Signed Contract!

I guess we are buying an apartment!

I think I'll let myself start getting excited now.

There is still a ways to go--financing is difficult at the moment--not just for us personally, but the lender has to sign off on the building. Which would probably be easier if the deli on the corner (the only retail tenant) were not shut down for selling illegal cigarettes. Ugh. It has been closed for 2 days--and talk on the street is that they were selling cigarettes with lower taxes than what is allowed in NYC. Like Philadelphia cigarettes or something? What's so funny is that literally was the TALK ON THE STREET. I think they owe a fine of $5,000, and they won't be allowed to reopen until they pay it. What struck me was the attitude of the people on the street, who feel like the NYPD is entirely unfair to enforce a rule such as this, and that it would be excessively inconvenient for people who live here to have to walk to another corner to buy their drinks, chips, sandwiches, and, well, cigarettes. In a moment of gracious magnanimity they also mentioned that it is unfair to close down someone's business when it affects their income...

So, if all goes well, we close in the middle of September, and have what looks at this point to be the easiest move of our lives--carry things literally across the street and up one floor.