House buying - first timer, alone & a little scared

[No_Go]

I'm doing it. Buying a house by myself. Everyone was convincing me oh wait to get married (yeah in some indefinite future) or buy a condo alone (that I'd barely fit my pets in)... Eh no - I put an offer for a fixer upper home in a decent neighborhood... If lucky, things should move quickly...

 

Any single person here went ahead with buying and renovation by themselves?

Any good stories? Or horror stories?

 

I'm definitely doing painting etc by myself, but will need the help of contractors for bigger stuff... And somehow they get put off by me, being a woman and a foreigner. The last time I had to use the services of a contractor, he completely ignored me and listened only to my back-then-boyfriend I'm almost thinking to pay to a male friend to pretend to be my husband in front of the freaking contractors

 

But let see if I get to that point... I already had a few offers rejected, but for this house - i feel I'm getting it...

[carhill]

Sure, did it decades ago. In fact, now that I think of it, all the houses I've owned I've bought on my own. I did help exW buy the house she got in the divorce but never really lived there.

 

My short list:

 

1. Before shopping, get pre-approved for financing. Pre-approval is a firm commitment from a lender and having that in your pocket gives you more leverage making offers. Whatever cash you're putting in the deal make sure it's in a verifiable account for at least 30 days.

 

2. Shopping - Location, location, location. Neighborhood, crime rate, schools, etc. Walk the neighborhoods you're interested in and talk with people.

 

3. You can find your own agent or get a referral from a friend, family member or business colleague. Unless you get a buyer broker, all the agents work for the seller anyway even if ostensibly helping you out. Still, they can be helpful.

 

4. Inspector - find a good home inspector. Referrals are helpful and sometimes a good agent will have a few names to interview. Don't ever let a contractor do a home inspection.

 

5. Appraiser - Most folks just go with the bank appraiser that comes with the lending deal but I've always paid for my own, usually a HUD appraiser, because they're brutal. Good way to hammer sellers on the TDS (transfer disclosure statement).

 

6. Lawyer, if used in your region. California doesn't use them, generally

 

That's the basics. No rush. You'll always run out of money before you'll run out of homes to buy.

 

ETA, on the renovation stuff, IMO outside of cosmetic stuff, don't buy a fixer unless you're experienced. Leave the rehabs to the professionals or the TV shows. It's a lot of work. Trust me, I know. On the last one, I finally gave it up and had a contractor do the roof 'cause I just didn't have the stamina anymore for that stuff and it being done by a contractor with a permit looked good on the sale docs.

 

I've pretty much done everything you can do to a house except build one from the ground up so if you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

Edited February 7, 2017 by carhill

[d0nnivain]

I bought a house alone as a single woman. My hand was shaking as I signed those mortgage papers. It was a little daunting to realize I owed so much money . . . me . . . just me . . . nobody else was responsible.

 

 

I immediately hired a few contractors to get the house up to speed . . . re-doing the floors, painting the entire interior & installing some carpet upstairs. I know the trend is for hardwood floors but I prefer carpet in a bedroom.

 

 

I'm specific & direct. Never had a problem with contractors. I recently had one who didn't listen to me. It cost him a fortune because I made him rip out a bunch of work & do it over because he did it his way instead of mine. Just be clear. It will be OK. No fake BF to act as a g0-between required.

 

 

Enjoy your new place.

[No_Go]

Thanks carhill!

 

1. I got pre-approved in December, basically 3 different brokers to compare rates..Still not sure which one to choose (one is pushy that he will match any other offer)

 

2. I had different neighborhood in mind, but this one is lowcrime rate and approx. 2 miles from the place where I wanted to live... I don't know how to screen the neighbors though.

 

3. I have my own agent, got him by referral, so I'm good here.

 

4, 5, 6 Recommended guys by my agent - hope he's not tricking me into paying his friends, and if so... at least hope they're good

 

So if I get my current offer - it is a foreclosed property. It is very clean, I said fixer upper if I want to use it's full potential (finish basement - it is semi-finished, I wanted to make a studio out of it down the line). 3 bedrooms upstairs but small - so I though to join two into a master (this can wait). Downstairs - a room that I want to turn into a bedroom - now is weird dining space.

