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On the bright side, you may have the talent for a fallback career in gravedigging. (or graverobbing)
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Oct 14, 2016 16:18
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Kirios posted:I didn't. I wrangled about 10 c.f. by hand to make a flat place for my shed and I almost died. I think you can basically claim superhero status at this point.
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Oct 14, 2016 16:20
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Kirios posted:I didn't. I removed a large bush / borderline tree that took up about 1/4 of my back yard by hand. The root ball weighed about 200lbs. All done with some cargo straps, a sawzall, shovels and axes. Never again.
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Oct 14, 2016 16:36
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Kirios posted:I didn't. Power tools FTW.
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Oct 14, 2016 17:08
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I cleared maybe 10 yards of nasty rotting wet mulch out of my backyard this summer in about a 36 hour period. And I'm a renter!
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Oct 14, 2016 17:11
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Growing up with multiple tractors really spoiled me. Every now and then my dad would rent a 20 ton bulldozer or full size excavator if we really needed to do some work that an end loader or back hoe couldn't get done.
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Oct 14, 2016 17:25
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I did 130 cuft but it was only 9" deep this summer. It wasn't too bad by hand. Tho I did have to remove 25'x3'x4" worth of concrete. That wasn't fun.
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Oct 14, 2016 17:34
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The gentleman our plumbers brought to trench 18"x12"x20' (~30ft^3?) had it done by noon, including cutting back brush. 4 hours by hand in dirt that is 50%+ rock by volume. 
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Oct 14, 2016 18:42
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The effort involved in digging varies massively depending on what you're digging. Hard dry clay is next to impossible; soft moist loamy soil is easy as poo poo. And everything in between. I need to set the grade all around my house so that it slopes away, and I probably need to put in some drainage on each side sloping down to the street. Gonna wait till it's good and moist outside and then have a miserable muddy weekend and be done with it. Impossible to get even the tiniest of loaders into my back yard without taking down fences so it's all gonna be done by hand. gently caress it. Hard manual labor builds character.
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Oct 14, 2016 19:16
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Anyone have experience with Manhattan real estate? We made an offer for a 975 sq ft apartment in Sutton Place, and the common charge is $800/mo, but there's been an assessment since 2012 of $250/mo for various reasons. Is this a cause for concern?
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Oct 15, 2016 05:05
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Dadhouse buying adventures continue. The inspection report says the electrical panel will need to be replaced (there's evidence of nasty arcing; it's full of scorch marks) and they couldn't test the furnace or A/C, though my dad says they determined the furnace didn't work; I don't know if they tested it after the fact and told him, or he's misinterpreting them, or what. Now he's posted this on facebook (I'll just quote):quote:Arrrrrrrrrrg--Fannie Mae chews it, big time! I wish she'd get stuck in an elevator with the Duckster. I've just been informed that they will not repair the $^*(*&% furnace that I assumed worked when I made my offer on the house, nor the arcing electrical panel. I have no idea how much it will cost to do both, none whatsoever, and neither do they. I have nothing but opprobrium for these weasels. Here I am 65 years old with a disability that demands I keep my house extremely warm; extra clothes don't work. I am already being stuck with putting in totally new septic and a new roof...this is too much. Any advice on how to deal with this and/or what exactly to ask him to get the info needed to figure out how to deal with this? Edit: also,   
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Oct 15, 2016 07:00
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... is that carpet in the bathroom?
