I'm Buying A House!

[John McClane]

Y'all like a second family, so I feel the need to share most major things in my life. The current big news is I have decided to take the plunge and buy a house.

Nothing big, nothing fancy, just four walls and hopefully a decent/new roof. :D

I will post updates here as I go along the process, but yeah...totally feel sick to my stomach and excited AF. All at the same time.

Also, ANY and ALL advice welcome.

[Yoda]

Oh wow.

General advice will kind of depend on what you're going for. I hope/imagine it's just meant to be affordable, safe, solid, nothing fancy?

[John Dumbear]

https://c.tenor.com/mZFGIXhjOGUAAAAM/its-a-trap-trap.gif

[Stirchley]

Great news! Huge to buy a house. Lots of worry & anticipation. GOOD LUCK!

Can’t give you any advice. I married into a Victorian house.

[Citizen Rules]

I wanna see a white picket fence and a dog:p Very cool! hope you have a happy home owning:)

[Stirchley]

I wanna see a white picket fence and a dog:p Very cool! hope you have a happy home owning:)

The fence before his dream roof? :D

[Citizen Rules]

The fence before his dream roof? :DHe has a dream roof? I must have missed that post🙂 Copper I assume? Maybe tile?

[Torgo]

Congrats! My advice is to get regular pest control service from a highly-rated exterminator because of all the home services, it's the one I've found the old saying "you get what you pay for" applies the most.

Also, don't bother with buying a home warranty. They're a waste of money. You'll likely get a lot of mail when you move in convincing you to buy one. They can go straight into the shredder.

[Stirchley]

He has a dream roof? I must have missed that post🙂 Copper I assume? Maybe tile?

He said he wants a “decent/new roof” so maybe he’s dreaming a little bit? :p

[John McClane]

Oh wow.

General advice will kind of depend on what you're going for. I hope/imagine it's just meant to be affordable, safe, solid, nothing fancy?This. Something in a far out location (more land the better) from the city. Metal roof would be ideal, which is not hard to find when you leave the city. Ideally a portion of yard already fenced in but not a big deal if I have to build one. No carpet or as little carpet as possible is my biggest buying requirement.

But if I don’t mind an hour drive to work I can afford a 3 bedroom, 2 bath. So I have a lot of wiggle room in what I’m looking for. Just need some good bones.

He said he wants a “decent/new roof” so maybe he’s dreaming a little bit? :p

He has a dream roof? I must have missed that post🙂 Copper I assume? Maybe tile?Yeah, a good roof is ideal. Whatever I buy will be where I reside for the next 20-30 years, so I don’t want to have to deal with putting a new roof on it.

[ynwtf]

Get an inspection. You'll have a foot that expense, but worth it to learn of any obvious issues before you sign the dotted line.
It's a seller's market. Prices are high across the board now and may come down in a few years, so don't over reach else the property value may not be where you can afford to sell if that ever becomes a risk. I mean, five years from now your selling price may end up being lower than your mortgage. Sounds like you're buying for the long haul so that shouldn't be an issue. Just be aware, please.
I don't know your market, but here and where mom was up in Lynchburg, houses haven't stayed on market for more than a few days.
Don't get frustrated from homes selling before you can even schedule a viewing. It's going to happen and probably often with the market the way it is. BE CAREFUL not to buy something in frustration or desperation else you may regret it soon after the adrenalin eases.
If possible, maybe get an idea what the utilities will be for you. Older houses may may have crap insulation. Gas heating or even electric can be nuts during the winter.
Is the property prone to flooding or hurricanes or other common natural events. Tornados? That can have a major impact on your home insurance policy.
Don't forget to estimate home insurance into your cost of living. If you extend your budget to buy a home, make sure you can still afford insurance.
If there are trees close to the house, be mindful of roots. Those things spread wider than the tree branches and can ruin driveways, waterlines, foundations, and can get into the plumbing over time.
Agrees with Torgo. Home warranties are mostly scams, IMO. Our experience they only make repairs/replacements if they attempt to service whatever three times. It also must be with a tech that is connected to their network. Even then, they may only go with the cheapest option. By the time you consider your monthly fees to maintain that account, you probably could have bought whatever new and saved some cash. Right now, we're still trying to get mom's company to stop auto-draft payments which should have stopped four months ago.
Internet! If you're deep out, your options may be for crap. Same with mobile data.


Good luck in that. It's exciting and fun but can create a lot of pressure and anxiety. Just Spock your way through it and try to stay logical.

[CringeFest]

do not accept the list price, make an offer

[SpelingError]

Congrats :up:

Here's hoping that no ghosts will haunt your house.

[Wyldesyde19]

Have a medium immediately check for bad spirits.
Check the history of the house. Did the previous owner perish there? How and why?
Is there a insane amount of flies in one location?
Does it get cold in certain areas?
Do objects move on their own?
And finally, do the walls bleed? 🩸
These are questions one must answer before becoming a homeowner.

[Wyldesyde19]

Oh, and seriously, good luck on the house hunting!

[CringeFest]

Congrats :up:

Here's hoping that no ghosts will haunt your house.

dude, no. I would love to find a haunted house, that **** would be worth my soul.

[Captain Steel]

dude, no. I would love to find a haunted house, that **** would be worth my soul.

It would be worth anyone's since no such thing exists - so to find one you could provide substantial proof for being genuinely "haunted" would probably make you rich and famous!

"Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory."

[CringeFest]

It would be worth anyone's since no such thing exists - so to find one you could provide substantial proof for being genuinely "haunted" would probably make you rich and famous!

"Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory."

to be real anal here, since we are helping our buddy John with houses...whoever owned the deed would get rich and famous!

[Austruck]

ynwtf mentioned insurance, but many mortgages can be/are bundled with both taxes and insurance. I second the thorough home inspection idea. Find someone who's a stickler. Then use everything he finds to lower the asking price.

When we bought this house, since there were two of us, we each had a non-negotiable list. His included a garage. Mine included an actual dining room. What's on your list? Is it something you can do/change/fix yourself later? You mentioned no carpeting, but I know my daughters bought houses very cheap that had yucky carpeting. They ripped it out and sanded down the hardwood underneath, then stained it. You might not have to do that much, but certainly cosmetic things are easier to do than adding a garage or a dining room.

Also, thumbs-up to two bathrooms, or at least, 1.5 bathrooms. Hubby takes an hour or more to get ready for work every day, and it would be a hardship for this old bladder to not have a second bathroom. :)

Another good piece of advice is to try to look at houses in/just after a downpour of rain. If there are leaky basements, etc., you'll be able to see it.

As for big yards... we went from a tiny yard to a much, much larger one. And from no sidewalks to 200 feet of sidewalks and a huge driveway. In spring and autumn, I love them. In summer I hate mowing all that yard. In winter I hate shoveling/snowblowing all that concrete. So, be careful what you ask for. Or get a riding mower. :D

And congrats! I hated our previous house (ask Yoda!)... so I still think about getting the keys to this house and moving in... and I smile. We both got our wish list and love it.

[Mr Minio]

Twist: It's a dollhouse they mean. :D

[John McClane]

So right now the big question is how far out do I want to look.

I'm thinking an ideal distance is no more than a 45 min drive (my current commute is about 30 minutes), but if I stretch that to an hour it opens a lot of options and nearly halves the cost of what I am looking at. And acreages go up, too.

Who here has a long commute? Have you always had a long commute? Does it make you want to drive off bridges?

[ynwtf]

When I started this job, the office was a solid 45 minutes out minimum. I was luck in that the drive was alone one single highway. Imagine a straight line from my home in the county, cutting through the nearby city downtown, then open country highway the rest of the way. The first half of that drive was through the local downtown. That took maybe 25 minutes from my house. The second half was open four lanes with maybe two traffic lights for the remaining 20-minute drive. The downtown drive could get hectic, but the open road, after, was always calming. That's assuming no jerky left-lane bottleneckers. The drive to work gave me time to clear my head and think about my day to come. The drive back gave me time to clear my head again, to exorcise any work anxieties before getting home.

I liked it, but then again driving generally calms me down.

Our office is JUST the other side of town now, having moved about 8 years ago. It's close to home and has cut my drive in half. Unfortunately, I'm left with the worst half of that trip still needing to drive through downtown.

My dad drives at least an hour. Maybe an hour and a half, usually starting out around 5:30AM from country farmland. I can't say whether he likes it or not, but he's been doing that for at least 20 years. Probably closer to 30 now that I do the mat....omg I'm that old!?

Anyway. You get used to it, I guess is my point. It's easier being younger I would imagine too. Mom is now 2 hours away. Whenever I get a chance to visit, that feels like a chore now that I'm out of practice of 1-2 hour drives. YMMV. *cough n giggles*

Depending on the road and projected congestion, it could fall either way =\ If you have a highway or even an interstate, that would be idea IMO as you could easier pass those that would slow traffic. Less too would be the odds of people having to stop traffic for left turns as you would get with 2-lane county roads. So yeah. It just depends. If not FOR the longer drives home, I might have driven off a bridge to just not have to deal with my boss the next day. The thought crossed my mind daily.

[Citizen Rules]

So right now the big question is how far out do I want to look.

I'm thinking an ideal distance is no more than a 45 min drive (my current commute is about 30 minutes), but if I stretch that to an hour it opens a lot of options and nearly halves the cost of what I am looking at. And acreages go up, too.

Who here has a long commute? Have you always had a long commute? Does it make you want to drive off bridges?I don't commute but I know some people who do and love it. They love it as the longer commute is 'me time' and they can listen to music or audio books and actually relax as they drive to work. Then again if your commute drives you crazy now, what will a longer commute do?

One tip, real estate agents are weasels. I've never worked with one who didn't smell when I was interested in something, then spit out the line, "you'll have to move fast as there's another buyer interested in it." I swear every single time they do that.

[CringeFest]

So right now the big question is how far out do I want to look.

I'm thinking an ideal distance is no more than a 45 min drive (my current commute is about 30 minutes), but if I stretch that to an hour it opens a lot of options and nearly halves the cost of what I am looking at. And acreages go up, too.

Who here has a long commute? Have you always had a long commute? Does it make you want to drive off bridges?

living far away might be worth it, but the whole reason that out-in-sticks houses are so cheap is that in the long run you do pay higher automotive costs.

[Stirchley]

No carpet or as little carpet as possible is my biggest buying requirement.

Yeah, a good roof is ideal. Whatever I buy will be where I reside for the next 20-30 years, so I don’t want to have to deal with putting a new roof on it.

Why the big deal about carpet? Don’t understand. (We have hardwood floors, no carpet.)

Someone mentioned a metal roof (too lazy to look who). That’s gotta be noisy as heck in the rain surely?

Gas heating or even electric can be nuts during the winter.

If there are trees close to the house, be mindful of roots. Those things spread wider than the tree branches and can ruin driveways, waterlines, foundations, and can get into the plumbing.

Our maximum electric heating bill in the winter can be $400+. Compared to about $70 in the summer.

Don’t buy a place with lots of deadish-looking trees. Tree removal is WAY expensive.

Nobody has mentioned a security system. I don’t care where you live, you will need it. Even a country home we had in the woods in NY state was burglarized.

It would be worth anyone's since no such thing exists - so to find one you could provide substantial proof for being genuinely "haunted" would probably make you rich and famous!

If a house is haunted (and I do believe it’s possible) the owner must disclose this.

1.5 bathrooms.

Another good piece of advice is to try to look at houses in/just after a downpour of rain. If there are leaky basements, etc., you'll be able to see it.

