Happy Homeownership

Many of you know about our Hunt to Homeownership if you've been a Stress Case reader for a while.  It was a long battle, and there were many many times that I thought we would not be winning the war.  But alas, we did and we are now homeowners!  And that is something that makes me very proud!

It is rare to be a 25-year-old (and we were 24 when we closed escrow, and 23 when we put in our offer, for the record) homeowner in Southern California, especially in the beautiful and expensive Orange County.  If you would have asked me five years ago if I thought I would own a condo in this beautiful county by this age, my answer would have been how?  Because prices, even during a down market, are high in this area.  So high that it sort of makes you question your decision to settle here.  I mean, when you hear about people owning four-bedroom homes in other states for half of what you paid for your 2-bedroom condo?  It can be jarring.

So, why then?  Why buy in Orange County?  What is the best part of owning a home in Ladera Ranch, California?

Source

First things first, the sense of pride in ownership is a feeling I've never felt before.  The sense of accomplishment that not only did I manage to buy a home before I turned 25, but I did it in one of the most expensive counties in the country?  Feels good.  Feels empowering.  Did I do it alone?  Heck no.  But I did it!  We did it - a "we" that includes my Handsome Husband; my parents, without whom we would never have been able to save the money that we used for our down payment; our real estate agent, who dealt with a whole lot of crazy over the six months we waited for our escrow to open and close; and the real estate market, which allowed for us to even entertain the thought of buying property.

Secondly, I will always stand by that Orange County is the best place in the world to start and raise a family, to grow up, and to live.  It's beautiful, it's safe (Mission Viejo, which neighbors our town, Ladera Ranch, has been named safest city in the world more than once), and I personally believe it values families and children in a very special way. 

It's the little things - the way our town meticulously keeps the flowers that line the streets perfectly in bloom.  The way there is always something going over on the Town Green (I mean, the fact that we have a Town Green is adorable as it is).  It's the sunshine that comes out nearly every day of the year, and the endless options of what to do in the sunshine.  These are just some of the reasons I love owning a home here.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.