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Oct 15, 2016 07:13
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With all due respect, your dad is in over his head and needs someone (like his agent?) to explain to him how this works immediately. He is looking at busted foreclosed property that is being sold dirt-cheap as-is, why on earth is he thinking it will be move-in ready or that the bank would fix any of the defects? Basically he should decide if he wants a fixer-upper or a move-in-ready house. A fixer-upper will be cheaper up-front obviously and can be a good value depending on how much work it needs and how skilled you are at getting things done cost-effectively. It can also turn into a nightmare money pit. However, it sounds like your dad wants something move-in ready that he's not going to have high repair/maintenance bills immediately and in the short term. That's going to cost more up-front. Alereon fucked around with this message at 07:26 on Oct 15, 2016 |
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Oct 15, 2016 07:20
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Alereon posted:With all due respect, your dad is in over his head and needs someone (like his agent?) to explain to him how this works immediately. He is looking at busted foreclosed property that is being sold dirt-cheap as-is, why on earth is he thinking it will be move-in ready or that the bank would fix any of the defects? He already knew it's a fixer-upper and that repairs will need to be done; the HVAC and specific electrical are issues uncovered by the inspector that the bank didn't mention. I'm not sure if he's under the impression they need to fix that or what. Would it be normal to knock the price down for more problems? Further quote from his Facebook (I could probably get more of an answer from him but it's too late for me to sit waiting for him to type out a page-long text message): quote:I had an inspection but he couldn't test the heater or AC because the service panel was arcing. We thought surely they'd fix it, but no dice! Both realtors are surprised, actually. QuarkJets posted:... is that carpet in the bathroom? yes, and the other bathroom has identical carpet. also, see if you can find what's missing from the bathroom shown
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Oct 15, 2016 07:40
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atomicthumbs posted:yes, and the other bathroom has identical carpet. also, see if you can find what's missing from the bathroom shown Is the bucket that stands in for a shower missing?
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Oct 15, 2016 08:43
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If I recall correctly, this is a bank owned foreclosure. The bank will not do poo poo. It's being sold as-is. Your dad was wise toget an inspection contingency but he is grossly mistaken as to its purpose: the contingency allows him to walk away and get his earnest money back. In no way does it obligate the bank to fix anything or to adjust the price. When a seller makes concessions on the basis of defects found in inspection (or otherwise), that's voluntary. It's wise for sellers to do so, because if they refuse and lose the sale there is no reason to think the next buyer will be happy to pay the same offer with the same defects... and what's more, they'll be obliged to disclose all the new defects that they're now aware of. But there's no obligation to renegotiate or fix stuff, with a few exceptions for very specific things. And banks are much less willing to negotiate then private sellers, as a rule.Your dad should walk away and be glad this experience only cost him some time and a few hundred bucks for inspections. Because he needs a house with a reliable modern heating system, not a trashed foreclosure with dozens of problems the inspector cannot have found on top of the many problems that were found.
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Oct 15, 2016 08:44
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Leperflesh posted:If I recall correctly, this is a bank owned foreclosure. The bank will not do poo poo. It's being sold as-is. Your dad was wise toget an inspection contingency but he is grossly mistaken as to its purpose: the contingency allows him to walk away and get his earnest money back. In no way does it obligate the bank to fix anything or to adjust the price. Yeah, seriously. Your dad is complaining he can't handle all the repairs and this is just what the inspection has found? He needs to walk away. Edit: Read that post of his again. Yeah. He has no idea how this is supposed to work. Trillian fucked around with this message at 11:03 on Oct 15, 2016 |
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Oct 15, 2016 10:57
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Also with Fannie and Freddie they are under no obligation to disclose anything they know about the house, unlike normal sellers. You really have to be careful buying from them and treat it like an auction sale where the house could be built from lead and radon and about to collapse.
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Oct 15, 2016 12:38
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Has your dad never purchased a house before?
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Oct 15, 2016 15:28
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couldcareless posted:Has your dad never purchased a house before? Yeah, I'm getting the whole "I've always dreamed of owning a home, and now I'm going to buy one even if I really can't afford it and have no idea what I'm doing" vibe here.
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Oct 15, 2016 16:37
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couldcareless posted:Has your dad never purchased a house before? He has not. His brother (much more experienced, and a lawyer) has been giving him advice thoughout the process, but hasn't seen the house. What he does have is enough cash on hand to fund major repairs; he's always been extremely frugal, and his inheritance hasn't changed that.
