Adventures in Real Estate

I've always been a homemaker. Just without a home. Of course I have my parents' home, but I've wanted my own place as far back as I can remember. I used to have full-on dinner parties and pretend I was 30 when I was 18. My own towels, my own linen closet, my own dishes, everything to call mine. I'm sure it comes down to control, but I'm ok with that.

So, since July I have been househunting, with the invaluable assistance from my Dad, for that perfect (or close to it) little place where I can organize the coats in the hall closet to all face the same way. Yes, I would do that and no, I don't expect you to notice. Although I expect 2 people in particular to come over and mess it up.

Over the past six months, I have seen the good (and therefore out of my price range), the bad (full of sketchy cokehead tenants) and the moldy. I want a duplex or triplex that I can rent out in a neighbourhood that doesn't make me lock my doors as I drive down the street.

It's been an eye-opening experience. It's qutie strange to walk into someone's home and judge where and how they live. Sure, I'm considering the baseboards and plumbing as well, but I definitely check out their bookcases and raise my eyebrows at their wall colour choices. And seriously, what was up with that guy owning 4 Celine cds? Even I don't own that many. Ahem.

There have been weird cat ladies - 3 cats which I ended up chasing down the street, pothead teenagers who I think thought we were cops, many baby mommas and a kindly nurse who plugged her fridge into her stove. It's humbling to see how people live. We saw a five-plex on Herkimer that would blow your mind.

I've also been learning a little bit. I know that knob and tube wiring is a bad thing, but I'm not quite sure why. Also, I...well actually that might be all I've retained.

The search continues, but whenever I see a place with potential I am already envisioning paint colours, furniture placement and how to fold the sheet sets in the linen closet. I'm dying to do that grocery trip where I buy all the essentials one needs to open a kitchen. Can't wait to buy 3 types of mustard and Diana sauce that I will never use.