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1/18/2021 12:20 pm  #51


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

After 49 years of almost worry-free septic system function, it has just about totally locked up, with no outflow.
Guy coming this afternoon for the beginning of a fix,  I hope.

 

1/18/2021 1:18 pm  #52


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

@fargon - the offer hasn't been accepted yet.

@Diaphone - that sucks.  I've been trying to avoid septic systems just because I have no knowledge of anything about them.  

AND MY WORST FEAR!  Another, better house, just came on the market.  Brand new, .24 lot, no HOA, no fence, 2 car garage, 1920 sq ft 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom.  I wouldn't need a shed because I can use the garage for my gym/small woodshop.  I'm seeing it this afternoon.  I'm a little stressed right now.

     Thread Starter
 

1/18/2021 2:31 pm  #53


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

Aww,bbro, don't be afraid of the house, you're gonna do great!  You know what you want, you're acting from a position of strength, you'll get a good house, this one or some other one.  As the kids these days say, "You got this."


Be Just And Fear Not
 

1/18/2021 2:37 pm  #54


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

Diaphone Jim wrote:

After 49 years of almost worry-free septic system function, it has just about totally locked up, with no outflow.
Guy coming this afternoon for the beginning of a fix,  I hope.

Good luck.

We've just come out of the other end, so to speak, of this shitty ordeal.  The good news is that we don't need to use camping water management.  We can now use our indoor plumbing indoors again.  The bad news was bad, but that's behind us now, if you don't include the tennis court sized mud field in the back yard.

Good luck man.


Be Just And Fear Not
 

1/18/2021 2:38 pm  #55


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

I should say that a 49 year old septic system is probably not going to get "fixed".  It's probably going to be replaced.  Bring money.


Be Just And Fear Not
 

1/18/2021 3:45 pm  #56


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

BigV wrote:

Aww,bbro, don't be afraid of the house, you're gonna do great!  You know what you want, you're acting from a position of strength, you'll get a good house, this one or some other one.  As the kids these days say, "You got this."

Whelp, it was the worst.  We booked an appt to view, the seller's agent manually approved it, and we show up to......NO HOUSE.  Just the foundation.  Like, did the seller's agent not think this was important fucking information to share?  So, that one's out.  Still waiting on a response to the offer on the other one.

     Thread Starter
 

1/18/2021 7:27 pm  #57


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

The distribution box was a solid mass of roots and mud and **, passing no liquid.
Does now.  Fingers crossed.

 

1/18/2021 7:34 pm  #58


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

Good luck, man.

And good luck to you too, bbro!

 

1/18/2021 8:57 pm  #59


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

this:

bbro wrote:

I'm not even considering about having a partner at this point.  I've put off too much because of an imaginary future partner.  So, I'm buying with just me in mind. 

and then this:

bbro wrote:

So, I'm officially making an offer on House B.  I'm trying to price a fence, but I think I have enough saved to do that immediately.  I'm still trying to wait to really look until it's accepted.  I've made lots of offers.

GO GRL!  good luck!

 


The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity  Amelia Earhart
 

1/19/2021 3:20 am  #60


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

If you bought this house you wouldn't have to worry about future partners or fence.


But you probably don't want to relocate.


 Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose.
 
 

1/20/2021 8:21 pm  #61


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

But!

You have to live in LA.

so... it's a wash.


Be Just And Fear Not
 

1/21/2021 5:30 pm  #62


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

@Bruce - @BigV has a point - find me one of those in the mountains (along with the fortune to keep me there) and I am IN!

So, I didn't get the house.  They accepted another offer for more money and a bigger due diligence.  I'm kind of sad, but I wasn't trying to offer more than it was worth.  Plus, since it was a flip, there's no telling what could have come out of the inspection.

I DID, however, find a house on a TWO ACRE lot.  It's just under 1400sq ft with a garage, but A TWO ACRE LOT.  AND NO HOA SO I CAN DO WHATEVER.  It's actually more than the other house, but I'm guessing it's because of the lot.  I'm going to see it tomorrow.

     Thread Starter
 

1/21/2021 6:53 pm  #63


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

     Thread Starter
 

1/22/2021 7:18 am  #64


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

That would be pretty awesome.


If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis Brandeis
 

2/07/2021 3:19 pm  #65


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

The latest is that I thought a house was good and the HOA was acceptable (I don't want to hear it, really, I've heard it).  But in looking closer, they're restricting when my garage door can be open, what I can have on my windows (which I can see so people aren't using newspaper or anything, but this one is a bit much), and they have a statement that they have the discretion to restrict pet breeds as they see fit.  Like, WTF.  So, I'm like nope right the hell out of there.

My realtor's argument is always "Well, just because it's there doesn't mean they enforce it." and mine is "It is written and therefore enforceable.  A signature from me says I'm ok with this."

Everyone makes me feel like I'm overreacting to something I'm legally agreeing to that I wouldn't ever normally say yes to on a CHANCE they won't enforce.  Grrr.

Last edited by bbro (2/07/2021 3:21 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

2/07/2021 4:23 pm  #66


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

That's too bad, bbro, but I agree, if it's there, you never know who's going to get to be in charge and how strictly they will decide to enforce in the future -it could make your life miserable, not worth the risk.  Your dream house will come... hang in there


The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity  Amelia Earhart
 

2/07/2021 4:37 pm  #67


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

monster wrote:

That's too bad, bbro, but I agree, if it's there, you never know who's going to get to be in charge and how strictly they will decide to enforce in the future -it could make your life miserable, not worth the risk.  Your dream house will come... hang in there

THANK YOU!  I was feeling like the ONLY person that felt this way.  I think it comes from being a QA for so long.  And my first job beating into my head that if it isn't documented, it didn't happen and the opposite.

