Real estate
Here’s what I’ve done in the apartment buying front:
§ Spoken to friends/co-workers. Made plans with others to talk with them.
§ Ordered three books about coop/condo buying.
§ Gotten the name of two realtors, one of whom has of a lot of experience with first time buyers in the “lower price echelons”
§ Madly looked at real estate listings from EVERYWHERE in my borough
I went out to a marginal neighborhood that I’m thinking of in order to look at it. My co-worker, who lives there, apparently saw me across the street in front of his apartment. “You were outside my building this weekend,” he said. I copped to it. He is the president of his coop board. Hmm. He also knows a broker and gave me his information.
I’m struggling with the idea of leaving my neighborhood to live “across the park.” But a one bedroom coop in my neighborhood costs between $450,000-600,000 with outrageous maintenance. Monthly total charges on those units are around $4000. I do not take home $4000/month.
And so I think. And think. I could live in my rental forever, but should I? Hmm.
May 29, 2007 at 9:21 pm
remember how i said having a dog is the most job-like thing in my life? the apartment is too, although that’s got to be in part because of the roommate/renter thing. are you thinking of having a roommate? i think my current place works out in my favor financially at this point, but i’m not completely sure. i’m less confident about it than before i bought.
May 29, 2007 at 10:40 pm
I am probably not the person to ask after what I just went through…buying is usually a good move financially (providing you get yourself a reasonable loan and don’t overextend, blah blah blah). However, if someone had told me how exhausting house-hunting can be, I probably never would have started.
May 30, 2007 at 10:36 am
The thing I loved about house hunting was the voyeuristic side of it: seeing the insides of homes and seeing how other people live. The things I’ve seen! Good luck finding the right apt at the right price! Can’t imagine that’s easy in NY.