I'm somewhat surprised that I've come back to do this today. Maybe I really want to let everything out. Maybe nobody will even read this. Maybe it will just be therapeutic for me. It will probably be good regardless.
So, I'm back in Winnipeg after a few year hiatus, with my new job starting in August of 2016 at the place where I still am working. Over 6 years is probably a record for me working anywhere! Not probably, it is. lol
I start in a pretty tame, but incredibly low stress phone jockey type job. It was such a welcome change from the constant anxiety brought on by working in banking. However, the pay was a bit less. And in Winnipeg I didn't (still don't) have any roommates so I wasn't sharing the bills anymore! But my new apartment was within walking distance of work. It was very handy.
Less than 2 years later, my manager (which was already my 2nd manager with the company) asked me how much interest I might have moving into a different area of the company, though still with the same general area. It would be dealing with another type of software that I had marginal experience with already, and would come with an increase in pay. Of course I'm interested in learning more! No more phones all day everyday? Sign me up!
I have a conversation with that manager, who is currently my manager, and it seemed to go very well. My big bank experience, small business and financial knowledge seems to be appealing for what they're trying to accomplish. Along with the customer service skills, of course. She encourages me to apply. After some contemplation, some bouncing of thoughts off of my parents, friends, and co-workers, I take the leap. Very quickly I've got one of the recruiters reaching out to me at work. She'd like to set up a time to have a conversation, and then do one of those ridiculous personality tests. Fine, of course I'll do it.
That leads to an interview of sorts with two other managers. That conversation seemed to go very well. The recruiter reached out a few days later and confirmed that they felt the same. She'd be back to me by the end of the week. Sure enough, the reply was, "We'd like to offer you the new position." I'll take it! Along with the 20% raise! lol
I find myself a new role with a substantial raise on October 1, 2018. In this new role I quickly become a go-to person. Results in a promotion and another raise (only 13% this time!) just over 2 years later. Mind you, the job stays basically the same, but I'm more relied on for other situations. And of course, this is during the pandemic. I had a lot of time to sit alone and wonder what I should do. I'm not spending money anymore, should I think about buying a condo? Maybe I should crunch some numbers?
So, that's what I do. I crunch some numbers. I take a look at what's been saved to date. I take a look at my budget and see where I can save even more. Can I come up with a 5% down payment? I think I can! I have no debt, so it opens some other doors. So I casually look on the MLS website, let's see if there are any condos out there worth further looks. A couple, let's keep an eye on them! It somewhat goes on the backburner until summer. Then I realize, "I don't want to be renewing this lease in October, so let's get serious!" I reach out to my good friend/divorce lawyer, her husband happens to be a realtor. And we go to task. Except I never once look at a condo. Not once. Everything I viewed was a house. I saw one that was quite appealing, but gave me cause for concern. I was going to offer, then didn't. But I'd have been outbid anyway. A couple weeks later another one. They wanted quick possession which I wasn't overly thrilled at the idea of. But hey, let's try anyway. Yeah, that place was wildly underpriced. My bid wasn't even in the ballpark, and I expected as much.
One night I decide to go out for a walk. I take a much different route than I'd ever taken before. I spot a for sale sign a block or so away, so I keep walking in that direction. A little pre-war house for sale within walking distance of where I'm living. I didn't notice it on the alerts that the realtor had set up. I wonder why? Overpriced? Underpriced? What's the scoop? I look it up on the web while I'm standing in front. Oh, it doesn't have a couple features I had listed as "necessary." But it looks decent, the pictures inside look decent. It has a lot going for it. I can probably handle the lack of central air. We didn't have it when I was a kid, only when I was a teen did my dad get it installed. Let's point this one out and get a viewing!
That Saturday the viewing was set up. Foundation of the house looks great. No cracks. Not the best exterior, but that can be changed. Eavestrophs etc. need replacing, but that's always likely going to happen at some point. And it's nothing needing immediate attention. We go inside. It felt familiar, even though I've never set foot inside before. Hardwood flooring over the whole main floor, including in the kitchen. The kitchen and bedrooms actually appear to have some very old hardwood. The living room is obviously newer, different type of wood, but still, it's lovely. Kitchen is... dated, but functional. No dishwasher. I really wanted a dishwasher. That's fine, I can handwash my dishes. I've had to do it in the past! They do have a window unit air conditioner. It's not a big house, so it likely cools the place off just fine. And I already have another of my own. Two of them will be plenty.
We walk down into the basement. Wow, it's a finished basement. New electrical panel. This means the knob and tube wiring, if it ever existed, has to be long gone. Fairly new water heater and furnace, too. This place is looking better and better. Off to the back yard. An old, old, old two car garage. There are no outer handles on the doors. The floor is wooden, and rotten. Wood floors, I learned, were a thing when this garage was likely built. Okay, no big deal. Those doors don't look like they open, though. We don't even try. The garage likely needs to come down at some point. That's fine, it's not like I have two cars to park! I could knock it down and have a smaller one in its place. Great idea!
We look at another house after this one that same day and couldn't run away fast enough. That's the house I want to put my bid in on. My last bid. I want this house. I come up with my number, realtor says why not add 2k to it, in case someone else decides to bid the same number? Sure, done. Bids go in. Nothing else I can do but wait. Everyone asks me if I'm nervous. Why would I be nervous? There's nothing I can do. If someone has outbid me, then they're going to get the house and I keep looking. Except, if someone did outbid me, they must not have had as favourable conditions. Dougie had become a homeowner! Possession on September 1, 2021!
And I think here is where I'll cut it off. Maybe I'll be back three nights in a row to finish off the story? At least the "business" side. There's plenty left.