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Oct 15, 2016 16:53
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If your dad had someone helping him he shouldn't be in the mess he is now. Be honest, did he find this house himself using Redfin or something? He needs to walk away and find a good agent that will help find him properties that suit him and shepherd him through the process. Someone who will tell him "it's cheap because it's poo poo, and maybe you don't want to deal with a neglected foreclosure." To return to my thread gimmick, has your dad considered building a new manufactured/modular home? You can often find good property with a tear-down home, and a good quality* manufactured home installed properly will appreciate for 30 years. As a cash buyer you can also get good deals on manufactured homes that have been moved or are older than 1986 (soon to be '87) since banks won't touch them. If they were moved properly it's fine, if the sections were reconnected shittily then the house will always be poo poo. Similarly older manufactured homes are perfectly fine unless the roof or something goes and isn't addressed promptly, once water gets in they basically melt. If you do replace the roof and do other maintenance properly manufactured homes will stay house-like for quite some time. *Like most manufactured products they come in tiers, the cheaper ones truly are disposable, but the better quality ones with house-like looks and specs will last exactly as long as you maintain them.
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Oct 15, 2016 18:20
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I live in an area with pretty low labor costs and a pretty good regional hardware chain. Is putting a steel roof on our house going to add value?
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Oct 17, 2016 01:04
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It probably depends a bit on the area. I see a lot of appraisals that don't go out of their way to mention the roof beyond current condition (remaining economic life) and when it was most recently replaced. In some markets it might matter more than others, but I would say it isn't something I see very often included as a notable upgrade, when describing the Condition or Quality ratings on appraisals.
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Oct 17, 2016 15:17
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We're putting in an offer on a house with city water and sewer. I'm actually a bit out of the ordinary in that I'm totally familiar with maintaining and testing well/septic homes, but haven't had much experience with city utilities. Is there a pressing need for a water test if you're on city water? For the sewer, I understand it's a good idea to scope the line to the street, but are there any other "must do" items for city sewer other than making sure the lines aren't cracked?
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Oct 17, 2016 15:41
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EAT FASTER!!!!!! posted:I live in an area with pretty low labor costs and a pretty good regional hardware chain. Is putting a steel roof on our house going to add value?
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Oct 17, 2016 16:21
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LogisticEarth posted:Is there a pressing need for a water test if you're on city water? The water provider will often have testing data available online, updated annually. Obviously there is a difference between testing water at your sink and their testing at the reservoir or aqueduct or whatever but it might be a good place to start.
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Oct 17, 2016 16:23
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Alereon posted:I would note that there are different kinds of metal roofs. Cheap thin exposed-fastener metal roofing tends to signal crap housing and will be a liability when the fasteners start to leak. A well-installed standing-seam roof using thicker steel panels will last the lifetime of the building and seems to be accepted as a signal of quality. I think you should do it if it makes sense from a total cost of ownership and quality of life (indoor temperatures) perspective, not just because you want to increase your home's value. The roof on the building currently was asphault shingles installed at construction in 2005. I don't think we're due for a new roof yet, and I'm sure there are some other hidden expenses we're going to encounter before then. I guess I'll just wait and put it on the house we build when we get sick of this one and decide to move on. The roof in question was going to be a professionally installed standing-seam roof with the G100 coating. I think they look very sharp, and they're supposed to last 50 years. Thanks for the insight.
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Oct 17, 2016 16:29
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LogisticEarth posted:We're putting in an offer on a house with city water and sewer. I'm actually a bit out of the ordinary in that I'm totally familiar with maintaining and testing well/septic homes, but haven't had much experience with city utilities. <insert Flint joke> Getting the sewer line scoped during inspection is a good idea if the home is older.
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Oct 17, 2016 16:58
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That, or just assume it's poo poo and you're going to be replacing it if you don't want to rotorooter every spring. Not that I know two people in my neighborhood that this has happened to.