As for big yards... we went from a tiny yard to a much, much larger one. And from no sidewalks to 200 feet of sidewalks and a huge driveway. In spring and autumn, I love them. In summer I hate mowing all that yard. In winter I hate shoveling/snowblowing all that concrete.

Agree on the 1.5 bathrooms. A necessity.

Ditto on the basement. Rain comes through our basement hatch every single time.

Don’t buy a corner house if you’re not prepared to maintain both the sidewalks.

[Austruck]

Why the big deal about carpet? Don’t understand. (We have hardwood floors, no carpet.)


Someone mentioned a metal roof (too lazy to look who). That’s gotta be noisy as heck in the rain surely?


Our maximum electric heating bill in the winter can be $400+. Compared to about $70 in the summer.

Don’t buy a place with lots of deadish-looking trees. Tree removal is WAY expensive.

Nobody has mentioned a security system. I don’t care where you live, you will need it. Even a country home we had in the woods in NY state was burglarized.


If a house is haunted (and I do believe it’s possible) the owner must disclose this.


Agree on the 1.5 bathrooms. A necessity.

Ditto on the basement. Rain comes through our basement hatch every single time.

Don’t buy a corner house if you’re not prepared to maintain both the sidewalks.

Carpet has its pros and cons. Preferences vary. I just think carpeting doesn't have to be a deal-breaker since it's more easily dealt with than, say, trying to add a bathroom or make a kitchen bigger. ;)

I also heard that, although metal roofs are currently all the rage, if something gets in to let some of it rust or deteriorate, it can go downhill fast from there.

Our bills look like yours... but our budget costs year-round amount to about $250 for natural gas and about $300 for electric. (We have central air. Our house is huge with 12-foot ceilings. We have two large furnace units and two large A/C units.) Those stable amounts monthly (which are revisited about twice a year to be sure they're in the right range) help us budget.

We switched from a Vector security system to a Ring security system. Way cheaper and we have good control over it, even from afar.

Corner lots are typically worth more, but yes on the sidewalk maintenance. We have two sets of sidewalks because our yard spans the width of two streets. So, 100+ feet in the front and 100+ feet in the back. O joy!

[Stirchley]

Carpet has its pros and cons. Preferences vary. I just think carpeting doesn't have to be a deal-breaker since it's more easily dealt with than, say, trying to add a bathroom or make a kitchen bigger. ;)

I also heard that, although metal roofs are currently all the rage, if something gets in to let some of it rust or deteriorate, it can go downhill fast from there.

Our bills look like yours... but our budget costs year-round amount to about $250 for natural gas and about $300 for electric. (We have central air. Our house is huge with 12-foot ceilings. We have two large furnace units and two large A/C units.) Those stable amounts monthly (which are revisited about twice a year to be sure they're in the right range) help us budget.

We switched from a Vector security system to a Ring security system. Way cheaper and we have good control over it, even from afar.

Corner lots are typically worth more, but yes on the sidewalk maintenance. We have two sets of sidewalks because our yard spans the width of two streets. So, 100+ feet in the front and 100+ feet in the back. O joy!

Hardwood floors are a pain in the bum IMO. Yes, they look nice, but there’s nothing worse than trying to stain floors when there are people & pets milling around. Been there done that. Will probably go professional in future.

We are electric-only though there is a wood furnace in the basement. Sooty indoor chimney is the bane of my existence.

We have a very old alarm system with a small family company. Works perfectly for us.

So many people where I live will only do one sidewalk of their corner house. These people make me mental & it’s the same folks every year. Lazy bums or too cheap to pay for a snow removal company.

[Captain Steel]

If a house is haunted (and I do believe it’s possible) the owner must disclose this.


How or why does someone disclose something that is an entirely subjective opinion which can't be substantiated? It's like saying I should disclose that I think I may have been abducted by aliens at a job interview. Or warn buyers of a house that the woods along the backyard is inhabited by Bigfoots.

[John McClane]

Why the big deal about carpet? Don’t understand. (We have hardwood floors, no carpet.)Allergens, grime, and you have no idea how they were handled before you got there. I don't have budget to make modifications, so buying new flooring is entirely out of the question.

Someone mentioned a metal roof (too lazy to look who). That’s gotta be noisy as heck in the rain surely?Probably me. I want a metal roof because they last longer, and sound awesome AF when it rains. Raindrops on a metal roof is like a white noise machine for me. I'm out like a light.

Our maximum electric heating bill in the winter can be $400+. Compared to about $70 in the summer.I plan on suffering in extreme cold and heat to keep my bills down. I was even looking at a house that had zero A/C.

Nobody has mentioned a security system. I don’t care where you live, you will need it. Even a country home we had in the woods in NY state was burglarized.I have a very vocal 80 lb dog. That's all the security I need. And a .308 if all else fails ;)

Agree on the 1.5 bathrooms. A necessity. I can only crap in one toilet at a time, so one bathroom is perfectly fine.

Don’t buy a corner house if you’re not prepared to maintain both the sidewalks.What are sidewalks? :p

Carpet has its pros and cons. Preferences vary. I just think carpeting doesn't have to be a deal-breaker since it's more easily dealt with than, say, trying to add a bathroom or make a kitchen bigger. ;)

I also heard that, although metal roofs are currently all the rage, if something gets in to let some of it rust or deteriorate, it can go downhill fast from there.

Our bills look like yours... but our budget costs year-round amount to about $250 for natural gas and about $300 for electric. (We have central air. Our house is huge with 12-foot ceilings. We have two large furnace units and two large A/C units.) Those stable amounts monthly (which are revisited about twice a year to be sure they're in the right range) help us budget.

We switched from a Vector security system to a Ring security system. Way cheaper and we have good control over it, even from afar.

Corner lots are typically worth more, but yes on the sidewalk maintenance. We have two sets of sidewalks because our yard spans the width of two streets. So, 100+ feet in the front and 100+ feet in the back. O joy!At this point I have a lot of unknowns budget wise. But, thank God, I have a car that is worth more than my current loan and I can sell it in less than a week and net enough profit to buy a used one. So...if I get settled and see I ****ed up my math I will be selling the FRS and crying myself to sleep at night. But at least it'll be in my own home.

I know I'll probably get flak for this, but I am raiding my retirement account for the 3.5% down payment. I'm a Millennial and I have no delusions of grandeur: I will be working til I drop dead at my desk.

[Austruck]

I know I'll probably get flak for this, but I am raiding my retirement account for the 3.5% down payment. I'm a Millennial and I have no delusions of grandeur: I will be working til I drop dead at my desk.

Won't get any flak from me! You're young. And doing it for real estate is obviously a solid investment.

Plus, we raided our retirement account (at age 60) to buy GameStop stock, so.... :D

[John McClane]

Won't get any flak from me! You're young. And doing it for real estate is obviously a solid investment.

Plus, we raided our retirement account (at age 60) to buy GameStop stock, so.... :D
Yeah, I mean, growth is nice, but I am already way behind on how much I should have saved, so leaving it alone ain't going to help me. Whereas the cost of rent is going up all the time. What good does saving for retirement do if you can't/don't have a place to live when you get old? Makes no sense to me.

[ynwtf]

If it's an IRA type account, be mindful of the tax hit AND penalty you will take for pulling funds.

I guess jumping back to the carpet issue, if there is carpet then I'd go through with a black light at least to look for pet urine damage. Carpet underpadding acts like a sponge holding in moisture. If the damage is old and continued, that will eventually damage the wood flooring underneath. Assuming it's wood underneath. If you pull the carpet and find damage, well then you're replacing a subfloor if not the joints and structure beneath those panels if it's bad enough. you MIGHT get away with a sealer primer coat o two. If it's concrete slab underneath, you could probably just do with some basic chemical treatment from a pet store. If it's really bad, you could place a sealer coat over the floor to then lay your new flooring over.

Yeah, carpet can be risky.


random crap my 15 year old self never imagined I would ever need to know.

[Austruck]

Hardwood floors are a pain in the bum IMO. Yes, they look nice, but there’s nothing worse than trying to stain floors when there are people & pets milling around. Been there done that. Will probably go professional in future.

We are electric-only though there is a wood furnace in the basement. Sooty indoor chimney is the bane of my existence.

We have a very old alarm system with a small family company. Works perfectly for us.

So many people where I live will only do one sidewalk of their corner house. These people make me mental & it’s the same folks every year. Lazy bums or too cheap to pay for a snow removal company.

We are required by our borough to maintain the sidewalks throughout the winter. So... no choice there.

My daughters sanded/stained/polyurethaned their floors before they moved in, so that was obviously far easier.

We bought this restored Victorian house ten years ago, and it had semi-recently been completely carpeted except kitchen, baths, and side entryway. Expensive, good, thick carpeting and padding. I wasn't sure why they'd restore the house's other elements and then not restore the floors. They said it was because they had three small kids, so it was NOISE issues. I thought it might have been to warm up the place a LITTLE since there are 12-foot ceilings and huge rooms.

Plus, as we walk around, I can feel spots where I bet the condition of the original wood underneath was NOT worth trying to fix up and restore properly. Even this much good carpeting might have cost less than restoring the floors. Plus, they did nearly all the work while they lived here (he was a contractor), with those kids, so yeah, that would have been a small nightmare.

At any rate, we're not going to get rid of the carpeting. It looks good, feels good underfoot, and I have a feeling the wood underneath would not take kindly to being exposed. We're not ready to pay for new solid hardwood. (Laminate in this house would be a sacrilege.)

[Stirchley]

How or why does someone disclose something that is an entirely subjective opinion which can't be substantiated? It's like saying I should disclose that I think I may have been abducted by aliens at a job interview. Or warn buyers of a house that the woods along the backyard is inhabited by Bigfoots.

I don’t know how or why, but New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Minnesota have real estate laws that require it.

Allergens, grime, and you have no idea how they were handled before you got there. I don't have budget to make modifications, so buying new flooring is entirely out of the question.

Probably me. I want a metal roof because they last longer, and sound awesome AF when it rains. Raindrops on a metal roof is like a white noise machine for me. I'm out like a light.

I plan on suffering in extreme cold and heat to keep my bills down. I was even looking at a house that had zero A/C.

I have a very vocal 80 lb dog. That's all the security I need. And a .308 if all else fails ;)

I can only crap in one toilet at a time, so one bathroom is perfectly fine.

What are sidewalks? :p

At this point I have a lot of unknowns budget wise. But, thank God, I have a car that is worth more than my current loan and I can sell it in less than a week and net enough profit to buy a used one. So...if I get settled and see I ****ed up my math I will be selling the FRS and crying myself to sleep at night. But at least it'll be in my own home.

I know I'll probably get flak for this, but I am raiding my retirement account for the 3.5% down payment. I'm a Millennial and I have no delusions of grandeur: I will be working til I drop dead at my desk.

Police officers do tell me that a dog is the best deterrent.

Our house has no central air (it’s Victorian). We have a single unit for the bedroom. Our downstairs thermometer can register 90 degrees in the house when it’s really hot outside.

Crazy to be cold to keep down bills. I don’t do cold. Ever.

You only need to put down 3.5% downpayment there? That’s crazy. Most people I know have scrambled to put down a required 20%. Personally, I would put down as much as I could.

Nothing wrong with borrowing from a retirement account, it’s your money. If it’s a 401k, you’re gonna pay back the money with interest to yourself in any event.

