So, this happened

There must be something in the air.

I'm going to buy a house.

I've talked to a mortgage broker, I have a Realtor (my Amazing Sister-in-Law's sister-in-law; I've known her since high school). I'm sending in all the stuff I need to get pre-qualified this week. I will have to raid my 401(K) and my stocks for the down payment, but I am going for a conventional loan, since I really need a lower monthly payment. It's just me, and the damn cats refuse to pay rent. (No, I will not put myself in a situation where I need to have roommates. I just won't.)

This is scary. I can see 50 from here and I've never owned property. Right now I own a 12-year-old car, an amazing amount of books, an insane amount of t-shirts, and my jewelry workshop. However, the rent situation in Austin has become untenable; I am looking into Round Rock--a suburb to the north--unless the Realtor can pull a miracle out of her ear. (Oh sure, I can live in Austin, if I were willing to move across the county, at least an hour in rush-hour traffic each way every day. No thanks.)

But my credit score is amazing, I owe very little money right now, and damn it, I want a workshop I can wander into at 9am on a Sunday without taking a shower.

Hmmm, I may try crowdfunding the inevitable garage upgrade to a workshop...