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Pryor on Fire posted:How did you do the before closing walkthrough without a working key? The door itself has one of those interior buttons that locks the handle and got pressed by the realtor at the end of the walkthrough without anyone realizing it. We eventually got in through an unlocked side door wheee
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Nov 17, 2015 01:03
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QuarkJets posted:Well, you can submit an addendum requiring the filing of an HVAC permit. The seller might balk at the request, so as part of your addendum you should make it clear that you're going to walk unless the addendum is signed before the end of the due diligence period. Probably varies from state to state, but in the SF bay area at least, unpermitted work is rampant and commonplace and nobody seems to give a poo poo.
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Nov 17, 2015 01:17
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Closed on the house today and everything went smooth, and we met our new neighbors. Turns out it's the daughter and son in law of the lady who used to own our house. Seem like nice enough people but the son in law has been doing maintenance, upkeep, mowing, etc. for 30+ years on this house and his and he seems to be very emotionally invested in this house because of all the work he put in. Dude was really helpful, like "here's where the septic is located, if you need to borrow some tools let me know, I'll keep mowing your yard because I know when you first buy a house you don't have a lot of money to buy a lawn mower, if you ever need us to let your dog out let us know". Thanks neighbor. I'll sit down and have a beer with you and go over the quirks of the house. Still gonna change the locks since I'm sure you have keys.
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Nov 17, 2015 04:57
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letting your neighbor poke around your house is probably still a good trade for free lawncare
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Nov 17, 2015 05:04
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Leperflesh posted:Probably varies from state to state, but in the SF bay area at least, unpermitted work is rampant and commonplace and nobody seems to give a poo poo. It's commonplace where I am, too. But the HVAC system is the only unpermitted feature, so I was assuming that it's not commonplace in this case
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Nov 17, 2015 06:49
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mastershakeman posted:38 days from the realtor sending us an email about interest in the property to closing. Holy moly that was fast. You should change your locks anyway.
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Nov 17, 2015 18:13
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Yeah where I live the building codes are so convoluted and ever changing after 40+ years of "improving society through social engineering experiments" (county commissioner's words, not mine) that even very experienced contractors really struggle to follow them all. As a result I'd guess about 80%+ of all work is done without permits. I managed to install a new water heater last year and actually do that project up to code for the first time in like 10 years, I was really proud of that. Only took about six hours of waiting in line and talking to professional bureaucrats to make it happen, yay!
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Nov 17, 2015 19:17
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Opinions on buying a house using Redfin? Anyone here done it? Last house I bought was new construction so I just used the builders people. Starting to look a little more seriously at houses now, probably be ready to buy within the next 2-3 months I imagine. Seems pretty straightforward with Redfin and you even get some sort of commission back on the sale?
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Nov 17, 2015 20:10
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mattfl posted:Opinions on buying a house using Redfin? Anyone here done it? Last house I bought was new construction so I just used the builders people. Starting to look a little more seriously at houses now, probably be ready to buy within the next 2-3 months I imagine. Seems pretty straightforward with Redfin and you even get some sort of commission back on the sale? I used redfin and have no regrets about it. I liked the technology focus, scheduling tours on your times and the team approach. It's more hands off in some ways so it fits my style but may not be for everyone. The rebate is a nice little bonus and eases the pain of closing.
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Nov 18, 2015 01:04
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We (used to?) have a poster in this thread who works for Redfin. From what that person posted, it seems like a pretty viable way to go.
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Nov 18, 2015 02:03
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My Fiancee and I just went into contract today for our first home....let the bloodletting begin. All and all though it wasnt that bad. We looked at about 15 homes over a weekend, narrowed it down to a few, then finally one and made the offer. One counter later we were under contract with a closing date of Dec 18th.... This has gone way too easy, I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Also, NC goons looking for loans. NCSECU is the way to go. They were awesome to deal with and have great rates. They also have a great first time homebuyer program that does 100% financing with no PMI and 2k for closing costs. Anyone use progressive for their home owners? I have them for our cars and am thinking of just bundling them all together. Inspection tomorrow...house was built in 1999 so whats the worst that could happen 
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Nov 18, 2015 02:30
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Mr Lance Murdock posted:My Fiancee and I just went into contract today for our first home....let the bloodletting begin. Congrats. How are you going to close on the 18th when new regulations went into effect on October? I thought the minimum closing window increased to 45 days...
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Nov 18, 2015 05:19
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The only significant change to closing procedures I can think of as a result of the new regs that a borrower will directly notice is that you have to have your closing statement at least 3 days before closing, previously it was only 1 day. The closing statement replaces the HUD, GFE, and TIL disclosures which no longer are provided on new loans. Most of the changes beside the 3 day rule and the introduction of the replacement disclosures are more on the lending / servicing sides of the transaction.
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Nov 18, 2015 09:13
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Brigdh posted:Congrats. It didn't, heck, we didn't even see the house 45 days before closing . The 3 day rule seems pretty flexible as well, another guy in here as well as myself didn't get it 3 full days before. I guess they think it's waivable for now.
