Diary of a First-Time Buyer

… This didnt bode well for my mismatched identification credentials   Where did they get these people I wondered … an unexpected moment of kindness she approved my NYPD press credentials without further scrutiny She did ask how her …

… notice of the loan approval from my lender my life went into warp speeda headspinning ride after months of plodding … I felt a wave of relief that my own piano wouldnt be a deterrent Downstairs we met Carla another board member And that … another news reporter lived in the building They told me where to eat and shop At some point it occurred to me to ask …

… away After the Wells Fargo debacle and upon the advice of Sidney my real estate agentI called the local branch of  … requested another extension on the commitment letter Sidney went on vacation I wore down the cushion on my desk … column How to buy a NYC apartment What I learned from 150 apartments before I finally bought one Here are 7 things …

… after three days of searching and looking at fewer than 10 apartments was not tempered by writing a big check 10 down … my attorney was frantically negotiating an extension and Sidney my broker was preparing to leave on a twoweek … declination letter and broke up with Mary and Wells Fargo   Sidney called on the eve of his vacation and uttered two …

… embankment The lobby instantly clicked with my aesthetic a columned marble lobbynot gleaming but also not shoddy We … alcove where I could place a piano or bookshelveseven a home office The goodsized living room led to the eatin … my furniture in the 650 square feet envisioned where a home office might fit talked about how much stuff Id have to …

… had not been updated in decades Id likely have a neargut renovation ahead Still it was a true twobedroom had two … window let in ample light from an unobstructed angle The kitchen wasnt to my liking but I thought I could live with … I thought I could manage it if I forewent the kitchen and bathroom renovations I would like to have done to bring it …