Condo Hunt: Back to Madison Villas

The C's, my mom, and I went back to Madison Villas at Brydon Creek today. Mr C liked that building because it would make it easier for him and Mrs C to get to work. I liked it because of the price, although I'm wary about the access to transit.

My mom convinced me to look at the one-bedroom + flex room unit. She said that I'm single and I don't need a two-bedroom unit. So, the real estate agent showed us a suite on the first floor that is similar to the show home: 1-bedroom + flex room, 1-bathroom. It is approximately 688 square feet, and at $169,900, it is $246.95 per square foot. I was more open to the idea of getting a one-bedroom unit, because it is much cheaper and is just the right size for me. We looked at the identical second-floor unit. Finally, we went up to the third floor 1-bedroom + flex room, 1-bathroom unit. I discovered that the utility/storage room is much bigger in the 1-bedroom unit than in the 2-bedroom units that we previously looked at. Also, the flex room is big enough to be my office. The en-suite bathroom can be closed off when I have guests so they would not have access to my bedroom; the idea of my guests having access to my bedroom through the bathroom made me wary of the 1-bedroom unit, although I knew that it would be much cheaper. The master bedroom does not have a walk-in closet, but it has two closets that can fit my clothes. I can always keep my current dresser. There are furniture and appliances available that are ideal for small spaces, so I just need to find a good deal for the bed, dining set, couch, patio furniture, et cetera. The unit faces the east and the window is huge, so there are loads of natural light.

The monthly strata fee is much cheaper than I had anticipated. The annual property taxes are also relatively low. A good deal, isn't it?

Unfortunately, there are other buyers interested in the unit, so I really need to act soon. I've been pre-approved for a $200,000 mortgage. I don't worry about the monthly mortgage payments. I am kinda worried about the down payment, though. I haven't had enough saved for a down payment. It's my stupid spending habits, I know! I am waiting on my brother's answer - whether or not he'd be able to help me with the down payment. I do hope he will. Otherwise, I might have to wait a long, long, long time to save enough.

Of course, it also needs to be God's will. I need to speak with God about that. Soon.

Stay tuned.