Homeownership

Hm. This doesn’t look good.

Sales of existing homes tumbled more sharply than expected in June, pushing activity down to the lowest level in more than a decade.

With an already huge glut of homes on the market, median prices fell compared to a year ago and analysts predicted prices would keep falling until next spring as tighter credit, a slipping job market and rising foreclosures scare potential buyers away.

The National Association of Realtors reported Thursday that sales dropped by 2.6 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.86 million units, the slowest sales pace since the first quarter of 1998.

Oh, wait. That must be the reason why when I put in an offer for a significant amount under the asking price for a condo, it was accepted. The worst market in ten years is actually good news for me. I’m getting out of these lousy apartments.

Hey, folks. I’m going to be a homeowner before Rosh Hashana. A new home, a new cat, and a new year for me. Life has really picked up these last few years, and I am happy and thankful.

There will be pictures galore come September. There’s a lot more room, and Gracie and Tig are learning how to play with each other. I expect a fair amount of cat-in-sun pictures. And in front of the fireplace, come wintertime.

You know, I haven’t written a lot about my finances, other than to mention my great new job lately, but you folks have no idea how far I’ve come over the past few years. I was beyond broke four years ago. I was struggling under a mountain of debt that accrued from under- and unemployment—not from buying shiny new things—that came close to smothering me. But it didn’t. The wolf had his snout through my door, and I kicked the bastard out and sent him yelping away.

Some of my longtime readers may remember I was working three jobs, seven days a week, and struggling to pay the bills. Well, hard work paid off. My credit score is incredible, and I’m going to own my own home in just a few weeks. I don’t need no stinking government bailout.

I just moved the closing date up a week. The condo is empty, and I want the extra time to move out of my apartment.

I can’t wait.