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Oct 17, 2016 17:51
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Having the sewer scoped is always a good idea. You can see if theres any problems. But if also look up when the city takes responsibility for the line. Where I live, you're supposed to have a property line cleanout, and you're only responsible from the house to that cleanout. If you don't have one, well you own the sewer all the way to the city tap. If you have to replace the sewer, you'll have to go all the way to the tap in the street. And naturally fix the road to city spec. Other places you just own the whole thing regardless.
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Oct 17, 2016 18:51
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Soooo.... I'm looking at moving back home (new job) to help my Dad ease himself into retirement and I am looking at a house for myself. I've been looking for a while (online) and I think I've found a keeper. http://www.hayden-homes.com/home/pacific/?lot=60983 http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1337-Crab-Apple-Cir-West-Richland-WA-99353/110349794_zpid/ The house is pretty new, built around 2010 I think. Pros: Newer House Larger garage (28 x 19) RV Parking (Can rent out to one of my co-workers) Cons: Little bit longer commute but not too terrible... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1931-Birch-Ave-Richland-WA-99354/94819181_zpid/ Older house but I really really like it Pros: Larger garage Possible to add in-law suite to the back side of the garage and rent it. Closer to work Cons: Huge yard Walls and ceiling do not appear to be able to add very much insulation Big Assed Windows facing the street
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Oct 17, 2016 22:57
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Senor P. posted:
So which has the larger garage? I'd go with the second home, shorter commutes are much better. And if you're talking about renting poo poo out, it'd be much better(and less eye-sorey) to build and rent and in-law unit rather than RV parking. It also appears an RV would fit in front of the garage at the second home if you're super adamant about including your co-worker's RV parking needs into your house. For the windows, you can throw on some permanent blinds on the bottom windows and never really worry about it.
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Oct 18, 2016 01:29
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That first one is a Zillow "Make me Move". It's not really for sale. You can try to buy it but the owner is not actively looking to sell, they just put in a number on Zillow's site they think they can get.
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Oct 18, 2016 02:04
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Jealous Cow posted:<insert Flint joke> Newer construction, too. Mislaid sewer pipes can become bellied in less than a month or they might be fine for years before issues occur. It all depends on which mistakes were made, the soil, the climate, etc
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Oct 18, 2016 07:34
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Getting your city tap water quality tested is a legit new trend nowadays, at least among the silly elite liberals with more time and money on their hands then they really need around here.
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Oct 18, 2016 17:39
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Pryor on Fire posted:Getting your city tap water quality tested is a legit new trend nowadays, at least among the silly elite liberals with more time and money on their hands then they really need around here. I'm looking in a small town in PA and know exactly where the water source is, so I'm not overly concerned about a Flint Michigan scenario. So I'll probably pass on that and save a few hundred. It's got a slate roof too. Depending on who I talk to that is either amazing and will last for a hundred years, or an expensive nightmare. Considering half the houses around here have slate, I'm guessing it's manageable.
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Oct 18, 2016 20:29
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Seller is requesting to move possession three days after closing so that they can have time to move into their new home. Should I charge rent for this, or is there anything else I need to do? Horror stories?
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Oct 21, 2016 20:10
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Drunk Tomato posted:Seller is requesting to move possession three days after closing so that they can have time to move into their new home. Should I charge rent for this, or is there anything else I need to do? Horror stories? I would be very uncomfortable with that because they could trash the place on the way out and the deal would already be closed. I would also be worried that my homeowner's policy wouldn't cover anything if they burned the house down while they were still there after the closing.
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Oct 21, 2016 20:15
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Droo posted:I would be very uncomfortable with that because they could trash the place on the way out and the deal would already be closed. I would also be worried that my homeowner's policy wouldn't cover anything if they burned the house down while they were still there after the closing. Yeah. They are a nice small family that took incredible care of this century-old house, and our negotiations were totally fair to both parties so I can't imagine why they would do anything crazy, but... You never know
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Oct 21, 2016 20:21
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