Allison -- I cant get over you saying you feel awkward because you are six feet tall. You are a beautiful woman and please don't go out stooped over in flat shoes. It makes a tall woman look terrible look at the tall women most men love to look at. L Wren Scott is 6'4" never without at least 3" heels. Miss Universe, Amelia Vega is 6'1". Penny Lancaster, Rod Stewart's girlfriend is 6'1". Model Tara Moss is 6' 1". Kimora Lee Simmons is 6'. Look at Brooke Shields and Uma Thurman both 6' tall. Have you ever seen any of these people not wearing at least three inch heels? Stand straight wear heels and be proud of yourself.

I'm so glad you made your decision, Allison! And it gives me hope with regard to my own situation. I recently moved out from my boyfriend's place and signed a one-year lease to "think things through". I am weighing the decision to buy vs. continue renting, and your story helps me feel like I can do it too! Thanks!!

It seems like the answer to your question depends on your boyfriend's living arrangement and the state of the relationship. If things are getting serious, wait and see how the relationship evolves. If the romance is in the beginning stages, go ahead and buy something affordable.

OMG! I just read your comment about owning a home. Congratulations!!! :-)

1st thing = funny:
I have 2 dogs. One is named CAPTAIN Baboon and the other is named Congressman MONKEY.

2nd thing = house:
I also found heartache in selling the home I owned with my ex. When I finally (barely!) managed to buy my own home after our divorce, it was one of the best feelings I've ever had in my entire life. I hope you find a home and get to feel that way (it's amazing how "extra independent and free" it felt), too. Best of luck to you! :-)

Don't rush to make all your changes at once. Resist tying up every loose end for now. See where the future takes you. In time things will reveal themselves

elizabeth frazier! that's really great! glad you liked the kitty names and my bio too! that makes me smile.

You've already made your choice, Allison, and sound happy, so I'm a little late, but congratulations! I don't know if you'll still read this, but I had to write and tell you how much I loved your bio! Your teen years sound similar to my own and I felt like you were a friend of mine. My daughter loved the names of your cats, especially Anastasia Poo Poo Head. My normally quiet husband really got a kick out that, and how you really thought Robert Smith would marry you. So funny, that. I thought someday I'd meet Elizabeth Frazier and she'd dig how much I really "got" her music!
Anyway, I told Phoebe I'd write and tell you how neat we thought you were. Best wishes!

Allison -

Congratulations on your new home ownership!

May your pipes never leak, your subfloor never rot, your circuit board never run out of space and need to be replaced, nor may you ever experience crummy craftsmanship from a so-called professional. May no raccoons ever decide to invade your attic, may all your neighborhood dogs take advantage of their right to remain silent!

But mostly may you live a joyful life in your new urban cottage.

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to thank you all for your helpful and insightful advice. I am VERY happy to report that I am once again a home owner. Since the article was written (a few months ago), I have purchased my very own "urban cottage" and have been working my fingers to the bone with home projects. Some of my other life situations changed a bit, allowing this purchase to be possible. I am extremely happy and honestly, could care less about going out to dinner at this point...I'd much rather cook in! Thanks again everyone!

Allison-- I am a 39 year old Graphic Artist, living in Baltimore who purchased a home over 10 years ago . And I would encourage you to buy a home as soon as you can. Yes- realestate is down right down but buying a home is still the cornerstone of America. In fact, the realestate in Baltimore has gone up 30% in the last five years. That's to say if you had purchased a home 5 years ago at $150,000, it would be worth approx. $195,000 today. That return in value is better than any stock investment you could have made just five years ago. Also, I would completely discount any future or current personal relationships when making decisions about your personal financial management. One has nothing to do with the other. Keep in mind that the finacial foundation you create for youself now is a priceless investment for your future. And remember, relationships come and go, but sound financial management lasts forever.
Good Luck Allison!

Hi Allison, I am 36 and also divorced at 31. I too live in Baltimore and your story could be mine!!
I bought my ex-husband out of his share of our home. I would strongly encourage you to purchase a home. Rent a room out if you have to in order to defray the mortgage cost. The benefits outweigh the risks. The tax advantages alone are worth it. It has been difficult but nothing compares to having your own place and knowing that you are planning for your future. If having a nice glass of wine with good friends is important...then invest in some nice glasses, stock up on your favorite bottles, and you can invite them over! Take care and Best Wishes!

I am a mortgage banker specializing in the Southeast region of the country. I am very creative and have been able to help many clients who have been in transition as you are now. I am happy to discuss your personal situation with you, Allison, to determine the best approach. Certainly with renting you would not have the opportunity to build equity. Also, it may be more difficult to rent with your 3 feline "kids." Please email me at: lowcountrymortgages@earthlink.net or call me at: 888-696-1899-- I would really love to help you. You may also visit my website and enter your information confidentially for my review in advance of our conversation: www.beaufortscmortgages.com.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Rebecca W. Bass
Branch Manager
Sunshine Mortgage Corporation

Allison,
Don't get discouraged. I am a single mother and full-time realtor in Baltimore & surrounding counties. I was discouraged at first because I didn't have a lot of savings, etc. You will be amazed at the home buying programs that are available in Maryland (especially Baltimore) - we can make help make your dream a reality. Log on to my website www.LivingMD.com for more information or email. I am glad to help you and others who don't realize they CAN DO IT!

