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Droo posted:While we're on the topic of how great EU construction is (??), what is up with the stupidly tiny washer/dryer units that every Euro apartment I rent seems to have? Is doing 3 loads of laundry instead of 1 some kind of soothing family activity where people watch the tiny bin spin around for 3 hours? I know those tiny units can't possibly be that much cheaper or save much space compared to a normal sized one. I actually bought a European washer-dryer set for my last apartment because they were designed to fit under a standard height countertop. I had a small place and the kitchen was actually the old converted laundry room. So the ability to reclaim every square inch of counter space was worth the reduced wash size. For two adults, it wasn't too bad. My understanding is that most Europeans tend to do more frequent, smaller loads, but a Eurogoon can probably give a more accurate explaination. If space isn't a limitation, then I don't really see the advantage. I believe the larger machines are more efficient per weight and certainly more convenient to do a weekly load of laundry.
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Feb 20, 2017 19:08
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mastershakeman posted:hell, get the mortgage yourself and have your girlfriend pay you rent This is the correct answer, OP. I ended up in this situation, was thinking about getting a shared mortgage and ended up with it in my name only, girlfriend paying half the mortgage cost, with me providing the deposit. She left shortly before I deployed on operations (cheers) but ultimately it left the whole place in my name. Now selling for quite a lot more, though that isn't the point. Splitting the mortgage cost unequally in your favour is weird and makes you look like a bit of a cock tbh, particularly as you clearly have more money than she does. Having just lived (part-time) in a new-build house in the UK for a year, I would say construction of new developments in the UK is driven almost exclusively by profit and you will get the lowest quality the developer thinks they can get away with. I would personally be very unlikely to buy a new build and would be very circumspect about construction and quality if I did.
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Feb 20, 2017 19:12
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willie_dee posted:I am having some doubts now, everyone in the UK is doing this, and I just wanted an answer to see if my math was right, but now I have got a few people telling me what an awful idea it is, even though I don't understand why. Maybe we can figure it out itt. It's an awful idea to enter into a contract with your life partner where you are worried about them "paying you back." Get a basic contract where they have to buy you out in the end and their interest appreciates over time to 50%, but don't worry about them actually handing you the cash. Do you not have combined finances otherwise? Why not just fill out the marriage paperwork just to simplify this and not need to involve an attorney? (How does community property work in the UK?) Presume that you will be buying this house 100% because you will be 100% liable for the payments regardless of what secondary contract you have with your partner. Even though mortgages in the UK are much different than in the USA I'm going to assume you sign paperwork saying that the bank is first in line and you will be "jointly and severably liable." Ask your solicitor.
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Feb 20, 2017 19:33
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I like unmarried couples that buy a house together. That's what allows me and my wife to buy up a house in a great neighborhood for rock bottom price and double the value in 3 years.
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Feb 20, 2017 21:46
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willie_dee posted:When people started talking about spending $1000's of dollars on upkeep on a house, yea! I have owned my property 7 years and spent about £500 max in upkeep and repairs. Those numbers weren't just from repairs, it was also from all of the additional money that a house costs in terms in utilities, insurance, taxes, landscaping, etc. It sounds like you want to buy an apartment so swap landscaping for some sort of condo association fee. The point is that the monthly cost of the mortgage is only one of a long list of expenses that come with home ownership, and having a home warranty does not mean that you get to skip insurance or maintenance (because maintenance is more than "replace a thing that's broken", it's also upkeep tasks that sometimes cost money). This isn't some UK vs US poo poo, homes cost money to maintain and many of those costs aren't covered by a warranty (a warranty covers damage, not upkeep!)
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Feb 20, 2017 22:11
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When did this turn into the home buying thread?
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Feb 20, 2017 22:12
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People don't realize there are two threads, maybe?
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Feb 20, 2017 22:13
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Axiem posted:When did this turn into the home buying thread? Well we're talking to a Brit so you have to think in terms of opposites, instead of the right side of the road they drive on the left, instead of asking home buying questions in the home buying thread they go to the homeownership thread, etc
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Feb 20, 2017 22:14
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Also this is willie_dee we are talking about. A man who transcended his own gimmick and literally stalked a 300 pound mixed martial artist.
