How did you buy your first house??

When my husband and I first got married he had already owned his own Clearview Co-op.  It was a great apartment.  We were on the lower level and we renovated it to the hilt.  When we had our first son, it was so easy to maintain.  I cleaned my house 1,2,3.  At that time I was a full time stay at home mom.  When my second child made an appearance into our lives - all h*ll broke lose.  This one more person made our great little apartment feel like the walls closed in on us.  I would cry at the disorder of my house.  I had not one more place to put a thing.  It was so cramped in our little apartment that it was not uncommon for me to make it regular practice to  take those famous "mommy showers" - With the door open, because without fail as soon as I got into the shower the tribal Indians would start pounding on the door that "I NEED to get in there, NOW!"  So for 7 years, my total showering time was about 22 minutes.  I was careful to never exceed the one minute "mommy shower".

Christmas time was always a hard time for me.  I would have to take part of my couch (we had a sectional for this reason) and put one end, in my bedroom.  I would then set up my tree and - sweat.  I would sweat from the day that my tree went up until the day that my house was back in order.  There would be nights that I would wake up to just stare at the COUCH that was sitting in my room.  There was no order and I could no longer take it.  So we decided to sell our much loved co-op to move into a bigger home.  In 2000, we rented for two years.  I did not know anything about the real estate market and the thought of buying a home was so overwhelming.  Where do I start?  How much could I afford?  Who do I trust?  What do I do? 

In late 2000, I went and got my real estate license.  I figured, I would be at a good advantage to view homes and learn what to do.  My first year of Real Estate - I found nothing.  I still did not know if I could afford a home.  So I waited and I watched  as the prices of the homes went up and up.  I resolved to myself that my husband and I would never buy a home and the road was getting longer and longer and steeper.  But, I kept saving and saving and the dream kept getting further and further away.  I was frustrated -   

One day I went to show a home to buyer customers.  This home was listed by another real estate company so I made the appointments and met my customers at the house.  When I pulled up to this "home"- something came over me.  I don't know how to explain it.  I was so excited to show this home to my "buyers".  The homeowner did not speak English and she was an elderly lady - so in my best "fake" Italian accent - I assured her she could relax and I will show the house.  I fell in love with this home.  So, while my buyers and I walked through this home, I waited to see their reaction.  Did they like it?  Do they want to buy this home?  It was really the first time that I did not want a buyer to buy a home.

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