OT: HFNYR OT Thread: Now Able to Ignore Threads Again

[Hunter Gathers]

I'm sure you've gotten all the advice you can handle, but I'll throw something else out that I learned during the process a couple years ago (could be obvious to others i guess).

It's a lot easier and cheaper to fix a mess outside than it is inside.

We bought a house my wife said absolutely not to when we first pulled up to look at it. In fact 2 friends had sent us the listing, and based on the pictures we waited a month to even see it. Overgrown backyard, bad landscaping - just generally not well kept outside. The inside was fine with the exception of a couple small things.

I got a new fence, a new patio, cut a ton of trees down, and rented a tiller to fix up the lawn. I'm still doing landscaping upgrades but it's nothing compared to doing major work inside. You could spend 15-20k transforming a disaster backyard into a great area. What's that getting you inside? Prices to upgrade a bathroom or kitchen are insane.

This is good advice. Go for the house with the updated interior. **** the outside. If you're a desk jockey like me, yard work is good exercise.

I'll answer both with the same post since it's easier. This is all great advice. We basically decided that on the way in, too. The place already has the major reno done that we'd want to do (brand new kitchen and both bathrooms done). The sellers are taking care of about $20,000 worth of needed reno prior to the sale (some support work and such) that has to happen to get the CO.

There's some landscaping that needs to be done and the house may need some paint, but the big, expensive reno work that we'd have to do to enjoy the place is at least accomplished. And after the work that the sellers do goes through, basically all of my concerns will be gone as long as its done properly.

The appliances alone in the kitchen that were installed are worth about $20,000 (we are talking elite level appliances that must've been a gift somehow).

 

[Machinehead]

Why do girls like Fall so much?

You know what I love? Pumpkin flavored not freezing my ass off.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I'm working from home today, and I just flicked on the March overtime win against the Pens as something to have on in the background.

Completely forgot that this was also the Susan Sarandon game haha; cringing so hard right now.

 

[ReggieDunlop68]

My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying a home. This is scary, emotional, frustrating, and exciting all at the same time.

Just enjoy it. Don’t let anything sway you in regard to these decisions.

Your 40s are gonna be da bomb Yoni.

 

[Inferno]

This is good advice. Go for the house with the updated interior. **** the outside. If you're a desk jockey like me, yard work is good exercise.

I live in Atlanta....yard work is a death sentence.

 

[Inferno]

Why do girls like Fall so much?

You know what I love? Pumpkin flavored not freezing my ass off.

My wife and I hate the summer. Spring fall and winter are my favorite times of the year.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

My mom is getting married (again) next month. I'm not in the mood to fly back but I guess I have to. I'm more excited about my trip to Dubai the week after. I guess I'll fly in for a day to attend the wedding to "do what's right"

 

[nyr2k2]

I live in Atlanta....yard work is a death sentence.

I hear ya. Summer days here are intense. Maybe only 85, but often 95, and always intense humidity. The last few times I was doing yardword the heat index was around 105-110. You get used to it, out of necessity. Or you can hire guys, but I prefer doing it myself (and the difference gets us nicer housekeepers, haha).

I'm also fortunate to have friends that hate yardwork but are always willing to help me with anything major, like tree removal or mulching what feels likd 5 billion square yards of flower boxes and whatnot.

Inside I can handle most repairs on my own, with the exception of electrical stuff. And I'm not talking wiring a smart thermostat--I mean more substantial stuff. I'm also not big into plumbing because I've had a few bad experiences there. Learning experiences, but still.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I hear ya. Summer days here are intense. Maybe only 85, but often 95, and always intense humidity. The last few times I was doing yardword the heat index was around 105-110. You get used to it, out of necessity. Or you can hire guys, but I prefer doing it myself (and the difference gets us nicer housekeepers, haha).

I'm also fortunate to have friends that hate yardwork but are always willing to help me with anything major, like tree removal or mulching what feels likd 5 billion square yards of flower boxes and whatnot.

Inside I can handle most repairs on my own, with the exception of electrical stuff. And I'm not talking wiring a smart thermostat--I mean more substantial stuff. I'm also not big into plumbing because I've had a few bad experiences there. Learning experiences, but still.

DMV humidity is the absolute worst. It's the only thing I've hated about moving to DC from NY.

 

[Inferno]

Atlanta is awful. It's a billion degrees year round and there's mosquitoes everywhere. It blows.

 

[East Coast Bias]

DMV humidity is the absolute worst. It's the only thing I've hated about moving to DC from NY.

I had a wedding in Alexandria in june. It was in the low 80s but the humidity seemed so much worse than we get in NY. The air was just mist. Brutal.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Wonderful stability by the HF servers again.......

 

[I Eat Crow]

I'll answer both with the same post since it's easier. This is all great advice. We basically decided that on the way in, too. The place already has the major reno done that we'd want to do (brand new kitchen and both bathrooms done). The sellers are taking care of about $20,000 worth of needed reno prior to the sale (some support work and such) that has to happen to get the CO.