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Feb 20, 2017 22:20
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Sorry, didn't realise there was a homebuying and a home owning thread, thanks for the comments guys, I will move on over to the home buying thread. I have owned my own place for 7+ years now, never struggled with any costs, she has rented from me in that period, we are at the point in our relationship where we would like to purchase together, my lawyer/solicitor/attorney has done the due diligence in protecting my deposit as mine, ensuring that if we do break up and have to sell, I will get that back. He is my friend and solicitor and wouldn't be stitching me up, and everyone over here has said what we are doing is very common. I appreciate the feedback all the same.
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Feb 21, 2017 00:01
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Sounds to me like you're doing the right things, putting down everything into a contract is the best way to make sure that things are simpler if you break up down the line and that's what's important
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Feb 21, 2017 00:05
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willie_dee posted:Sorry, didn't realise there was a homebuying and a home owning thread, thanks for the comments guys, I will move on over to the home buying thread. Since you have the $100k, just buy the house/condo/apartment yourself. You can then figure out later how much per month to charge your girlfriend in rent to live with you.
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Feb 21, 2017 02:04
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Fozzy The Bear posted:Since you have the $100k, just buy the house/condo/apartment yourself. The apartment will be £270k, I have £100k. I don't want to be paying a mortgage of £600pm in my name reliant on the rent from my girlfriend as that leaves me massively exposed if we break up. If the mortgage is in her name and we break up, we either both sell, with my £100k protected, or, one of us keeps it and buys the other out. I will decide then if its worth the £600 a month to continue owning it (it almost certainly will be)
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Feb 21, 2017 03:55
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willie_dee posted:The apartment will be £270k, I have £100k. I don't want to be paying a mortgage of £600pm in my name reliant on the rent from my girlfriend as that leaves me massively exposed if we break up. alternatively your breakup is nasty and there's protracted litigation with the bank and all your equity vanishes because your girlfriend doesn't want you to 'win', something that happens insanely often
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Feb 21, 2017 04:07
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mastershakeman posted:alternatively your breakup is nasty and there's protracted litigation with the bank and all your equity vanishes because your girlfriend doesn't want you to 'win', something that happens insanely often I am not worried about that, if things ever turned sour my lawyer has insured I will be protected.
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Feb 21, 2017 04:23
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willie_dee posted:I am not worried about that, if things ever turned sour my lawyer has insured I will be protected. Fozzy The Bear posted:You can then figure out later how much per month to charge your girlfriend in rent to live with you. willie_dee posted:my lawyer/solicitor/attorney has done the due diligence in protecting my deposit as mine, ensuring that if we do break up and have to sell, I will get that back. willie_dee posted:Buying a house together is far more of a commitment financially anyway, but neither of us really believe in marriage. On this week's Lifetime movie for millennials - how true is their love for eachother? Will Randy give Cheryl a 10% discount on this month's rent so she can eat, or will he maintain the integrity of their legal cohabitation agreement? Tune in Friday for the shocking conclusion with guest appearance by Judge Judy to sign off on the temporarily modified agreement of mutual expectations performed by current housing parter.
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Feb 21, 2017 04:38
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willie_dee posted:I am not worried about that, if things ever turned sour my lawyer has insured I will be protected. I'll bet he didn't actually tell you that and you just think so
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Feb 21, 2017 05:08
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mastershakeman posted:I'll bet he didn't actually tell you that and you just think so No, he specifically told me that. He has also requested a meeting with the two of us to explain it to both of us at the same time so she knows what she is signing, and suggested a lawyer for her to use to cross reference everything.
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Feb 21, 2017 05:11
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Which one of you loses big-time when the property price bubble pops and the home loses half of its value? Because I'm guessing it's the one who paid the entire deposit. You put up 100% of the money up front, you are taking 100% of the risk and therefore should start at 100% ownership. Her interst in the property should accumulate only as the equity (not interest!) she pays as a percentage of the total equity paid over time grows... and if the propery value changes, her equity should decline first because she didn't risk any of her capital. In other words, you buy the home, and gradually sell her an interest in the propery. If you structure the deal that way, you might be ok.
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Feb 21, 2017 09:57
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It would honestly surprise me if they hadn't already worked that out. Dude has talked to a lawyer, he's probably fine.