     Thread Starter
 

2/07/2021 5:08 pm  #68


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

You and Monster are absolutely right, you don't need that sword of Damocles hanging over you. Even the window covering thing is potentially a pain in the ass when someone decides no blinds and all curtains must show white on the outside. 


 Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose.
 
 

2/07/2021 10:46 pm  #69


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

bbro wrote:

monster wrote:

That's too bad, bbro, but I agree, if it's there, you never know who's going to get to be in charge and how strictly they will decide to enforce in the future -it could make your life miserable, not worth the risk.  Your dream house will come... hang in there

THANK YOU!  I was feeling like the ONLY person that felt this way.  I think it comes from being a QA for so long.  And my first job beating into my head that if it isn't documented, it didn't happen and the opposite.

No matter how awesome they are, at the end of the day, your realtor wants to close a deal and get their cut asap.  They'd like to keep you happy so you recommend them and go back to them next time, but a bird in the hand....

Ours told us defunct HOAs are NEVER resurrected.  But that happened....


The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity  Amelia Earhart
 

2/12/2021 2:19 pm  #70


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

monster wrote:

bbro wrote:

monster wrote:

That's too bad, bbro, but I agree, if it's there, you never know who's going to get to be in charge and how strictly they will decide to enforce in the future -it could make your life miserable, not worth the risk.  Your dream house will come... hang in there

THANK YOU!  I was feeling like the ONLY person that felt this way.  I think it comes from being a QA for so long.  And my first job beating into my head that if it isn't documented, it didn't happen and the opposite.

No matter how awesome they are, at the end of the day, your realtor wants to close a deal and get their cut asap.  They'd like to keep you happy so you recommend them and go back to them next time, but a bird in the hand....

Ours told us defunct HOAs are NEVER resurrected.  But that happened....

She is awesome - I've known her for about 15 years - ever since I moved to NC and before she was even a realtor.  There really is no pressure - just her way of thinking vs mine.  She's of the mindset that when she buys a house (I don't even know how many she has since she has a bunch of rental properties), she'll do what she wants until someone tells her no.  And I just can't think that way.

xoxoxoBruce wrote:

You and Monster are absolutely right, you don't need that sword of Damocles hanging over you. Even the window covering thing is potentially a pain in the ass when someone decides no blinds and all curtains must show white on the outside.

There was a place that had that specificity.  I mean, there's still a HUGE possibility that I'll have to get a place with an HOA, but if it's not already a covenant, I could fight it more.

I'm going to look at two tomorrow morning, same price.  One has 400 more sqft, awesome (if a little dark) kitchen, and 1 car garage.  The other one has a sad kitchen that would 100% need to be redone and a half acre lot.  There's an appeal to not having to do anything to a place, but throw up a fence and call it good.  But a half acre lot to do what you want with has it's own benefits, too.

     Thread Starter
 

2/12/2021 11:13 pm  #71


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

does the second one have a garage?


The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity  Amelia Earhart
 

2/13/2021 5:39 pm  #72


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

monster wrote:

does the second one have a garage?

It does not.  There was a mix up and it's the one I was able to see today.  I passed because of all the standing water in the back yard.  Oh, and the air compressor outside had a layer of thick ice on the outside.  Enough that my agent took a picture to send to the seller's agent.  They accepted an offer before their own deadline, anyways.

Usually on houses that are a little small and maybe dated, I wonder about the possibility of what I could do to it myself**.  This one really didn't have any room to expand or anything.  

**And myself means me supplying the money to professionals

Last edited by bbro (2/13/2021 5:41 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

2/13/2021 8:06 pm  #73


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

bbro wrote:

**And myself means me supplying the money to professionals

 This week I was explaining to my ESL learner bout how (some) Americans say things like "I'm building a house", "I cut my hair", and "I made pasta" to mean "I hired a professional to build a house/cut my hair", "I boiled some dried pasta from a box"....


The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity  Amelia Earhart
 

2/13/2021 8:16 pm  #74


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

monster wrote:

bbro wrote:

**And myself means me supplying the money to professionals

 This week I was explaining to my ESL learner bout how (some) Americans say things like "I'm building a house", "I cut my hair", and "I made pasta" to mean "I hired a professional to build a house/cut my hair", "I boiled some dried pasta from a box"....

OH!

Learned something.


Be Just And Fear Not
 

2/14/2021 11:11 am  #75


Re: Adventures of Home Ownership

monster wrote:

bbro wrote:

**And myself means me supplying the money to professionals

 This week I was explaining to my ESL learner bout how (some) Americans say things like "I'm building a house", "I cut my hair", and "I made pasta" to mean "I hired a professional to build a house/cut my hair", "I boiled some dried pasta from a box"....

Interesting!  I do it sometimes, but oddly I don't think I've ever said "I cut my hair" until recently.....cause I cut my own hair 

The second house was a bust, too.  Since it's older, it's not as open as I'd like, but not just that.  The bedrooms are a little small except the master which still had a tiny bathroom (no tub) and a tiny closet.  They didn't do any proper drainage in the yard, so there's standing water everywhere.  And it sits lower than other houses on a hill, so I don't think it'd get any better.

It also looks like the previous house I was writing about (the one that I posted the floor plan) is back on the market.  for the second(!) time.

     Thread Starter
 

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