft now. Both apartments have many big windows and a lot of natural light (I could have many plants,) both have big balconies (both could be turned into amazing balcony gardens,) all rooms have wooden floors, the bathrooms are tiled – they are nice. I’m not in the same hurry to move now, due to the new ventilation system at our old house, but being in town would make every day life easier. Do you need a refill on your coffee? What’s going on in your life?
My newest photos on Instagram.
I got three new books this week (first instagram photo.) I picked them up on Thursday, and I was planning on enjoying them this weekend….but I’ve already finished two of them. LOL. I will enjoy the last one this weekend. All three are beautiful books about different areas of living a sustainable life. Books that will be a part of the decor in my home for years to come. I really like when you step into a home and the decor tells you something personal about the people that lives there. Tell me about your week. Any fun plans for the weekend?
Love,
Maria
Good luck with the new apartment!
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Thank you so much!
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Hi Maria,
I can understand your concern about air quality in your home. I’m in the process of replacing a boiler heat system in an apartment building with forced air natural gas. I’m hoping that the moving air plus the ability to have central air conditioning will help the air quality and I’ll be able to get rid of window air conditioners!
I have a dilemma for the weekend, fish or cut fire wood? Maybe both and harvest the winter squash out of the garden too before they get frost damage.
Well, good luck with your housing decisions and enjoy your weekend!
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Thank you. Many people in this area live in town, and own a small off-grid cabin outside of town, I’m thinking that is the practical solution for me at the moment. Enjoy your weekend! All the winter squash is processed here at my place, the garden is at rest as we are expecting snow this coming week.
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Good luck with the apartment! The point system sounds odd, almost like the more you can afford, the cheaper you can get it, and the less you have, the more you have to pay! Oh well, that is how mortgage, etc is here – the better you can afford it, the less you pay.
I hope you have a wonderful week!
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Thank you! Well, the system have to do with how long you’ve been collecting points. To collect them you have to live in the country, and actively log in at least every year, and you can collect with a partner (both of your points are added together.) It doesn’t have anything to do with how much money you have, but you can only be approved for places that you can afford (according to how much money you have left after the rent is paid. It has to be a certain amount depending on the size of your household.) I only have semi-low points due to not living in the country for almost 9 years. A 20 year old that have been collecting points since they turned 16 have more points, which gives them a bigger likelihood to be offered to view an apartment, but then they have to be able to show that they can afford it. To purchase a nice apartment in town is very expensive, between $300k-700k. Housing is expensive in Sweden. Houses in general are stickbuilt and have to meet very high standards when it comes to safety, sustainability and environment. It is cheaper in the countryside, and the further north you get. It is challenging to make a living in northern Sweden, and the winters are somewhat harsh. It is so beautiful there though!
Enjoy your weekend, and have a fabulous new week to come 🙂
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OK, I get it. Thanks for explaining 🙂
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Lycka till och så fina bilder du visar.
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Tusen tack 🙂
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I will keep my fingers crossed for you in regards to your apartment hunt.
It snowed here yesterday morning for a few hours and was pretty chilly. It was all melted by afternoon and no hat or mitts needed to go for a walk. We are at the tipping point in our weather here.
Thanks for the virtual coffee. I hope you have a nice weekend.
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OOOo you already had you first snow! I think the first snow every year is magical 🙂 Thank you! Enjoy your weekend 🙂
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Hi Maria!
Good luck and prayers, fingers crossed and hope you get one of the two apartments. 🤞 And if not, I know you’ll keep at it until you are able to get there eventually.
I also want to thank you for your positivity you share and I love reading about Sweden. Especially since you’ve experienced living in the U.S. for 9 years it’s very interesting when you explain how different living there is compared to here. How you’ve adapted to the changes is great and fun to read. One day I’ll be able to come and visit!! Have a WONDERFUL weekend!! ❤️
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Thank you Diana! I can’t wait for you to come visit! ❤
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I hope you get one of those apartments… both sound lovely. Glad they fixed some of the dampness and ventilation issues at your current place in the meantime.
Today is a glorious fall day, such a blue sky to contrast with the warm colors of autumn. We took a nice long walk to enjoy it further. A bit brisk with the wind, its the first rosy cheeks I’ve had in months. 😉 Frost expected tonight… we had a bonus month after the last one we had around the equinox. While everything is declining, I’ll pass through the garden again to glean what is salvageable.
Hope you have a enjoyable rest of your weekend. ❤
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Thank you Eliza! I believe these two are the nicest ones I’ve applied for. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but are doing good in the meantime. What’s meant to be will be.
there is leaves everywhere on the ground now, kind of a whimsical beauty. I like it. We[ve had frost every morning this past week. Cold and beautiful. The days are still little too warm (for any snow we may get next week,) but very enjoyable. The weekend is lovely, I hope yours is too 🙂
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So glad they fixed the continuing damp problem for you both. It can be a miserable dilemma. The apartments sound lovely, I hope it goes well for you both. I love that you have a garden no matter where you are no matter how you have it, such a lovely sunny person you are. I pray this week is a week of great news & exciting adventures.
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Thank you! There’s always exciting adventures around the next corner 😉 I hope you are enjoying your weekend, and have a great week to come ❤
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Lovely photos. We have cold nights here but in the day it still warms up to just above 10 Celsius. Today my husband and I took our little dog for a walk on one of the forest trails and it was not unlike the one you have a photo of. Have a good week Maria.
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Awe thank you! The days stay under 10C here, and we have frost every night, but it is still too warm for any snow we may get next week to stay. It’s very windy here today, but we are going to get out on a nearby trail in a little bit. Happy trails!
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Good luck with everything!
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Thank you so much Nancy!
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Maria: I hope you get one of the apartments you’ve applied for. I’m glad you have a new ventilation system in the mean time. I’m enjoying the Fall colours where I live. Have a wonderful week!
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Thank you Natalie! Have a great new week!
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A point system for renting homes? I’ve never heard of this.Is it such that if the family in the #1 position is undesirable for some reason the landlord must rent to them anyway? We are partial-landlords with my sisters and have been fortunate but we know others who have been terribly abused by their renters, so much so that we bend over backwards to keep a tenant happy if they take decent care of our property.
Well, I hope this works out for both you and your daughter. Is she excited about moving and living in town?
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Your own greenhouse!! That would be perfect!! Fingers crossed it all works out perfectly..
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Best of luck in getting a new place to live!!
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You didn’t get that snow then, Maria?
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We got some. It disappeared, and we got some more 🙂
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