so. the sellers of the condo have accepted my offer! now it goes to their bank for final approval, which could three months because the world is backed up by short sale litigation. but for right now, I have bought this place and i'm stoked. hopefully the bank's turnaround is faster than expected and i can make the move before the spring. the inspection is saturday and since the building just did a bunch of work, it should go well.

if all goes well, i got this place for 20,000 less than the asking price, 81,000 less than the original list price and 108000 less then what they probably paid. maybe i should thank george w. bush?

This reminds me. i need to start doing yoga again.

today i am putting an offer in on my #1 choice. the ball is rolling.

besides my trip to pita inn today i laid around, listened to the 6 or so new records i've bought recently, read, and looked at more condos online.

i am seeing five, maybe six properties tomorrow. this is pretty much it, i have got my #1 choice and if tomorrow nothing wows me or comes close i'll be discussing making an offer on this place. i am ready to get the bal rolling on this. if the process for approval can take up to 90 days, i want those 90 days to start asap. time to get the fuck out of the suburbs where i've been living with my parent's since july and time to finally get on with my life.


update:
found a very close #2, not a short sale, but a very cool space. the major drawback is the small kitchen with barely any workspace. i really like this place though.

i broke it down like this . . . .
would there be times at my #1 that i wish i was in this place . . . most likely no
vice versa . . . . probably yes.

so i've basically decided on my first choice anyway. to gamble with the short sale process and hope that after 1.5 years on the market the sellers and bank are ready to rid themselves of this burden.

pita inn, you, once again proved why you have been money well spent in my life for the last 14 years. mmmm.

getting scary close to putting an offer in on a condo.

got approved!

home ownership here i come!

want to know what makes you feel all grown up?

filling out an application for a mortgage loan.


i found a great place in Logan Square. it is basically exactly what i would want to buy for my first place and somewhere i'll enjoy living for the next 5-who knows when years.

even after i put an offer in (not there yet) it could take 90 days to get approved since its a short sale property, but if my offer (in theory) is accepted i'll get a great place, in an already growing and pretty close to exploding great 'hood in chicago. the risk is that when an official offer is made, you cannot bid on any other property and after those 90 days you can still get denied.


yikes.

going to look at places to live today with mom and dad coming along for moral support.


hopefully out of the burbs sooner than later.

the same day i found out denver wasn't going to happen, i was phoned by dustin, the chef de cuisine at avondale who is chef at Quality Social out in san diego. his boss is a chicago boy and owns Old Town Social. Dustin was calling me to see if i'd be interested in applying to work at the chef's new venture Nellcote, which is opening soon. i told him i was, which i am, and the more i hear about this place the more interested i get.

yesterday at work was particulary soul crushing as 90% of what i cooked was food for the bar and not for the high end restaurant. a serious cook can only do so many grilled chicken sandwiches with chipotle mayo and orders of sliders before starting to feel like a joke.

i worked really hard at high end properties to get to the level i am at, i worked my way OUT of cooking at places that serve food like that, and now all i can think about is how much i've regressed.

its time to hop to the next stone, i am hoping this nellcote deal works out but it is still very preliminary right now.