Knock some sense into me!

Please tell me the only consideration for a rental should not be if that rental allows for a third dog.

Most places around here allow for 0-2 pets. Which is a bummer since I already have 2 and would like a third. I found one place that would allow a third dog and I almost want to jump on it solely because I could get a puppy. Bad, right? It's not a bad place per say, but I like the others better. But I keep thinking... I could get a dog if I moved there. Not even sure if I would get a third dog just yet but I like the feeling of having the option.

The smart thing would be to finish saving up for a donwpayment on a house I could OWN.... Then get the dog. But that seems far away.

ETA: Should probably add, this will be my last rental most likely then I hope to have enough to buy a house of my own. Salary is more than enough for the place, it's fairly nice and enough space. Good location, easy access to the office. It's just not quite as nice as the other place as far as carpet and appliances go. I like the location better, but it's about $50 more expensive a month too.

Go with what you want...

I mean, to me location is more important appliances (within reason)...

But the extra $/month and if you did decided to get a third dog, that could combine to push back when you buy your own place...if you want to get a house first, getting one of the apartments that doesn't allow a third dog would be one way to remove the temptation and ensure you are focused on saving for a house.

I really think it would be do-able either way. It would potentially make the wait for home ownership a bit longer. I'm not sure what I feel about that though. Either way I've been running cost spreadsheets on everything (I'm really analytical about that) so rest assured that it wouldn't be a light decision.

It does not help that I've had serious new pet want for a while. Not even just a dog but anything.

I never thought it'd be a flippant decision either way Some mild OCD can be a good thing...

And yeah I get what you're saying. I guess a lot of it could depend on timeline. I mean if you get the cheaper 2-dog apartment and save hard...if that means you can get a house in a year or two and get your third dog, that may be easier to stomach than if the best case scenario is five or more years from now.

I keep needing to remind myself that real estate is cheaper in your neck of the woods

Haha, me too!

Location is everything to me, because I live in an area with bad traffic. I'm currently paying more for a place that still has the original 1950's everything (windows, kitchen, floors, bathroom tile) and is smaller than other places, because it meant my commute to work was manageable.

$50/month isn't enough to make a difference of when you buy a house. That's $600/year, which is trivial in the scheme of a house that costs several hundred thousand. I wouldn't make the $50 a determining factor. The cost of a third dog would be more than the $600 anyway!

Ha, I can relate. I've been thinking if I ask for only weekend shifts at work, I would have no social life, but I could get a dog!!

I would save the $50 and go with a nicer place and wait until you buy your own place before adding new pets. You never know just how much a new pet might cost, or how much a current pet might cost you at any time, and that $50 could go a long way towards accidents, injuries, etc.

Could you perhaps dull the new pet want with a lower cost pet like a new fish?

Yeah the new dog side of that was the bigger expense lol. Plus it's a mindset thing...giving up something to save an extra $50 here, make other lifestyle sacrifices to save another $50 there...etc.

Keep in mind that in many areas a house isn't going to cost several hundred thousand. In my area of the midwest, if you are buying a house for that you are buying a home in the upper end of the market...a new, larger house on acreage or in a really ideal location. And we're pricey compared to most areas of OK/TX...

Ah, thanks for the reality check.

Here $300k is the bare bottom of the market for a SFH in a pretty sketchy neighborhood. $400 is a more realistic starting point.

Jeez! We had a house go up for sale by us...two stories w/ basement, three car garage, brick, wood floors, porch, GORGEOUS, everything up to date and top of the line, four or five bedrooms, built in the last year on five acres with a pond and barn/garage go for $500,000. I've seen "lower end" houses go for $120,000 in the real estate magazines - I've even seen some as cheap as $65,000, but those are more fixer uppers than anything.

I'm hoping to get my own place next fall, and I'm basing a lot of my decision on how dog friendly they are. :lol-sign: I'm really hoping I can find a small house I can rent in my price range, but I'm not holding my breath.

The market here is SO incredibly buyer friendly right now. The only impediments are unrealistic sellers or those who bought their houses at the top of the bubble and are upside down and realtors who won't budge on their commissions and would rather make nothing than move off of their commission by even half a percent.

I already tried the new fish thing and it lasted about a week.

I'd probably be looking at the $120s for a house here if I don't want something incredibly shabby. We're in probably one of the most expensive areas of OK.

I think I'm looking at 2ish years of saving to get a house maybe. Gah seems so long!

Good luck!

(Yes I just used pom-poms...that's how much I'm hoping for the best...pom-poms)