We said goodbye to our home in Phoenix on Friday. It was bittersweet, but selling our Phoenix condo was a decision we’ve thought about for years. Buying a condo is one of my proudest accomplishments because I did it all on my own in 2012. I had no idea what I was doing when I submitted an offer on the townhome I had been renting when it went into foreclosure in 2011. I didn’t think I could afford it, but when I saw the listing price and looked at my finances, I discovered that I could make it happen. So I did!
It was the perfect place to begin my life with Graham. He and I were dating during the 7-month-long buying process. It was a short sale, which meant the process took much longer than usual and it was so uncertain. I had to submit paperwork many times and it felt like I was in a constant state of anxiety not knowing whether the sale would even happen. But, finally, I signed the paperwork to purchase my first home in May 2012.
The condo was the first place Graham and I lived together. It was where we lived when we got engaged. We spent countless hours fixing it up, like ripping out the old carpet and installing tile, which — let’s be real — was mostly done by Graham. It really tested our relationship because laying tile is not an easy task! But we worked together and the place looked great!
Deciding to move away in 2015 for Graham’s work opportunity was not easy, because we loved our neighborhood. It had all sorts of popular local restaurants within walking distance, and it was in the north-central part of the city, which I loved! I ran on the bridal path just down the street while training for my first marathon. We hiked at Piestewa Peak just a five-minute drive away. We loved watching the sunset at Dreamy Draw Recreation Area, especially after monsoons.
I will always cherish these memories, but it was time to let the condo go. We wanted to simplify our life and finances and make things easier on ourselves. Managing a property that is across the country is not easy to do. I had wanted to hold on to the condo out of fear that things wouldn’t work out in Chicago as if it were an escape plan, but I realized in the past year that we don’t need it as an backup plan. We can go anywhere and do anything we want. We should never feel stuck in any situation, because we’ve made great things happen together and we can continue to do so.
I hope the new owner loves the condo as much as we have. I’m so grateful to have owned it.