 

The roof is not old, windows may need to be changed for energy saving (I got quoted 350/window). Floor is slanted on one place and that's a big concern of mine but I plan to get a structural engineer on top of the regular inspection -it that risky move? (it is not massive distortion but I'm still concerned)

[No_Go]

Yeah getting high six figures mortgage is insane move to most of my family... I guess it is also cultural thing, but makes me even more shaky.

 

I want hardwood because of my cat destroying carpet capabilities... Actually it has hardwood floors already. Painting... I thought I'll do it myself.

 

I'm negotiating the price right now so it is still not mine... But will keep in mind the advice for contractors when time comes, hopefully late March if it goes by plan

 

I bought a house alone as a single woman. My hand was shaking as I signed those mortgage papers. It was a little daunting to realize I owed so much money . . . me . . . just me . . . nobody else was responsible.

 

 

I immediately hired a few contractors to get the house up to speed . . . re-doing the floors, painting the entire interior & installing some carpet upstairs. I know the trend is for hardwood floors but I prefer carpet in a bedroom.

 

 

I'm specific & direct. Never had a problem with contractors. I recently had one who didn't listen to me. It cost him a fortune because I made him rip out a bunch of work & do it over because he did it his way instead of mine. Just be clear. It will be OK. No fake BF to act as a g0-between required.

 

 

Enjoy your new place.

[amaysngrace]

I bought my house by myself after I left my husband. It was kind of scary because I had the kids with me but after our first night here I met friends at the school bus stop and it's felt like home ever since. Love love love my neighbors!!

 

I wouldn't make any drastic changes to the place for at least one year if I were you. Get to know the place through all four seasons so that you have a real good feel for what you're dealing with.

 

It's good to know just what you have so that you'll be better at figuring out just what you need.

 

Fingers crossed for you but you know how they say if it's meant to be it will happen? When it comes to buying your house I truly believe that applies.

 

Good luck though!

[lana-banana]

Eeeee! So excited for you! I can't speak to the single part but as a new homeowner I can offer my advice from the process.

 

1) Location is paramount. You can change most of your house to be whatever you like, but you can't do anything about the neighborhood. Buy in a place you absolutely love, a place you like to walk your dog or visit coffee shops or enjoy a nice night out, and you will be happy to come home every day no matter what. I am so happy we bought where we did.

 

2) Research the hell out of your place, to include the neighborhood, surrounding homes and the house itself. Your city should have building and construction permits available online. If your place is old enough to have gone through a renovation or two, check to see that all the major work was permitted. You don't want to buy a place only to discover that the electrical work or something isn't up to code, and then have to pay for it yourself! Likewise, you don't want your wall to crumble because the neighbors didn't get a permit for their work. And so on.

 

3) Learn what is and isn't normal for the house. Pay five or six hundred bucks for some time with a structural engineer who will help point out what work needs to be done, if any. Not all scary-sounding things are problems and not all quick fixes are as innocent as they seem. If your house is 100 years old the floors are going to slant and slope a bit no matter what. If it was built in the 80s then you have a problem.

 

4) Prepare for the worst. When a contractor gives you an estimate add 20% and three weeks no matter what. Things will go wrong, things you didn't even realize were possible will happen, and if you let yourself get frustrated over every little thing you will have a nervous breakdown. However fanatically you save now, you should save even more.

 

5) Never fall in love with someone else's house. It is SO hard to stay emotionally detached from the process; you get wrapped up in it and it becomes exhausting. Don't let that happen to you. You need the energy for the road ahead! Stay as detached as you can and take lots of deep breaths. You are going to make pretty much the most dramatic life change possible outside of having a kid, so consider it accordingly. Meditate.

 

6) Have a good relationship with your contractor. Seriously. If there is any friction whatsoever it will come out when you're building, and you can't afford that. We searched until we found a reputable company that specializes in working with couples like us, and despite doing a great job thus far it's still tough sometimes. Be as flexible as you can, go out of your way to make sure they get what they need, and don't forget to bring them lunch occasionally.

