Last year I sold my 4,000sf custom built home on 12 acres and started hunting for a new home for my two daughters and I. Like all of my buyers, I had a list of features I hoped/demanded to find in my new home. The list included things such as: wants; fireplace, dining room, extra bath and needs; garage, location.
After months of searching I had found one key thing: I wasn’t getting all of my list in any one single family home that I could afford. I decided I better sit myself down and give my “time to get realistic, keep your options open Mrs. Buyer” speech to myself. (the process of selling and buying my own real estate caused a real Cybil-like issue in my world)
After my talking-to I went out shopping with my mom (who owned a real estate company for 25 years and trained me) and we saw EVERYTHING on the market in my price range. Everything included: multi family homes, single family homes and condominiums. The last of the day was a condominium in a complex that I had looked in previously and discarded as an option.
Me: Mom, we are probably wasting our time, but if I don’t look at EVERYTHING then I am going to have to fire myself as a buyer and that seems extreme.
Mom: Keep an open mind.
Me, opening door: I looked at these six months ago and I just don’t think I am suited for condo living.
Mom: Open the *&^% door.
Me, walking in: Hey….I don’t remember these being so open.
Mom: This is nice.
Me: I think I could do this.
Mom: I think you should.
I was blocked with the frame of mind that I needed my own land. I was blocked into thinking that I wouldn’t like having people living on each side of me. I was just blocked, period. From that epiphany I realized that this condo had everything on my list….not one thing left off AND I could afford it. Well, it doesn’t take two bricks for me to get the point, I put in a bid and we live here now.
Guess what? I LOVE IT! Every Monday the lawns (plentiful and lush) are mowed by someone other than me. Each sunny day my girls and I enjoy a pool that is cleaned by someone else. The deck needed repair and bam! the association had someone out to fix it. The front stairs, same story. We have spent a social summer getting to know the other residents of the complex and we have found that we really love having all of these people around us.
Of course, condo vs. single family is a very unique decision, but for me it was well worth re-considering my options…good thing I had such an opinionated and educated REALTOR!
