Dreams Aplenty

I am in love, i think. Maybe it's lust. I don't know, whatever. Right now I feel so strongly, it hurts. It's name - plan 4 at the Carriage Lane condos in Natomas, north Sacramento, made by DR Horton.

See, I made this mistake of looking at houses and condos when I was home for spring break. There were a lot that I liked and could be happy with. Comfortable, spacious, big and small ... I could have been happy in many of them. And then, plan number 4. Sigh. I dream about it at night. Truly, I have had dreams about how I am going to arrange my three pieces of furniture, and, can you believe it, cooking in the kitchen.

It's a two story condo, but the first floor is only a room for a washer and dryer and the garage. Then you walk upstairs, and it's beautiful. The stairs open up to one big room. Kitchen's on the right, with a bar so people can talk to the people in the kitchen, a big space for a table behind the bar. Living room with a fireplace and entertainment center to the right, with a nice little porch. It's like one big room. People cooking can talk to the people watching tv, or sitting in front of the fireplace, or eating at the table. It' wonderful. Then there is a master bedroom with a walk in closet and nice big bathroom. And of course a second bedroom. Ah, I am in love.

Now there is a problem. It's not that I can't afford it. Even if I get the lowest paying job of all that I am qualified for, I can afford it. My finances would be stretched, but I could manage. No, money isn't the problem. It's the job.

There are not a lot of public health jobs available in Sacramento. You think there would be, considering it's the capital and all, but no. Almost all of the state jobs are in Richmond. Sacramento county wants experience, Kaiser's homebase is in Oakland, and there aren't that many private places. They are almost all in the Bay Area!!

So now I am in a bit of a dilemma. Do I go for a job that I really don't want in sacramento so I can buy the condo of my dreams? Do I put things off a year so that I can get a job in the Bay Area, get experience and get a good job in Sacramento? But what if the condo isn't available when I can move to Sacramento and I have to buy it used?And what if I hate the upgrades or the way the people treated the place? Do I consider commuting? It's an hour and a half to Richmond from Sacramento on the train. I could do it, but is a condo worth 4 hours of commuting a day? Do I buy the condo in sacramento and try to rent a room in the bay area to sleep in during the week in the expectation that in a year or two I would be able to get a job in Sacramento? Do I hope that another condo that I am in love with shows up in year or two? (and why don't the freaking real estate people answer their e-mails so I can figure out what the floor plans are for the other development by DR horton in natomas.)?

In essence I know what I have to do. Get job offers and see what happens from there. (And yes, I am applying to jobs in the bay area. Can't limit my options too much, I need to pay rent if nothing else.) I can't do anything until I have offers in my hand. But I am a little sad because I don't think I am going to be able to get this place. By they way things are looking, I am going to have to wait at least a year before I buy in Sacramento. Sigh. I do love it so. But I guess there will be other wonderful, beautiful places out there. However, I know no other condo will compare to my first love and I will be comparing all future homes to this one.

However, I have learned that when you tell fate your plans, she laughs at you, and, often, not getting what you want right a way is the best thing that could possibly happen. For example, I didn't get into Berkeley the first time I applied. what did I do? I went to Europe, studied spanish in Spain, and earned enough money so I have earned my graduate degree without studen loans. How cool is that?? See, waiting a year was the best thing I could have done (it even help my mom earn a much larger retirement than she was planning. Long story as to why. But me waiting a year helped her too). So maybe this isn't going to be a bad thing either. But geesh, I do love that condo.

PS If you know anyone that is looking to hire someone that is really good at statistics and epidemiology, science,computers, (and I truly am very good and hiding my opinions at work.. It's true, I swear).. tell me. I need a job!!!!


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Update:
I just found out that DR Horton is building another set of condos in Natomas. There are no floor plans available yet, but the square footage of the plans are exactly same as the set of condos I am looking at. Are they the same design that I want?? Definitely a possibility. And they haven't even started building yet (I have seen the lot that they are going to build on). So there still might be some conds available by the time I actually get a job in Sacramento. There maybe hope after all (and the prices for pre-sale, may be cheaper. Hey, waiting may have been the best thing after all.)