Azure with Zest! Or Not

That makes Azzure. Lake Azzure, to be exact. That’s the community we have set our eyes on: to live, to relax, to frolic, and to grow for our next phase of life in America.

After three years of life as a renter, we have decided to plunge headlong into what appears to be a commitment of sort. The switch, or rather the change of heart, was prompted by the sharp rise, at least from our perspective, of the apartment rent.

So in the past two weeks, we have ventured northeast to just outside the USF Campus (SunRidge Condo, first image), then east to Palm River Road (Palm River Townhomes, second image), South to the GrandKey Condo (third image), and finally settled at Lake Azzure Condo (Sorry, no image here) to the north-northwest, but all on different days.

It’s a combination of factors really: cost, commute distance, proximity to stores, tolls (yes, there are tolled road here too), and …

The above was written just after we inked the purchase agreement but 48 hours since, we have had a change of heart. One half of us felt the process was too fast, before we have exhausted other options. The other half started feeling apprehensive about the new place, no matter how imaginary it may seem. What if it’s not a good neighborhood? What if the commute takes longer that we have been clocking in the last few visits, which are not exactly in the thick of rush hour? What if the sale is not as good and the neighboring units failed to be populated? What if the monthly maintenance charges skyrocketed? What if the property insurance, judging by what Floridians have to contend with following the last two hurricane seasons, is only available from the provider of last resort, which by itself is ominous sounding enough?

In the midst of these uncertainties, perceived or otherwise, staying put seems a viable option, though we may have to go on some sort of austerity drive: the Blockbuster monthly pass is the first to go (in fact it’s already cancelled at the end of last year). Then there are the magazine subscriptions (but we are already down to only Reader’s Digest).

Familiarity with the surrounding is a great ally, and a great obstacle (for want of a better word) to overcome too. Some call it the inertia, some call it the comfort zone. Others may refer to it as routine. Whatever it is, never underestimate the effort needed to overcome it. It seems familiarity breeding contempt can only occur at a higher plane.

Or is it the fear of the unknown? Are these two both sides of the same coin? Like the proverbial push and pull factors? But what about when we first moved here? Didn’t a bigger unknown exist then? Well, I guess one can analyze until the cow comes home, but the feelings and the perceptions may be what ultimately drive any decision making in the social context …

Well, the above, being the second installment, was penned last night. But this morning something else happened that precipitated another about turn.

So just by looking at the four images (the last one being an imaginary one), would you make any this your dream home?