[John McClane]

If it's an IRA type account, be mindful of the tax hit AND penalty you will take for pulling funds.It's a 403b. And my employer match is 8%, so the way I look at it...I'm not really paying the penalty. And I am only pulling out a few K, so it should not affect my income taxes all that much. But yeah....working til they find my corpse slumped over at my desk or underneath someone else's. :lol:

I guess jumping back to the carpet issue, if there is carpet then I'd go through with a black light at least to look for pet urine damage. Carpet underpadding acts like a sponge holding in moisture. If the damage is old and continued, that will eventually damage the wood flooring underneath. Assuming it's wood underneath. If you pull the carpet and find damage, well then you're replacing a subfloor if not the joints and structure beneath those panels if it's bad enough. you MIGHT get away with a sealer primer coat o two. If it's concrete slab underneath, you could probably just do with some basic chemical treatment from a pet store. If it's really bad, you could place a sealer coat over the floor to then lay your new flooring over.

Yeah, carpet can be risky.


random crap my 15 year old self never imagined I would ever need to know.And that right there is why I do not want carpet. So many issues are hidden by carpet. It's Russian house roulette.

We are required by our borough to maintain the sidewalks throughout the winter. So... no choice there.

My daughters sanded/stained/polyurethaned their floors before they moved in, so that was obviously far easier.

We bought this restored Victorian house ten years ago, and it had semi-recently been completely carpeted except kitchen, baths, and side entryway. Expensive, good, thick carpeting and padding. I wasn't sure why they'd restore the house's other elements and then not restore the floors. They said it was because they had three small kids, so it was NOISE issues. I thought it might have been to warm up the place a LITTLE since there are 12-foot ceilings and huge rooms.

Plus, as we walk around, I can feel spots where I bet the condition of the original wood underneath was NOT worth trying to fix up and restore properly. Even this much good carpeting might have cost less than restoring the floors. Plus, they did nearly all the work while they lived here (he was a contractor), with those kids, so yeah, that would have been a small nightmare.

At any rate, we're not going to get rid of the carpeting. It looks good, feels good underfoot, and I have a feeling the wood underneath would not take kindly to being exposed. We're not ready to pay for new solid hardwood. (Laminate in this house would be a sacrilege.)Yeah, older houses like that have probably already had the floors sanded a couple times over their lifespan, so you're probably right about the spots under feet. Hardwood floors are just expensive AF. Even laminated stuff is better than carpet in my eyes. I wanna be able to dust and wet mop my floor. Hunter goes bat**** over the vacuum. Plus you can never truly get carpet clean. At least...not to the level of clean I would want. I'm a slight germophobe and if I can't lysol the areas of my house that I am walking on it's going to be, at least, a shoe free house. Gonna feel awesome to finally have the power to make my house guests take their shoes off. :D

[John McClane]

Police officers do tell me that a dog is the best deterrent.It really is. And my dog is huge/musclar, so in a scrap he is going to **** you up while I'm bringing the rifle to bare. Hick living. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Our house has no central air (it’s Victorian). We have a single unit for the bedroom. Our downstairs thermometer can register 90 degrees in the house when it’s really hot outside.

Crazy to be cold to keep down bills. I don’t do cold. Ever.I can always put on extra clothes and get under a blanket, and it'll be easier/cheaper to keep the house overall cold (55-60 F) and just zone heat the room I spend the most time in with an electric oil unit.

And I already survived a month in 92 F, and I know I could easily weather 85F. Since it's just me I can just sit around the place naked. :lol:

Keep in mind: I would only need to live like that for the first 3 years. After the car is paid off I will have a nice cushion that I use to readjust.

You only need to put down 3.5% downpayment there? That’s crazy. Most people I know have scrambled to put down a required 20%. Personally, I would put down as much as I could.

Nothing wrong with borrowing from a retirement account, it’s your money. If it’s a 401k, you’re gonna pay back the money with interest to yourself in any event.It's a FHA loan, so I am only required to do the 3.5%. I would do more, but I just don't have it. And I am determined to make this work, so I have adjusted my wants/needs accordingly.

[doubledenim]

I’m all for a cold house and laminate. Big, big fan of laminate. May I suggest an offering from industry leader Pergo? :lol:*

I work out in the home and love when it gets cold. Plus the sleep thing. Sleeping in cold is preferred and proven to be better for you. In summer, I’m usually doing 78-76 and that’s sleeping in underwear with an inch of sheet on me.

[ynwtf]

...with an inch of sheet on me.




Dang. How many cats you got??

[Captain Steel]

I don’t know how or why, but New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Minnesota have real estate laws that require it.


I'm not disagreeing with you, Stirch, I'm just wondering how it's rationalized in the Real Estate business and how such proclamations can be established since no such thing has EVER been proven or confirmed?

There's a realtor who has a little podcast that shows up on a local website - his presentations are usually very interesting with history stories about the area, but I did hear him mention haunted houses once, and it sounded like he was saying the same thing you are and advising buyers that if their realtor doesn't disclose it to them, then they should ask about it (same with any murders or deaths in the house).

He said it as if haunted houses are as real & common as basements that get flooded!

But what are realtors basing this on? The word of former owners or tenets? So they are just supposed to take the word of someone who's eccentric, or has an overactive imagination, or families who translate their dysfunction, hostility or mental illness as a manifestation of paranormal activity, or who interprets air that causes banging in the water pipes as a supernatural poltergeist?

I just can't imagine why anyone would disclose information to a buyer that can't be substantiated or proved? I imagine most realtors or home sellers don't want to try to scare potential buyers away.

It's like spreading rumors; "The neighbors say the guy next door is so creepy that his basement may be full of dead bodies!"

Why would you tell people something for which their is no proof and may just be the result of a demented mind, imaginary hallucinations or misinterpretation of completely natural things?

[Austruck]

I don’t know how or why, but New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Minnesota have real estate laws that require it.



Police officers do tell me that a dog is the best deterrent.

Our house has no central air (it’s Victorian). We have a single unit for the bedroom. Our downstairs thermometer can register 90 degrees in the house when it’s really hot outside.

Crazy to be cold to keep down bills. I don’t do cold. Ever.

You only need to put down 3.5% downpayment there? That’s crazy. Most people I know have scrambled to put down a required 20%. Personally, I would put down as much as I could.

Nothing wrong with borrowing from a retirement account, it’s your money. If it’s a 401k, you’re gonna pay back the money with interest to yourself in any event.

Our Victorian house didn't have A/C and we were spending a fortune on electric with window units. Plus, window units were letting in small creepy crawlies like stink bugs around the edges. Plus, noisy! Plus, having to keep various doors shut.

We have duct work for the natural gas heating so it was an easy installation to get A/C here. Now it's quiet and cool throughout the house in the summer, with almost no creepy crawlies at all. And the electric bill really isn't any higher than when we were running five window units (living room, bedroom, bathroom, my office, guest room when folks stayed here). Hubby has a friend who does HVAC work as a side hustle and we got both A/C units and both furnaces completely installed in one day... for about $9,000. We felt like we hit the lottery. :D

Down payments here can be pretty low, but a lot depends on your credit and your mortgage. Certain types require that 20% down. Others, 10%. I think ours was about 5% ten years ago. We could not get an FHA mortgage due to possible ancient lead paint in the basement and a few other small issues. So I'm pretty sure we ended up with a conventional mortgage instead.

[Austruck]

I’m all for a cold house and laminate. Big, big fan of laminate. May I suggest an offering from industry leader Pergo? :lol:*

I work out in the home and love when it gets cold. Plus the sleep thing. Sleeping in cold is preferred and proven to be better for you. In summer, I’m usually doing 78-76 and that’s sleeping in underwear with an inch of sheet on me.

We use laminate in our rental units (DO NOT want carpeting in apartments if we can help it!), and the previous owner here used it in the kitchen. But he was pinching pennies by that point in his restoration so he used this cheapy, fake-looking stuff that reminds me of Contact paper. :D Blech. In an otherwise beautifully restored Victorian home from 1880, where he bought a $5,000 chandelier, spent $10,000 on window treatments, and had hand-stamped wallpaper in the downstairs half bath... well, the cheap laminate just looks wildly out of place. We're leaving it here unless/until it needs to be replaced. Then it'll be something more period appropriate.

But if we had unlimited funds (ha ha), we'd probably eventually tear up the carpeting and put in REAL hardwood floors. That ain't happening anytime soon, though. So, we stick with the carpeting for now.

McClane is right, though. You never quite feel as if it's fully clean, do you? Which is why we use laminate/vinyl plank in the rental units.

[ynwtf]

We use laminate in our rental units (DO NOT want carpeting in apartments if we can help it!), and the previous owner here used it in the kitchen. But he was pinching pennies by that point in his restoration so he used this cheapy, fake-looking stuff that reminds me of Contact paper. :D Blech. In an otherwise beautifully restored Victorian home from 1880, where he bought a $5,000 chandelier, spent $10,000 on window treatments, and had hand-stamped wallpaper in the downstairs half bath... well, the cheap laminate just looks wildly out of place. We're leaving it here unless/until it needs to be replaced. Then it'll be something more period appropriate.

But if we had unlimited funds (ha ha), we'd probably eventually tear up the carpeting and put in REAL hardwood floors. That ain't happening anytime soon, though. So, we stick with the carpeting for now.

McClane is right, though. You never quite feel as if it's fully clean, do you? Which is why we use laminate/vinyl plank in the rental units.

Unless it's Zestfully clean.
amirite?

[Austruck]

Unless it's Zestfully clean.
amirite?
Thanks for the worst earworm of the week. :D

[ynwtf]

Thanks for the worst earworm of the week. :D

hey. I'm just happy someone GOT it.

[Stirchley]

We are required by our borough to maintain the sidewalks throughout the winter. So... no choice there.

My daughters sanded/stained/polyurethaned their floors before they moved in, so that was obviously far easier.

We bought this restored Victorian house ten years ago, and it had semi-recently been completely carpeted except kitchen, baths, and side entryway. Expensive, good, thick carpeting and padding. I wasn't sure why they'd restore the house's other elements and then not restore the floors. They said it was because they had three small kids, so it was NOISE issues. I thought it might have been to warm up the place a LITTLE since there are 12-foot ceilings and huge rooms.

Plus, as we walk around, I can feel spots where I bet the condition of the original wood underneath was NOT worth trying to fix up and restore properly. Even this much good carpeting might have cost less than restoring the floors. Plus, they did nearly all the work while they lived here (he was a contractor), with those kids, so yeah, that would have been a small nightmare.

At any rate, we're not going to get rid of the carpeting. It looks good, feels good underfoot, and I have a feeling the wood underneath would not take kindly to being exposed. We're not ready to pay for new solid hardwood. (Laminate in this house would be a sacrilege.)

Connecticut laws require sidewalks to be maintained, but I guess some folks don’t care. I care because I don’t drive & I walk everywhere.

My house is Victorian, but I wouldn’t be bothered by laminate floors. It would be great, say, in the kitchen, which is tiled & awkward to clean. Laminate floors aren’t gonna happen in this house anyway. I am just so tired of housework.

It's a 403b. And my employer match is 8%, so the way I look at it...I'm not really paying the penalty. And I am only pulling out a few K, so it should not affect my income taxes all that much. But yeah....working til they find my corpse slumped over at my desk or underneath someone else's. :lol:

And that right there is why I do not want carpet. So many issues are hidden by carpet. It's Russian house roulette.

Yeah, older houses like that have probably already had the floors sanded a couple times over their lifespan, so you're probably right about the spots under feet. Hardwood floors are just expensive AF. Even laminated stuff is better than carpet in my eyes. I wanna be able to dust and wet mop my floor. Hunter goes bat**** over the vacuum. Plus you can never truly get carpet clean. At least...not to the level of clean I would want. I'm a slight germophobe and if I can't lysol the areas of my house that I am walking on it's going to be, at least, a shoe free house. Gonna feel awesome to finally have the power to make my house guests take their shoes off. :D

I hate vacuums with a passion. My cheap little broom is my friend. Nobody can come in my house with shoes on. And I am the Queen of bleach, but don’t tell my old man since I am forbidden to use it.