 

Homebuying is a deeply personal experience. We bought a fixer upper with great bones, but it needed an absolute gut job on the inside. The first two months of making the place remotely liveable---while trying to live there, which I don't at all recommend---were hell. But man oh man, was it worth it. We got an amazing contractor who has done an awesome job. We JUST got our hardwood floors last week and it feels like the best thing ever. The entire process of watching the house come together has been exhilarating. We designed our own kitchen and bathrooms (well, with a lot of help), we chose all the fixtures and materials ourselves; it's our home, and it's going from a dream to reality. It's also been remarkable for my fiancé, who is as happy as I've ever seen him now that he has a wrecking bar and a chainsaw. (Men.)

 

Please keep us posted! I can't wait to hear more! And good luck!

Edited February 7, 2017 by lana-banana

[thefooloftheyear]

Ive bought, reno'ed and sold a bunch of houses...It was fun and very profitable..Its not as profitable as it once was, as capital appreciation of houses/real estate has been stagnant since the mortgage crisis...

 

But look at it this way....

 

Even if you don't realize a huge gain, pick a house you like, set it up how you want, don't be afraid to spend some money, and enjoy the thing...If you keep it long enough, it will be a forced savings account and the money is still cheap if you have good credit..

 

Some tips...and the posters previously gave some great advice..

 

-Try to get the best deal you can, but don't be afraid to pay more than you wanted if it clicks all the boxes...

 

-My immigrant grandfather gave me some great advice when I was a kid...Check the topography of the area and absolutely avoid ANY house that may have a water problem...Pick a house that's high up,,.I cant emphasize this enough!...There is nothing that will disrupt your life more than worrying about a flooded basement(or worse) when it rains heavily...These houses are usually cheap and draw some interest, but don't fall for it....Its NOT worth it!

 

-As for contractors, don't worry that you are a woman...Nowadays, women are becoming more of the decision makers(even with stuff like car repairs and such)..Most reputable contractors wont brow beat you or get condescending...Sure, if you know someone that has some background and is willing to act as an advocate, great....Its always better when they deal with someone that "walks the walk"...

 

-Check into obvious stuff like school system rankings(you never know), and other stuff like pedophile registries, crime stats, drug problems, etc..You get what you pay for and don't be afraid to spend for better..

 

-As for home inspectors...DON'T use the one the realtor is recommending to you...They have an interest with the realtor not to kill the deal, so they deliberately overlook stuff.. Remember, you really don't need the assistance of a realtor to find/buy a house...You can locate a home, and hire a qualified RE attorney(you will need an attorney anyway), and they will advise you...I find realtors to have alternative motives that don't always work for you...If you know a realtor, that's great..But be wary..

 

Good luck!

 

TFY

[No_Go]

The house buying is getting extremely frustrating... 4 offers rejected so far, and every time it happens on the best & final stage.

 

I have no idea what me / my agent is doing wrong. The winning offers are always equal or even lower than mine... Last one I was offering 30K over the listing price... It's not that I'm bidding low.

 

According to my agent is because the winning offers are waiving the inspection, but is that a reasonable risk? I have always put a contingency for over 5K worth of repairs...

 

Am I screwing up the process or just the market is insane?

[thefooloftheyear]

The house buying is getting extremely frustrating... 4 offers rejected so far, and every time it happens on the best & final stage.

 

I have no idea what me / my agent is doing wrong. The winning offers are always equal or even lower than mine... Last one I was offering 30K over the listing price... It's not that I'm bidding low.

 

According to my agent is because the winning offers are waiving the inspection, but is that a reasonable risk? I have always put a contingency for over 5K worth of repairs...

 

Am I screwing up the process or just the market is insane?

 

NEVER waive an inspection....Unless you are a contractor and buying a knock down or you know exactly what you are getting yourself into..

But the 5K might be scaring them off...The seller will likely think whoever you bring to inspect is going to immediately find the 5K in stuff that may not even be necessary...

