Couple of weeks back, we went on recce to Houston to check out the area and determine where we wanted to stay. We initiated the renting process. It's the first time we're renting for ourselves.
In Paris, the rent is under the name of the company so things are a lot easier.
Whereas, for our move to Houston, we will be signing the contract on our own names.
Since we have no credit score in US, we also need to put in a lot of deposit. So there's the basic US$400 deposit, plus one full month of rent as total deposit for folks like us without any credit score.
Then there's the US$400 admin and registration fees.
Then I'll have to pay one month of rent before the start date.
Super high overlay even before I get there.
We'll have to pack our stuff all over again, which isn't much cos most of our stuff were already in boxes. After 5 months in Paris, we realized that we didn't really need much to live. Just a bunch of clothes and some toiletries and household items, plates, cutlery, pots & pans, etc.
The stuff most people/myself included have at home is really too much. We typically hoard so much stuff when more often than not, we don't use them.
Anyway...
I'll have to close my home internet and mobile phone line in Paris and cancel the electricity account.
We'll need to keep the Paris bank account open for the time being cos my wife still has some residual claims and salary to receive in that account. It's a bit troublesome cos we'll have to close the bank account remotely from overseas.
It's just the hassle of all these opening and closing of accounts, which are... not tough but troublesome, cos things aren't as efficient as in SG. Cos we had some issue cancelling some SIM card in Paris previously and they were charging us the monthly charge even after cancellation so there was some trouble communicating with them and asking for refund, etc. So I just hope that the closure of the accounts when we leave will be smooth and I won't have to follow up on anything when we're in Houston.
Then I'll have to reopen all these accounts again in Houston.
US bank account, electricity, home internet, my mobile plan.
My wife gets a company line when she's in Paris or Houston, so it's easier for her.
We don't need to open a water account for both countries cos water is included in the rent in Paris, and in US, the apartment will bill us separately for the water used. So no separate account needs to be managed.
For both countries, we didn't or don't intend to have cable TV. In Paris, the apartment came with a TV but we didn't use it and didn't subscribe to the cable in Paris.
In Houston, the place comes unfurnished so there's no TV, and we don't intend to buy a TV, cos... well, we don't use it. We typically watch stuff on our laptops. So no real need for a TV.
Then when we leave Paris, we'll need to arrange for a professional cleaning company to clean up the apartment before we leave. Since we're flying early in the morning, we'll need to arrange for cleaning one day before and then move to a hotel/temporary accommodation to sleep for one night before flying off.
When we go to Houston, we'll stay at a temporary apartment for a couple of weeks before we move to our rental place. We'll need to buy furniture and stuff cos apartments in Houston are rented "unfurnished".
Actually there's stuff already in the apartment.
Fridge, oven, microwave, dishwasher, washing machine and dryer are all available.
Toilets are pretty much ready to use. Cupboards are all in-built.
There is a large counter top which can be used as a dining table, but we'll need to buy chairs.
So once we reach there, the most important thing to buy is a mattress, then the bed frame, then a sofa and dining chairs, then dining and cooking equipment. Not a lot of stuff to buy urgently actually. Cos in reality all we need is a bed to be able to move in for the time being. We can always eat out for a start if we aren't ready to cook yet.
I've been reading up on cars in Houston. It's pretty much a necessity. There's no real form of public transport except for Uber. Cars are pretty much the main form of transport for most people. Parking is usually free except for only a few situations.
What most people don't realize is that cars are cheaper in other countries. Doesn't mean cars are cheap.
Yes, of course if we compare against Singapore, there's nothing much to say.
But now when I'm looking at cars, I'm looking at around US$6-US$10k. Sure that's nothing in SG.
BUT... I'll still have to fork out around S$10k+ in cash when I get one in US cos I don't have credit. And it's not worth taking a loan anyway. So it's not like it's really cheap.
(Not to mention I have to pay the deposit and rent when I initially go over.)
I'll be looking for a bigger car. Probably a Toyota Camry. Cos small cars are dangerous in Houston. People drive big cars and trucks there so if I'm involved in any accident... I'll need a bigger vehicle to provide some form of protection.
Remember what happened in the AYE accident? The Mercedes vs the other vehicles?
So yea... I'll probably need a stronger vehicle to stay safe.
I could get a 15 year old Porsche for around US$10k though... Super tempting but the repairs are expected to be very pricey after I went through the reviews.
I also realized that my perception of car maintenance costs is very off vs the folks in Houston.
I was watching Youtubes about car maintenance. What's a normal cost for car repairs and such in SG is super expensive as compared to the US.
In SG, cars are expensive. So paying S$50 for an oil change is no real issue compared to the overall price of the car. Or repairs in SG for S$200-S$500 is pretty normal.
But in US, cars are around US$6-US$40k, depending on used or new cars... based on this, repairs or basic maintenance take up a large percentage of car ownership costs.
Then there's guns... To get or not to get?
Better to own one and not need it, than to need one and not have one?
Texas gun laws are pretty liberal. So it's not particularly tough to get one. Not too expensive too. Cheaper brands can be US$200, a better gun can be obtained at US$500+.
We're talking about handguns not rifles.
Ammunition to practice at a range is also not cheap. Around US$0.20 per shot. So if I want to practice 100-200 rounds, it's going to cost US$20-US$40 per session.
I'm pretty much looking forward to my move.
It's a hassle to move, yes... packing, unwinding all the accounts, then moving over and opening all the accounts again. But I think Houston would be more fun than Paris. So I'm quite excited to go. But still stressed over the move. Cos there's so much admin to do and hopefully everything will proceed smoothly without any hiccups, else the follow up is just troublesome.
Living aboard is very different from staying in Singapore. It's different and I think more people should do it if they have the chance to. It gives a better perspective of life and what is normal to other people vs what is normal to yourself. Staying near family can be good, but it also can be bad. There are things you can do, or things you cannot do and overall... it allows people to learn more about themselves and learn more about others.
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