[House-shopping] Another new scenario of annoyance

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck) 02/11/2018 at 14:25 • Filed to: house shopping

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So we looked at something else last night.

The home itself was perfect. Just what I wanted: 2 car garage, 3-wide driveway, 3 bedroom rambler, fully fenced backyard, needs nothing. And of course my wife likes it because it’s completely updated, has mature landscaping (that means it has stuff that was not left to die and also looks good). In addition, it has central heating and air conditioning. New roof, new paint, no cracked in the driveway, no old carpet, no broken sliders, no nothing.

Things we don’t like: LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. It’s in a decent neighborhood, but it’s not in the city we want. The neighborhood itself is all track housing from the 70s though 90s. There are no local parks, it’s not close to downtown. It’s basically a big slab of asphalt with a few hundred homes sticking out of it.

In addition, the backyard is right up against Highway 9 . Now, I’ve lived near busy roads before. Some big ol’ trees and hedges can work wonders. However, a 6' cedar fence parallel with a 60 mph highway/logging route doesn’t do jack shit. Even at 8pm it was loud as Gosh-darn-heck outside.

Furthermore, it’s pushing the budget. Once the bidding begins, it will likely be beyond what I’m willing to pay for any home, let alone one with as many compromises as this. However it was a unique in that it was the first time I was impressed with the house itself, even knowing our budget it pretty much this ultimatum: “Nice house, or place where you actually want to live. Pick one.”

So anyway. Just more lamenting from yours truly. Must be another day that ends in “-day.” I did have eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast. So that was nice. :D

CB > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 14:38

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All of this just makes me realize how smart I was to leave Toronto. Good luck with your ongoing search!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 14:46

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How to buy a house for a good price: move to northern Wisconsin

Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 14:47

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Here is what I would say; don’t look anywhere you don’t want to live; it just neighborhood but surroundings. It’s hard on you and your realtor(even if they offer up the house). I ruled out so many houses with satellite view, street view and google maps search for “coffee”/“restaurant”/“Park” for walkability.

Also, you know whether or not you’ll get a decent house in the area you want. I regularly had to pull up “recently sold” listing for the area we wanted to be for my wife when she was losing faith and show her all those dots and say “the houses are there for money we have, we just need to wait and then jump on it when it comes.”

Good luck. We do our inspection on Tuesday morning. I’m pretty confident in the house but you just never know.

DipodomysDeserti > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 14:53

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Also keep in mind some of the health risks involved with living near a highway.

http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/outdoor/air-pollution/highways.html

fintail > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 14:57

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Once the bidding starts LOL. I will guess Lake Stevens if you are lucky, Marysville or Arlington if not.

I’ve resigned myself to the idea that I’ll need a winning powerball ticket with at least 5 numbers to be the key for me having a detached house within a commuting distance that would allow me to retain a little sanity.

And just last year my 70s dream house on 3+ acres sold for 480K, just outside Salem:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/492-Mcnary-St-Independence-OR-97351/48513428_zpid/

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 02/11/2018 at 15:17

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If it wasn’t for the frozen and proximity to family here (not to mention work opportunities), I’d be happy to move somewhere near Lake Superior in WI. I also have an unreasonable love of Sheboygan and would be happy to live up on that peninsula in Lake Michigan.

It’s too bad the UP is in MI, because I like it up there as well.

WilliamsSW > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 16:37

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You can fix the house. You can’t fix the location.

MM54 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 02/11/2018 at 18:40

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I passed on a couple nice houses for a good price based on location - you can always renovate, update, add on, and otherwise make the property how you want it, but you can’t pick it up and move it someplace else.

AdverseMartyr > WilliamsSW 02/11/2018 at 21:52

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So I clicked to recommend your post, and Kinja removed a star (according to what I see). I clicked again to remove my recommendation damage, and Kinja removed another star. I may see if I can send you into the negatives. Nope, I guess zero is as far as I can send you. Even Kinja has limits.

WilliamsSW > AdverseMartyr 02/11/2018 at 22:02

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STOP INVALIDATING ME!

I’ve heard others have had that happen too, though I haven’t seen it. Kinja gonna kinja...