 

Its possible the other offers are cash offers and you have a mortgage contingency...Ive taken cash offers that were lower to avoid the hassle of some folks that can't get financing and hold up the deal..I can't say if thats the case in your deals, but it happens..

 

Sorry for your frustration, but this is a case where you have to get on your agents ass to see what the problem is...

 

TFY

Edited March 15, 2017 by thefooloftheyear

[carhill]

The house buying is getting extremely frustrating... 4 offers rejected so far, and every time it happens on the best & final stage.

 

Yes, that's part of the game except in a buyer's market. With money relatively easy and cheap right now, with rumblings of interest hikes this year, that's spiking demand even in relatively soft markets.

 

I have no idea what me / my agent is doing wrong. The winning offers are always equal or even lower than mine... Last one I was offering 30K over the listing price... It's not that I'm bidding low.

Unless you've seen the offers and that almost never happens, you have no way of knowing or verifying what others are offering. Remember, your agent, unless you're paying them directly cash as a buyer's broker, works for the seller.

 

According to my agent is because the winning offers are waiving the inspection, but is that a reasonable risk? I have always put a contingency for over 5K worth of repairs...

 

'Offer contingent upon approval of physical inspection of premises by licensed home inspector, at buyer cost, within xxx days of offer acceptance'

 

Back when I did my exW's deal, even though I do my own inspections, because it was a divorce deal and I wanted to give her peace of mind that I wasn't screwing her financially, I had the property inspected by a licensed inspector *before* we made the offer to the bank.

 

Another option for you to consider, beyond the inspections required by the lender, like roof, septic, well, termite, etc as applicable, is to waive other inspections and make the offer contingent upon the seller providing a home warranty of xxxx by xxxx for xxxx.

 

Am I screwing up the process or just the market is insane?

 

Well, IDK, we just put one up for sale with a drug house two doors down and it went for ten grand over asking and they waived all the inspections, significant on a well/septic property that's nearly 65 years old. Went up for sale last Thursday and offer accepted Monday.

 

Does your agent think you're screwing up? Reputable agents know their market and can generally offer the best advice relevant to the market. However, part of the deal also is the clout the agent has in selling the offer; how much pull they have with fellow agents and brokers. To them it's just moving money around a big chess board and there are always waivers and favors in play.

 

IMO, if what you're doing now isn't working, try something else. Be patient. As an example, I did 1200 mile round-trips for nearly 2 years before settling on the place I bought up in Oregon. Made a lot of offers, walked through some of the most disgusting houses on the planet too, ones real estate agents wouldn't even enter. Patience. What you want will come your way. Everything you're doing now is prepping you.

[No_Go]

Last one apparently one of the offers waived the inspection. Previous one was a cash offer indeed. The first 2 - no idea... I jst saw on MLS that they sold at the price of my offer (one exactly the same, another one very close).

 

Maybe I'll change the 5K to some larger amount...

 

NEVER waive an inspection....Unless you are a contractor and buying a knock down or you know exactly what you are getting yourself into..

But the 5K might be scaring them off...The seller will likely think whoever you bring to inspect is going to immediately find the 5K in stuff that may not even be necessary...

 

Its possible the other offers are cash offers and you have a mortgage contingency...Ive taken cash offers that were lower to avoid the hassle of some folks that can't get financing and hold up the deal..I can't say if thats the case in your deals, but it happens..

 

Sorry for your frustration, but this is a case where you have to get on your agents ass to see what the problem is...

 

TFY

[No_Go]

I see the selling prices on MLS after the offers get closed... Otherwise yeah, I don't know exactly what's going on, it is what my agent is telling me.

 

He tried escalation clauses twice and both times this was rejected and they asked me instead for best&final amount.

 

Thanks for the ideas for the contingencies. As of current, it was 'If it is the opinion of the inspector that the property contains serious structural, mechanical or other defects and if the repair of such defects would cost the buyer in the aggregate of more than $5,000 than the buyer shall have the option of revoking the agreement... on or before XXX'. We waived lead paint and pest inspection, put another one for radon.

 

The agent thought the problem was the $5000 contingency and bidding higher (although as said I was 30K + over the listing price...)