There's some landscaping that needs to be done and the house may need some paint, but the big, expensive reno work that we'd have to do to enjoy the place is at least accomplished. And after the work that the sellers do goes through, basically all of my concerns will be gone as long as its done properly.

The appliances alone in the kitchen that were installed are worth about $20,000 (we are talking elite level appliances that must've been a gift somehow).

I hope everything worked out for you. My wife and I walked into a similar situation. Brand new kitchen, new appliances worth at least $20 to $25K, master bathroom renovated just 5 years ago, hardwood floors throughout. We really got ourselves a great buy even despite what I type below.

That being said, I hope that you got a good, reliable inspector. Ours f***ed us out of about $10K because he could not identify a leaking shower pan that resulted in water dripping down into the crawlspace through the hardwood
(which is obviously rotted) whenever the shower water was running in our second bathroom, even though he inspected the crawlspace. My wife and I have no recourse because these people make you sign a waiver stating that they aren't responsible for anything discovered after the inspection that was not disclosed in their report. Of course, I discovered this gift exactly a week after closing on the house. Thankfully the bathroom is small and I have some connections in the plumbing and contracting business, otherwise the $10K would definitely be at least $15K.

Perhaps the worst part about it was securing the loan. It was honestly worse than an audit. It felt like the underwriters and loan agents were treating us like money launderers. Getting the loan was way more stressful than finding the house, actually.

Home ownership in general is damn expensive, man. Property taxes are awful in the Tri-State area, we had the compressor in our refrigerator piss off a couple weeks ago (thankfully under warranty still), and we're going to need a new roof in the next 2-3 years (which the inspector actually did pick up). My parents put it best in saying that if one doesn't pay for any home repairs at all in a year, then it was a good year financially for you despite anything else happening short of someone losing their job. And it's the damn truth. I'm so thankful that my wife and I both finished school before looking for a house.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

Had an awful night last night; what started out as a... birthday part for a friend was hijacked by her insecure/promiscuous friend and turned into a disaster and drama festival at a scuzzy club in downtown Buffalo. I will never set foot there ever again, the people I met/dealt with last night were easily the worst people I've ever met.

 

[Machinehead]

Is HF double posting like crazy for anyone else today?

 

[Irishguy42]

Is HF double posting like crazy for anyone else today?

I've been seeing it for some users, but not everyone.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

My girlfriend and I are in the process of buying a home. This is scary, emotional, frustrating, and exciting all at the same time.

I first read this as

"We're buying a home so the forum changes are scary, emotional, etc...".

Home owning is overrated for me. I'm selling.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Is HF double posting like crazy for anyone else today?

It's supposed to help server stability

 

[Machinehead]

It's supposed to help server stability

It's not like this a busy day. It's August f***ing 5th and we can't get our shit straight here.

 

[nyr2k2]

I'm currently seeing the "Should ADA be in our prospect poll" thread up near the top, but I don't see any new posts in it. It's not an ignored user thing either. I don't get this shit.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I'm currently seeing the "Should ADA be in our prospect poll" thread up near the top, but I don't see any new posts in it. It's not an ignored user thing either. I don't get this ****.

Someone bumped it at 8pm tonight, I see the new posts in it but the whole site is acting up.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

So, all problems we had that were the reason they had to migrate to new servers are still present. Wonderful.

Venezuela is better run than this website.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I first read this as

"We're buying a home so the forum changes are scary, emotional, etc...".

Home owning is overrated for me. I'm selling.

I look at it as I’d rather pay myself and a bank than pay a landlord

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Had an awful night last night; what started out as a... birthday part for a friend was hijacked by her insecure/promiscuous friend and turned into a disaster and drama festival at a scuzzy club in downtown Buffalo. I will never set foot there ever again, the people I met/dealt with last night were easily the worst people I've ever met.

I was in Buffalo on Saturday. Drove up to Rochester and then over to Buffalo.

Traded in car on a Corvette to trim $15,000 off my car loan to try and save even more money.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I look at it as I’d rather pay myself and a bank than pay a landlord

I should clarify.

I want to go low rent for awhile and then use the money I save up, plus the money from selling my house in order to buy two places in low tax states. Then rent them out. I'm starting to work out of the house and the side income would be great to cover any down months. There are risks with renting out to people but there are risks with everything. Still mulling the idea over.

I can't really save much in my current place. Didn't put a big down payment on the house and taxes/interest are brutal. Compared to when I rented, even looking at the tax break differences, I'm dropping an extra grand a month owning this place compared to when I rented. If I sell within the next year I'll turn a huge profit on it.

I see a lot of signs that the economy is going to plummet again soon. If it does, I want to have the cash to invest in a ton of stocks after they bottom out. If it doesn't, I go with my renting income idea.