The fact is, I have always been a bit of a commitment-phobe. So how, you may wonder, did I end up on the enthusiastic side of a 30-year commitment with a gorgeous 50-something? I wondered that myself as I sat on the front porch of my newly purchased first home the afternoon I signed the mortgage.
Throughout the process, I kept my poor realtor at arm's length at every turn, not wanting too much pressure in the search. I amassed an army of helpers to check and double check the prospects and I sorted them to duties based on their individual skill sets: construction manager, home flipper, do-it-yourselfer, mortgage broker, landscaper, interior designer. I needed their support and encouragement that I wasn't tying myself down to a loser, that it was a good investment. I was terrified I was making a mistake when I signed the sale contract-and the check for the earnest money, which was made out for a large sum for a young professional.
When I got the call-after days of stressful haggling and negotiating-that the seller had accepted my offer, that I was a homeowner, my knees went weak. I was terrified. But only a few bright spring days later, I found myself sitting on my very own porch on my very own porch swing with about five pounds of paperwork and a single silver key thinking that things couldn't get much better than this.
The purchase of my home was more than a commitment to a mortgage-or financial responsibility for that matter-it was a commitment to the city I'd come to call home.
After a couple of years of living and working in and around Lexington, I decided that it was time we made it official.
The situation was quite different when I bought my home and I, like many other homeowners, became concerned when the booming market seemed to bust. But, in recent conversations with real estate professionals as well as first time buyers, community members and visitors, a couple of things became clear.
One is that the market in Lexington isn't nearly as bad as it may seem to be in other areas. Data indicate that trends in Lexington are generally stable as far as home sales go. Bloomberg.com recently listed Lexington as a "true housing bargain" and a "top market with low risk." CNNMoney.com also listed neighbor city Nicholasville as a "Best Place To Live."
While the data are comforting, what I'm banking on is the second thing, the abstract. In living and working here, in buying my home and investing in the economy as well as the community, I'm banking on Lexington's personality and potential. I'm betting that the great things about Lexington outweigh the things that are still getting figured out, that other people like me and my neighbors will continue to be drawn here and find that it's worth making the commitment. I haven't been sorry so far.