Stress!!!

I know that everyone under the sun told me that buying a house was one of the most stressful things you can do - and I let that piece of wisdom go in one ear and out the other.

Lesson learnt now though and I have had one of the most stressful weeks of my life...and nothing has been resolved so it all rolls over into next week.

In a little blogging therapy, allow me to detail all the weights on my shoulders at present:
Stress number 1: The house purchase is not yet complete.

I hoped to exchange early this week as we really need to complete on 7 May in order for all the timings with moving to work out. Due to a 'protracted legal process' (I'll call it that to be polite) we are nowhere near exchange and the approved contract (which was with our solicitors for five weeks) is only now going back to the vendors solicitors. I don't think we are in danger of losing the property and I know that everything is OK and in place for the purchase to go through - it's just all very slow.

This is all closely tied in with:

Stress number 2: Renting out our current house

As we are moving out of a rental property in the middle of our contract we are liable for the rent until such a time as a new tenant can be found. Because of this I took the risky tactic of having listed the house for rent this week despite the fact we haven't yet exchanged. It's being advertised to be occupied a week after our proposed completion.

There's been 20 viewings but so far no one has taken on the lease. This is a big worry in the current London rental market - houses normally go in hours not days. It's a worry that if we can't find someone we could have a long time of paying both rent and a mortgage.

Couple this with the worry that if someone does take it and we haven't yet completed we'll have to move out and will be homeless.

Stress number 3: Finding a new job

Although I am happy with my decision to leave my current job I just don't know what to do or where to go next. I don't know what type of job I want to find, where it should be based or how much it will pay. I know the sort of thing I want to do but that just doesn't pay enough. I want to hold out and not go for something which doesn't give me the work-life balance I crave but I fear 'the fear' will get me and I'll accept anything!

Stress number 4: The phone isn't ringing.

Hubby is waiting for news and the phone hasn't rung. I need the phone to ring so I can stop stressing about just one thing.

Reading some other blogs I know that these worries are little ones, they are not life-changing and everything will work out in the end. But they are my worries at this time.