Buying a house

[Docwaukee]

I am not sure a thread exists on this board that doesn't include Cals talking about his dick.  

we're a couple of weeks away from listing our house.   getting ready to stage.  it's amazing how much crap you can accumulate in 10 years.  ugh.  

[Catwhoshatinthehat]

9 hours ago, Dochalo said:

we're a couple of weeks away from listing our house.   getting ready to stage.  it's amazing how much crap you can accumulate in 10 years.  ugh.  

As far as actual moving goes one thing I actually don't mind is the fact that we're forced to go through everything and can toss some of the garbage we've shoved into closets or the garage the last so many years.   

[wopphil]

I had my sister reach out to the listing agent again. The listing agent claims that his sellers have been emboldened by the fact that a house two doors down that was listed at $925 sold for all cash at $985 within days of listing. As a result, they think eventually they will get their $970. And apparently they don't want to do a contingent sale at this time either. I think the sellers are probably both a little stubborn and too proud.

So it's awaiting game. I want to buy the house, but am not going to beg the sellers to take my money. I'd be willing to go up another $15k, which would effectively put me within $10k of their asking price. 

[Blarg]

15 hours ago, Dochalo said:

I am not sure a thread exists on this board that doesn't include Cals talking about his dick.  

we're a couple of weeks away from listing our house.   getting ready to stage.  it's amazing how much crap you can accumulate in 10 years.  ugh.  

Best idea is to rent storage for a few months and move as much out as possible. That includes everything in the closets except for a reasonable amount of clothes so it looks spacious but still lived in. 

[Sully151]

2 hours ago, wopphil said:

I had my sister reach out to the listing agent again. The listing agent claims that his sellers have been emboldened by the fact that a house two doors down that was listed at $925 sold for all cash at $985 within days of listing. As a result, they think eventually they will get their $970. And apparently they don't want to do a contingent sale at this time either. I think the sellers are probably both a little stubborn and too proud.

So it's awaiting game. I want to buy the house, but am not going to beg the sellers to take my money. I'd be willing to go up another $15k, which would effectively put me within $10k of their asking price. 

Why would the house two doors down sell for more that the house you are looking at in a few days, when the house you are interested in has been on the market for 6 weeks?

[Tank]

8 hours ago, Catwhoshatinthehat said:

As far as actual moving goes one thing I actually don't mind is the fact that we're forced to go through everything and can toss some of the garbage we've shoved into closets or the garage the last so many years.   

i've been in the same classroom at school since 1995. i do not look forward to the day when it's time to pack up everything. i know i'm going to find several things that i put 'in a safe place for later' that forgot about. hoping to go through some of it this summer and start thinning the heard a bit.

[wopphil]

3 hours ago, Sully151 said:

Why would the house two doors down sell for more that the house you are looking at in a few days, when the house you are interested in has been on the market for 6 weeks?

I don't know. The house two doors down was absolutely perfect. High end upgrades and an incredible pool. But it is also 300 square feet smaller. 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

20 hours ago, Dochalo said:

we're a couple of weeks away from listing our house.   getting ready to stage.  it's amazing how much crap you can accumulate in 10 years.  ugh.  

We have been in ours almost 20. I can't imagine how long it would take to get the place anywhere near ready to show to prospective buyers.

[AngelsLongBall]

My parents have been in their house for 20+ years. My siblings and I have told them, if they don't declutter, we're setting the place on fire. They've started to declutter

[Lou]

28 minutes ago, AngelsLongBall said:

My parents have been in their house for 20+ years. My siblings and I have told them, if they don't declutter, we're setting the place on fire. They've started to declutter

50 years here. I started the process a year ago. I figure another decade or so and I'll be finished.

the shit you find in the garage and the back of closets....

Edited May 7, 2017 by Lou

[AngelsLongBall]

15 minutes ago, Lou said:

50 years here. I started the process a year ago. I figure another decade or so and I'll be finished.

the shit you find in the garage and the back of closets....

I had to clean my grandparents garage after my grandpa died (grandma was still alive).  Shit you not I found 3 full tool sets and about 7 hammers and 13 wrench sets. My grandpa was bad about remembering where he kept stuff, so he kept the local Ace Hardware in business. Plus I found some sweet vintage Playboys. Grandpas are the best

[Tank]

22 hours ago, AngelsLongBall said:

I had to clean my grandparents garage after my grandpa died (grandma was still alive).  Shit you not I found 3 full tool sets and about 7 hammers and 13 wrench sets. My grandpa was bad about remembering where he kept stuff, so he kept the local Ace Hardware in business. Plus I found some sweet vintage Playboys. Grandpas are the best

my best friend committed suicide seven years ago. when his wife and family started going through his stuff, they found over 100 screwdrivers he had bought, accumulated, or stolen.

[Blarg]

So he was really screwed up?

 

Yeah, sorry, I'll just leave now.

[Docwaukee]

On 5/6/2017 at 4:44 PM, Blarg said:

Best idea is to rent storage for a few months and move as much out as possible. That includes everything in the closets except for a reasonable amount of clothes so it looks spacious but still lived in. 

exactly what we are doing.  filled a bunch of pods with our crap.  

