My life feels very much like a race.  I am perpetually poised at the starting line waiting for the gun to go off.  A tingle of anticipation running up my spine as I wait to make my mark on the world.  I think it goes without saying that I have a lot of false starts.  A good deal of anticipation, a smattering of anxiety.  You’ve run a race before no?  You understand what it feels like.

Keep the brick or plaster the wall?

Last weekend I was lamenting the lack of distressed properties on the market.  This is fall. Where is all the low hanging fruit, the bruised apples, the rotten pumpkins that need me to convert them into a deliciously irresistible apple crisp or pumpkin pie?  Could be autumn and all those fallen apples are in the suburbs because I wasn’t finding them in the South End.

Breakfast bars – no . no.

Last Sunday, as I contemplated my ruined left toe outside my yoga studio, I made a mental note of all the errands I had to race to get done.  Though I couldn’t really spare the time, I just knew that toe would make me crazy all week, so off I went to the salon via Hanson Street.  Low and behold I came across an open house.  A property that I knew was on the market but that I had determined was not in need of my special attention, but I was right there, and it was in fact open at that exact moment.  So in I went.  I typically spend about 7 – 15 minutes in the units.  Ask the usual questions that don’t tell you a thing about whether or not you should buy the property.  Any planned assessments?  How many units in the building?  Percentage of owner occupancy?  Last time the roof was replaced?  You know, show some interest.  I signed in, grabbed the listing sheet, looked for a floor plan, evaluated my ability to convert to a two bed, asked the deadline for offers and departed.  A seven minute adventure.

Because I am incredibly impatient, I put in an offer, and low and behold I won it!  If you’ve been paying attention you know that it was my first for property four.  Just the fifth property I visited this round.  I never expected to have them pick me and to be clear, it’s really expensive.  Over $1000. a foot, over $700K  both things I said I wouldn’t do.  Hum, it will be interesting to see how this plays out.  I am excited about the design.  I credit my left toe with the win.  Now the real race begins.

Would like to change it all, but…money is an object.