House Hunting!

[ramcharger]

I've finally got my credit rating up from my long stint of unemployment and have decided to to get a house while money is cheap and prices are low. I've looked at 12 or so houses in the last month and nothing seems to be as described, but I think I may have found a winner that i'm going to check out late this afternoon.

8 car garage, on a acre of land, house built in '98. One stall of the garage has been converted to a paint booth. Seller is super motivated and I can get it for 40K less than they paid 3 years ago. I have the feeling the garage will need some work, and I believe the garage is much older than the house.

Yesterday I was talking to one of my ham radio buddies early in the morning and he mentioned how great it would be if I bought a house in his town. He's a much older guy and has some health issues, but we still manage to go motorcycle riding every now and then. His wife is presently in a wheel chair, so i know they need some help once in a while.

Oddly, 2 hours after our conversation my realtor calls telling me about this house with a 8 car garage...... in the same town the above friend lives in! Weird. I never mentioned to my realtor about moving to this relatively rural small town, ever.

After getting the call, I called my supervisor and asked him if it would be an issue living in this particuluar area (I presumed it would be since we are dispatched form home) and he said "Absolutley not, and by the way, can I bring my cars over to be painted?".

So anyway, wish me luck and I hope this place is something I can work with. The dogzilla's would love to have a full acre to run around on.

 

[4spdragtop]

Hey Joe, that sounds awesome!! Sounds just like what I am looking for! For me its about the structure, as long as its solid I aint shy about any kind of renos. Pretty cool that your friend is in the same town too. Maybe take him with you...an extra set of eyes is always good, no matter whether buying a car or a house! Post pics when you can and good luck!

 

[lhearold]

Sounds great. Shame you weren't in my area, I'd sell you mine, cheap!

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

Good Luck Ram.

 

[ramcharger]

Hey Joe, that sounds awesome!! Sounds just like what I am looking for! For me its about the structure, as long as its solid I aint shy about any kind of renos. Pretty cool that your friend is in the same town too. Maybe take him with you...an extra set of eyes is always good, no matter whether buying a car or a house! Post pics when you can and good luck!

Thanks 4spdragtop and I'll post pics if it's decent. I know my limits when it comes to home/garage renovation but like you say, the foundation has to be good. I'll actually be in that same town early Sunday morning for ham radio club breakfast so I can ask the locals about past history of the area and property too. You know the usual stuff, meth labs, murders, etc. I don't know if I could live in the same house someone was murdered in regardless of how cheap it was.

Sounds great. Shame you weren't in my area, I'd sell you mine, cheap!

It would take a team of wild horses to drag me out of this state. ;) Thanks for the offer though!

Good Luck Ram.

Thanks OTR. With my luck it'll be a trailer in the middle of a cattle ranch with a chicken coop for a garage that they covered the floor with plastic sheeting for a paint booth, lol!

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

With my luck it'll be a trailer in the middle of a cattle ranch with a chicken coop for a garage that they covered the floor with plastic sheeting for a paint booth, lol!

I'll Take it.

 

[ramcharger]

i'll take it.

:cheers:

 

[6pk2goDemon]

That is really exciting news Joe Take a friend or 2 with you to look it over real good. An 8 car garage on an acre sounds yummy!!

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Wife and I just went through this. We looked at house after house for 3 months.

When you find the right one for your needs you will know it. The house we bought was exactly what we needed at this point in our lives, we knew it as soon as we looked at it.

Funny thing........ It was the smallest house we looked at but it had a nice, large fenced, yard for the dog. It was also the least expensive (1/2 the price of the next house we were considering).

And one of the best things, we are 8 blocks from the river front. In the summer we can walk to all the events they have downtown (13 nights of Movies in the Park, The Pirate Festival, 4th of July Fireworks, Live Music and more).

And if we get trashed, hell, we are walking so who cares.


Good luck and look at EVERYTHING! You never know what you will find. I didn't even want to look at the house we bought, but I'm sure glad the wife made me.

 

[ramcharger]

That is really exciting news Joe Take a friend or 2 with you to look it over real good. An 8 car garage on an acre sounds yummy!!

Thanks C!

Wife and I just went through this. We looked at house after house for 3 months.

When you find the right one for your needs you will know it. The house we bought was exactly what we needed at this point in our lives, we knew it as soon as we looked at it.

Funny thing........ It was the smallest house we looked at but it had a nice, large fenced, yard for the dog. It was also the least expensive (1/2 the price of the next house we were considering).

And one of the best things, we are 8 blocks from the river front. In the summer we can walk to all the events they have downtown (13 nights of Movies in the Park, The Pirate Festival, 4th of July Fireworks, Live Music and more).

And if we get trashed, hell, we are walking so who cares.


Good luck and look at EVERYTHING! You never know what you will find. I didn't even want to look at the house we bought, but I'm sure glad the wife made me.

Thanks for the words of advice!

I just google mapped this place and it's right across the street from a giant aluminum manufacturing and recycling plant that runs 24/7. Crap. I guess I'll have to see if the sound and smell are really bad. I hope they don't have one of those freakin' whistles that sound on every break....

At least my cars and bikes wouldn't bother anyone, lol.