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Feb 21, 2017 13:19
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QuarkJets posted:It would honestly surprise me if they hadn't already worked that out. Dude has talked to a lawyer, he's probably fine. there's massive glaring holes that either his lawyer sucks too much to have noticed, or the poster has thought the lawyer said something that the lawyer didn't, but who cares, this guy is totally confident there's no downside so why argue w/ him
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Feb 21, 2017 16:10
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Another thing our builder told us prior to entering contract (which I unfortunately did not get in writing) was that our roof top deck was overbuilt and would support the weight of a hot tub. That was a big plus for us, and part of the reason why we decided to move forward. I was in the process of ordering a tub a few months ago and the vendor asked us to get a pounds per square foot rating for the roof, which I asked builder for. He reached out to the architect/structural engineer who told us it was built to code requirement, or 40 pounds per square foot. The tub, which was the lightest available model I could find, required 100 PSF. If we had moved forward without asking builder to verify again, that would have been a major disaster. Builder apologized for overstating and said that the previous homes of the same design were overbuilt, but mine was not. The architect told us that it would be possible to put a tub up there, but we'd have to have the joists sistered, which would involve tearing out the ceiling below the roof and reinforcing everything. Sounds expensive. It's amazing and extremely frustrating to me that builders can basically lie to get you into a contract, then back out of these obligations or plead ignorance after you take ownership. I can understand a typical homeowner selling and not knowing for sure what is in the walls or ceilings, but not the person who actually designed and built the house.
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Feb 21, 2017 19:26
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BusinessWallet posted:Another thing our builder told us prior to entering contract (which I unfortunately did not get in writing) was that our roof top deck was overbuilt and would support the weight of a hot tub. That was a big plus for us, and part of the reason why we decided to move forward. I was in the process of ordering a tub a few months ago and the vendor asked us to get a pounds per square foot rating for the roof, which I asked builder for. He reached out to the architect/structural engineer who told us it was built to code requirement, or 40 pounds per square foot. Definitely shows the importance of getting EVERYTHING in writing.
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Feb 21, 2017 19:51
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BusinessWallet posted:Another thing our builder told us prior to entering contract (which I unfortunately did not get in writing) was that our roof top deck was overbuilt and would support the weight of a hot tub. EAT FASTER!!!!!! posted:Definitely shows the importance of getting EVERYTHING in writing. Maybe they just did get the promise in writing. If you're already suing them print out the email and add it to the complaint.
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Feb 21, 2017 20:43
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I didn't get the initial promise in writing, however I did get him admitting that he had overspoken at the walkthrough, not sure how valid that is. One thing I did get in writing - they're townhouses with a shared party wall. I asked how the houses were built and framed, if they featured any shared structures like a condo, or if they were built independently. He said they were built and framed independently, with an air gap in between the houses. Later on, we found out that he misspoke and the front and rear facade of the houses are all one shared shear wall, which explains why those walls shake when the neighbors open and close their doors. That wall also passes an incredible amount of sound.
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Feb 21, 2017 21:05
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That's not mis-speaking.
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Feb 21, 2017 23:52
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No Butt Stuff posted:That's not mis-speaking. Alternative speaking?
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Feb 21, 2017 23:55
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So I got a home energy audit that is subsidized through my electric provider, and they said they recommended aero sealing my ducts, and that it would be at no additional charge (120 for the audit). I looked up the price and it is normally 1000 or more? Am I getting a great deal or am I getting scammed?
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Feb 22, 2017 20:22
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Aerosealing is a real thing, and lots of people's ductwork is poorly sealed which wastes tons of energy. http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/blogs/does-aeroseal-work-an-auditors-review According to this, it's generally not cost effective compared to going into an attic and actually finding and sealing leaky ducts. But probably cheaper than tearing open walls, ceilings, floors, etc., so a lot depends on your construction. It also only lasts 10 years. e. read the comments, though. There's a decent back and forth talking about the various criticisms. I'd say if you have no huge leaks and you're getting the aeroseal for free, that's a tremendous deal you should absolutely jump on. Leperflesh fucked around with this message at 20:43 on Feb 22, 2017 |
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Feb 22, 2017 20:38
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Bozart posted:So I got a home energy audit that is subsidized through my electric provider, and they said they recommended aero sealing my ducts, and that it would be at no additional charge (120 for the audit). I looked up the price and it is normally 1000 or more? Am I getting a great deal or am I getting scammed? So, you paid them $120, and they're saying they are going to come back and seal the ducts at a later time, for free? $120 seems like it would barely cover the audit, I'm wondering who ultimately would be paying for the duct sealing. Maybe the electric company? Or are they going to surprise you with extra fees midway through? The aeroseal process seems to be fairly involved: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqBbVbsbtWU (you can find a not-terrible quality version on the this old house website) What else did the audit tell you? I doubt sealing your ducts is going to lead to any meaningful difference in energy efficiency. What good are sealed ducts if all your conditioned air is leaking into the attic?
