My downtown condo

Living room area

Kitchen looking into pool and courtyard area

Kitchen with stainless steal appliances, and granite countertops

Bathroom

Bedroom

Overlooking the pool and patio

I'm the yellow one with the purple pin

Inside the lobby of the Hue

My soon-to-be new home

Conveniently located right next to Legends

Definitely screams- John Paulus

It’s been a really long day today.  First, I didn’t get to bed until around 6:00 this morning and I was up at 9:30.  I had a lot planned for today and I got everything I wanted accomplished and then some.

As some of you may already know, I signed an intent to purchase on a condo in downtown Raleigh.  I’m very excited.  Before I tell you about it, let me back up a  little.  Today, my plans were to look at 4 downtown condos and kind of narrow down which I thought would best meet my criteria.   My first stop was ‘West at North‘.  Beautiful condos, nice floor plans, but overpriced, despite a significant drop in price.  Second stop, Palladium Plaza; nice floor plan, competitively priced, decent location, friends live there, but just didn’t feel comfortable.  Third stop, the Hue.  Best deal in downtown Raleigh, fantastic location right next door to the Borough, public parking, and Legends, pool view, comfortable layout, and again VERY good price.  Final stop, Th RBC Plaza Condos; best view in Raleigh, great layout, a little pricey, can’t select phone, cable, or Internet provider.

I knew after I went to the Hue that that was the place.  It was me.  The feel of the condo, the style, the pool view, the location downtown… everything just fit.  It will be some time before I can actually close on the condo.  Because it is a Fannie Mae property, 51% must first be pre-sold before they can be released to close.  Currently, they are at 30% and that’s probably why I got a great deal on it.  I had a choice between the model, which is pictured above, or the one two floors above that one.  I decided upon the one on the upper floor overlooking the pool and courtyard.

So what are my plans…  well, the estimated date for 51% pre-sale is expected to be sometime in the February/March time frame.  I will move to my mother’s new home and occupy the finished upstairs area which houses the study, recreation room, and full bathroom until my condo is released for occupancy.  Once I have moved, my nephew will occupy that space.  The remainder portion of the upstairs of my mother’s house that was not finished will be completed in 12 months.  The additional 1,200 square feet will include another kitchen, living, dining area, 1 1/2 bathrooms, and a bedroom.  This space will be used primarily by me when I stay the weekends or when family come from out of town.  My downtown condo will be primarily used during work weeks or when I don’t feel like driving after going clubbing with friends.  The convenience of the condo make it ideal for me and my lifestyle.  My second residence, if you wish to call it that, in the upstairs portion of my mother’s  house, will be finished in a loft style type design.

I’m really excited about my condo, and I’m looking so forward to being able to move in and enjoy the pleasures of downtown living.  In recent months, many of my friends have purchased condos downtown, and they absolutely love it.  I’m sure that I will also enjoy spending my time taking in the din of the city.

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