GrowingOlderHopeWiser

Owning my place was essential to me; it was my mother’s and my dream. I wanted to make her proud of her daughter, who fulfilled her dream of becoming a second-generation American homeowner. 

My first condo was on the 1300 block of Mockingbird Lane. No, I did not live with the Munster’s! This was my actual location; it became an inside joke. It was a beautifully maintained condo. The original owner lived in it only during his snowbird vacation in Florida. It was small, with two bedrooms and two baths. The main suite had a redone closet the extra door led into the small bathroom. Too many door knobs for a heavy-set woman in a tiny bathroom. I kept bumping into them. 

The second place I owned was a townhouse in Wilton Manors, Florida. I bought it about 5 years later. It was a good upgrade. The townhouse was spacious and well-kept. The earlier owner had the small back garden area professionally landscaped, which made it a pleasure to sit outside. The garden had some frequent visitors. These included hummingbirds, cardinals, and blue jays. There were also cats, raccoons, possums, and one Alien. At least he frightened me. Its strange bright turquoise, white, and orange coloring, along with its big eyes, was unsettling. I don’t know what it was, and I am positive I did not want to know. My cats spotted it first and were frozen in awe. I went to see what they were looking at. I grabbed both my cats and ran into the house.

My back garden was not the only place for wild nature. The front of the townhouse complex was also a habitat for wildlife. Long Island Red chickens and raccoon families often ran in front of it!

I soon became the association president and made significant changes to the bylaws. The number one change was allowing owners to have a small pet dog. We were already allowed cats, but some folks wanted to have a dog. I did what others had told me was impossible. I had that rule changed. A designated dog area with pooper bag stations was set up. The chickens were removed humanely. 

The third place I own now is in a 55 and older community. My retirement condo. It was also well-kept and had been remodeled to the tune of $100,000. I have been remodeling since adding a closet system and new flooring in both bedrooms. My wildlife battle with the association was being allowed to keep my cats. Pets are not allowed. I had to fight the association. Its lawyer would not accept the letter from my doctor. The letter stated the cats were emotional support animals. I even got the Americans with Disabilities Department involved, and I won my case.

Owning my place was both my dream and my mother’s. I am glad I can afford to pursue my American dream. Unfortunately, my mother never got the chance to buy her place. Real estate is one of the best investments you can have. My condo has already doubled in value and is my strong retirement nesting egg.