Tracy Calabrese

Finally! I am so excited that tonight is the last night I have to sleep in my apartment!

There’s a lot to do at my condo, but I am ready for it.The first things on my list are to paint the living room, kitchen and my bedroom, new closet doors (the 80’s mirrored doors have to go) and install a railing, since the stairs have no railing, which is both dangerous and strange.

Read about the first 365 days of being a first-time homeowner here.

So I admit, before today, I was a Craigslist virgin.

I posted my washer and dryer for sale about 6 hours ago and have five offers. I accepted the first one. I have no idea what the person’s name is and where they are from, but they offered to come pick it up next Saturday and pay me the $150 I asked for.

But honestly, I think I may have done everything wrong with this first Craigslist experience. Someone told me I should accept the first offer and have the person come pick it up ASAP. I need my washer and dryer this week, so I said next weekend as the pick up. Someone else said only take cash. I asked for cash first and check second. Oops. I haven’t given out my address yet, so I think I did at least one thing right.

Let’s hope this person comes with cash in hand and picks them up next weekend.

The closing on my condo was just pushed back to September 21.

I am pissed. That’s all.

Right now, I have eight days left in my apartment. I am traveling this Thursday - next Monday and possibly next Thursday and Friday. I can’t wait to get out of here. Three years in the same apartment…it was a good run, but it is time to move on.

I feel like I am breaking up with my apartment.

I have been attempting to eat the contents of my freezer and pantry, which isn’t the healthiest food in the world. Lunch this week will consist of Lean Cuisine’s, dinners will be veggie burgers, crab cakes, fries, one lonely pork chop, some Uncle Ben’s teriyaki rice and an assortment of frozen veggies. I have a few boxes of opened cereal, pancake mix, an assortment of granola bars, english muffins and egg beaters.

I spent most of the weekend packing. My dad came down on Sunday and helped take apart my busted computer (Literally. He took out the hard drive and then took the computer with him to recycle.) and helped me spackle the holes in the walls, fix the washer, move the refrigerator (to clean underneath and behind it) and move stuff from my outside storage closet inside to the pile of boxes that continues to grow.

I have a laundry list of people to follow up with tomorrow - listing agent, mortgage broker, title company, insurance company and financial planner.

I still have to pack up part of the kitchen, the bathroom (linens and towels, mostly), dresser and closet. I am not looking forward to the closet, but it has to be done.

There’s a lot to do in the next week and half or so, but I am so ready for it.

I started packing up my apartment today. I have 45 days until I move, but after looking at a calendar, I have a lot of travel coming up. NYC, Atlanta, Korea and San Francisco. And I will be away for three weekends over the next 45 days. So I am not crazy, I am planning ahead.

I packed up five boxes today, mostly stuff from my pantry/storage closet, my hutch, which holds serving platters, wine glasses and random holiday-themed things, and the built-in book case in my apartment.

It’s amazing how much stuff I have that I never use, like margarita glasses. When I move into my condo, I am definitely going to have a fiesta and use my margarita glasses.

Five down and lots more to go. I am going to need more newspaper and more boxes!

• Eric’s going away party and drinks with friends tonight.
• Packing up stuff in my apartment I don’t need in the next 45 days tomorrow and Sunday.
• Pull together all of my paperwork and statements for my mortgage loan application.
• Grocery store run.
• Spend a few hours by the pool with a magazine and my new book.
• Start packing for New York/Atlanta trip next week.
• Possibly a Home Depot trip to pick up some paint samples. I can’t help myself!

I am so close to becoming a first-time homeowner!

The seller officially accepted my offer this morning and I am signing the paperwork tomorrow. I close on September 15th and I “technically” move out of my apartment on September 29th.

I am waiting for all of this to sink in. I am waiting for the shock of the fact that all of my savings will be gone. I am waiting to cry, because I know I will.

But…I am pretty damn excited!

It’s been a physically relaxing, but mentally exhausting weekend and it is now coming to a close. I wish I had just one more day off!

Friday I went to look at condos…for the millionth time. I found one that I REALLY like and made plans to go look at it again today. More on that later.

I spent the 4th with my family eating and drinking too much, lounging by the pool, setting off fireworks, getting caught by the cops and getting out of a ticket. Thank you, Officer Thompson of the Corinth PD.

On Sunday, I slept in and was lazy for most of the day. I celebrated my aunt’s birthday with my family in the afternoon. My baby cousin Brody is getting so big so fast!

Today, my aunt (real estate agent/broker) came down with my parents (dad - my real estate agent) and we went for a second look at the condo I like. Two bedroom, two and half bathrooms, new tile floors, granite countertops, cute patio and pool on-site - it really has everything I am looking for and only needs some cosmetic updates.

We went by the realtor’s office to find out more and ask questions about the property only to find out that he wasn’t in today and no one else in his office could answer our questions. I sat down and wrote out all the questions so my dad could contact him via e-mail and hopefully we can get some answers before I decide to make an offer.

Home ownership is so close. I can feel it. But this is the biggest decision of my life (so far!) and I want to make sure it is the right one. My aunt is very anti-condo because of the HOA fees and resale value, but if I want to stay in Dallas, it’s either buy a condo or keep renting. And when I think of how much I have thrown away into rent over the past three years, it makes me sick. My mind keeps swirling with questions and I want to be sure I am making the right decision.

I know it is only 6:30pm, but I have zero tolerance for the loud music blaring through my apartment walls right now.

I can’t wait to get out of here.