 

[ramcharger]

This is the house and property I'm looking at. Pretty big place, really. I think that long diagonal building in the back is a chicken coop, lol.

 

[ramcharger]

Here's the neighborhood on my side of the street:

 

[ramcharger]

Here's the aluminum plant directly across the street, damn!

 

[goldfish65]

Knowing what you've gone through this is great to see...pretty soon you and dogs will have your 'own' place:cheers:

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Oh, that reminds me. I was going to get some "Urban Chickens". I guess we can have 6, hens if we live in town.

 

[ramcharger]

Knowing what you've gone through this is great to see...pretty soon you and dogs will have your 'own' place:cheers:

Hopefully! Thanks goldfish!

Oh, that reminds me. I was going to get some "Urban Chickens". I guess we can have 6, hens if we live in town.

Fresh eggs are great! I remember a friend in Penrose buying chicks and feed, and WAMMO, fresh brown eggs. Took less than a season IIRC. They had more eggs than they and they're kids could eat and give away. I always came home with a 18 pack and I'd drop by the next weekend and they tried to give another bakers dozen.

I could have chickens, Alpacas, horses, Llamas, cattle, etc. Showing was not availible today, but my realtor, my ham bud, his wife, and all our friends will be there..... small town, lol. :cheers: It'll be caravan of good people making sure that IS the place for me. :burnout:

 

[Old Tired Rebel]

AH nothing like good fresh eggs.

 

[clhyer]

Good luck!
It surely is a buyer's market today. 8 car garage and house on 1 ac. won't leave the dogs too much room, though!
C

 

[mullinax95]

I hear ya... it's been a bumpy ride hasn't Joe? LOL

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

8 car garage would be fantsatic. If the yard is small just give the dogs a bay in the garage for their dog house.

 

[RedFish]

8 car garage would be fantsatic. If the yard is small just give the dogs a bay in the garage for their dog house.

No kidding. Most auto service centers dont hold 8 cars. LOL
Imagine what it would cost to heat that sucker. Must be nice.

 

[ramcharger]

AH nothing like good fresh eggs.

10-4!

Good luck!
It surely is a buyer's market today. 8 car garage and house on 1 ac. won't leave the dogs too much room, though!
C

Take a peak on post #11, that would be all my land. :cheers: Plenty of room for the rotts and maybe even rescue a couple more. What could be more cool than 4 rotts and a 8 car garage? Keep in mind that one acre = 43,460 sq ft ;)

I hear ya... it's been a bumpy ride hasn't Joe? LOL

Holy Smokehouse Marland. You, Mike, and a bunch of other members all know what I've been through over the years.

I'ma stubborn German, Austrian, Irish mutt that refuses to give up. Maybe this is the payoff?

8 car garage would be fantsatic. If the yard is small just give the dogs a bay in the garage for their dog house.

LOL! The dogs will have the run of the property and trust me, NOBODY will set foot unless they're supposed be there. I will build dog doors in every outbuilding.

No kidding. Most auto service centers dont hold 8 cars. LOL
Imagine what it would cost to heat that sucker. Must be nice.

Bullet heater for the garage, house is only 1300 sq ft. I'm more worried about cutting the grass.................. Maybe irrigate and grow lettuce, onions, radisch, corn, etc. ?

Self-sufficiency? Solar power? It already has well water and lots of it from what I've heard..... Good soil too.

 

[ramcharger]

Well, last week we couldn't get in for a showing dang it. I did do a drive by with my local friend and the house is very, very well kept from the outside and the property is huge. I tried to get a look at the garage and saw one 15' high bay door but I just couldn't see the rest as far set back as it is.

Trying to get a showing today and it's looking good so far. Hopefully I'll have some pics to post later on. The lady who lives there now is elderly and needs someone to pick her up and keep her entertained while we check the place out.

 

[4spdragtop]

Nice chunk of property Joe!! Up here, there is a government incentive to go solar. That is one of the reasons why Lori and I are moving(not enough room here). Just a short blurb about it....there are several different options you have for solar...you can install(3 or 4 different ways) and sell it ALL back to the local utility provider. Currently the rates at selling back vary from 60 cents to 80 cents per kwh. In our climate this will give you approx 7 years and the system is paid for. After 20 years you are $140k in the black!! Average rooftop install is approx $70k, so add that to $140k and you get $210k in 20 years from an initial $70k investment. 300% return on your money over 20 years!! Sounds like a scam right??? Nope my boss at work did the roofmount system(800 sq ft) of solar panels and it cost him $68500 and a little bit of paperwork. He sells it ALL back to Hydro One(Ontario Hydro) because his consumption price is cheaper(10 cents per kwh). The reason that Hydro buys it back at a high price is cuz it is an incentive for people to install these on their property, and in all reality it is cheaper to do that then spend the billions of $$ on building new power generating stations. Food for thought.Good luck and keep us informed about the house!!

 

[memike]

Go with my blessings Joe.
Buying property is a big step and I am sure you are ready to get out on your own land, The aluminum plant may bea good source of Materials, wow how did I miss this thread.
I know you will be looking close , see if you can get a record of there electric bill and see what the R factor is would be a +.
Get ready to ask the bank for an extra amount for a nice big mower 8)

Enjoy your serch and it sounds like you are doing your home work :cheers: