7:54 p.m. - 2017-08-01
30 days to decide
When I moved into my current apartment I said to myself "this is where I'm going to die or i'll buy a place" never thinking that my hand would be forced in the manner it is now.

My apartment, with its corner views of sunrises and most of NE DC was sold with the rest of the units in the building. Now...it's not as bad as it sounds...I mean, it is. Maybe. Maybe it's worse.
My building is rent controlled which means if I chose to stay, I will remain at my current rate in a refurbished apartment (possibly with in-unit laundry) on Capitol Hill. I would have to move out for about a year while they remodel the building but the new owners pay for that and there's an "inconvenience fee" which is about 1/10 of what I would get if I took the buy-out.
The buy-out is almost what one years salary was for me. I would have to pay capital gains taxes on it but it's enough to take, get out of debt and start a new life with maybe a small vacation.
The problem with the buy-out is then I wouldn't have a place to live and given what I'm making now, I wouldn't be able to afford to live in DC.
Friends are encouraging me to look at moving to Baltimore. Pittsburgh. Philadelphia. I keep dreaming of Chicago.
I mean, this money could afford me to finally move to Chicago.
In all my (constant) worrying it's made me realize how much I love DC. I love my friends. My support system is here. I've been dating a guy for 4 months and he's here- although I am trying to not factor him into this since it's only been 4 months and while I like him, I can't help but feel like I'm just a placeholder for him sometimes)
And quite frankly- I love my apartment. I LOVE my apartment. The location can not be beat and it's big for what it is and my giant old tub. I love it. I have 30 more days to decide what I'm doing.

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