Head v. Heart - house shopping

"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535) 01/29/2018 at 21:42 • Filed to: None

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My head says to go look at the split level 60s house that is 2 blocks into a first ring suburb with not much curb appeal but a double attached garage, a .25 acre yard, 4 houses from a playground and across the street from a lake(not swimmable most of the year). Probably no galvanized water pipes, and has central air.

My heart tells me to hold out for the right bungalow or Tudor in the city with a 1-1.5 car garage, a 5000 square foot yard, and all the curb appeal and charm a person could ever want. It is Bound to have either a boiler and no central air, outdated plumbing or wiring or a fun house floors somewhere, and all the other young couples will come flocking too.

Last time I let my heart win we put in the first offer and then so did 6 other people and it went for at least $10k over asking.

If I can get over driving an early 996; I should be able to get over living in a house that lacks a little charm, shouldn’t I?

Frenchlicker > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 21:58

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A lick of paint and some landscaping is a whole lot easier on your wallet and you yourself than new plumbing and such. Plus, larger garage even if you don’t need it it will be useful.

fintail > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 21:59

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Only 10K over? Must not be around Seattle.

Charm is nice, but so is land and garage. The commute might be the tie-breaker.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > fintail 01/29/2018 at 22:06

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Thankfully I moved from Oregon to Minnesota this year. Minnesota is still pretty affordable but it’s competitive at our price range.

The neighborhoods are pretty much adjacent. The commutes are pretty equivalent.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Frenchlicker 01/29/2018 at 22:09

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Just as devils advocate, people are falling over themselves to buy the older city houses, whereas the 60s split has been on the market for a little while(albeit in part because it started out over priced). If I were trying to sell in 10 years, I’d probably be happy to have the city house. However, I think with the right touches like you point out, the 60s split would probably be more desirable.

fintail > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 22:22

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Almost as bad as Seattle then, no doubt a good move if you want to buy and don’t have a heavy 6 figure household income. I have a relative who bought a place in Beaverton at the bottom of the crash, and sold it a couple years ago, made out like a bandit.

My parents had a few houses with “character” when I was growing up, including a lovely brick tudor and a big craftsman four square style place - both houses had tons of vintage features and both required their fair share of work. I’m happy with walls, a roof, and a garage (as I can’t afford to be picky here).

shop-teacher > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 22:24

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Let me put it to you this way. When that free 996 became available, the reason I couldn’t even afford a free car that needed an engine swap, is because all my money is getting sunk into a charming old house. Tens of thousands of dollars later, I still need to do a kitchen, soffits, facias, paint job, patio ... Kill me. Please.

Dogsatemypants > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 22:26

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Check this. Its a very small town surrounded by small to medium sized towns and a lot of farmland

https://www.manillaia.com/business.asp?key=3#Article

They need residents and are willing to give you land if you can put a house on it. All oppos assemble! Oppovilliage iowa is a go!

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > shop-teacher 01/29/2018 at 22:53

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This is such a good reality check.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Dogsatemypants 01/29/2018 at 22:54

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Be a heck of a commute.

Milky > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 22:59

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For whatever its worth my roommate just bought an old house in the city with no garage. Its been flipped but still some issues, though we’re really liking it so far. Its just pretty to be in.

shop-teacher > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 23:06

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Glad I could help.

Chariotoflove > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 23:07

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Let me just say this. A home is so much more than just a building. It’s the neighbors and neighborhood. It’s community. It’s parks and playgrounds and how many kids on the street go trick or treating and how safe their parents feel letting them do it. Sure there are truly ugly houses, but not that many. Most of them can become awesome homes if the environment is right. Just my perspective.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 23:31

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Here’s a couple of pointers from a real estate professional. You make money on the buying, not the selling of a home. Don’t try to predict a market 10 years in the future (no one was predicting such a monstrous housing crash in ‘07). It’s much easier to update a 50 year old home than a 90+ year old home. The phrase “they don’t build them like the used to” cuts both ways, as builders in the early teen’s had no codes to deal with, and previous owners can do some really weird shit. You describe the home as a “split level”. Typically, tri-levels and quads sell better than a bi-level, or split ranch type home.

