Youre making a big mistake by not buying a condo in South Florida now, Ive been told. Prices are the lowest in ten years and a woman living alone should have the security of her own property, a friend argued. Places going for over $100,000 are down to $65,000 in short sales and foreclosures.
It took 18 months for our house of dreams to sell $100,000 under assessment in a fantastic neighborhood near good schools, in a city Madison, Wisconsin that has been on a dozen top ten lists.
We had built in 1989, choosing our lot when the land was a cornfield. When we moved in there was only one other child at the bus stop across the street from our house. Within a year the neighborhood had exploded into families with young children and one or two dogs. Fifteen years later, with grown children, we were selling to cut costs and downsize.
The rooms in the butter yellow contemporary farmhouse were spacious. Our kitchen island was so big you could pitch a tent on it great for parties. On the second floor, the boys rooms had unusual angles and lots of light, plus a balcony study nook. The master suite flowed from bedroom to skylit bathroom to a walk-in closet so big it had 2 closets in it to the upstairs laundry room. There was a large studio I used for art projects off the kitchen with its own entrance, and a downstairs guestroom.
Who wouldnt want a porch to sit on, a glider in the garden, a safe cul de sac near schools and the mall?People love it, said realtors. They just arent buying.It finally sold to a couple from Italy, who did not mind a small crack in the wall or a chipped tile, minor cosmetic annoyances to people from an ancient culture that had turned off other potential buyers who were choosy given the market. We passed on the house to people who appreciated the sage green kitchen, toasted almond dining room, Tuscany gold living room, Sangiovese grape Chianti powder room. They couldnt believe their luck. Neither could I.I couldnt commit to the next house we moved to. I barely unpacked. Even though the kitchen was cute with a bar counter and two stools, I only ate carry out. The new carpets went unvacuumed so long that they developed a filmy web that changed the color from bright copper to brown penny. It was like we were living there by accident. It wasnt a home.When it came time to move out of that house because my husband and I were divorcing, the housing market was even worse. Since we couldnt afford to lose more money on a house, we are renting it through a property management company, getting more than we need to pay the mortgage and property taxes, but not enough to cover the Home Equity loan payments we owe from having to pay lawyers who negotiated our financial settlement.I like renting in Florida. The property is someone elses responsibility. At certain times in life, the choice to be free outweighs the security of an investment. And if the last ten years have taught me anything, it is that there is no secure investment. Judy Kirkwood likes 9A, but she also enjoyed 12A, and could live in 8B if she had to.
