Photo credit: http://www.therusticsign.com

That’s right, Wonderlings. I have finally checked off #1 on my 30-Before-30 list and I am the proud owner of a ginormous townhouse. As you may remember, the road to real estate bliss was paved with multiple disappointments.  I walked away from a home, I lost out on a home, and I moved in with my mother while I waited for the The One.  Despite the emotional roller coaster that real estate can become, I never lost hope that I would eventually have a place to call my own.

And boy do I!

I had seen this particular bank-owned property online for months in my search for a home. Other than a quick skim, I never paid too much attention to this townhouse because it was a bit out of my price range.  Nevertheless, I asked my real estate agent if we could take a look at it.  Since it had been on the market for so long when other homes were selling as soon as they were listed, I thought the bank just might take less than the asking price.

I wouldn’t exactly say it was love at first sight (who can with mustard yellow granite offset by dark olive walls and a room painted in Los Angeles Lakers team colors?), but I did see potential.  A three bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom, and over 1,600 square feet home was more space than I knew what to do with, but I couldn’t ignore the return on investment down the road.

My agent and I agreed to make an offer that day.

Much like bidding on eBay, we created a profile for the auction site and monitored it right up until the bidding was over.  There was some competition with another buyer, but I ended up being the highest bidder.

Unfortunately, the bank’s reserve hadn’t been met and they countered my offer, allowing me and only me, to purchase the home at the reserve price.  I had 48 hours to decide.  I stressed and worried that I wouldn’t be able to afford the home and that this was going to be another disappointment, but a reassuring call from my lender and I decided to take the deal.

Before I knew it, I was in escrow again, but since I had already been let down once, I decided not to tell anyone about the newest home for fear of jinxing the whole thing.  Call me superstitious, but it worked and I let the cat out of the bag as I posted a photo to Facebook as I finished signing the last of the escrow documents.

The last signature and a big smile.

Two days later, it was mine.

It’s been a long summer of renovations and I’ve only been moved in for about three weeks.  There were so many projects I wanted to complete before I moved in because it would just be easier.  First thing, I had the entire place repainted.  No offense to the previous owners, but their taste was god awful horrible not mine.  Next came new carpet, countertops, and appliances.  I’m not done—from what I hear, I never will be—but the home is now much more a reflection of me and I have been very happy here getting familiar with the neighborhood.

Just one of the many changes I’ve made

Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that I’m finally here and that I’m making my own home.  It’s been a joy going to Home Depot and Bed Bath and Beyond, decorating, and cooking in my swanky kitchen.  The first meal I made was Amber’s Thai Shrimp Quinoa (which earned me more than one gold star and multiple requests for the peanut sauce—if you’re not reading The Usual Bliss, head over there now!) and I can’t wait to start hosting parties for my friends and family.

There truly is no place like home.