As a kid in a military family, I moved every couple of years. My dad would receive transfer orders and out would come the moving folks with their little red, numbered stickers. We’d pile into the family truckster and set off to our new home. Consequently, I attended thirteen schools in twelve years.

As an adult, I moved less frequently and, in 1995, made Maryland my home base. When we sold our big home three years ago, my family and I rented a lovely townhome in Columbia. It was perfect: right off a three-mile circuit through the woods, within walking distance to the swimming pool, and near major highways. We have loved living here!

Times, They are A’Changin’

Tudor Arms, built in 1912.

When we first moved into our current home, my oldest was on his way to college. Last year, my youngest followed suit. With everyone off pursuing their educations by last fall, the place we’d been living suddenly felt cavernous and empty. So this is what it feels like to have an empty nest. I grappled with indecision. Was it the right time to move to Europe? Should I move back to Philadelphia? Purchase or rent? As idyllic as our current home was, it no longer suited us.

So, in January, I set an intention to have the perfect home come to me, with ease and at the right time. I wrote a Post-It note to that effect and stuck in on the wall in my office. Having set the intention, I released it to the Universe (or God, or whatever you like to call that essence greater than us), and went about everyday living.

Three Weeks Ago

That was, until three weeks ago, when I awoke on a Saturday morning with a knowing. It was time to buy. I pulled out my iPad and typed into the search bar, “Condos for sale near me.” Zillow had a list of dozens of properties, so I narrowed the search by adding the number of bedrooms, three.

On my screen appeared a place called Tudor Arms. I clicked through the photos and began salivating. A property built in 1912 across from a huge park, within walking distance to the Baltimore Museum of Art and dozens of trendy eateries, it felt like a place I would love to live. Plus, wonder of all wonders, it included a garage!

I Knew

I reached out to a dear friend of mine who is a realtor and asked him if he’d take me to see the property. We arranged a visit, and I fell in love. High ceilings, plaster walls, light-filled spaces, parquet floors. I could visualize literary salons, meeting with VIP clients, serving champagne, creating a real home that was ours, library, dumbwaiter, and all.

And that’s how I came to the decision to move. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be packing up our home, discarding and donating items that we no longer need, and settling into a new life—an upleveled life, one that serves my greater vision of spending part of each year abroad.

Want to See for Yourself?

If you began salivating at the idea of having a VIP day with me in my new space, schedule a virtual coffee with me and let’s see when we can make that happen.