Timing seems good, but we'll see what pops up.

We're using the same realtor, same lender, as the first two homes we got, so we have a leg up.

What's sobering is, had we just stayed put with the first home, we'd have equity out the ass right now, and be in position to buy exactly the home we wanted when we sold to begin with. The second was ten mistakes, all rolled into one.

Granted, who knows how other things would have played out had we stayed. But the one thing that stands out is, that first home is now listed at 70K more than what we sold it for, and for the last three years, we've paid 50% more for middling apartments than we were paying for that house, and we have nothing to show for those payments, apart from rental receipts.

The main moral there is, it's better to pay ourselves, by owning a home. Unless, of course, you're upside down with a ridiculous mortgage payment.

Yeah, we're still separated, and we've had some direct discussions that laid to rest any notions of marital reconciliation. Which is fine.

We still look out for each other, still talk to each other, still handle our bills together, still make sure we each have what we need, etc. She still asks if she can get buy new clothes or whatever. yeah, she's dating. It is what it is. We established the rules, and I'm not tripping.

The kids are good, we're all living a solid quality of life that continues to improve, we have freedom to order out, rent movies, buy shit we just plain WANT. We eat well (financially speaking. Nutritionally, I eat horribly, she eats "well", lol.) All our bills are paid, both of our credit is improving. We made a series of mistakes over two years, after our son was born, and we've now successfully dug ourselves out of that hole.

And all of that, we've done together. And, for reasons both practical and ideological, we're both good entering this next phase together.