Home Ownership
At the age of 46, I realized I was not growing any younger. Almost all my friends were homeowners. The thought of having to live in a rented apartment kept haunting me, for how long, I thought? My siblings and I had grown in a home, jointly owned by our parents. The desire to become a homeowner was quickly turning into an obsession, but as a single woman, I did not think I would be able to afford a home in California on my own. I remembered a small inheritance from that my parents had put aside for me, and I thought, adding to my savings I had set aside, this was not going to be too hard, after all. I had to realize my mission and realize it soon, after all, life begins at 40!
The process of homeownership is not an easy one. I reached out to my sister, who had already purchased her own home a few years back. I remembered how she had gone through the process, and I quickly reached out to her. I asked for the contacts of her broker, who helped me find a home and navigate all the paperwork needed. I realized with the help of an expert in the field; it was much easier to understand what was required to purchase a new home.
A few days after meeting with the broker, we began serious shopping for my home. He already had some houses within California, so the search was much more relaxed. The houses were all beautiful, and within my budget, it was hard to make up my mind. After refining the search, we settled on three, and I asked the agent to give me some time to make up my mind. I asked my sister to accompany me on a tour of the houses to see what she thought about my choice. Surprisingly, the house that I thought was best for me is the same one that my sister settled for. It was time to call the agent for drawing up an offer. He did not disappoint. My agent’s experience assisted me in crafting an attractive offer that was within both my budget and the listing price. After submitting my offer, it was time to sit back and wait. The wait was interminable, but I was hopeful that I would get a yes! And yes, it was! Within a few days, the big day arrived to have the house inspected. I was not ready to take any chances; I needed the inspection to point out any unseen defects that may have escaped our eyes. Before moving in, I had to make sure any glitch was fixed before we closed the deal.
After being completely satisfied with my home, I called my insurance to let them know of my latest acquisition. I needed insurance to protect my home as an investment. I also arranged with all utility companies to ensure that my cable was paid for; I had power and water.
The big day finally arrived. I cannot remember the number of papers that I signed that day! There were so many of them. I was exhausted, but the excitement of having my own home overruled the exhaustion. I was close to the finish line. I felt so proud of myself, but above all, my parents, whose share of inheritance made it possible for me to acquire a home for myself. After all the paperwork, I received the keys to my house. Yes, I had done it! I was now a homeowner. My sale agreement had indicated I could move in immediately after signing the contract. My adventure of home buying was over; it was now time to start on another journey of homeownership.
Moving into my new home called for a celebration! My sister and I arranged for a ‘housewarming’ party at my new home. We invited a few people, including my agent. My parents shared my achievement, and all through the party, I could tell how proud they were about my success. The party turned out just as expected – it was so much fun! A day after the party, I thought it wise to get to know my neighbors. I made a few pastries and walked into my closest neighbors’ houses with baskets of cake. They were all lovely people, and I knew I had made the right choice. A beautiful home in a serene environment and lovely people for neighbors, what else could I ask for! They say life is short; why not make the best out of it?
With almost five years of having my own home, I realized things were not as hard as I had imagined. The money I was now spending to run my house was way less than what I paid on rent. It was time to venture into another project – enroll for a course to advance my career. Life could never be better!