 

I'm in Boston so prices are brutal. 500K for a tiny 2 bedroom condo is considered good in the neighborhoods I like, and I really would love a single family not condo

 

But you're right - patience is a key. I am good renting wise for 5 more months, if it doesn't work by then... I'll be thinking for other options...

 

Yes, that's part of the game except in a buyer's market. With money relatively easy and cheap right now, with rumblings of interest hikes this year, that's spiking demand even in relatively soft markets.

 

Unless you've seen the offers and that almost never happens, you have no way of knowing or verifying what others are offering. Remember, your agent, unless you're paying them directly cash as a buyer's broker, works for the seller.

 

 

 

'Offer contingent upon approval of physical inspection of premises by licensed home inspector, at buyer cost, within xxx days of offer acceptance'

 

Back when I did my exW's deal, even though I do my own inspections, because it was a divorce deal and I wanted to give her peace of mind that I wasn't screwing her financially, I had the property inspected by a licensed inspector *before* we made the offer to the bank.

 

Another option for you to consider, beyond the inspections required by the lender, like roof, septic, well, termite, etc as applicable, is to waive other inspections and make the offer contingent upon the seller providing a home warranty of xxxx by xxxx for xxxx.

 

 

 

Well, IDK, we just put one up for sale with a drug house two doors down and it went for ten grand over asking and they waived all the inspections, significant on a well/septic property that's nearly 65 years old. Went up for sale last Thursday and offer accepted Monday.

 

Does your agent think you're screwing up? Reputable agents know their market and can generally offer the best advice relevant to the market. However, part of the deal also is the clout the agent has in selling the offer; how much pull they have with fellow agents and brokers. To them it's just moving money around a big chess board and there are always waivers and favors in play.

 

IMO, if what you're doing now isn't working, try something else. Be patient. As an example, I did 1200 mile round-trips for nearly 2 years before settling on the place I bought up in Oregon. Made a lot of offers, walked through some of the most disgusting houses on the planet too, ones real estate agents wouldn't even enter. Patience. What you want will come your way. Everything you're doing now is prepping you.

[carhill]

Since you're focusing on inspections as part of the deal, IMO develop a short list of inspectors and make personal contact. IME, pest inspectors were the easiest, I could get them out on one day notice. See the house, like it, have them on the property the next morning. Home inspectors were more problematical, time-wise, so my best friend and I would do our own inspections or I'd do them myself. The key I found, when in stiff competition, was, generally, to make things as simple and easy on the seller as possible. Cash or pre-approval in hand, minimal contingencies, fast close if that's what the seller wanted.

 

Since you're in a big city market, expect disappointments and IMO don't get attached to any one property, though it's fine to latch on to a neighborhood that speaks to you and work it.

 

Also be on the lookout, since you're currently a renter, for landlords who may be potential sellers to the right buyer. Lease-options are a tool I've used in the past to sell properties where I didn't need the cash right away. Renting in a desired neighborhood can get one's foot in the door so to speak and make it easier to tap into the neighborhood sales wire and catch deals before they go to the realtors or to find landlords who wouldn't mind a sale, now or in the future.

[d0nnivain]

We recently bought a second home in Florida. It took forever. We lost several homes for various reasons, we wouldn't waive inspections; when the inspections revealed problems, we wanted them fixed; I had specific escrow requirements; we were out of state. It took almost a year. What a p.i.t.a.

 

 

The market moves fast. Your house is out there. Keep plugging along.

 

 

Another thing for after you own it. Have an emergency fund equal to at least 1 full month of living expenses more if you can swing it. If the hot water heater bursts in the middle of the night you want to have the cash to get a new one.

[No_Go]

Yes! I started contacting inspectors so we can move quickly if I finally get an offer accepted... I have a preapproval, I shall talk to the broker to see what is the minimal time to closing.

 

How does it work with landlords? Can I cold-approach them or I need to be renting for x amount of time from them?