It really is. And my dog is huge/musclar, so in a scrap he is going to **** you up while I'm bringing the rifle to bare. Hick living. Wouldn't have it any other way.

I can always put on extra clothes and get under a blanket, and it'll be easier/cheaper to keep the house overall cold (55-60 F) and just zone heat the room I spend the most time in with an electric oil unit.

And I already survived a month in 92 F, and I know I could easily weather 85F. Since it's just me I can just sit around the place naked. :lol:

Keep in mind: I would only need to live like that for the first 3 years. After the car is paid off I will have a nice cushion that I use to readjust.

It's a FHA loan, so I am only required to do the 3.5%. I would do more, but I just don't have it. And I am determined to make this work, so I have adjusted my wants/needs accordingly.

I’m all for a cold house and laminate. Big, big fan of laminate. May I suggest an offering from industry leader Pergo? :lol:*

I work out in the home and love when it gets cold. Plus the sleep thing. Sleeping in cold is preferred and proven to be better for you. In summer, I’m usually doing 78-76 and that’s sleeping in underwear with an inch of sheet on me.

I'm not disagreeing with you, Stirch, I'm just wondering how it's rationalized in the Real Estate business and how such proclamations can be established since no such thing has EVER been proven or confirmed?

There's a realtor who has a little podcast that shows up on a local website - his presentations are usually very interesting with history stories about the area, but I did hear him mention haunted houses once, and it sounded like he was saying the same thing you are and advising buyers that if their realtor doesn't disclose it to them, then they should ask about it (same with any murders or deaths in the house).

He said it as if haunted houses are as real & common as basements that get flooded!

But what are realtors basing this on? The word of former owners or tenets? So they are just supposed to take the word of someone who's eccentric, or has an overactive imagination, or families who translate their dysfunction, hostility or mental illness as a manifestation of paranormal activity, or who interprets air that causes banging in the water pipes as a supernatural poltergeist?

I just can't imagine why anyone would disclose information to a buyer that can't be substantiated or proved? I imagine most realtors or home sellers don't want to try to scare potential buyers away.

It's like spreading rumors; "The neighbors say the guy next door is so creepy that his basement may be full of dead bodies!"

Why would you tell people something for which their is no proof and may just be the result of a demented mind, imaginary hallucinations or misinterpretation of completely natural things?

We have no proof of God, but millions of us believe in him though we’ve never seen him.

I would hate a ghost in the house, but I dare say they exist. Many things in the world can’t be explained & that’s fine with me.

Our Victorian house didn't have A/C and we were spending a fortune on electric with window units. Plus, window units were letting in small creepy crawlies like stink bugs around the edges. Plus, noisy! Plus, having to keep various doors shut.

We have duct work for the natural gas heating so it was an easy installation to get A/C here. Now it's quiet and cool throughout the house in the summer, with almost no creepy crawlies at all. And the electric bill really isn't any higher than when we were running five window units (living room, bedroom, bathroom, my office, guest room when folks stayed here). Hubby has a friend who does HVAC work as a side hustle and we got both A/C units and both furnaces completely installed in one day... for about $9,000. We felt like we hit the lottery. :D

Down payments here can be pretty low, but a lot depends on your credit and your mortgage. Certain types require that 20% down. Others, 10%. I think ours was about 5% ten years ago. We could not get an FHA mortgage due to possible ancient lead paint in the basement and a few other small issues. So I'm pretty sure we ended up with a conventional mortgage instead.

So, what you’ve got now is that the same as central air?

[Stirchley]

John McClane, you know we’re all gonna come down & see your new house (you did say we’re family). We’ll remove our shoes, but you better have more than one John. :p

[John McClane]

John McClane, you know we’re all gonna come down & see your new house (you did say we’re family). We’ll remove our shoes, but you better have more than one John. :pI’m shooting for two bathrooms. And you’re actually on to one of the perks I want: hosting guests. I legit want to open my home to as many people as possible. I want house parties (no alcohol, tho), and overnight guests. I want to be the badass host.

[Captain Steel]

We have no proof of God, but millions of us believe in him though we’ve never seen him.

I would hate a ghost in the house, but I dare say they exist. Many things in the world can’t be explained & that’s fine with me.


True, but if you were house shopping and the Realtor said, "Oh by the way, you know the angel Gabriel in the Bible who announced to Mary she would conceive the messiah? Well, he lives in this closet here. He won't bother you as long as you play some occasional Tijuana Brass music, but he detests Hip Hop and could call down a plague upon you if you play any."

You'd probably think they were nuts.

And I'd react the same way if they started talking about ghosts. ;)

[CringeFest]

Someone mentioned a metal roof (too lazy to look who). That’s gotta be noisy as heck in the rain surely?


well, i guess that depends on the roof, but we have a metal roof that we had installed because so many contractors screw up the shingles. It's not any noisier than having shingles.

[John McClane]

A properly installed metal roof will usually outlive the person buying it. Lowers your insurance costs, too. And your heating and cooling costs are cheaper. Hail damage is only cosmetic whereas a regular roof might need repairs. Most are rated for 140 mph winds.

[Austruck]

So, what you’ve got now is that the same as central air?
Yeah, it's central air now. Worth every penny for us. I had begun to hate putting the window units in every summer and then taking them back out in the fall. Plus, as I said, the noise, the bugs, the closed doors. And since we didn't have units in every room, that meant large portions of the house remained uncomfortably hot in summer, including the dining room and kitchen.

[cricket]

Y'all like a second family, so I feel the need to share most major things in my life. The current big news is I have decided to take the plunge and buy a house.

Nothing big, nothing fancy, just four walls and hopefully a decent/new roof. :D

I will post updates here as I go along the process, but yeah...totally feel sick to my stomach and excited AF. All at the same time.

Also, ANY and ALL advice welcome.

Congratulations, I just sold mine. Look forward to the pics!

[Agata01]

We are pleased that you shared this with us. Congratulations to you! In the meantime, I bought an intercom. Lol. Since I live in a high-rise and it's insanely annoying to constantly have to go downstairs and open the door for guests. Not just any intercom either. Some kind of cool one. You can open it with your smartphone. People can't think of anything new. Ta and it's actually a good burglar protection system. Are you going to protect your house somehow? An alarm system maybe?

[John McClane]

I am going to look at my first house tomorrow afternoon. Way, way, way out there. It's at the absolute max in terms of distance: 1 hr commute (2 lane road or interstate).

Here's a couple pictures from the listing:

https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/c15bd4cc279211e0783074beb734a47d-uncropped_scaled_within_1536_1152.webp

https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/3c21f628ac89bf95ba55a34e45ae4bb7-uncropped_scaled_within_1536_1152.webp

https://photos.zillowstatic.com/fp/c4687df32f13d752649c7db82f939905-uncropped_scaled_within_1536_1152.webp

We are pleased that you shared this with us. Congratulations to you! In the meantime, I bought an intercom. Lol. Since I live in a high-rise and it's insanely annoying to constantly have to go downstairs and open the door for guests this door entry system. Not just any intercom either. Some kind of cool one. You can open it with your smartphone. People can't think of anything new. Ta and it's actually a good burglar protection system. Are you going to protect your house somehow? An alarm system maybe?That does sound pretty cool. I have kinda always wanted to have a buzzer system to let people in. Embrace my inner Seinfeld.

And I have a 80lb dog, so that's all the security I need. He's pretty protective of me, but I don't think he'd bite anyone until my ass is in the midst of getting whooped. :lol:

[Citizen Rules]

Nice house...and it looks like it comes complete with kids:p


*it looks bigger than my place!

[John McClane]

Nice house...and it looks like it comes complete with kids:p


*it looks bigger than my place!It's 1400sqft. 3 bedroom, 2 bath

dining room off the kitchen

well water, septic tank, metal roof, mudroom, carpet upstairs :sick:

oh, and it's like a football field away from a paper mill xD

[Citizen Rules]

It's 1400sqft. 3 bedroom, 2 bath

dining room off the kitchen

well water, septic tank, metal roof, mudroom, carpet upstairs :sick:

oh, and it's like a football field away from a paper mill xDSounds good...and I like the well water, wish I had that. No idea what a mudroom is?

[John McClane]

Citizen Rules:

"A mudroom is a dedicated space in the home, usually located near the rear entrance, where you can remove your muddy boots, jackets, and other outerwear. It includes storage for these items and is often combined with the home's laundry facilities."

[John Dumbear]

Nice house. Looks like it has a walkout basement.

[Stirchley]

I’m shooting for two bathrooms. And you’re actually on to one of the perks I want: hosting guests. I legit want to open my home to as many people as possible. I want house parties (no alcohol, tho), and overnight guests. I want to be the badass host.

Good luck getting people to attend non-alcohol parties.

True, but if you were house shopping and the Realtor said, "Oh by the way, you know the angel Gabriel in the Bible who announced to Mary she would conceive the messiah? Well, he lives in this closet here. He won't bother you as long as you play some occasional Tijuana Brass music, but he detests Hip Hop and could call down a plague upon you if you play any."

You'd probably think they were nuts.

I’d probably think they were blasphemers.

A properly installed metal roof will usually outlive the person buying it. Lowers your insurance costs, too. And your heating and cooling costs are cheaper. Hail damage is only cosmetic whereas a regular roof might need repairs. Most are rated for 140 mph winds.

Guessing a metal roof is fireproof (like slate & tile)? An ember the size of a fingernail in a gutter can burn your house down. Fireproof roof is good.

Yeah, it's central air now. Worth every penny for us. I had begun to hate putting the window units in every summer and then taking them back out in the fall. Plus, as I said, the noise, the bugs, the closed doors. And since we didn't have units in every room, that meant large portions of the house remained uncomfortably hot in summer, including the dining room and kitchen.

Yeah, we’re dealing with all this. Husband will not put in a second AC unit. Don’t ask. :rolleyes:

oh, and it's like a football field away from a paper mill xD

That’s a good thing?

[John McClane]

Good luck getting people to attend non-alcohol parties.I know enough teetotalers. But I can always join a church and host some wild Bible studies. :lol:

Guessing a metal roof is fireproof (like slate & tile)? An ember the size of a fingernail in a gutter can burn your house down. Fireproof roof is good.Yes, it is better protected against fires. Metal roofs are just all around better. Like any other house you do gotta stay on top of it (or would it be under it in this case?). :lol:

That’s a good thing?The paper mill is good for negotiating. They smell pretty bad. From what I have been told.

[Stirchley]

The paper mill is good for negotiating. They smell pretty bad. From what I have been told.

Our only visit to Maine we didn’t know what the smell was until the locals informed us it’s the paper mills.

You’re okay with this?

[John McClane]

You’re okay with this?Yeah, I spend most my time indoors. And I've grown up near all sorts of weird smells.

About the only thing I can't stand the smell of is chicken farms and slaughterhouses.

[Stirchley]

Yeah, I spend most my time indoors. And I've grown up near all sorts of weird smells.

About the only thing I can stand the smell of is chicken farms and slaughterhouses.

Last paragraph, I presume you meant “can’t” not “can”?

[John McClane]

Fixed. haha

No death or chicken **** for me

[ynwtf]

Paper mills aren't as bad as a chicken slaughterhouse and maybe not as distinct as a yeast factory. But a paper mill scent carries for miles and miles and permeates. It's a weird soured smell that's not very sharp on the attack, but the lingering effect of it has it slowly come over you. Similar to a rotting egg in the wild. You pick up on that scent then you cannot seem to NOT smell it. Mornings can be weird here when the wind carries it our way.

