Living in a box

I’ve begun Project Relocation in earnest by putting my flat up ‘for sale’ on Igglo.

Igglo made quite a splash a while back with its new system. Buyers can show interest in properties that aren’t for sale and sellers can see if anyone might want to buy without formally putting their property on the market. I note that my building already has ‘ears’ listening to it, so let’s see if my little no-strings ad generates any concrete interest. If only the sun would come back, I could take some inviting pictures to post!

I’ve also been putting ‘ears’ on my favourite buildings and districts. Igglo agents have contacted me about a couple of properties today, but all except one were way above the maximum price I gave. Sigh. But I have made a preliminary appointment – although an offer will likely be made before I get the chance – to view one that looks great.

Looks great? No, it doesn’t look ‘great’, it looks like I could actually move there and that has become the definition of ‘great’.

I began searching with: I want to move as close to the centre of Helsinki as possible, but I don’t really need a whole 78.5 m2, so I could easily lose a room. My price range pulled up nothing but Eastern Helsinki. The horror, the horror!

If there’s one criterion that beats all the rest, it’s fast, frequent public transport. And that includes at night – or rather, especially at night, because taxis are so damn expensive. The metro stops before midnight and night buses literally go round the houses, so this in effect means the local trains. I was shocked to find that the only line still offering a decent service after midnight is the one I’m on!

My other criteria hit the dust with astounding rapidity. I now find myself saying ‘great!’ when I hear: Pitäjänmäki 43m2, ground level, no balcony, possible façade renovation coming, but no plumbing renovations for ten years. I even find myself contemplating ‘39m2 with a good floor plan’.

The time for dreaming of turrets went out with troubadours, but it seems I'm way behind the trends as usual. Hack off your hair and move to the ground floor, Rapunsel! (And maybe you can sell it to a cushion company to pay the commission.)