After years of “City vs. ‘Burbs” discussions, Chris and I have finally decided to stay in Queens. Although this may seem like a pretty straightforward decision, it’s actually a huge deal for me because:
A) I’ve moved around my entire life. My family lived in multiple cities throughout my childhood, and I’ve relocated plenty of times as an adult. In fact, the address on my driver’s license is from six moves ago! While I’ve picked up an invaluable set of adaptive skills along the way, this nomadic lifestyle has left me longing for permanence and stability. The concept of staying in one place for the next 5-10 years sort of blows my mind - in a really great way.
B) I’m a small town girl at heart. I love driving to the supermarket and having trees above my head and grass beneath my feet. Having grown up in suburbia, it’s also a bit difficult for me to imagine raising children in a buzzing metropolis. But for now, it’s just us two and Wonka, and I am slowly warming up to the possibility of eventually starting a family in an urban environment. After all, this is where the majority of our friends and family live, and having a supportive community is way more important than having a driveway and big backyard.
C) This means we finally get to purchase our first home together!!
We’ve been spending our free summer nights and weekends looming in and out of countless open houses. Peeking into strangers’ living spaces has been rather interesting, to say the least. We’ve seen everything from neon green living rooms to antique dumbwaiters to stained glass showers. While certain apartments have been downright “eccentric”, it's refreshing and inspirational to see the thought and care that some owners have placed into personalizing their homes.
As home buying noobs, the entire process seems quite daunting. A million things need to happen before we get to plunk down that 20%, sign on the dotted line(s), and jingle some new keys in our pockets. But for now, we’re taking things one step at a time and enjoying the thrill of the hunt. I really can’t wait to find our new home. Hopefully I will have an update for you guys soon!