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Feb 23, 2017 02:55
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Is there any yard mosquito control that actually works or are they all gimmicks? They guy at the hardware store was telling me how great some garlic extract stuff they sell was but it was around $70 for a gallon which is 4x as expensive as most of the other insecticides they were selling.
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Feb 23, 2017 21:51
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dalstrs posted:Is there any yard mosquito control that actually works or are they all gimmicks? They guy at the hardware store was telling me how great some garlic extract stuff they sell was but it was around $70 for a gallon which is 4x as expensive as most of the other insecticides they were selling. This is more about personal repellent but might be useful: https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/02/in-high-tech-mimic-of-your-patio-scientists-find-the-best-mosquito-deterrent/
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Feb 23, 2017 22:50
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Hate to continue this UK guy's nonsense, but I didn't see anyone say it - I'm closing on a house with my fiance next month, but even though we aren't technically married (whatever, we're doing it for tax reasons mostly) we have been sharing finances for over a year and budgeting successfully together for that time. I cannot imagine buying a house with someone where we don't share finances for day-to-day expenses. Even if you never have to do any maintenance (as you claim is the case which...lol), who buys the new couch that you want, or a new dining table? These are questions you would want to have answers for before buying a property. Marriage is one thing, but buying a house with someone you don't share finances with sounds both stupid and like a huge pain in the rear end, especially if you have disparate incomes which seems like the situation here.
marchantia fucked around with this message at 23:27 on Feb 23, 2017 |
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Feb 23, 2017 23:18
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Talk about it with your fiance and try to figure out something that feels reasonable to you both. I mean, this is like asking who buys the groceries or pays for the kid's piano lessons or whatever -- there's always going to be expenses at a greater or lesser scale that need to fit into your budgets. If you can't come to an agreement together, couples counseling is probably a decent idea. Counseling isn't just for failing relationships; it helps people who are having trouble communicating with each other, and a lot of people are bad at communicating. When you're dealing with financially providing for your family, a lot of emotions can get tangled up into what would otherwise be a pretty straightforward budgeting process, so having a trained, objective outsider to help you out isn't a bad idea.
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Feb 23, 2017 23:24
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:Talk about it with your fiance and try to figure out something that feels reasonable to you both. I mean, this is like asking who buys the groceries or pays for the kid's piano lessons or whatever -- there's always going to be expenses at a greater or lesser scale that need to fit into your budgets. Haha sorry that was unclear. We share finances so it's not a problem? I was referring to the conversation with the guy wanting to buy a house with his girlfriend in the UK...Updated my post to hopefully make it less confusing. marchantia fucked around with this message at 23:28 on Feb 23, 2017 |
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Feb 23, 2017 23:25
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I can't imagine being married and not sharing 100% of finances.
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Feb 24, 2017 04:20
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EAT FASTER!!!!!! posted:I can't imagine being married and not sharing 100% of finances. Share 75%, have 25% to do whatever you want with, everyone wins.
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Feb 24, 2017 12:45
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Me and my wife just pay different bills or expenditures and split monthly house payment in half. Personal debt is your responsibility and anything left is up for you to decide what you want to do. It honestly works out really well and lots of potential fights are avoided as a result.
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Feb 24, 2017 14:41
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Lol if you dont lock your spouse in a closet and garnish 50% of their income.
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Feb 24, 2017 19:35
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78% of divorces start from financial struggles and/or trying to hide financial struggles from your spouse. I made that number up, it's probably low.
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Feb 24, 2017 19:39
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