[Lou]

On May 6, 2017 at 10:31 PM, AngelsLongBall said:

I had to clean my grandparents garage after my grandpa died (grandma was still alive).  Shit you not I found 3 full tool sets and about 7 hammers and 13 wrench sets. My grandpa was bad about remembering where he kept stuff, so he kept the local Ace Hardware in business. Plus I found some sweet vintage Playboys. Grandpas are the best

Tools, tools, tools

Quite the collection of rusted drill bits and saw blades. 

[JAHV76]

3 hours ago, Lou said:

Tools, tools, tools

Quite the collection of rusted drill bits and saw blades. 

I don't know why I though of this clip after reading this

 

[cez]

i've looked through this whole thread, and i'm a little overwhelmed

@#CF8's contributions have been super helpful, but i'm super preliminary right now in my home search. 

i've got 2 different pre-approvals for a VA home loan (1 from navy federal, 1 from quicken), and i really just need to know how to find a good realtor who won't try to fuck me over in any way.

i understand they get about 2.5%, and i know that most won't want to ding their reputations by trying to get me do something that works better for them than for me, but i want to be as careful as possible.  

[mtangelsfan]

Shop around.  Don't choose one that you know or that is a friend of someone you know.  This person will be your employee.  You need to be able to fire them if necessary.

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

2 hours ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

i've looked through this whole thread, and i'm a little overwhelmed

@#CF8's contributions have been super helpful, but i'm super preliminary right now in my home search. 

i've got 2 different pre-approvals for a VA home loan (1 from navy federal, 1 from quicken), and i really just need to know how to find a good realtor who won't try to fuck me over in any way.

i understand they get about 2.5%, and i know that most won't want to ding their reputations by trying to get me do something that works better for them than for me, but i want to be as careful as possible.  

Fwiw, a buddy of mine has done pretty well contacting the listing agents direct, and telling them they can get both commisions if they got him a deal. He did it twice and did pretty well (but maybe he just got lucky)

[cez]

4 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Fwiw, a buddy of mine has done pretty well contacting the listing agents direct, and telling them they can get both commisions if they got him a deal. He did it twice and did pretty well (but maybe he just got lucky)

i wish i were experienced enough to be able to try that, but this is my first time buying a home. i'm pretty sure any seller's agent would have their way with me, lol. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

Honestly Cez, there really isnt all that much to it. My realtor is really cool, she gives half her commision back after closing, so thats huge. But even she will tell you her job is pretty frealin easy. The buyer (you) says i want this house, ill pay this. She delivers the message, and if theyl seller accepts, she populates a few forms that are templates on her computer, and she walks away with a few grand. 

I get its intimidating, but id at least reach out to a few listers and see what they say.

[Angel Oracle]

On ‎5‎/‎8‎/‎2017 at 6:30 PM, JAHV76 said:

I don't know why I though of this clip after reading this

 

Gives me an idea on how to get Espinohitsa, Valnobuena, and CRONic bad bat actually hitting.

[mrwicked]

First time is stressful - but you'll be fine.

I actually like using a realtor from a referral. If person did well for your friends / family / acquaintances AND (most importantly) knows the local market, they likely won't lead you astray. Everyone only gets paid when you buy, so remember really no one is truly on your side except you, but realtors / lenders / etc work on referrals so they want you to be happy. My realtor was a referral that numerous of my friends have bought/sold with and together we killed it. Just do your homework.

Otherwise, buy in the best area you can find. If you have to choose - better to buy in an awesome location than awesome place. Because one of those things you can change, nearly impossible to change the other. And of course don't buy more than you can afford (houses are expensive), really push for fixed rate loan (I am assuming this is not an investment property). It's not rocket science and math/fundamentals will always win. 

Good luck! It's a blast. 

[Brandon]

he's worrying for no reason. the seller always pays the commission for the realtors, not the buyer. it comes out of the home sale price on the sellers end.

[cez]

19 hours ago, mrwicked said:

First time is stressful - but you'll be fine.

I actually like using a realtor from a referral. If person did well for your friends / family / acquaintances AND (most importantly) knows the local market, they likely won't lead you astray. Everyone only gets paid when you buy, so remember really no one is truly on your side except you, but realtors / lenders / etc work on referrals so they want you to be happy. My realtor was a referral that numerous of my friends have bought/sold with and together we killed it. Just do your homework.

Otherwise, buy in the best area you can find. If you have to choose - better to buy in an awesome location than awesome place. Because one of those things you can change, nearly impossible to change the other. And of course don't buy more than you can afford (houses are expensive), really push for fixed rate loan (I am assuming this is not an investment property). It's not rocket science and math/fundamentals will always win. 

Good luck! It's a blast. 

Yeah. The good thing for me is that I really do want to get a house, but if I can't find one that I really think is a great deal for me where I am in life, then I'm fine with walking away. 

I know most people say a great neighborhood is most important, but the Good Neighbor Next Door program is something that's always in the back of my mind, too.