I am a 35-year-old mom and wife currently renting. And although Cheryl is correct that it is not always better to own, I recommend the book "Home Buying for Dummies". I have read through about half of it and some of the advice is how to decide when owning is a better financial match for your life than owning. I really like the tools in the book and hope it helps you as much as it has helped me. By the way, if you do decide to buy, look at it as a symbol of a life chapter, not a part of you. It should reflect who you are now, what you've learned (positive results), and what you truly enjoy. Good luck to you!

It is NOT always better to own than to rent. There are advantages to renting, such as not being responsible for things that go wrong, and perhaps this is a time when you need that for a while. As you're in a transition state right now, I have to agree with several others that perhaps you need some time to think. Owning a house/condo can be wonderful, but it comes at a price: there is ALWAYS something to be worked on, fixed, changed, etc. While renting, you can take a breather from most of those things, and decide what is truly best for you. I'd suggest taking 6 months to a year before making such a huge decision, you're young enough and time really does pass very quickly. Take just a bit of time to see where your life is going, then make a decision based on sound principles. One last thing I'd advise is to get rid of the boxes, and make this apartment really YOU. Make it your home, for however long you are there. A few inexpensive new items can cheer up any place, and make it more home-like. Very best wishes on whatever you decide, Allison.

I am a single woman who owns and yes it is nice, but.....
If you were to buy a condo/town home, you can always rent it later on if your new relationship works out. Also, the property managment covers a lot of the "big expense" things.
The part about owning a house as a single women is having to come up with a lot of money when things break or wear out. That is hard if you do not want to be so tied down right now in life.
This is a time you need to regroup and stay happy, not get stressed and tied down with something you do not have to have yet. Wait at least 1 year and see were you are then. Time goes by fast! and things change even faster sometimes.

I think renting is perfect for some situations. This probably happens to be one of those situations! Take this opportunity to feel free and not tied down by such an enormous obligation. I don't think that buying is always the best choice...especially when starting a new life!

Allison. I know that the thought of buyin another home and not being able to afford it can be scary. I am single and own my own home. There are some things that I have to not slurge on without saving, like expensive vacations or large shopping trips. The nice thing, however, is that I own my own home as a single woman. It is always nice to have your residence feel like home and with boxes around it might feel like you are in a tranisition. I think that you need to look at the pros and cons for where you are right now in your life.
I hope you are able to come to a decision that is best for you.

It is always better to town than to rent. There are lots of programs out there that can make it just as affordable to have a house payment as opposed to a rent payment.

Many considerations come to mind here, most of which you have probably already thought of, but here's my two cents worth:
>buy a condo or townhouse - less yard work and maintenance on certain things can be handled by management of the property (who needs a man?) Depending on the location, it might be more affordable than a full blown house with yard, mailbox, garage and all of the holiday trimmings.
>are you a fixer upper kind of girl? I read once that buying the ugliest house on the nicest neighborhood street and fixing it up can enable you to make it your own, at your own pace and if things work out with your gentleman caller, you'll likely profit in the end. (plus, you might score some pretty pink tools in the process)
>I'm going to catch hell for this, but there's always the option of waiting things out to see how your new relationship works out. You don't want to spend time and money settling in somewhere only to have to redo the process if your romantic future is as bright as you describe.
So, Allison, the clock is ticking......will it be a lovely character ladden condo on the edge of Annapolis.....a shell with potential after you put your pink tools (and your man) to work......or slap some paint on your apartment walls and have several margaritas with some friends (you won't care what your apartment looks like - at least until tomorrow).

Keep your head up, girl, even if you are six feet tall! I wish I was sexier too - new boobies, prettier feet and the permanent disappearance of the one black hair that emerges from my chin every three weeks after I pluck it. Uh, another topic for another time!

Good luck!! Let me know if you need to know where to find those pink tools.

Allison, this is a time of transition and readjustment for you. You have recently gotten a divorce, sold your marital home, bought a new car, moved to an apartment. Many changes in a short span of time. Proceed slowly and thoughtfully. Do you have sufficient monies for a down payment and all the other unanticipated expenses that seem to arise when buying a home, plus enough income to meet your day-to-day expenses without incurring debt on your credit cards? Do you have disability insurance for yourself? If the rent on your apartment is reasonable, set yourself a goal of living there for another year or so, live frugally, save as much as you can. Or find a less-expensive place in a decent neighborhood. Keep watching the real estate market, go to open houses, decide which neighborhoods are the most attractive to you. When the house you love comes on the market, you will be prepared.

Don't wait on a man to make you happy. If you can at all afford to buy a home, do it, renting is throwing money away, unless you are staying in an area temporarily. Unpack those boxes and have friends over, you may have to forgo some outings, but it will be worthwhile. It's nice to know you own your on place, it's all yours and you can do what you want with it when you want. I own my on home, in my own name and yes I like haveing a man around, they can be quite handy.

Right now, outside of New York City, it seems that housing prices are still going down, and may continue to do so for the forseeable future. If you can access the April 11, 2007 NY Times article online (subscribe to Times Select for $50/year or do the 2-week free trial only), you'll find an interactive calculator that will help you make the decision. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/realestate/11leonhardt.html
Glad you've met a great guy. Why tie yourself down to home ownership if you don't know where you'll be exactly in the next 5 years? Good luck! K