How To Make A Perfect Cave (1)

December 3, I signed a contractor to redo my newly purchased 1-bedroom condo. It's been almost half a year since I first started looking for a place. Beginning with absolutely zero knowledge of real estate transaction and limited information of current market, I managed to locate an ideal spot, sign the purchase contract, find a great loan deal, and close the transaction well under market price without any agent. After that, I also started planning for an overall renovation. It took me 2 months to come up with a design of my own, draw a detailed floor plan, and interview local contractors. Finally, things are ready to take off. In another 2 months, I will have a place that not only belongs to me but also resembles me--it's my perfect cave. Looking back at the entire process, I thought it'd be great to post here what I have done so far and keep things updated as the renovation progresses. Here are some pictures of what the place looks like now.

It's a 1-bedroom condo in Weehawken, NJ. The building was originally a stainless glass manufacture and converted to residential apartments in 1985. My unit is about 860-sf, a quite generous size for 1-bedroom apartment. It has a 12-ft high ceiling, a decent sized bathroom, and a split loft area. The best of all, it has two huge windows with a breathtaking frontal view of west Manhattan skyline and the Hudson river. The minute I walked in, I knew this was it.

Foyer

Kitchen & Loft

Living Room

Windows

Kitchen

Powder Room

Bathroom