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Post by mzdiagnosed on Jul 9, 2006 20:24:04 GMT -5
Okay, all of you who have bought a home- I need to hear stories. We are having a hell of a time with this. Nobody told me how stressful this process is. I feel like I am signing my life away. House v. condo? Any thoughts? Tell me anything you can. Fixer uppers, condos?
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Post by IDBUG on Jul 10, 2006 11:20:38 GMT -5
Hi mzd, I understand. I feel that way buying anything, let alone something so expensive as a house. Personally, I prefer having a house with more space and no HOA. But that comes with yardwork, which sucks, especially in the summer. What is a good deal depends on the market you're in, locations, etc. I only know the market I'm in because I've lived here nearly all my life, and I still am not sure how to keep up with the prices. Our area has seen a huge inflation in housing prices. It's crazy. My home's value has almost doubled, which would be great if I didn't have to buy another place once I sell this one. In my opinion, a fixer-upper is definitely worth it, if the price is right, if it's in an ok neighborhood, and if you have the time/energy to do the fixing-upping. But the neighborhood is the important. You can find (or build) a beautiful place in a sh!tty neighborhood and it still won't be worth very much because of the surroundings. Also, I've had friends in condos where the HOAs were nightmarish fiefdoms of power hungry neighbors. Of course, that can happen in any HOA (which is why I stay away from them if possible). I hope that helps... I'm kinda rushing this because I have a few meetings at once that I'm rushing back and forth between.  --T |
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Post by Kata6 on Jul 10, 2006 15:06:49 GMT -5
I have owned a condo and a house. I liked the condo because it was cheaper, and that's the reason I bought one to begin with, because I was tired of renting and couldn't afford a house. It was a good starting point for me. It wasn't anything special, it was pretty much just a 2 br apartment that you own, but in the real estate market here in AZ, it was pretty awesome because I only owned it for 2 years and the value went up 10,000 when I sold it. And it made me able to upgrade to a house. I did have a homeowners association, but they didn't give me too much trouble.
I think IDBUG is right, you can do anything to remodel a house, but if it's in a crappy neighborhood, there's not a lot you can do about it. Location was the most important thing to me when I bought my house, I wanted it to be safe. I probably could have gotten a much bigger house in a really crappy neighborhood, but that's not what I wanted. So I opted for a smaller/older house in a better neighborhood and I've been very happy there.
I spent a ton of time on Realtor.com house hunting, it was a really good way for me to get an idea of what was on the market in my price range.
Have fun, buying a house is so exciting!!!
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Post by - on Jul 11, 2006 17:00:27 GMT -5
I bought a condo because I don't have the time for outdoor maintenance. For me, the HOA is well worth the $$$ each month.
Condos can be cheaper--but at least here and in Chicago I looked at some condos that were the same prices as houses. It all depends on what you want for you.
I'd say go ahead and find a realtor to help you look. At least you'll get to see what is available. Also, shop around for your mortgage. You can get a preapproval letter from just about anybody--it doesn't (shouldn't) commit you to getting a loan from them. Know your budget and stick to it.
That's all I got.
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Post by Kata6 on Jul 11, 2006 18:49:43 GMT -5
Oh yeah, GH's post reminded me, I had a realtor, also both when I bought my house and also my condo, and she rocked. She really took care of me, and I have heard horror stories about people's realtors, so just keep in mind that you are paying the realtor and they work for YOU so if you don't like what they're doing or if they're not helpful, kick them to the curb and get a new one. A good realtor can make a very stressful situation very easy.
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Post by mzdiagnosed on Jul 11, 2006 21:58:47 GMT -5
Everyone gives me a lot to think about. Of course, the market is a little different in Cali- to me hot is 90 degrees coast side in the shade with an ocean breeze so yard work isn't that bad. BUT- we'd definitely have less time to do it since we work the majority of the time.
We do have a good real estate agent. We looked at a lot of properties (including condos) and are happy with her thus far.
Problem is that most of the houses we can afford are in bad neighborhoods, or at least on the outskirts of them. Just a bit sketchy.
We are trying to work a deal with our present landlord which would totally kick ass if it works out. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!!
Thanks for all your posts, just hearing that you've made it okay helps me sooooo much!
MzD
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Post by webdominatrix on Jul 13, 2006 16:20:36 GMT -5
Evertime I read this thread title, I get a Smiths song stuck in my head.
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Post by hemight on Jul 13, 2006 17:27:54 GMT -5
that joke isn't funny anymore
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Post by webdominatrix on Jul 13, 2006 18:23:49 GMT -5
About 0.00000000001% of my jokes are funny. Unfortunately, that one wasn't even one of them.  |
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Post by hemight on Jul 17, 2006 8:01:37 GMT -5
It's too close to home and it's too near the bone
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