Deal Killer - Powered by Focus > Chariotoflove 01/29/2018 at 23:32

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Yep. I’m not fond of my house, but my neighborhood, for the most part, is one of the best in the area.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/29/2018 at 23:35

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The problem with ‘old charm’ is that it is usually broken and can be expensive to fix....like an old Alfa.

The great thing about ‘charm’ is that it can (with care) be introduced to almost anything.

Dogsatemypants > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 00:31

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If all oppos assemble we make a rally course outside the boyer valley, have a ginormous scrap yard somewhere, a spacecrab hatchery, and a rest home for old volvos. If we build it, industry will come.

Phase 1) collect underpants

Phase 2) ...?

Phase 3) profit!

Dogsatemypants > Dogsatemypants 01/30/2018 at 00:44

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Have extension colony in marne iowa (they need folk too) so we can have rivals.

I live in washington, but i have family living in a town south of manilla and my grandma is living close by there too.

I have driven through the area, it is a nice place with not a whole lot going on just in town (that was almost 2 years ago). The locals are super friendly, the sweet corn will make your mind explode, tasty beef is cheap and plentiful.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 00:58

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You can always make a house into something with dashes of your own charm and touch. Location, location, location.

AestheticsInMotion > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 02:22

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Look into HOA’s. A bad one should absolutely be a deal breaker, no matter how fantastic the rest of the deal looks

smobgirl > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 02:57

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My house is old but simple and I can do whatever I want to it without feeling too guilty. People have done some weird shit to it over the years, but it’s structurally sound and everything has been tested to the limit.

My dad’s house was relatively modern when purchased (10 yearsish) and needed a shit ton of expensive work because of shoddy workmanship (outer wall, plumbing, then insulation makes for a lot of soggy drywall when it freezes, etc.).

I guess what I’m saying is, you aren’t necessarily safe regardless. My one recommendation is to make sure whatever you buy has as much storage space as possible. Garages, attic, basement, CLOSETS (my only regret). You can fix and update as you please but you can only do so much to add space.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 09:08

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if you can use a hammer and a saw you can add all the charm you want. The most important part of a HOME is enjoying where and how you live. If you are going to listen to anyone as far as house style goes you should be listening to me. As an architect I look at fancy, beautiful houses all day long. I live in a typical colonial. It had minimal character, especially when you conciser that half of the other houses in my neighborhood are near identical copies. Over time I will work on that, but for now, I’m going to enjoy the house that my family will be able to live comfortably, in, even if it looks boring.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Deal Killer - Powered by Focus 01/30/2018 at 09:48

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I’ve seen awful things done to joists and foundations in the name of some sort of past improvement.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > smobgirl 01/30/2018 at 10:26

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Thanks for the advice. You are right that age /= quality. I’ve seen some older houses that were super well kept and preserved and some 70s houses that were a mess. Inteeesting note about the closets; we looked at one house where for some reason they had remodeled all the closets out, perplexing

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > OPPOsaurus WRX 01/30/2018 at 12:10

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The house just has odd window placements that make it look goofy from the lake side. From the driveway it looks all right and from the majority of the yard side it has that long slanty roof thing going on over the house to garage. I think we may look at it tonight.

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 01/30/2018 at 12:21

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We are hopefully going to look at it tonight. It’s location is pretty good. Right outside of Minneapolis; near a lake, near a parkway, walking distance to the suburbs’ downtown; walking distance to a couple Minneapolis eateries. The one bummer is there is rapid bus to the east and a light rail to the west planned for the area we have been looking and this house will be smack dab .7 miles from both. We thought we would end up within blocks of one or the other.

I think the stucco needs a good washing and maybe painted, maybe; and a different roof trim color and it’ll be a bit better. I’ve only ever rented and so thinking about how to improve a house to me is a little foreign.

OPPOsaurus WRX > Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle 01/30/2018 at 12:31

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there were a couple houses that we looked at that as soon as we stepped inside the door we thought no way, but until then, it would have been one of those things where we would always think, ‘that house could have been the one’