As I have mentioned before, my immediate family is all still out in my hometown in Smalltown, Midwest USA. This past week, my sister bought a house in my hometown. Well, she put in an offer and it was accepted. Closing isn't for another few weeks, but the deal looks good.
I haven't seen the house yet, obviously, but from the listing, it looks pretty fabulous. A little bigger than mine, with way more property. It's also about 40 years newer and looks amazing. (Of course, all houses look amazing from a listing.)
And the price? Less than half of what I paid for my house.
Ouch.
Yes, that's the joy of living in an expensive part of the country like the Washington, DC area. Of course, it is true that my salary is higher here than it would be living in Smalltown. But it's not twice as high. So I am a little bit jealous of what money buys there. I can't help but think what I would do with the extra money. Travel, home improvements, the list is endless.
It's funny, when I am visiting my family and accompany someone to the grocery store, I can't help but marvel at how cheap the groceries are. And suddenly, it makes so much more sense that I find myself spending more on groceries than other bloggers no matter how hard I try. Things are just more expensive here.
But that's something I accepted when I chose to move here. I knew that life was going to be more expensive, from housing to utilities to groceries. And it's been a good choice. Sure, it would be nice to be closer to my family, but I like where I live. I like my job and I like my friends and I like the house I bought, even though it cost me a pretty penny. And there are perks to living in an area like this. Where else can you regularly get stuck in traffic due to a Presidential motorcade?
Oh, wait, maybe that's not a perk. But it's a fun fact, I suppose. And seeing the Capitol every morning on my way to work is pretty darn cool.
And hey, if I ever decide to move, the money I get for my house, even if it's less than what I paid for the house, will go a whole lot further in a cheaper part of the country. Maybe when I'm old enough to retire. In 50 years or so.