On the 31st of July I closed on a condo in Wisconsin. A condo I have not seen in person, only through videos, pictures and a FaceTime walk through. I vacillate between elation, horror and numbness. Elation that I am finally getting out of the desert southwest, horror that maybe I bought a too normal condo and didn’t get to experience an in-person vibe and numbness at the thought of all the work ahead.
But all the emotions are blanketed with a thin coat of peace. This is it. My next phase of life is here.
Childhood was phase I. A twenty-one year military career was phase II. Motherhood came next. And now retirement. Active retirement, still young enough to travel and spend my free time pretty much however I want. There will be a fifth phase, hopefully, of quiet retirement, spent in a more sedentary, reflective way.
But first I have to get to my preferred retirement location. Back to the four seasons world. A town big enough to have everything I need and small enough to be convenient. I believe I have found that place. I visited multiple towns in Wisconsin last summer and fell in love with Oshkosh. I have no doubt about my choice.
I debated a lot between a house and a condo. I love the idea of a place with quirky nooks, original woodwork, built in cupboards. I did not love the idea of mowing grass and shoveling snow and having to worry about the gutters and the roof. A condo made so much more sense.
I spent a lot of time looking on-line. Making lists, what I liked, what was missing. I had my criteria and a list of likely communities. I booked a VRBO for an October house hunting trip. And I kept my eye on Zillow.
And I saw it, the first condo that met all my criteria: first floor, attached garage, screened in porch, in-unit laundry room with utility sink, eat-in kitchen, views, storage and between 1000’ and 1500’. It was a flip: all new flooring, new kitchen, freshly painted white walls, mostly updated bathrooms. I slept on it and the next day called the realtor and arranged a video walk through. He was the seller as well and we negotiated a price. I took a few hours to think about it as well as reviewing the home inspection and condo docs. And decided to go for it.
I cancelled the VRBO, transferred money and e-signed the docs. I now own my phase IV retirement home. Wisconsin here I come!