Last year I leased a rental property with a view to buying a home here in the future. Now I am in the process of buying a condo in Nanaimo and, as you probably know, it is a challenging process. Despite living in a delightful location, having a wise and understanding realtor, and receiving help from family and friends, finding a new home has put a strain on my equilibrium.
All the possible places that tick most of the boxes on my list of requirements have been viewed, and the one that feels right has surfaced. My offer has been accepted and the inspector didn’t find anything that would change my choice or my assessment of its value. Great, I thought. All systems are “Go”.
At that point, my To-Do list exploded. I had to notify and inform multiple service providers, government agencies, family members, friends, and utility companies about the planned change of address.
Within a week or so I found myself figuring out finances, essential services, and practicalities for two locations. I complicated this myself by choosing to make some renovations before I move in, so some of the subsequent difficulties are down to me. On balance, though I think technology and telephone menus have caused more problems than they solve.
Have you ever tried to inform your communications provider that you are moving but want to have Wifi, Internet, and cable at two locations for a month? I don’t recommend it. The handy local shopping mall outlet will tell you it isn’t possible. The online website Help page is criminally unhelpful. The telephone “Contact Us” menu doesn’t include the necessary option. And, when you ultimately get a useful telephone connection, they ask for account numbers you don’t have at hand and/or they don’t wait while you try to find them.
I did finally reach a human, but it was in the evening, I was tired, and I couldn’t easily understand the agent’s accent, so I gave up. The next day I tried again but the line was dropped twice, and I couldn’t get through three times. Eventually I reached the person who helped me, but by then I was relying entirely on the good manners my mother taught me. That requires a lot of forced humility and gritted teeth.
Thanks, Mum. Your system worked. I and you were right to trust our instincts when we told the person in the mall that it was, indeed, possible to pay for services at two locations simultaneously. I and you were also right in making multiple attempts to navigate the telephone system until we got to the person we needed. We were also right in asking politely and smiling nicely until we got the result we sought.
Mostly, I thank my mother for inspiring me with the wherewithal to arrange for new flooring, new appliances, a moving company, and a dozen other practicalities that go along with moving house. She was a wise and well-organized woman who taught me through her example. I never told her how much I learned from her, but today I looked at the sky and hoped she could see the results.
I haven’t had to overcome the challenges she faced, but tackling today’s technology when moving house comes pretty close to living through a world war and raising six children.
Snowbird of Paradise 
Made me laugh, Anne! I think the Brays are all good at organising and being polite to get what we want thanks to Mum’s role model. Hope your home transition goes smoothly from here on. Love Carol xx
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Thanks, Carol! I’m glad I gave you a chuckle.
Such a shame to laugh at your trials…but I did anyway. Good luck with the move, you’ll get there 🙂
Thanks, June.
What a great time to channel your Mum skills! I love to hear of your perserverance. I think you are brilliant to remodel prior to moving in.
I too have difficulties understanding English-as-second language customer service people. I am wearing my AirPods for these conversations so 1) I am hands-free to do other things while on hold, 2)hands-free is easier to take those quick written notes and 3) the sound quality improves and I feel like I have a better shot at decoding through the accent.
I also have to bring all of the calmness and serenity I can muster to do the telephone menus of businesses. And doctor’s offices! Oy!
Anyway, I’m looking forward to pictures of your new adventure!
I know we are not alone in these struggles, Lorna. Telephone menus are the work of the devil, I’m sure.
Good point, that more folks are challenged with these phone menus. Definitely an evil ploy!😁
Congratulations on your new home Anne! I feel your pain. Trust me that you made the right choice to instal new flooring before you move in. We are currently having all of the flooring either refinished or replaced in our home which was new to us three years ago and it is a nightmare.
Oh my goodness. I can only imagine. You have my sympathies, Terry.
Dear Anne…I have done what you are currently working through two times. Once was in the late ’90’s and things seemed so much less complicated then (or I was a lot younger). Then we had our current condo worked on prior to moving in. It was not too complex but became much more so after we had been living there and so many issues appeared due to the original construction. And now I rent that condo to tenants and it has become almost ridiculous. Tenants who had lived there for almost 4 years suddenly broke the lease, things were resolved thanks to my own property manager, and new tenants have moved in. However we are not sure if they actually live there now or not. Can’t reach them, or rather my property manager can’t reach them. I have basically removed myself from the situation. I am seriously considering selling the darn place. I am so happy for you and that you have found a permanent spot to settle into. I am cheering from California!
Thank you for the cheers, Mary Beth, and sympathies for the ongoing trials with your condo. It is odd that you cannot reach the new tenants. My imagination just took me to flights of fancy about why that might be. Please let me know when you find out.
I can so relate. Remind me of the saying “You can catch more flies with honey…”
That is so true. Some of those old adages hold up well.