Home again, home again…
I’m back but I’m still waiting for the pictures that the photographer took of my sister’s house so I can share them with you but let me tell you — it looks awesome!
I was there for one day short of two weeks and worked every single day. We did go shopping one day and to the beach for a few hours a couple times too, but it was mostly work.
I’m totally ok with that, that’s why I went.
My sister was in over her head trying to get her house on the market and had hired help that ended up creating more work…
I’ve been there!
I just finished “being there” on my own house so I knew what she was going through and went to help her out.
Working so hard on house projects so soon after …working so hard on house projects, made me realize that I am ready to NOT work so hard on a house.
I decided that I wanted to buy a nice new house that didn’t need a whole lot of tearing up and remodeling. Built ins and decorating- yes! Tearing out walls, replacing flooring, and every other thing in the house – not so much.
So, we made an offer on the one house that fit the bill (mostly) when I got back yesterday.
The seller came back without budging (hardly) so we walked away.
Now I’m back to looking at total fixer uppers, which are plentiful in this area!
I’m not super excited about taking on a complete home remodel again but it looks like that is what we are going to have to do.
I’ve never, in all my years of buying houses, seen such a poor excuse for options.
At this point, we have to give up on at least one of the things on our list that was a MUST have for our future house.
I can have a house with 9′ ceilings and literally no yard,
or I can have a house with 8′ ceilings with a great yard!
I think we can live with 8′ ceilings for a few years because I know I can make every other aspect of the house super cute and functional and awesome!
The thing I’m worried about is resale…
What would you do?
The problem is that my gut is just so confused! Thanks for the great advice Anna. I think we’re all feeling pretty good about the yard and ok with the ceilings.
Yes, you had the best opportunity to stay comfortable in your own home while you looked and then the incredible fortune to sell your own home in 2 days – in this market! Incredible! Totally jealous but more happy for you!
We will never have that luxury as we never live in one place long enough. Wes has already been doing this job 6 months which is 1/4 of the span of our usual stay in one location. We gotta’ get on it!
heeehee
I know you say that you don’t want to have to work too hard, but I remember someone around here talking about how bored and out of sorts she felt because she didn’t have a project. I know how you feel because I am always saying that I don’t want to take on too much, but then I get so excited about the project that lands in my lap that I take things on anyway. I say, go for it!
Oh, and p.s., we bought a new home a few years ago, and we have had more problems with it than if we had bought a “used” home (like replacing all our rotting subfloor upstairs). So, new doesn’t promise less work.
I grew up in a turn-of-the-century house (in a city) with 9-foot ceilings. I live now in a suburban house with double the square-footage and 8-foot ceilings. To be honest, other than being to low for ceiling fans, I’m happier with the lower ceilings.
The 8-foot ceiling is the standard and has no appreciable effect on resale, at least here in the northeast. In fact, other than gorgeous Victorians, the “McMansion” has a much larger resale value and appreciation potential.
When it comes to ceiling heights, I’d be more concerned with the basement. A 12-course basement allows finishing off the space. A 10-course basement is doomed to forever be utilities and storage.
The value of a yard depends on the buyer. Some will see it as an asset, while others only see the work involved as a drain on their spare time and will avoid it, no matter how gorgeous. Except “McMansions”… where the buyer will pay a landscape company to take care of it for the status of having a gorgeous yard.
Also, figure out what the market in your area wants before sinking too much money into renovation. For example, my real-estate agent aunt (in NJ) told us that hardwood floors didn’t add any value. Maybe not in NJ, but in our market they’re very important and highly sought-after.
Yeah, I understand this. I wanted 9 foot ceilings but we have 8 foot ceilings here. We still live a nice life 😉
The yard thing is important, it sounds like. And the “potential to be awesome” sounds awesome. 🙂
I look forward to your adventures. I’m kinda hoping you get a fixer-upper because I like to see what you do.
Dixie