Closed today :)

may the force be with you

Congrats RECraze. Wish you many happy years.

Hope you are happy there RECraze, cuz market on that baby will prob be about 350-400/sq foot in a year or two.

anon3: and you'll have a liver transplant.

how do you define a good deal?

Congrats on your new digs. And for not attempting to micro-market time your life to fit the economy. If the price comfortably fit your budget and savings plan, you just won a great increase in your quality of life! Remember, you don't get extra points for dying one day with the most money possible in the bank--the idea is to save what you will need and enjoy spending the rest!

3 months ago I moved into a place I bought and renovated. I've never been happier. The price i paid fit my budget and plan for the future. What the market does in the next 5 years or even 10 matters little to me. Now, walking into my apt at the end of the day and waking up in it feels priceless. Like I live at the Four Seasons. It's mine, I love every inch of it, it feels great. Like living a RE porn movie. Luxurious showers in a custom bathrm, meals from a kitchen I designed, computers, TV and surround speakers with no wires running all over, work space with lighting in all the right places. Custom closets so I'm no longer improvising storage like I did in my 2 rental apartments I lived in while looking. Mmmm.

And with all that renting, and looking, and storage, and open houses, and compromising behind me, I've got my life back. More photography, weekend gardening, 'date nights' with my partner. Dinner parties in a space I'm proud to say is home. A sense of community in the building instead of a bunch of people camping out and griping about the landlord/management company. I love not thinking about RE in our lives anymore.

Don't know if this is your first place or just a new one, but get ready to feel good in ways you may find surprising!

nice, kylewest!! Glad to hear how delighted you are in your home. You not only enrich these forums but you seem like a genuinely great guy :) Your partners a lucky guy!!

Nicely done kylewest. I think you've captured the essence of what some fail to see.

Live long and prosper...in your new home...congrats!!!

Kylewest -- I always like reading your posts and really enjoyed traveling along as you did your renovation (I've added your doorknob producer to my source list). So many who post here seem to view real estate as if they're day traders and an apartment is simply a stock to buy (or to short). But you obviously know that it's about finding and loving a home. And if you've never owned but only rented, you can't fully appreciate the difference and how owning where you live, whether you renovate or not, is really different.

We're currently renting after (lucky us) selling a condo in the 3rd quarter of 2008. We've recently found the coop we think will be a happy, comfortable and affordable home, have gone to contract, and hope we'll be closing in early September. Might the market still go down? Who knows? And I really don't care since we bought prudently, plan to live in this place for a long time, and know that markets come and go. We're so eager to get out of the white box we're renting, retrieving our things that are in storage, and getting back to living our lives and like you, exiting NYC's real estate dramas.

You said it all so well and I'm right there with you. Or almost. In September....

Congratulations everyone who shared your success stories. You give me hope!

kylewest...i love reading your posts...that's why i'm torn between renting and buying..it's exhausting never putting down roots, not being able to redesign kitchen, bathroom, closets but having to settle for what the LL has done.

i just love that fact that so many are so capable of so much love.

patient09...a little cold water on all these good feeling.....maybe it's needed, especially living in Mahattan..we can't be too "soft"

i feel the same way about our house. mortgage free and enough money in the bank no matter what assuming there is a bank which i assume there will be.

however....absent that circumstance---I worry for all the people who are counting on jobs that may or may not be there.

"And for not attempting to micro-market time your life to fit the economy. If the price comfortably fit your budget and savings plan, you just won a great increase in your quality of life! Remember, you don't get extra points for dying one day with the most money possible in the bank--the idea is to save what you will need and enjoy spending the rest!"

Bingo! Well put kylewest.

Wow - amazing, the crazies have not come out to ruin yet another thread. Only a matter of time I suppose. Until then, I will echo that your life will be improved in ways you have not imagined. Coming home to your home rocks. Congrats, and enjoy!

Things been more calm without AboutReady and corp around.
:)

Wow, thanks for all the kind words! This is the most positive thread I've seen in a long time!

Kyle - Yes, this is our first place and we couldn't be more excited. We're also finally getting to do all the things we've always wanted to do like custom interiors doors / finishes, etc. You are right, it's a really cool feeling to finally own something. Plus we don't need to move in for another month which gives us plenty of time to do a little bit of work on it, but once we are in, I think it will be a great feeling. :)

RECraze, congrats! kylewest put it as eloquently as anyone I've ever heard - it's a tremendously relaxing feeling, which for many people is a priceless thing (hopefully not too priceless though). There's no substitute for buying prudently and reasonably, and once you've made that step, letting go of all the craziness is finally pretty easy. Good luck with the move.

Add my congratulations to the pile. RECraze and Kylewest too. We are looking for a new home and anticipate as much joy as we had in our old one for 18 years!

Congratulations RECraze!

Congratulations, that's fantastic! We are moving too -- in a week -- and can't wait.

ali r.
{downtown broker}

Hey, Anon3 - It's been 1 year... Still think your prediction of 350 -400 ppsf is holding true or should I just wait another year for that 50% drop...