Wanted: Apratment in Quite Area with Palcony

I've been searching like mad for an apartment in Egypt. We've been praying that we can find a place that will fit both our needs and our budget. In fact, Andrew was praying a few nights ago, and of course it was very late and he wasn't thinking straight, and he said,

"Help us to find an apartment that will be the right size, and bless that we will also be able to find an apartment we can afford."

That was all he said about the apartment in his prayer, but after he said amen we both amended this with, "And bless that they can be the same apartment."

The housing market in Cairo seems to have skyrocketed recently and it has become more and more difficult to find a decent-sized apartment in our price range, but there have been a few that I've scouted out. It's easy to find things in our price range, and it's easy to find things that are big enough, it's just combining those two factors that is difficult.

Today I hit a jackpot of sorts. I think I found 10 apartments listed with the same agency, all of which fitted our qualifications. There were plenty listed that did not, but I searched through all of them and singled out these few. Andrew wrote to them. I've decided that I'm sick of writing to brokers and real estate agents because they rarely write back, and if they do, they say to just come into their office even though I specifically explain in each email that we are moving from America...

We're just keeping our fingers crossed that we'll be able to find an apartment before we leave, if not we'll be gypsies for awhile again, which was interesting enough when we were newlyweds...but I think the experience will be compounded dragging a baby along with us.

At any rate, I enjoy looking at all the real estate websites. There are many things that just didn't translate right, and I find them rather humorous. Many "apratments" are found in "quite" neighborhoods. A few even have "palconies." But my favorite one boasted this,

"No elevator. Apartment is on 7th floor but walking is good for heart."

No, thank you!

We live on the second floor of a building right now, without an elevator, and most times it is completely doable. Sometimes, though, it is downright treacherous. Like when I have Rachel and the stroller and library books and groceries to carry up the stairs. Ugh!

But it's not really a big deal. For us, here, now. Seven flights of stairs is a big deal. I wouldn't even cringe if it was an apartment on the third of fourth floor with no elevator, but the seventh?!

I can't imagine hauling all our luggage up all those stairs even once.