It's Tuesday, and Goofball and I are at the "new" Edgewood Shopping Center to grab some lunch and check some XBox games out. Out of the blue, he says, "Hey, while we're over here, do you want to look at some lofts?"

"Sure." No harm, no foul I figure. There shouldn't be any harm in looking.

Except for, you know, the harm in knowing how fuckin' poor I am in this city.

We head over to the sales office and chat it up with one of the agents there. Pretty twenty-something Black woman with matching fingernails, toenails and eyeshadow. I guess that three-level matching shit goes for professional businesswoman in some circles, but she looked just a few steps above a streetwalker to me. I'm sorry, but no woman should be wearing that much fuchsia. But she did have a terrific smile and seemed enthusiastic to help…until she started talking.

"So what is the price range you're looking for, sir?"

Honestly, I had no idea. $100,000? $200,000? Both unattainable on what I'm making including savings and investments. Sure, there's loans out there, but I wasn't really starting my search until about 20 minutes ago when Goofball said "you want to look at some lofts?" Hell, I was more concerned with the sandwich I just bought.

So that's what I told her. And after going through all that she replies "Oh, so you'll be needing to see the cheap one." Cheap being $209,000. Then she continued talking just to Goofball and ignoring me when I asked her questions.

Heffa!

Quickly getting over that kick to the nuts, we toured some units — all of which were fabulous. Stainless steel appliance packages, granite countertops, oak hardwood floors, built-in speakers, and it's all a stones throw away from the East Atlanta Village. They were absolutely gorgeous, even without being decorated. With everything in Atlanta coming up condo and even more developments being built every day, rental communities like the one I'm in are few and far in between.

So if I do decide to stay in Atlanta — and I don't want to keep renting — then a condo or a house is the next logical step. I left there with the package of lenders and community amenties and looked over it in the car. Hell, even with no downpayment and a 30-year 6% fixed-rate loan, I'm still paying at least $1500 a month including the ever-rising Metro Atlanta property taxes.

I just shook my head and said "I'm making play money." I even took the Motley Fool "Am I better off renting?" quiz. The result? "Hell yes."

Fast-forward to last Saturday. With gentrification marching through Atlanta like General Sherman, I knew eventually it'd hit the West End. Right behind the mall, some lofts are going up starting in the $100's. Significantly less than the ones I looked at earlier in the week. I ducked out while Death to Shakespeare was still asleep to see if I could take a look at some, but the office was closed. I'll be sure to head back soon.

I will say though that I'm still not looking right now since I'm sure I'll be in this apartment for at least another year. But there's no harm in looking, right?

Now excuse me while I go count some pennies.