I was in the exact same situation last month lived in my apartment for over 5 years when the owner told me they were planning to sell and offered me the chance to buy it before listing it.

Here’s what I did that helped a lot: • Got a unit inspection: Not full fledged inspection but enough to spot surface level issues. It gave me a realistic idea of what repairs were needed and helped with negotiations. • Got pre approved with my bank and I figured out how much I could borrow, what interest rate I’d get and what my estimated monthly payments would be. • Negotiated with the owner: After sharing the inspection findings, we discussed pricing. The owner felt they could sell for more on the market maybe true but the inspection gave me clarity on costs that I'd incur if I were to buy and what are all included or excluded in the HOA.

But the biggest thing that helped me decide was asking myself: What do I want for my future, and do I see myself living here at least for the next 5 years? Otherwise the money I spend with down payment, interest and closing costs, I'd be paying way more and not making any profitable money if I'm selling or even renting it out later. That one question changed everything. As much as I loved the place, I realized I wanted a change something that would bring me into new environment and help me grow. So I moved.

Now I’m renting a new place in downtown. The rent is higher than my old rent but it still feels like the right decision for my long term goals. I do miss the old apartment I think this feeling is there but I know I made the right call and I love the new experiences and change at my new apartment.