I went back to see the apartment yesterday. I froze my butt off in the process because I wanted to have a look around the area. I rode my bike up but it was so cold that day not to mention it was drizzling.
The apartment was pretty much as I remembered it. This time I took more notice of the spaces and details. There are doors, for example, on all the rooms, except the wall that divides the living room and the office, which is good.
It was a little smaller than I remembered it. Though I think appearances can be deceiving because they are furnished spaces and most of the furnishings will be going. They will be sending me the floor plans soon.
I'm only aware of a couple negative things. One is that the building is on the corner of a very quiet street and a fairly busy street. The busy one is supposed to get quiet in the evening, but talking to a man who lived down the road he said that daredevil drivers will drive down at ungodly speeds during the night, he said around one every 2 hours. Now, I may not need to worry much, 1) because the bedroom window isn't on that street, it's on the side of the building one of the furthest rooms from the street, and 2) because the place is airconditioned so there will be little need to keep the windows open at night. However I do like to sleep with a bit of a breeze in summer.
The other thing is that I had imagined the garage would be a good storage space. But upon better inspection, two of the walls are unusable, one because there's a sliding garage door that runs along the wall. And the other of course is the garage door. The back wall is almost useless seeing as it is the walkway between the garage and the "laundry room".
So I basically have only a wall and a half to be able to get shelving systems for. Either that or I set something up in the middle of the room... since I don't have a car to put in there. There is no place for storage upstairs either.
The good news is that the agent told me I have priority on the place. The owner wants me in there. She said that if anyone is interested I'll be the first one to know. They'll ask me what I want to do. So I have some time.
I'll be going to see my counselor this friday to get a game plan in mind, that should help me figure out how to go about breaking the news to bf and what order to do things in.
The bad news is financial news of course. So the cost of the place will be €6800 a year just for rent, including condo fees. Legally I am only allowed to make €5000 a year. I can't rightly explain how I can afford an apartment and bills that amount to €7000 a year. The only thing I can try to do is make up the rest of the cost by selling art (which I can now do because I technically opened a business). If I can manage to sell stuff for at least the remainder, then I'll be ok.
I guess this will be the deciding factor on whether I'll be able to make some money from my art.
The financial stuff will not be a deciding factor right now. I have some money saved up, so I'm not really worried about it. But I am aware that it may become a problem in the near future.
9 comments:
I'm liking this. You head seems committed to going ahead. It's the right thing, and it's time.
Mike
Couldn't you claim you're living with someone, or letting for example the garage to someone, thus officially lowering your yearly cost?
This country has become a difficult place to live and this is partially why. It would all have to be proven. I would need someone to register their residency with me, or I would need to show a sublet contract for the garage.
Moving is so exciting, and anxiety filled. Excited for you.
You make me always curious.
Living in the neighbouring country north of you and beeing at the adriatic sea once in a while, I really don T get it how to live with 5.000€.
One day you will have to explain that to me. I guess thats some kinda typical italian story ...
I agree Johanna.. if possible sublet the garage to someone. If you are lucky and your town is short on parking space you may have a nice discount.
When u run an enterprise maybe you can split the apparment costs - one part private stuff and fun and second part office (sepperate room would be godlike). The office could also takeover the costs for internet.
For selling art: Maybe there are some shops to be equipped. Last time I was at a furniture dealer they got some causual art there. Maybe offer some kind of "low" art ;o)
But whatever.. I hope you will get your own condo.. your own life .. and have fun!
lazy le .. buried under tons of snow.
It's good to see you can sell your art work now. A while back, I inquired about buying some of your pieces. I'm inquiring again. Email me & let's talk business.
Cammies: Thanks, yes it is exciting, and nerve racking!
LazyLe: I don't live on €5000, luckily. I have a lot of work 'under the table'. The problem is that if the government looks at my 'legal' income and my rent they will see that I can't support my rent. I can deduct my office or workshop costs, IF I sell.
Selling art with furniture dealers isn't a bad idea. I'll think about it.
Panther: Problem is I can't sell my work abroad. It's one of the clauses of the type of business I've opened. I get a ton of tax breaks, but I can't sell outside of the country.
**Moral of the story? Italy basically sucks.**
So have a friend (with a higher official income) sign a contract for the garage...? With rules like that I'm sure no one would be offended if you asked them at least... (and here I was thinking I was living in the most regulated society on earth... I'm shocked!)
Johanna: yes I could ask a friend to rent the garage. that's not a bad idea. I'm not sure how I'd go about it. but I'm sure I could figure something out. There would have to be some kind of visible money movement into my account.
The Italian laws have become quite Orwellian... Or I suppose more correctly Dantesque, though I'm not sure which ring of inferno I'm in.
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