 

Since you're focusing on inspections as part of the deal, IMO develop a short list of inspectors and make personal contact. IME, pest inspectors were the easiest, I could get them out on one day notice. See the house, like it, have them on the property the next morning. Home inspectors were more problematical, time-wise, so my best friend and I would do our own inspections or I'd do them myself. The key I found, when in stiff competition, was, generally, to make things as simple and easy on the seller as possible. Cash or pre-approval in hand, minimal contingencies, fast close if that's what the seller wanted.

 

Since you're in a big city market, expect disappointments and IMO don't get attached to any one property, though it's fine to latch on to a neighborhood that speaks to you and work it.

 

Also be on the lookout, since you're currently a renter, for landlords who may be potential sellers to the right buyer. Lease-options are a tool I've used in the past to sell properties where I didn't need the cash right away. Renting in a desired neighborhood can get one's foot in the door so to speak and make it easier to tap into the neighborhood sales wire and catch deals before they go to the realtors or to find landlords who wouldn't mind a sale, now or in the future.

[No_Go]

Ouch an year... But congrats you got it!

 

I'm definitely keeping an emergency fund, I'm thinking ideally 3-6 months of living expenses left after down payment... Which will be a crunch if there are substantial repairs to be done.

 

We recently bought a second home in Florida. It took forever. We lost several homes for various reasons, we wouldn't waive inspections; when the inspections revealed problems, we wanted them fixed; I had specific escrow requirements; we were out of state. It took almost a year. What a p.i.t.a.

 

 

The market moves fast. Your house is out there. Keep plugging along.

 

 

Another thing for after you own it. Have an emergency fund equal to at least 1 full month of living expenses more if you can swing it. If the hot water heater bursts in the middle of the night you want to have the cash to get a new one.

[carhill]

Yes! I started contacting inspectors so we can move quickly if I finally get an offer accepted... I have a preapproval, I shall talk to the broker to see what is the minimal time to closing.

If you're in your target neighborhood and see something, don't be afraid to get the inspector in there before making an offer, even though it'll set you back 300 bucks or so. They spend a couple hours, you make an offer right there with the verbal from the inspector and are aware of any major issues, if any. That way you're highest and best, without an inspection contingency, right out of the gate, or you avoid wasting your time with a negative result. Say you're buying a 300K house.... what's 300 bucks? .1%? If it gets the deal, it's money well spent. If not, the details in it will give you good information about housing in that neighborhood.

 

How does it work with landlords? Can I cold-approach them or I need to be renting for x amount of time from them?

Anyone you can rent from you can buy from. All they can do is say no. When I had rentals my tenants got first right of refusal on a lease-option or purchase. IOW, whenever I decided to go to market, they got first shot. With one, they couldn't qualify at what I was selling at so I ended up selling to another landlord for cash for ten grand over what they offered and they remained there until buying a house somewhere else.

 

Anything you can negotiate is possible. Outside of standard boilerplate stuff, though, real estate agents are pretty much useless. They like their templates and commissions and no problems. Can't say I blame them

[lana-banana]

If I could send you the world's tightest, most reassuring hug through the Internet, I would. I'm so, so sorry. I know how much it blows. When I was going through the process I cried pretty much non-stop! Rest assured that you got this. Take deep breaths, go for long walks, and be kind to yourself. As others have said, all this experience is preparing you for what's next.

 

Welcome to homebuying in an urban market. Our price range (600-650k) was unfortunately about the average in our area, and we were at a steep disadvantage. We were property virgins with no debt but also no experience and no equity. Like you, we were constantly being outbid by people who could offer 50 or even up to 100-110 percent cash. At the end of the day we chose to buy a gut job in a neighborhood we loved, but even that turned into a multi-party bidding war. We used the money we "saved" on the purchase to renovate the house. Major renovations are stressful, scary and sometimes horrifying, but it could be your best option if the market is too hot.

 

Some more thoughts and advice:

 

- Don't use your realtor's inspector! Just don't. Find a guy with good reviews, a terrible website and who will show up to your place in a pair of ancient coveralls.

 

- Don't waive any inspections except for lead paint. If your house was built before 1978 (which I imagine it will be, being in Boston) you almost certainly have some lead paint in there somewhere. Your concern should be if the paint is chipping and/or peeling. Lead paint is obviously a bigger issue if you plan to have kids, but if the paint is properly encapsulated you're fine.

