When you get what you want...

Life is funny, isn't it?

We haven't sold our first house yet, in fact have not had much action on it at all. So we've done some preliminary research into renting the property. We're of course very lucky that this is even an option, and find the positive in either outcome.

Lately I have been struck by a very human reaction when we get what we wanted. We still mourn what we've lost. It's true that no matter what we get in life, it means giving up something else.

We love the street we live on. We love our neighbors. We love our house. But we've found our dream house, and expect to love that house, street and neighborhood as well. But it still means giving up something we've loved.

When we consider selling the house v.s. renting it out, we're again giving something up. Selling means some immediate cash in our savings, though not a lot, but it is definitely a simpler outcome. When we consider keeping the property and renting it out, we can foresee the possibility of greater financial return/ security in the long run, but it means less immediate security and more immediate stress and uncertainty.

Obviously we have little control over the situation, as we can't will a buyer with deep pockets out of thin air (I've tried), nor can we use a crystal ball to predict real estate values in 5 or 10 or 20 years. So we're doing what everyone does: making the best decisions we can based on the information we do have, trusting it will all work out, and trusting our ability to roll with whatever happens.

Still, whatever happens, I know there's a part of us that will wonder about the promise of the other outcome.