Another Year in STL

So, Jon has decided to take another season of work with STAGES.  They offered him a decent enough raise (not what he wanted, but good enough) and he likes it here.  As much as I want to go back home, I'm excited for another season at STAGES.  I like dressing up and going to the shows, sipping wine at opening night parties, and going to the benefits and auctions.  Sitting at the last auction, listening to people throw around tens of thousands of dollars like it was nothing was intimidating to say the least, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy being a part of it.

After six years at the university, it's nice to feel like an adult.  And that's the big part of my post today.  Jon and I are looking for somewhere new to move, and it's proving to be quite the challenge.  We moved in here under a rent special, and if we renew another year, our rent goes up substantially.  As in, we HAVE to move.  Also, there's been a handful of incidents (Jon's bike stolen, vandalism, fires set) that have made up our mind for us.  Our lease is up in July, which gives us a little time, but not much.

The problem is, our apartment is pretty big.  Any other apartment at the price we pay now is going to be half the size, and we already trip over each other and our stuff as it is.  It seems like all the apartments in the city (the cheap ones) are overrun with college students, and we've had enough of that.  We want a grown-up place.  

So I started the process of trying to see about buying a home.  Our credit will not let us.  I am leaning towards some rent-to-own options, but it's tricky.  Most of the rent-to-owns that aren't totally sketchy are so far away from where we work that it makes it basically pointless to move there.  And the closest options to where Jon will be working move me away from where I work.  Granted, I work at a mall and there are a billion malls here, but still.

I just wish there was some other option.  I can't believe how difficult this process has been, and I just want somewhere to call home.  I've moved every year for the past seven years (sometimes multiple times in a year).  I just want a real home.