 

- If your inspector won't thoroughly investigate the crawlspace or the attic, get another inspector.

 

- Charm goes a long way. I am awkward and terrible, so it's not an option for me, but my fiance charmed the hell out of the seller's adult son on our place. They bonded over Deadpool, video games and carpentry.

 

- Don't buy anything next to a bodega. You will see a lot of small places next to markets and think "gee, this is nice, why's it still on the market?" A bodega is basically a guaranteed rat or pest problem that you will never be able to effectively control. Good luck getting that insured.

 

- Exposed brick is beautiful, but terrible for soundproofing. If your neighbors are loud you are boned.

 

Never give up! Remember, you got this. Once you get there you will feel so much better and be so exhilarated. For all the garbage you experience, it's worth it for the place to call home, the sense of being an adult, the opportunity to build equity in a metropolitan area...not to mention the first time you do your taxes as a homeowner. When I saw the number I almost thought it was a typo.

[Eternal Sunshine]

I did it about 7 years ago. Bought a townhouse which was nearly brand new so didn't need the contractors. My dad went with me to every home open and advised me in negotiations.

 

It looked like I made a mistake for a while because as soon as I bought, the prices went down slightly and then stagnated for a few years. Only around last year, prices in the area started to grow with even more projected growth.

 

I am now down to double digits in mortgage so no regrets here

[curiouslysearching]

I did it about 7 years ago. Bought a townhouse which was nearly brand new so didn't need the contractors. My dad went with me to every home open and advised me in negotiations.

 

It looked like I made a mistake for a while because as soon as I bought, the prices went down slightly and then stagnated for a few years. Only around last year, prices in the area started to grow with even more projected growth.

 

I am now down to double digits in mortgage so no regrets here

 

 

and who says eternal sunshine is a myth...pfffft

[No_Go]

Aaaand - I got my keys:) It's done!

 

I guess I'd still need to change all the locks before officially moving all my stuff...

 

How to introduce to the neighbors around? Sorry if it sounds like a stupid question but because I'm from Europe I don't know what's considered 'normal' here in the US. Just knock on the doors? Invite them for housewarming? Or do nothing and just say hi if I meet them?

 

I'm lucky there is a very minimal set of things requiring urgent repair. But landscaping is a whole other story hah.

[Chilli]

l've just bought the first place on my own after a divorce, know how you feel.

lt's a renovator too and l'll probably seriously redo the whole house and outside l think. lt's got great potential.

But yeah , it is very very weird to be doing it alone , our other place was with ex w and soooo different.

Today l finally finished my new front door, looks so cool , no one to show though but little ol me, damn it.

Got my new fire place in a wk or two back, yep , just me and the new fireplace, it is all very weird l have to admit.

 

So we'd be a good team if we were in the same country damn it , l could help ya with the male stuff and you could help me with the girly stuff.

 

One thing l could say is , but it all depends on the person anyway really l guess and what they're use to and like.

But if l was to keep living mostly on my own , then really my place is a bit too big tbh.

Never realized it was so big inside, doesn't look that big at all on the outside but it's a funny layout for it's size and has very big rooms and a lot of empty space for just one person.

lf l'm ever two persons again it'd be fantastic but for one , bit too big,

 

Good luck anyway

Edited June 4, 2017 by Chilli

[d0nnivain]

Congrats!

 

 

Some neighbors came to me when I moved in. Others I just waved & said hi to, sort of introduced myself when I moved in. I would have liked to have thrown a house warming party but I wasn't really mature enough to do that at the time I bought my house. By all means have at it.

[preraph]

I'd be better off if I'd done it 20 years before I did.

 

Before buying, check the flood plain map and be sure your house isn't in it. I think it's good to hire a title attorney just for a one time thing to look over the contract and everything. If you're paying a realtor a huge chunk of the buying price another $500 isn't going to break you and you know a lawyer won't have motive to let a bad deal go through. Also hire an independent inspection guy and not the realtor's guy who works for you only.