Friday, February 8, 2008

Coming to terms with reality

One day, sometime in the future, I would like to buy a place. It’s not in my plans for this year but the bf and I like to go to open houses on weekends. I always end up a little sad afterwards because of all the nice places I can’t afford.

I finally found the problem. To give a little background. I didn’t grow up rich. However, wherever else we cut corners or did without, we always lived in the nicest neighbourhoods we could possibly afford. Maybe not the nicest place in that neighbourhood but at least we were in a nice neighbourhood. Anyway, as time goes on the places got better as well.

As a result I have come to have high expectations for my first home purchase – unrealistic expectations for a single girl making decent but not super wages in a city that has a booming real estate market.

Sure I know the idea is to find the cheapest place in the best neighbourhood I could afford. In reality I was looking in neighbourhoods I couldn’t afford, and not willing to settle for a place that needs a little tender loving care.

Although it’s a distant goal, I still think it’s to my advantage that I have more realistic ideas of what I can afford and keep informed of what’s out there.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey, it may be premature to conclude anything yet - my loft is not what I'd expected, and in Canada's grittiest neighbourhood, but I honestly, truly am in love with my little piece of the world. I'd looked at 20 - 30 places or so, walked in to this one, and to my surprise, just got that deep, joyful sense of, "I belong here". It's not what I'd written down for myself, or imagined, but now I wouldn't trade it for my original ideas no matter what.
Keep looking, and hold out for the one that 'gets' you.

Canadian Saver said...

Going to open houses sounds like a lot of fun!! I often watch HGTV to get ideas about design... I am pretty sure this is the house I'll live in until I move to a retirement home... not the fanciest in the neighborhood, but I can do my best to decorate it the way I love.

Glad you realized what you did sooner rather than later :-)

Esme said...

Thanks for the comments. I hope to one day find that place I just fall in love with. And being more realistic means when I do it'll be something I can afford.

Canadian Saver,
I love HGTV. I like watching how people find places, how they change a place to suit their needs, and I'm thinking I probably pick up little hints that will be helpful later on.

SavingDiva said...

I'm right there with you...trying to save for a home...it's a lot!