And the winner is...

So, if you're tuning in today, you probably tuned in yesterday, and saw that we were in the surreal position of having own mini renter's market in NYC. We were choosing between three different places in Brooklyn, each of which offered its own fantasy life - and, of course, its own downside. We had to make a decision, we had to make it fast, and we were, truly, at a stalemate.

And you guys stepped up. It was a unique and awesome experience to see all the comments roll in (lots on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/oncefuturehome if you want to check them out and aren't on the FB yourself). First of all, you guys are amazing, and super sweet about the blog, which contents me to the point that I feel as if I don't ever need to try to make money off this endeavor. Don't tell Bret.

Second, since I know where a lot of y'all live, in a non-creepy way, it's fun to see the choice you suggest for us reflect your own choices. Many people who live in suburbia voted for the outdoor space. Most who live in the city voted for Apartment 2 - Prime Location - except those who live in sort of suburban oases within the city. (Aunt B, I'm counting you in that last because you do have some outdoor space, and a beach house, which has to count for something).

Okay, so let me walk you through the thought process. And be forewarned: This'll take a while. Grab a cup of coffee. Okay, back?

We, like you, eliminated Choice 3 - the one in our current neighborhood - pretty early. It only came back up during one middle-of-the night-freak-out-session (Gosh, Bret, so emotional) when I/we thought we had made the wrong choice. Otherwise, it seemed pretty clear that if we want to use this last stint to explore, we shouldn't do it in our own 'hood. It's a pretty safe bet we'd appreciate an open floor plan and two bathrooms, too, so no need to try those on for size. Oh, and it was the most expensive, which, given that it was up against places in more sought-after neighborhoods, was a pretty serious strike.

Which brings us to the showdown between 1 and two. This was an exercise, almost purely, in a tradeoff as old as the real estate market itself. More house + less convenience or more convenience + less house? And let me tell you, that is a tough gosh darn tradeoff. One person (again, Aunt B) suggested Place 1, urging me to picture watching Lou frolic in the snow while I heated up hot chocolate.

Oh, the joys of a little outdoor space. It would be just like this! Just minus the grass, barn, dog and fresh air.

But believe me, picturing it isn't the problem. Even if I hadn't grown up in the country - the country pictured, in fact - I am pretty adroit at imagining our family in a host of situations. Bret and I have a long running joke because every house we ever look at (and we treat open houses as free Sunday entertainment, so that's a lot) I'm like, "Baby, let's get it!" I can imagine the whole darn thing. I was so excited about this place when we got there, it was silly.  I mean, the place had me at small dedicated entryway - and then it had a backyard?!? And a craft room? Sign me up. So we did sign us up, applying as we walked out the door.

But, as with any good HGTV episode, this one has an unexpected twist. Though we were nearly certain, I really stressed about it. Even as I made plans to finally raise plants in the backyard without killing them, and teach Lou to roller blade, and have a whole section of the blog called "Spray paint anything that stays still long enough," I was truly worried about the location. I went back to check it out, and found it disquieting-ly quiet. And far-away feeling, which I think was exacerbated by the fact that it was our first truly chilly fall day - but as the Starks say, winter really is coming. That's only gonna get worse.

I had one other hesitation, which I should have been clear about yesterday. The basement, which would play a huge role in our living space as play room/office/guest room/laundry room, is completely windowless. And I'm just a freak about the sun. As in, the very first thing I do in the morning, before peeing or brushing my teeth or funneling coffee, is open all the curtains. I'm a baby, I know, but it pays to know yourself in these situations.

To be clear: Despite my reservations, this was my first choice. I wanted the backyard, and the appliances, and the space. And the perks that were involved were likely to affect me more than Bret, not because he doesn't do dishes, but because he travels at least fifty percent of the time. But that cuts both ways: it also would mean I would be the one shouldering the commute burden more often than not.

So, I was stressed about it, and second guessing myself, which made me pretty susceptible to the Number 2 camp's arguments. Number 2 camp, by the way, is headed by one Mr. Bret. He pulled hard for this one, going so far as to look up portable dishwashers you can buy or rent, and stipulating that the money we save can go straight toward my dream couch.

So, we chose number 2.

The sum of it is that we didn't move to NYC for a backyard; we moved here because we like the hustle and bustle. Some people find it enervating, some find it exhilarating, and we're in the latter category. We are big walkers, we don't have a car, and we like being able to get pizza at 4 am if that's what we're in the mood for. You know, when we're awake at 4 am. We want to try the Park Slope food co-op and sending Lou to a school that thinks critically about the stuff we care about. And...we're used to the small space thing. True, I won't be able to spray paint here, but I will be able to creatively extract as much utility as possible from the space, and that, my friends, is what the darn blog is all about.

Plus, as far as exploring and experimenting goes, let's just stipulate that we'll really like having a concrete backyard if we ever get one, so we don't really need to test that out.

Finally, this place was the only one in a huge radius within our budget; we'd normally be priced out of this area. It felt like a happy accident, and we know affording a place to buy in Park Slope is unlikely, so we sort of feel like we need to seize the day and live here while we can.

And that's the very long story of how we chose Number 2: The Prime Location Super Steal without the Dishwasher! Or whatever we're calling it. Thanks for helping us make the call, and stay tuned for all the moving drama!