How easy is it to house hunt in Edinburgh today? The answer is “not very”. In the past few months a number of people we are close to have been looking for a new home.
First of all you have decide your parameters – where you want to live, how big a home you need, how much you can afford to pay. Then you have to get onto the internet to find out what is on the market. Then you have to find the time to visit. Then, if it’s somewhere you like, you have to take a closer look. Then you have to find out if there is a closing date. Then you have get your lawyer to put in a bid. Then you have to wait, and hope that your bid is accepted, and that, if it is, your lawyers won’t then find some hidden legal, financial, or structural issue that will cause the whole deal to collapse (no pun intended.)
What are we looking for in a home, and how do we know when we’ve found it? We’re looking for somewhere we can feel “at home”. Somewhere that is comfortable, convenient, and safe, and that is part of a friendly community – a place where good memories can be grown.
Of course there are those who struggle with homelessness, and those will never be able to afford the home of their choice, and those who, even if they can, are not able to face up to the thought of all the disruption involved. But, whoever you are, if you want to feel “at home” without all the hassle, I can recommend somewhere not far from here – a place where good memories grow all the time.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may have her young—
a place near your altar,
Lord Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house;
they are ever praising you. (Ps 84.3-4)
Much love
John