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Nov 18, 2015 14:37
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Kastivich posted:I used redfin and have no regrets about it. I liked the technology focus, scheduling tours on your times and the team approach. It's more hands off in some ways so it fits my style but may not be for everyone. The rebate is a nice little bonus and eases the pain of closing. Good to hear. Thanks for the info.
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Nov 18, 2015 15:44
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Mr Lance Murdock posted:
It is likely that the plumbers and HVAC install guys were incompetent hacks that did the job at cost to pay for some outstanding fines for criminal charges. Modern general contractors and builders are the worst. The problem is everything they did wrong is buried behind drywall. Turn on all the faucets and see if some of them stop working because of piss poor design. Just assume the furnace will make most rooms too hot or cold. Nothing you can do about that.
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Nov 18, 2015 16:09
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Brigdh posted:Congrats. Dunno  I just signed my name a bunch of times like a rube. Elephanthead posted:It is likely that the plumbers and HVAC install guys were incompetent hacks that did the job at cost to pay for some outstanding fines for criminal charges. Modern general contractors and builders are the worst. The problem is everything they did wrong is buried behind drywall. Turn on all the faucets and see if some of them stop working because of piss poor design. Just assume the furnace will make most rooms too hot or cold. Nothing you can do about that. Hahah, yeah. I have checked all the stuff on my own that I can and didnt find anything weird like turning on a ceiling fan causes the garbage disposal to start or anything like that. Also the heat and hot water is run off natural gas, so not sure if that is going to complicate the inspection process or not. All my experience with HVAC and hot water has been normal heaters and heat pumps and such. Got to do some reading about the natural gas systems before I blow us up some random Saturday morning.
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Nov 18, 2015 17:15
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mastershakeman posted:It didn't, heck, we didn't even see the house 45 days before closing . The 3 day rule seems pretty flexible as well, another guy in here as well as myself didn't get it 3 full days before. I guess they think it's waivable for now. If the other guys initial application was taken before October 1st then the old one requirement still applies which was only one day. If the app was taken after the cutoff then the lender should be giving 3 days, that time frame isn't something you can waive.
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Nov 18, 2015 17:37
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Captain Windex posted:If the other guys initial application was taken before October 1st then the old one requirement still applies which was only one day. If the app was taken after the cutoff then the lender should be giving 3 days, that time frame isn't something you can waive. Since I'm a foreclosure attorney I'm looking forward to my eventual default and raising this issue over and over. Wheee
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Nov 18, 2015 21:23
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Mr Lance Murdock posted:Anyone use progressive for their home owners? I have them for our cars and am thinking of just bundling them all together. Here's a hint: It's not because they pay out a lot in claims.
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Nov 19, 2015 00:40
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I've heard that Chubb's unofficial motto is "We Pay" That being said the first year money is a little tight so we went with Progressive who farmed it off to Ameriprise who promptly hosed up our billing with help from BofA. Apparently the incredibly common situation of insuring a new house isn't something they try to get right!
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Nov 19, 2015 00:44
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Call a local independent insurance agent. I've never gotten a competitive homeowners quote from a company that advertises on tv. They have access to dozens of companies to find you the best rate. You'll probably find some company you've never heard of has the best rates. Just make sure they're rated well and you'll be fine. The Bearded Woodsmen Wearing Plaid of the Pacific Northwest Mutual Insurance Company* might not have tv commercials but they have great insurance rates and an am best A+ rating *not a real insurance company I think
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Nov 19, 2015 05:58
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Progressive homeowners insurance sucks, dump them as soon as you can afford it.
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Nov 19, 2015 15:06
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I did a LOT of shopping around and Amica was the cheapest Homeowners for me.
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Nov 19, 2015 17:59
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No Butt Stuff posted:I did a LOT of shopping around and Amica was the cheapest Homeowners for me.
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Nov 20, 2015 03:18
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Does anyone here know a lot about the Colorado real estate market? My rent just keeps going up, house prices keep going up, and property taxes seem kinda high too. I feel like at some point I've got to buy but it's just overwhelming. Doesn't help that 900sf beater houses go for nearly the same as 2000+ sf new construction.  Since most houses here seem to be split-level or basement, I'd been thinking that I could basically finish the bottom level or basement of the house, turn it into an apartment, and rent it out. It seems like even with one good income, you'll be house poor unless you do something like that.Anyway I have no idea what to do and feel lost
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Nov 21, 2015 19:41
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Zoning might not let you do that. It's typically called an accessory dwelling unit or ADU and typically isn't allowed in neighborhoods with single family homes. Assuming you are trying to do an actual apartment instead of a roommate situation here anyways. As far as Colorado, I don't know much specifically, but most places aren't seeing enough new supply to keep up with demand so prices are inflating.