We also have a chicken plant about 8 miles out. You only ever smell that on a warm day about half a mile from it. It's in and it's out. The paper mill, on the other hand, floats forever against physics!

[Yoda]

We're also buying a house, could be as soon as a month, or as long as a year.

Not trying to steal your thunder. ;)

[John McClane]

We're also buying a house, could be as soon as a month, or as long as a year.

Not trying to steal your thunder. ;)Didn't you just get settled into a house not too long ago? Or was that a rental?

We also have a chicken plant about 8 miles out. You only ever smell that on a warm day about half a mile from it. It's in and it's out. The paper mill, on the other hand, floats forever against physics!Maybe since it is so close it'll just waft away down the river. We all need **** paper, tho. And I kinda like the idea of living near the oldest operating paper mill in the state. Been in continuous operation since 1891.

And it's a quick dash away (10-15 minutes at most) from the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests.

[Yoda]

Didn't you just get settled into a house not too long ago? Or was that a rental?
We bought a house a little under 12 years ago. Seems like yesterday, though. :laugh:

[Captain Steel]

I’d probably think they were blasphemers.

:D

[Stirchley]

Paper mills aren't as bad as a chicken slaughterhouse and maybe not as distinct as a yeast factory. But a paper mill scent carries for miles and miles and permeates. It's a weird soured smell that's not very sharp on the attack, but the lingering effect of it has it slowly come over you. Similar to a rotting egg in the wild. You pick up on that scent then you cannot seem to NOT smell it. Mornings can be weird here when the wind carries it our way.

We also have a chicken plant about 8 miles out. You only ever smell that on a warm day about half a mile from it. It's in and it's out. The paper mill, on the other hand, floats forever against physics!

As a vegetarian nothing would make me live anywhere near a slaughterhouse of any animal. I would have nightmares.

I want to say that the smell of a paper mill is sulphur? Is that what the natives told us when we were near one? Is it sulphur?

[Captain Steel]

We bought a house a little under 12 years ago. Seems like yesterday, though. :laugh:

I lived in my little house (a rental) for 10 years, but it feels like I went to sleep there the night I moved in, and when I next opened my eyes it was the morning of moving day to move out!

Life is like a roll of toilet paper - the closer you get to the end, the faster it seems to go.

[doubledenim]

Seems like we always ended up near a paper mill when dad was driving.

[cricket]

I think even more important than the house itself is where it is. You want to love the neighborhood and the people who inhabit it. You want a place where you feel comfortable and happy to take a walk. Low maintenance is a big thing especially if you will have a long commute. If there are a lot of trees, gutter helmets are a good investment. I know you've been talking about a roof, but a deck and appliances only last so long as well. How much life do they have left? You don't want to have to take out a second mortgage to make repairs or replacements anytime soon.

[cricket]

Have you looked into prefab homes? They are generally built better and usually more affordable. Brand new can't be beat. You just have to find a place to put it.

[Austruck]

We bought a house a little under 12 years ago. Seems like yesterday, though. :laugh:

I would have guessed longer than that, since you initially bought it with your brother before you were married. And I've been in our "new" house now for almost ten years already. :)

[John McClane]

Just got back from that one listing and yeah, it is way too far out and too big. Not easy to access. And you are literally looking down into the paper mill (I don’t have any problem with industrial areas, tho).

But it was a good property to show the realtor what I wanted. Next property I’m looking at is also an hour out, but it’s got 12 acres of land and is easier to access once you know the shortcuts. Could get the commute down to 45 mins.

[CringeFest]

Just got back from that one listing and yeah, it is way too far out and too big. Not easy to access. And you are literally looking down into the paper mill (I don’t have any problem with industrial areas, tho).

But it was a good property to show the realtor what I wanted. Next property I’m looking at is also an hour out, but it’s got 12 acres of land and is easier to access once you know the shortcuts. Could get the commute down to 45 mins.


Location, location...

[doubledenim]

I’m usually inclined to say a moat is the most important thing to consider, but I guess these other people make some valid points.

[cricket]

Just got back from that one listing and yeah, it is way too far out and too big. Not easy to access. And you are literally looking down into the paper mill (I don’t have any problem with industrial areas, tho).

But it was a good property to show the realtor what I wanted. Next property I’m looking at is also an hour out, but it’s got 12 acres of land and is easier to access once you know the shortcuts. Could get the commute down to 45 mins.

What are you going to do with 12 acres besides pay higher property taxes? Are you going to be a farmer?

[John McClane]

What are you going to do with 12 acres besides pay higher property taxes? Are you going to be a farmer?It’s mostly woods (like 80%) so it’s an investment. A man without land is free to command. Real wealth is land.

But there’s a wood stove that feeds into the HVAC so it’s near endless fuel. And yeah, I do want to farm and become more self-reliant. Only if the price is right.

[cricket]

It’s mostly woods (like 80%) so it’s an investment. A man without land is free to command. Real wealth is land.

But there’s a wood stove that feeds into the HVAC so it’s near endless fuel. And yeah, I do want to farm and become more self-reliant. Only if the price is right.

That's cool, just watch out for conservation land.

[John McClane]

That's cool, just watch out for conservation land.Funny you mention that there’s a 226 acre lot with conservation land for $1.5mil. :D

[Austruck]

What are you going to do with 12 acres besides pay higher property taxes? Are you going to be a farmer?

I was thinking the same thing. We went from a postage-stamp teeny yard to only about a half acre (with a big footprint for the house and driveway/garage), and I can't believe how much I HATE taking care of all of it! HATE IT. Would prefer the lovely house put onto the postage-stamp yard. :D

[bosbojasi3]

Congratulations! I too am on my way to that goal, and I hope soon you will be happy for me too:yup:

[Mr Minio]

Who needs a house anyway. I could live in a cave if I had the Internet and movies

[MovieBuffering]

Been thinking about taking the plunge myself into buying a house but God damn is it a sellers market. Especially down here in Florida where everyone is escaping to. My buddy bought a house a year or so ago, maybe right before covid hit right before 2020. Man did he have good timing. Got 2 bed 2 bath maybe around 130k I think somewhere around there. He gutted it...has most of it finished. If he wanted to sell it now he probably could flirt with getting 200k for it.

I just fantasize on Zillow right now but I will probably start getting serious after the holidays. Good luck man.

[Stirchley]

Guessing a metal roof is fireproof (like slate & tile)? An ember the size of a fingernail in a gutter can burn your house down. Fireproof roof is good.


Yikes, this Los Angeles home completely burned down the house to the studs. A single ember got trapped between the back of the fireplace & the wall. :eek:

82469

[Stirchley]

82470

[John McClane]

After work I looked at two homes in the city:*

first one was a wreck that would have been a steal if I was made of cash and not beholden to a government backed loan. It’s all part of their game.

Second one was tiny but modern updates, and it was almost the perfect house if it weren’t for the fact that the breaker box, hot water heater, and HVAC were all in the crawl space. That was also when I found out it had a sump pump and my suspicions about flooding were confirmed.

[ynwtf]

In tha CITY!
The city of McClaneton.
We keep it pumpin'...
Sump pump pimpin'.

[John McClane]

I think I might have found the perfect house. I’m looking at it tomorrow. If everything looks good I am going to make an offer.

Location, location, location.

[SpelingError]

I hope it goes well for you.

[Captain Steel]

I think I might have found the perfect house. I’m looking at it tomorrow. If everything looks good I am going to make an offer.

Location, location, location.

Once you settle, are you going to post photos here?

(Make sure to blur out addresses & street signs or else you'll have MoFo's dropping in all hours of the day and night!) ;)

[John McClane]

Captain Steel: no doubts

BYOB.

Bring your own bacon

[Stirchley]

(Make sure to blur out addresses & street signs or else you'll have MoFo's dropping in all hours of the day and night!) ;)

Too late. He already invited us.

[CringeFest]

Once you settle, are you going to post photos here?

(Make sure to blur out addresses & street signs or else you'll have MoFo's dropping in all hours of the day and night!) ;)

i know you say it with tongue and cheek, but i was legit creepily trying to find house photos that McClane was posting just so i could be like "i found that house MoFo!". Don't trust the internet!

[Stirchley]

i know you say it with tongue and cheek, but i was legit creepily trying to find house photos that McClane was posting just so i could be like "i found that house MoFo!". Don't trust the internet!

My feeling is if he wanted us to know the address he would tell us himself.

[CringeFest]

My feeling is if he wanted us to know the address he would tell us himself.


Well, he did give out enough info to show me that he does live in the same general area as i do :D




82512

[Stirchley]

Well, he did give out enough info to show me that he does live in the same general area as i do :D




82512

LOL. Poor thing. :)

[Captain Steel]

i know you say it with tongue and cheek, but i was legit creepily trying to find house photos that McClane was posting just so i could be like "i found that house MoFo!". Don't trust the internet!

Yeah, it was entirely in the spirit of fun, but only half in jest.

It's never a good idea to post personal info (or photos that may contain personal info) on the net. Obviously, any threat probably would not come from the MoFo, but from people who surf the net looking for that type of info.

[CringeFest]

Yeah, it was entirely in the spirit of fun, but only half in jest.

It's never a good idea to post personal info (or photos that may contain personal info) on the net. Obviously, any threat probably would not come from the MoFo, but from people who surf the net looking for that type of info.


i thought it was creepy to know that Zillow literally posts all house pictures on the web that they can find, i wasn't able to find that one picture of a house that John McClane posted, so i don't know what kind of harm that can do to post a picture of your house...probably not much.

[Captain Steel]

i thought it was creepy to know that Zillow literally posts all house pictures on the web that they can find, i wasn't able to find that one picture of a house that John McClane posted, so i don't know what kind of harm that can do to post a picture of your house...probably not much.

Right, just a photo of a house would be harmless - but a house number with a street name could potentially be traced to a precise location. (Very difficult without knowing town or state, but enough info may already be on this site for some weirdo to begin narrowing it down.)

[CringeFest]

Right, just a photo of a house would be harmless - but a house number with a street name could potentially be traced to a precise location. (Very difficult without knowing town or state, but enough info may already be on this site for some weirdo to begin narrowing it down.)

Well, if someone is driven to find out info on someone, then there are all sorts of methods for this. The prying nature of the web overall seems to be a bigger issue than the wierdos. Overall, you're probably fine if you're careful about your real name, address, phone number, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and the bureaucratic identifiers like SSN and TIN. I think facebook overall is just incredibly dangerous and bad, because it conditions people to be comfortable with putting their intimate info online for everyone to see. I guess i'm not so worried about all these companies who collect info about the stuff i like because i'm already careful about where i buy stuff online anyways...and the ads have little effect for me.

[Yoda]

Putting in an offer on a house today. We'll see how it goes.

[John McClane]

Putting in an offer on a house today. We'll see how it goes.Ditto.

[ynwtf]

You read it here, folks! "Yoda In Bidding War with Long Time Shoutbox Count Rival!" Are there no depths!?

(don't ban me)
:D

[Yoda]

MattJohn must not be allowed to own this home. The portal...er, the neighborhood must be protected.

[Austruck]

Putting in an offer on a house today. We'll see how it goes.

You must privately email me photos or at least an address, mister! :)

[John McClane]

I offered. They countered. I accepted.

[Austruck]

That's how it works! <3

[Yoda]

Congratulations!

[Citizen Rules]

I offered. They countered. I accepted.Cool! and that was fast.

[gbgoodies]

I offered. They countered. I accepted.

82529

[gbgoodies]

Putting in an offer on a house today. We'll see how it goes.


82530

[Stirchley]

I offered. They countered. I accepted.

There goes the neighborhood. ;)

[John McClane]

What's left to do:

FHA appraisal
Pull money out of retirement
Sign papers


What I will need to do before I feel comfortable moving in:

Insulate attic
Make a few modifications to ductwork and then insulate
Install a GFCI outlet in the kitchen
Look into getting the outlets grounded properly
Sand and finish hardwood floors
Bring existing fence to the back of the house
Stain and seal concrete in the basement
Patch an open hole from the basement to the attic (old chimney location most likely)
Paint, paint, paint.


Things I will need to do in the coming years:

Replace all the windows
Replace the exterior doors
Replace the kitchen cabinets
Update the bathroom flooring
Redo the retaining wall for the driveway
Redo the deck

[Stirchley]

⬆️ What the heck is a GFCI outlet?

When you varnish your hardwood floors (such a pain) make sure the outside temperature is conducive to the floor drying overnight. Husband has once or twice rushed this & varnished on completely the wrong day & caused the floor barely to dry at all. Tricky, this part IMO. Especially when one has pets, which we do & you do too.

I have a concrete basement floor. Is it important to stain & seal it? Which we’ve never done.

Are you planning to paint by yourself?

You’re super-efficient I must say. Commendable.

[John McClane]

⬆️ What the heck is a GFCI outlet?Ground fault circuit interrupter. It's those outlets with the test/reset buttons. Anywhere that's near water (kitchens/basements/outside outlets) should have an outlet of this type.

"The ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is a fast-acting circuit breaker designed to shut off electric power in the event of a ground-fault within as little as 1/40 of a second. It works by comparing the amount of current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit conductors."

When you varnish your hardwood floors (such a pain) make sure the outside temperature is conducive to the floor drying overnight. Husband has once or twice rushed this & varnished on completely the wrong day & caused the floor barely to dry at all. Tricky, this part IMO. Especially when one has pets, which we do & you do too.If all goes well I should have a full 2 weeks to get the floors refinished. I won't be moving in until the floors are 100% finished, and I am going to overestimate on the time to dry. So I'm looking at a month to get the floors done.

I have a concrete basement floor. Is it important to stain & seal it? Which we’ve never done.Main purpose is to eliminate dust because unfinished/sealed concrete stays dusty. It'll also give it protection from water and foot traffic. And it just looks way better than unfinished concrete.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bf/e8/b5/bfe8b59a5963ecde69286ce6b47afeb0.jpg

https://allthingsflooring.com/2018/06/9-problems-bare-concrete-floors/

Are you planning to paint by yourself?I might have help from my dad when he visits for Christmas. Otherwise, yes, I will be doing all of this by myself.

You’re super-efficient I must say. Commendable.Haha, how so? Just for making a list? :D

[Stirchley]

Ground fault circuit interrupter. It's those outlets with the test/reset buttons. Anywhere that's near water (kitchens/basements/outside outlets) should have an outlet of this type.

"The ground-fault circuit interrupter, or GFCI, is a fast-acting circuit breaker designed to shut off electric power in the event of a ground-fault within as little as 1/40 of a second. It works by comparing the amount of current going to and returning from equipment along the circuit conductors."

Interesting. The only test/reset button I have come across is the one with our sole AC unit.

If all goes well I should have a full 2 weeks to get the floors refinished. I won't be moving in until the floors are 100% finished, and I am going to overestimate on the time to dry. So I'm looking at a month to get the floors done.

This sounds like a plan. Yes, it’ll be much easier than when one is living there. I think we’ll hire a pro next time. For sure, I am done varnishing floors.

Main purpose is to eliminate dust because unfinished/sealed concrete stays dusty. It'll also give it protection from water and foot traffic. And it just looks way better than unfinished concrete.

It sure does. Our unfinished basement is my husband’s domain. All his tools & whatnot are down there. Other than my washer/dryer I don’t need to be down there. What do you think you’ll use yours for?

Haha, how so? Just for making a list? :D

Never under-estimate the power of a solid bullet points list. You’ve got your thoughts together & you have a doable plan. 😎👍

[John McClane]

It sure does. Our unfinished basement is my husband’s domain. All his tools & whatnot are down there. Other than my washer/dryer I don’t need to be down there. What do you think you’ll use yours for?My dog is going to have run of the kitchen and living room when I'm gone, and none of the bedrooms. So having that downstairs space a little nicer will allow for him to have more room during the day, and it'll work nicely as a safe/den type environment for him to escape the road noise. I plan on bringing the sofa and chair from my mom's place to put down there. He loves that furniture, so having it down there will naturally drawn him to the basement and will hopefully make the move easier on him.

The washer and dryer will be down there as well. And maybe a lawnmower, but it'll mostly be the dog's domain.

[Stirchley]

My dog is going to have run of the kitchen and living room when I'm gone, and none of the bedrooms. So having that downstairs space a little nicer will allow for him to have more room during the day, and it'll work nicely as a safe/den type environment for him to escape the road noise. I plan on bringing the sofa and chair from my mom's place to put down there. He loves that furniture, so having it down there will naturally drawn him to the basement and will hopefully make the move easier on him.

The washer and dryer will be down there as well. And maybe a lawnmower, but it'll mostly be the dog's domain.

Sounds wonderful. See, you think ahead & prepare for eventualities. I do too.

My cats are not allowed in the bedroom unless accompanied by moi. (They do not sleep with us.) Limiting their access to the bedroom makes it more of a special thing for them. As soon as I’m free for the day or evening, we head into the bedroom for movies/reading/etc. When bedtime arrives, out they go.

Will doggy have the run of the house when you’re home? Will he sleep with you?

[John McClane]

Sounds wonderful. See, you think ahead & prepare for eventualities. I do too. Yeah, sometimes I think too far ahead, tho. That’s when I freeze up and freak out.

Will doggy have the run of the house when you’re home? Will he sleep with you?he’s my security alarm so when I’m there he’ll have run of the whole house, and the same can be said for when I’m sleeping. But I want him to feel comfortable and drawn to the basement so he can guard the back door when I’m sleeping.

[Stirchley]

Yeah, sometimes I think too far ahead, tho. That’s when I freeze up and freak out.


I do too. I over-think things & manage to find a lot of obstacles in my path.

Anyway, your new house is very exciting.

[Stirchley]

Every time I see this thread I keep thinking the title is I’m buying a horse. :p

[Yoda]

Nothing is confirmed until the actual closing date, but my wife and I are past the last point of negotiation, so it's looking like a go.

Move is in about a month, just before Christmas, if everything goes through as expected.

[John McClane]

Nothing is confirmed until the actual closing date, but my wife and I are past the last point of negotiation, so it's looking like a goDitto.

I’ll have a good amount of work to complete before I move, but I’ll have a house before Christmas if everything goes as planned.

[Yoda]

Nice! Funny that we ended up doing this at almost exactly the same time by total coincidence.

[John McClane]

Nice! Funny that we ended up doing this at almost exactly the same time by total coincidence.Hey, great minds and all ;)

I’m sure we both making out like bandits with the interest rates they offering!

[Yoda]

Tell me about it. Think we're locked in at 3%, and if we'd completed the application a day earlier it would've been under that, even. Wild.

[Stirchley]

I’m sure we both making out like bandits with the interest rates they offering!

Right, but did you find the house prices to be astronomical now? According to yesterday’s New York Times they are. They showed photos of some very nondescript houses whose sale price has risen exponentially.

[Yoda]

It still varies a lot by location. I'm sure magazines and newspapers have sticker shock fun with plays in highly desirable areas, of course.

The market is definitely high, and rates exceptionally low, but according to our realtor (and this is evident just from browsing home sales, as my wife and I have been for a bit now), it's already peaked and is a little less crazy now. For awhile there reasonably-priced homes were getting snatched up within days for asking price (or above), without even being seen in person.

[John McClane]

Right, but did you find the house prices to be astronomical now? According to yesterday’s New York Times they are. They showed photos of some very nondescript houses whose sale price has risen exponentially.Mine is actually underpriced given the surrounding property values. But the market hasn’t been all that bad here. The nicer houses (200k+) tho are insanely priced.

If northerners stopped flocking south it wouldn’t be so bad. Those people got more money than they got brains. No offense to any northerners on here :p

[Stirchley]

It still varies a lot by location. I'm sure magazines and newspapers have sticker shock fun with plays in highly desirable areas, of course.

The market is definitely high, and rates exceptionally low, but according to our realtor (and this is evident just from browsing home sales, as my wife and I have been for a bit now), it's already peaked and is a little less crazy now. For awhile there reasonably-priced homes were getting snatched up within days for asking price (or above), without even being seen in person.

Yes, that’s been in the paper too.

[ynwtf]

Grats to you both and I wish you the best in home ownership.

We were terribly lucky with mom's home in VA. I believe we had a bid within 24 hours of posting. As I understand it, the buyer was in Colorado, but has retired parents living local. Apparently the parents were the ones that scheduled and made it out for the house visit. I guess they were satisfied and had their kid put in an offer.

It finally closed last Tuesday and the home is now under someone else's name. It was a cute home, but just too much for mom I think. Whoever bought it should really enjoy it though. It was 1.7 acres, I believe, and sat in a cul-de-sac, down a slight hill driveway. The area is very wooded and felt secluded for it. I will miss the drive during my Christmas breaks, but I'm so glad she is out from that burden and was able to sell in this market. Hopefully she can save whatever she made off of it for retirement or maybe a solid down payment on a home in a few years. That is, after she's paid me back for all the repairs. >=\

I wish I could buy now, but I'm where I am for a long while I think. I'll just live vicariously through posts here by Dredd and Grogu. So keep them coming! I'll just focus on cameras and guitars.

[Chypmunk]

'Grats to both.
One of the large things in life I've been fortunate enough to never have to buy :)

[Yoda]

Just in case I gave the wrong impression, this isn't our first house. But it's our first "real" house, because the one we're in now was just a very very affordable starter home we've lived in a lot longer than we planned.

[John McClane]

This is definitely my first house, and it's a bit more than a starter house. It's more like an intermediate house. Jump in the deep end I always say. :D

[Chypmunk]

This is definitely my first house, and it's a bit more than a starter house. It's more like an intermediate house. Jump in the deep end I always say. :D
Ok, I’m certainly no expert but this is starting to sound like you may actually be in the process of buying a swimming pool not a house :D

[Stirchley]

This is definitely my first house, and it's a bit more than a starter house. It's more like an intermediate house. Jump in the deep end I always say. :D

Build a pool first, okay. :p

[xSookieStackhouse]

https://media.giphy.com/media/6IvqjOOCsWJ6AENsy2/giphy.gif

[ynwtf]

^that makes me very uncomfortable on levels I cannot find words to describe. my hands are shaking and I'm not even sure why. =\

[Stirchley]

Just in case I gave the wrong impression, this isn't our first house. But it's our first "real" house, because the one we're in now was just a very very affordable starter home we've lived in a lot longer than we planned.

If you don’t mind me asking, have you been able to sell your current house?

[Yoda]

If you don’t mind me asking, have you been able to sell your current house?
Haven't tried yet. I hear selling and buying simultaneously is pretty fraught, and since this is a starter home/was cheap/we've lived in it so much longer than we'd planned, we paid it off a while ago and we've been saving since. That allows us to buy the new place without having to sell the old one, so we can move out, more easily fix it up after, and then take our time selling it if necessary.

Since it was so cheap I think we'll definitely be able to sell it for a good deal more than we bought it for, and it'll just come down to how much work we want to put into it beforehand, and how aggressively we want to price it just to have the whole thing done with.

I hope/anticipate we'll be able to do so within a few minutes of the move, though, so maybe spring.

[Stirchley]

Haven't tried yet. I hear selling and buying simultaneously is pretty fraught, and since this is a starter home/was cheap/we've lived in it so much longer than we'd planned, we paid it off a while ago and we've been saving since. That allows us to buy the new place without having to sell the old one, so we can move out, more easily fix it up after, and then take our time selling it if necessary.

Since it was so cheap I think we'll definitely be able to sell it for a good deal more than we bought it for, and it'll just come down to how much work we want to put into it beforehand, and how aggressively we want to price it just to have the whole thing done with.

I hope/anticipate we'll be able to do so within a few minutes of the move, though, so maybe spring.

Smart & much less stress.

[John McClane]

Yoda: Having your previous house paid off is pretty great, but it's too bad you won't be able to take advantage of any home buyer credits because of it. Provided they actually come through with it. Fingers crossed for my own sake.

[Stirchley]

Yoda: Having your previous house paid off is pretty great, but it's too bad you won't be able to take advantage of any home buyer credits because of it.

Maybe, but there’s no greater feeling than making that final mortgage payment & owning one’s land & property outright. Been there done that.

[John McClane]

Until that eminent domain comes down to build the next bigger/better highway/superdome/BlockBuster xD

[Stirchley]

Until that eminent domain comes down to build the next bigger/better highway/superdome/BlockBuster xD

Let’s think positive. ;)

[Stirchley]

If all goes well I should have a full 2 weeks to get the floors refinished. I won't be moving in until the floors are 100% finished, and I am going to overestimate on the time to dry. So I'm looking at a month to get the floors done.


You’re gonna sand your floors so I presume you know you’ll need two coats of varnish? A month would be the minimum, I would think. I would never attempt this in New England unless it were spring or summer, but I think you have warmer weather in WV? You can’t dry the floors with heaters - the air temperature has to be warm & maybe a little breezy. Not trying to be negative, but you’ll find this to be one of the major jobs in the house.

Looks nice when it’s done though. :)

[Yoda]

Cleared to close!

Wasn't really any doubt, but nice to know we're officially done with all the decisions and document-providing.

Every utility set to transfer, just waiting to hear back from the trash collection people. Other than that, just gotta keep packing, go get a cashier's check for the closing next week, and that's it. If all goes well we should be in for Christmas.

[Austruck]

Cleared to close!

Wasn't really any doubt, but nice to know we're officially done with all the decisions and document-providing.

Every utility set to transfer, just waiting to hear back from the trash collection people. Other than that, just gotta keep packing, go get a cashier's check for the closing next week, and that's it. If all goes well we should be in for Christmas.

So exciting! Not sure the dog or cats will think so at first, but I'm excited for you guys! :D

[Chypmunk]

Congrats Yoda!

[Yoda]

Yeah, part of the fun is seeing how they react. Watching the cats step gingerly and sniff every plank in the floor. The cats are both over 10 and the dog is seven, and while other people have watched them here or there this is the only place they've ever lived.

[AgrippinaX]

Cleared to close!

Wasn't really any doubt, but nice to know we're officially done with all the decisions and document-providing.

Every utility set to transfer, just waiting to hear back from the trash collection people. Other than that, just gotta keep packing, go get a cashier's check for the closing next week, and that's it. If all goes well we should be in for Christmas.

This is amasing news! Congrats. :)

[John McClane]

Cleared to close!

Wasn't really any doubt, but nice to know we're officially done with all the decisions and document-providing.

Every utility set to transfer, just waiting to hear back from the trash collection people. Other than that, just gotta keep packing, go get a cashier's check for the closing next week, and that's it. If all goes well we should be in for Christmas.Ditto. Should close next week.

Also, get yer own thread! :p

[Yoda]

83300

[John McClane]

https://i.chzbgr.com/original/14674181/h139CA9AA/memes-dank-memes-star-wars-memes-anakin-padme-memes-funny-twist-ending-skyrim-clever-meme-template

;)

It didn't end well for any of these characters.

[Stamina888]

out there livin the dream <3

[Stamina888]

unfort that like 90%+ of people under age 35-40 don't have the money to buy a house in this economy

[Stirchley]

Cleared to close!

Wasn't really any doubt, but nice to know we're officially done with all the decisions and document-providing.

Every utility set to transfer, just waiting to hear back from the trash collection people. Other than that, just gotta keep packing, go get a cashier's check for the closing next week, and that's it. If all goes well we should be in for Christmas.

Trash collection? Doesn’t the city take your trash?

Also, get yer own thread! :p

Yoda owns all the threads. :p

[Yoda]

Trash collection? Doesn’t the city take your trash?
Depends on what you mean by the city. Does the township count? Still have to have it in our name, though.

[Stirchley]

Depends on what you mean by the city. Does the township count? Still have to have it in our name, though.

I wonder if our city trash collection is in our name? We just put a bin out front & they take it every week.

[Yoda]

Dunno. Is that something you'd have handled, or would your husband have done it? Maybe in some places it's tied to the address more than the person. No idea.

Often it's just a phone call, though in my case I'm still waiting to hear back.

[Stirchley]

Dunno. Is that something you'd have handled, or would your husband have done it? Maybe in some places it's tied to the address more than the person. No idea.

Often it's just a phone call, though in my case I'm still waiting to hear back.

No idea. Never thought of it before.

Is your new house turn-key or will you need to do some work? Don’t think you’ve mentioned this aspect so far.

[John McClane]

So they were supposed to be making some final repairs this weekend, so we can close this coming week. Fingers crossed.

I’ve reassessed what I want to fix/modify before I move-in: attic insulation, fence modifications, basement heater and concrete stained, filling a void under the front stoop, and electrical work (primarily fixing the exterior service conductors, but also the ground issue if possible).

That should make the first few years comfortable without adding too much to expenses. I still gotta find a washer and dryer.

And I’m thinking window inserts for the front side of the house to cut down on noise.

And here’s to hoping nothing blows up once I’m in it.

[Austruck]

Dunno. Is that something you'd have handled, or would your husband have done it? Maybe in some places it's tied to the address more than the person. No idea.

Often it's just a phone call, though in my case I'm still waiting to hear back.

We've had to do this with our rentals (as well as our own house when we moved here). In our cases, the trash collection bill comes packaged with your water/sewer bill, with individual listings for water, sewer, and then trash collection. In recent years, our borough has added a new fee for "storm sewer maintenance" ($19 every three months). The city where most of our rentals are (one town over from us) has added a "fire hydrant" fee of $6 every three months.

But it's one big bill that each property gets once a quarter. A typical house ends up paying about $140 for three months of water, sewer, and trash pickup around here.

[Stirchley]

So they were supposed to be making some final repairs this weekend, so we can close this coming week. Fingers crossed.

I’ve reassessed what I want to fix/modify before I move-in: attic insulation, fence modifications, basement heater and concrete stained, filling a void under the front stoop, and electrical work (primarily fixing the exterior service conductors, but also the ground issue if possible).

That should make the first few years comfortable without adding too much to expenses. I still gotta find a washer and dryer.

And I’m thinking window inserts for the front side of the house to cut down on noise.

And here’s to hoping nothing blows up once I’m in it.

What sort of noise are you experiencing?

We've had to do this with our rentals (as well as our own house when we moved here). In our cases, the trash collection bill comes packaged with your water/sewer bill, with individual listings for water, sewer, and then trash collection. In recent years, our borough has added a new fee for "storm sewer maintenance" ($19 every three months). The city where most of our rentals are (one town over from us) has added a "fire hydrant" fee of $6 every three months.

But it's one big bill that each property gets once a quarter. A typical house ends up paying about $140 for three months of water, sewer, and trash pickup around here.

Interesting. We don’t get a trash bill or a sewer bill. Every month we get a water bill which is about $45 or so depending on how much the garden is watered, etc.

Why don’t we get a sewer & trash bill?

[John McClane]

What sort of noise are you experiencing?Road noise. It's a 35mph zone with high traffic.

Why don’t we get a sewer & trash bill?Probably because it's folded into some other tax you are paying.

[ynwtf]

cuz u stole a sewer, obviously!

our trash collection bill goes to our county. water, to the "town." no sewage fee as we're in the country and use a septic tank. every few years I might need to have it dug up and drained for around $170ish. that's disruptive as they dig a massive hole in the back yard and takes forever for grass to re-cover it. that's probably more to do with the poor quality of ground where I live though.

ok. this was a distraction to avoid actual work at the job.

[ynwtf]

Road noise. It's a 35mph zone with high traffic.


danged pot heads ;)

[Stirchley]

Probably because it's folded into some other tax you are paying.

That would have to be property taxes then.

[Yoda]

Seems like a good omen that this is one of my new neighbors:

83616

[Austruck]

Seems like a good omen that this is one of my new neighbors:

83616

That's adorable! And awesome. You're going to have to up your house decoration game. :D

Also, did you sell/are you selling the old house?

[Yoda]

Also, did you sell/are you selling the old house?
We will, but haven't yet.

Obviously in some cases those things have to happen simultaneously, but we paid it off awhile back and thankfully were able to make this work without having to selling it at the same time, so now we can empty it out and fix it up as necessary with a lot less complication. We'll just be eating some superfluous taxes and insurance for however many months it takes.

[John McClane]

So I quickly realized 90% of what I said I want to do isn’t doable any time soon but the fence takes priority. This is going to be an interesting adventure to say the least. This place gonna make me a miser. :lol:

[Stirchley]

We will, but haven't yet.

Obviously in some cases those things have to happen simultaneously, but we paid it off awhile back and thankfully were able to make this work without having to selling it at the same time, so now we can empty it out and fix it up as necessary with a lot less complication. We'll just be eating some superfluous taxes and insurance for however many months it takes.

It’s also good, I would imagine, that you don’t need to dismantle many years of living in the old house before moving. I know how much stuff accumulates in a house.

Will you be in by Xmas as you hoped?

So I quickly realized 90% of what I said I want to do isn’t doable any time soon but the fence takes priority. This is going to be an interesting adventure to say the least. This place gonna make me a miser. :lol:

Yeah, that’s why it’s called a money pit.

Why is the fence a priority? Because of doggie or for safety?

Will you be in by Xmas as you hoped?

[John McClane]

Yeah, that’s why it’s called a money pit.

Why is the fence a priority? Because of doggie or for safety?

Will you be in by Xmas as you hoped?
My dog. The fence wouldn’t keep him from getting out.

And no, I won’t be in till new year.

[Yoda]

It’s also good, I would imagine, that you don’t need to dismantle many years of living in the old house before moving. I know how much stuff accumulates in a house.
For most I imagine this would help, but we really wanted to move quickly anyway, so it made little difference. We had dozens of boxes filled and moved downstairs by the closing date and have made dozens of trips back and forth altogether. It is nice to know we can set our own pace, even though the pace we've set is mostly what we'd have to do if we had a hard "out" date, anyway.

The benefit is primarily in being able to leisurely fix up and stage the place without still living in it (particularly if/when it needs any significant work), and secondarily, not having to make that second variable (selling) line up with the first (buying).

Will you be in by Xmas as you hoped?
We're already in. We've slept the last three nights here, had a friend erect some temporary fencing on Friday, got the Internet hooked up yesterday, and someone's coming by to replace the thermostat tomorrow.

So far, it's been lovely. Still a ton to do, though, even just to find clothes and kitchen implements as we need them.

[Stirchley]

For most I imagine this would help, but we really wanted to move quickly anyway, so it made little difference. We had dozens of boxes filled and moved downstairs by the closing date and have made dozens of trips back and forth altogether. It is nice to know we can set our own pace, even though the pace we've set is mostly what we'd have to do if we had a hard "out" date, anyway.

