Homeowner

Friday, July 8th, 2005

People my age have virtually no prospect of leaving home, let alone owning their own. In an age of “irrational exuberance” and an out of control real estate boom, becoming a homeowner has become little more than a passing thought, something relegated in people’s plans under the category “someday”. Being a homeowner is the anchor, the foundation of one’s position in society, and against all odds, I have built that foundation.

Today, I have become a homeowner. All these years of eschewing expensive toys and parties for stocks and savings accounts have finally paid off. In the stagnant post-9/11 economy, with all the Enrons and WorldComs, the tax cuts to the rich and the layoffs to the poor, I’ve put my money in the only place that seems to have been thus far unaffected by the specter of terrorism or the prospect of slowing economic prosperity: real estate.

This morning, at approximately 8:30, I went to the title company that has been working with me, up in Weston, and I dove into a pile of paperwork like it was an eating contest, initialing here and signing there. I left naught fifteen minutes later with a small briefcase full of photocopies and a financial future full of promise. From there, it was three hours straight to Orlando, my future hometown and base of operations, and where the next phase of my life will play out.

I’ve staked my claim on this planet. I’m a homeowner.