Year after year I have to remind myself that my gypsy years are behind me. Not just have I broken the cycle (my parents did too) by staying in Austin for 17 consecutive years, I also reside at the same address for more than three (the old Maggi record when I was growing up).
How long we remain here depends upon the continuing invasion of Austin. My property taxes spiked recently…yeah right Travis County, you try selling my house for $140K, it needs work. A sudden rise in realtor signs have been appearing in the neighborhood too. I for one am not terribly worried. We’ve refinanced twice, took over the escrow this spring and now Wells Fargo only requires less than $500/month. It’s a hidden cost. Property taxes and insurance realistically add another $320/month but we put this money aside into our money market to reap the whopping .2% interest! Sometimes those extra pennies come to the rescue.
Anyway, I remain glad to have my own house. Apartment living was exhausting with the annual or bi-annual moves, the rent hikes and the shithead neighbors, especially the ones smoking on the balcony underneath us.