The benefit is primarily in being able to leisurely fix up and stage the place without still living in it (particularly if/when it needs any significant work), and secondarily, not having to make that second variable (selling) line up with the first (buying).


We're already in. We've slept the last three nights here, had a friend erect some temporary fencing on Friday, got the Internet hooked up yesterday, and someone's coming by to replace the thermostat tomorrow.

So far, it's been lovely. Still a ton to do, though, even just to find clothes and kitchen implements as we need them.

All sounds very good.

[kgaard]

secondarily, not having to make that second variable (selling) line up with the first (buying).



Can confirm that this is a huge pain! On the other hand, if you make it work you feel like

83686

[Stirchley]

John McClane Yoda

Are you guys enjoying your respective new abodes?

[Yoda]

Aye, very much. So much quieter and safer (well, I assume, time will tell and all that but it certainly seems to be). Roomier.

It's going to be awhile before we can really make the most of it, because post closing costs we'll need to budget a bit with the remaining money to fix up the old house so we can sell it, but once that's done (and once we've lived a few months in the new place to figure out what'll work best there) we should be able to buy some select pieces of furniture to fill things out, paint, and all that. It'll be a long process but I'd expect within a couple of years it's going to properly filled and laid out really well. For now, thankfully, there's enough room that we don't feel cramped even with all the random stuff about.

[John McClane]

I have not moved in yet.

Right now I gotta remedy the stink from hell that was awakened. I don’t know how it didn’t smell before closing, but my God the whole house smells like a wet dog that soiled itself…repeatedly. Mainly because the previous owner kept two dogs down in the basement and the air intake is at floor level. It’s just a big ole vacuum of stank.

[Stirchley]

Aye, very much. So much quieter and safer (well, I assume, time will tell and all that but it certainly seems to be). Roomier.

It's going to be awhile before we can really make the most of it, because post closing costs we'll need to budget a bit with the remaining money to fix up the old house so we can sell it, but once that's done (and once we've lived a few months in the new place to figure out what'll work best there) we should be able to buy some select pieces of furniture to fill things out, paint, and all that. It'll be a long process but I'd expect within a couple of years it's going to properly filled and laid out really well. For now, thankfully, there's enough room that we don't feel cramped even with all the random stuff about.

Sounds like a great plan.

I have not moved in yet.

Right now I gotta remedy the stink from hell that was awakened. I don’t know how it didn’t smell before closing, but my God the whole house smells like a wet dog that soiled itself…repeatedly. Mainly because the previous owner kept two dogs down in the basement and the air intake is at floor level. It’s just a big ole vacuum of stank.

The smells will dissipate over time, I presume. Get those windows open.

[John McClane]

The smells will dissipate over time, I presume. Get those windows open.Not an option. Most of the windows are sealed up and I’d rather not break any trying to open them. The odor is from the basement, so I just gotta get it cleaned, odor neutralized, prime with an odor block, and then topcoat the floor. That should hold the portal from hell closed.

[Stirchley]

Not an option. Most of the windows are sealed up and I’d rather not break any trying to open them. I just gotta get the basement cleaned, odor neutralized, prime with an odor block, and then topcoat the floor.

The windows are sealed up? Oh, that’s horrid. I have to have open windows. Even when sleeping.

Basement plan sounds excellent though.

What on earth is an “odor block”?

[John McClane]

The windows are sealed up? Oh, that’s horrid. I have to have open windows. Even when sleeping.

Basement plan sounds excellent though.

What on earth is an “odor block”?I never open windows, so it’s not a big deal for me. I prefer a closed air system.

It’s a primer that is intended to seal odors into porous materials.

[Austruck]

I never open windows, so it’s not a big deal for me. I prefer a closed air system.

It’s a primer that is intended to seal odors into porous materials.

Our 140-year-old house has the same issue: warped windows that are either painted shut many times over or simply warped wood frames that won't give anymore. Hubby too prefers a closed-air system so we don't worry about it. Plus, high ceilings and large rooms. I do like breezes in spring and autumn, though. Our back door (in the kitchen) and side door (as the entryway) have screen doors, though, so in a pinch I can open the locked door and let some fresh air in with those screen doors. The upstairs bathroom window has the one modern vinyl window, because we took out the glass block and added a stained glass window on the top half (from our old house) and the new vinyl window on the bottom half. So that can slide open with the screen letting in fresh air on the second floor. Here's a pic from when we were first remodeling that bathroom:

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There is also a huge screened window halfway up the stairs to the third floor, on the landing. I open that one sometimes too.

I assume you mean Kilz primer, which we love. It's great for not only odor blocking but things like grease and even smoking stains before painting the wall.

[John McClane]

Couple of quick updates:

I’ve got an assortment of wildlife out back. Someone is eventually going to crash right outside my house . This place is haunted.

[Captain Steel]

Couple of quick updates:

I’ve got an assortment of wildlife out back. Someone is eventually going to crash right outside my house . This place is haunted.

Are these in order of importance?

Tell us about these - especially the haunting (because I don't believe in such things).

[John McClane]

Just the things I thought worth mentioning:

I’m technically living in a city but I’m right next to the federally protected land managed by the city. So I got deer, possums, skunks, bears, and a staggering number of bird species.

The road I’m on is about 40 ft away from my front door, it’s a popular shortcut/cut through, and I have seen some people do some crazy passing maneuvers. I don’t even visit the mailbox (across the road) unless I get an email from the post office. It’s so dangerous. Huge blind spot where I am.

There’s unexplainable noises, smells, and I had some exchanges with neighbors that lead me to believe someone died here.

[Captain Steel]

Just the things I thought worth mentioning:

I’m technically living in a city but I’m right next to the federally protected land managed by the city. So I got deer, possums, skunks, bears, and a staggering number of bird species.

The road I’m on is about 40 ft away from my front door, it’s a popular shortcut/cut through, and I have seen some people do some crazy passing maneuvers. I don’t even visit the mailbox (across the road) unless I get an email from the post office. It’s so dangerous. Huge blind spot where I am.

There’s unexplainable noises, smells, and I had some exchanges with neighbors that lead me to believe someone died here.

This isn't meant as an argument, but a reassurance - the house I grew up in and which I now live in had many people die in it.

My grandmother, my ancestors (5 generations on my mother's side) and various others (as the house once even served as a doctor's office - the same Dr. our street is named after) were actually laid out for their funerals in the living room where I watch TV every night - as was the custom for non-wealthy people in times past.

My former house that I rented was supposedly one where a guy committed a violent & thrashing suicide involving cutting - a neighbor told me they re-sheet-rocked the walls because they couldn't cover up all the blood splattered on the original walls - so they just left it there like a Pollock painting and covered it over! (I don't know if the story was true of not, but it definitely served as food for thought whenever their was a strange noise late at night.)

My previous apartments were in a house that was 200 years old and alleged to be haunted.

I've had plenty of weird experiences, but none that defied some logical explanation - one of my favorites was a poltergeist situation in my 200-year-old apartment where bottles of pills came flying off a shelf directly at me from inside a closet - the angry spirit turned out to be a mouse that got panicked when I open the door, and his running kicked all my stuff off the shelf at me. ;)

[gbgoodies]

Just the things I thought worth mentioning:

I’m technically living in a city but I’m right next to the federally protected land managed by the city. So I got deer, possums, skunks, bears, and a staggering number of bird species.

Small wildlife is nice, when they aren't dangerous animals like bears, bobcats, etc. If you have any dangerous animals, maybe you should get an outdoor camera to make sure it's safe before you go outside. Hubby's cousin lives in the mountains in PA, and he's opened the door to be greeted by large bears on occasion, so he installed cameras for safety.


The road I’m on is about 40 ft away from my front door, it’s a popular shortcut/cut through, and I have seen some people do some crazy passing maneuvers. I don’t even visit the mailbox (across the road) unless I get an email from the post office. It’s so dangerous. Huge blind spot where I am.

Be careful on that road. Can you put up some type of poles with reflectors to cut down the traffic and make it safer?


There’s unexplainable noises, smells, and I had some exchanges with neighbors that lead me to believe someone died here.

Here in NY, realtors have to disclose if there was a murder or suicide in the house, but not if it was a natural death. I don't know about the laws about this where you live, but you might want to find out.

[Stirchley]

There’s unexplainable noises, smells, and I had some exchanges with neighbors that lead me to believe someone died here.

My mother died in the front room of our house when I was 21 when I was living there. My youngest brother later bought the house & lived there for some years. This I could not do & I definitely could not go into that room. (When I moved into my own apartment I never returned to that house.)

Small wildlife is nice, when they aren't dangerous animals like bears, bobcats, etc. If you have any dangerous animals, maybe you should get an outdoor camera to make sure it's safe before you go outside. Hubby's cousin lives in the mountains in PA, and he's opened the door to be greeted by large bears on occasion, so he installed cameras for safety.

Let’s not forget people that this is the habitat of the animals. We’re encroaching on their land not the other way round. Be careful, obviously.

[ynwtf]

While I didn't buy a new house, I feel I might as well have. Since the mom has moved in, I've had to plan several updates. We ordered a refrigerator last week; a new central A.C. is being installed today; the oven is not heating correctly so either the element is going bad or the thermostat, so we may need to replace that as well; yesterday my riding mower's transmission died; then we still have kitchen cabinets to replace, those old 80s 1/8" faux pine walls in the dining room, and a bathroom to remodel.

I took out a loan =\

The house was built maybe '82 and the A.C., kitchen, and bath are all original, so it's high time they get updated. Basically, I got every penny of value of out it all before replacing. Had the mother not moved in, I'd probably spend a few more years slowly updating. Thanks mom!

[Stirchley]

While I didn't buy a new house, I feel I might as well have. Since the mom has moved in, I've had to plan several updates. We ordered a refrigerator last week; a new central A.C. is being installed today; the oven is not heating correctly so either the element is going bad or the thermostat, so we may need to replace that as well; yesterday my riding mower's transmission died; then we still have kitchen cabinets to replace, those old 80s 1/8" faux pine walls in the dining room, and a bathroom to remodel.

I took out a loan =\

The house was built maybe '82 and the A.C., kitchen, and bath are all original, so it's high time they get updated. Basically, I got every penny of value of out it all before replacing. Had the mother not moved in, I'd probably spend a few more years slowly updating. Thanks mom!

It’s nice that you & mom get to live together & take care of each other. :)

[ynwtf]

It’s nice that you & mom get to live together & take care of each other. :)

Heh. Nice is some respects, yes. We're at each other's throats often though. Too, this has pretty much put any form of a social life on temporary leave. At least for a few years, waiting for the housing market to ease again. If at that time she wants to keep this house, cool. Or I can sell this one for us to go our separate ways again. Neither of us really want to stay here as it's too small really for both of us and she got it out of necessity when I was kid. I bought it from her back in 2009/2010 so that she could buy a place to live when she moved out of state. It's like we're both just stuck here ;)

[Stirchley]

Heh. Nice is some respects, yes. We're at each other's throats often though. Too, this has pretty much put any form of a social life on temporary leave. At least for a few years, waiting for the housing market to ease again. If at that time she wants to keep this house, cool. Or I can sell this one for us to go our separate ways again. Neither of us really want to stay here as it's too small really for both of us and she got it out of necessity when I was kid. I bought it from her back in 2009/2010 so that she could buy a place to live when she moved out of state. It's like we're both just stuck here ;)

It’s strange we humans often put ourselves into situations that, perhaps, are difficult to disengage from. I know from experience. :)