Day 27: The truth is out

Being a renter is like being a kid. Like a parent, you’ve got a landlord to take care of things.

Remember my bug issue the other day? Well, I found the source. Those little pests made a home in years worth of filth trapped under my cooktop’s pipes and burners. Yuck. Cleaning all I could, I finally called my landlord when I noticed the bolts holding the pieces together. My irrational fear of fires prevented me from taking the gas stove apart myself. And he and his wife swooped in to save the day.

Today, when he returned to reassemble the pieces, we got to talking about a couple of the other homes he’s bought to fix up. That’s when he asked me what the heck I was doing renting, reminding me that I have a good job and interest rates and home prices are low.

I felt the warmth of my skin as it turned a shade of red. I felt like I’d been busted for lying to my parents. Sheepishly, the truth spilled out.

He assured me that I could break my lease without repercussions if it’s for something like buying a home. Just like a parent, his encouragement was appreciated. And what a relief to finally have this out in the open! Though I’d never lied, I sure do hate secrets.

My landlord and his wife are great people! He recently bought a few other properties around Grand Rapids that he’s fixing up to rent right now. If you need a place to live, let me know and I’ll pass along contact info.