clarity, maybe

I like to think that I'm a pretty good writer, but sometimes what I write turns out to be something different from what I think I'm writing.

So what am I talking about now? This:

There is the possibility, just maybe, perhaps, that someone just might make an offer on my place. Before making the offer they needed me to clear it with my strata council, that should they buy (if they offer me enough and there are no other objections) they would be able to rent out the place for a year or so, until they are able to move in. So I asked. Unfortunately, I had previously asked whether it would be okay if I were to rent back, should that be an option, and that clouded the responses to this question, as to whether someone could rent to a...stranger.

So, turns out everybody likes me fine, and I can stay if I want, but no one directly answered my question about renting to ...strangers... because, really, I'm not going to commit to staying here forever, to save them from the riffraff of tenants (mostly thinking about whether I might need a month or so to find my next place).

In all the flurry of emails I got some clarification. One voice said, "well, the bylaws," and then I thought, hmmm, right, when all else fails, read the manual. So I dug out the by-laws, which are clear enough. I could have saved myself a lot of email traffic if I'd just done my homework. I know, I know, it's like reading the manual for your new phone but sometimes sitting down and reading the by-laws (or the manual) can be quite edifying. Unfortunately it's much easier to have an opinion if you don't check first.

But I had a second question--Are we at maximum rentals?--which you'd think would be easy to answer too, but no, even that question turned out to be greyish. When I suggested we might not be at maximum (we allow two) I got one vehement statement that we were at max, case closed. However, while one unit is definitely rented, another only sometimes rents out her place when she's away, and she's away now; is it rented? No. ("It's empty, does that still count as a rental?" asked one. In fairness I think she was joking.) And another unit has the children of the owners living in it, and it was hazy whether they were renting, but, no, they're not, and anyway, family is not tenantry. So my maybe buyers are free to put together a proposal. Fingers crossed they will.

People very much read with their emotions. I should know that, but this just illustrated it again. I've now emailed everyone the clause from the by-laws, which everyone should have, but might not know where it is

And here's why I blame myself in this one, for muddying the water with my unclear writing. I think that even though I thought my questions were clear, what I really wanted to know and didn't ask, was, would these people who are my neighbours (for now) still think I was a nice person if I sold my place to someone who then turned around and rented it out. (Will you still like me if I actually accept an offer that is good for me [and legal!] but might be inconvenient for you?)

I mean, what a person I'm turning out to be. I am just waiting for people to put their doormats on me. But it's fine, as long as they think I'm nice. (And they do!) Very female of me, probably.

It's all still hypothetical too. I am hopeful, but no one has showed up with an offer yet.