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Nov 21, 2015 20:08
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Colorado has a serious housing shortage. Denver in particular has run out of places to build more homes which is exacerbating the problem. Maybe hope the economy collapses.
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Nov 21, 2015 21:18
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I live in a not-so-appealing neighborhood in Denver, and this little ~700 sf house on the street just sold at asking price for over $200k. Five years ago it probably would have been half that price. It's a terrible market for buyers, but rent has also gone insane, so pick your poison?
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Nov 22, 2015 18:39
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I would probably have to pay over 1m for 700 sqft, nyc rules.
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Nov 22, 2015 19:00
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My Rhythmic Crotch posted:Does anyone here know a lot about the Colorado real estate market? My rent just keeps going up, house prices keep going up, and property taxes seem kinda high too. I feel like at some point I've got to buy but it's just overwhelming. Doesn't help that 900sf beater houses go for nearly the same as 2000+ sf new construction. I think that you should step back and closely examine your finances. If you can't afford a house, then it doesn't really matter what the market's going to do, does it? And having to rely on rental income is extremely dicey, so you probably shouldn't put yourself in that kind of position Look at your finances very carefully first, then look at the real estate market, and if the cost of buying looks like something that you can afford without having to rely on rental income then it's okay to start considering home ownership and to start talking to people about the real estate situation in Colorado
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Nov 23, 2015 01:19
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Had an inspection yesterday, which went very well with the exception of the listing agent disclosing there had been a fire requiring a fair bit of repair a few years ago. Obviously I'm also asking this question of professionals, but does anyone have any tips on buying (or not buying) a home with previous fire damage?
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Nov 23, 2015 04:32
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supercrooky posted:Had an inspection yesterday, which went very well with the exception of the listing agent disclosing there had been a fire requiring a fair bit of repair a few years ago. Obviously I'm also asking this question of professionals, but does anyone have any tips on buying (or not buying) a home with previous fire damage? The details matter a lot here. A fire could cause serious structural damage, or it could just result in cosmetic damage (while still resulting in a fair bit of repair work) Anecdotal: a friend's house had old aluminum wiring that wound up causing tons of expensive smoke damage: all of the old wiring was replaced with fresh copper, all of the smoke damage and damaged finishes were completely replaced, and now there's no damage of any consequence remaining. So really, the fire damage in that case wound up forcing some improvements that the house needed while not impacting anything else, which would be a net benefit for a potential buyer. That's probably a best-case scenario. If there was extensive damage and the damage was repaired, then that work should have been permitted. You should try to get copies of the permits, the fire report, and a copy of any contractors' contracts for the repairs or any other documentation related to the work that was done.
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Nov 23, 2015 05:48
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supercrooky posted:Had an inspection yesterday, which went very well with the exception of the listing agent disclosing there had been a fire requiring a fair bit of repair a few years ago. Obviously I'm also asking this question of professionals, but does anyone have any tips on buying (or not buying) a home with previous fire damage? Not the same situation, but I recently purchased a condo that had water damage from an upstairs unit flooding. I made sure to get a mold test and they did some moisture tests. It was a VA loan so they are pretty strict on mold and pest reports. The side benefit was that the ceiling paint is new and no more asbestos popcorn ceiling. Make sure you get a thorough inspection and be willing to look elsewhere if you feel uneasy.
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Nov 23, 2015 06:09
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gotta time the market. sell your house at max dollar, rent for a year, let the market bottom out, repeat. (I seriously have had people tell me to do this every time I move for work. If I moved to Colorado, I probably wouldn't buy right now, but I can't say for certain.)
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Nov 23, 2015 17:05
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I am still waiting for massive inflation to reduce my fixed mortgage payment to the cost of a movie ticket.
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Nov 23, 2015 17:47
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Elephanthead posted:I am still waiting for massive inflation to reduce my fixed mortgage payment to the cost of a movie ticket. Please wait to to this because I'm not in the house I want to stay in forever right now. Or the city.
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Nov 23, 2015 17:48
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Elephanthead posted:I am still waiting for massive inflation to reduce my fixed mortgage payment to the cost of a movie ticket. Well, that won't happen but historical rates of inflation will reduce your mortgage payment by about half in real dollars over thirty years. Of course your insurance and taxes will no doubt increase.
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Nov 23, 2015 19:24
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I got a book from the library on home buying and it was published in 2003 (it's the 'Everything Home Buying Book'). I didn't realize its publish date until I got home. Will I be wasting my time with a 12 year old book?
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Nov 23, 2015 19:42
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Not too sure if this is the right thread but I've got a bit of a strange situation on my hands. My parents have a little parcel of land in an extremely remote community (population of about 400) they bought a long time ago. Nothing is on it currently and now they're looking to sell it and want me to do it. What's the best way to go about doing this? My initial thinking is to contact a few development companies in the area and see if they'd be interested. Or is it just easier to go through a realtor? I'm in Canada if that makes any difference.
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Nov 23, 2015 21:05
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