Five feet in the hole

In two days I will be a homeowner, again. This time around I'll have a much larger debt to my name with a smaller living space in the wonderful city I grew up in.

I'm trying to be positive about this. Whether it was the right or wrong time to buy property, the deed's signed, the money's transferred, and the keys to the duplex will be in my brother's and my hands shortly. Is there ever a right time to buy? Maybe there is but I'm thinking long term. In a decade, the property will be worth more than what we paid. And after the planned remodeling and upgrades as well as the condo conversion within the next year, each flat will be at least $80k over the original price if we were to sell at that point.

At least I keep telling myself this. After running the numbers and checking my financial statements, I'll be in the red and dipping in my meager savings for several years before breaking even unless I acquire a higher paying job soon. I'm working on it. The holidays aren't exactly ripe with job openings.

I'll be glad when the tenants have vacated (in two months) and my dog and I will be able to move into our new home and start the tear down and build up, back-breaking work ahead. Looking forward to 2007.