The house we have listed was built in 1955, it's not new.?ÿ The buyers confuse "old" with "needing repair." No it's just old.?ÿ If something works why should I fix it??ÿ I'm all for getting inspections but it seems like it's gone a little too far, they get this extensive inspection report that just freaks them out.?ÿ It's not like you can't find issues with a 63 year old house, part of the post war housing stock.?ÿ We didn't have our first house we bought in 1987 inspected LOL.?ÿ The funny thing in California is no one gets a Survey on residential property.?ÿ The wonderful house with zero issues per the inspector could be halfway onto the neighbor's property and they would never know, hey at least the mechanical systems are in wonderful working order.
Three more weeks, if we don't get a reasonable offer it goes on the rental market.?ÿ I like the house anyway, I like the way it's built like a wooden framed tank. The house is built on top of a 2x6 t&g platform over 4x6 joists on 4' centers with concrete perimeter foundation (the joists sit on 2x8 clear heart redwood mudsills), it has a forest of 4x4 posts sitting on large poured in place concrete piers (not those cheesy pier blocks like you get at home depot).?ÿ The attic is incredible, the amount of lumber in there and beautiful stuff too.?ÿ The roof plane is flat, not like a lot of old houses that have a sagging roof plane. My first house built in 1952 as a cheap entry level home wasn't nearly so well built, you can see the curve of the sagging roof plane.
When I tried to sell a house myself 24 years ago I got two kinds of people looking: those wanting to snap up a cheap fixer-upper to flip (it wasn't) and those wanting me to carry them on a long-term contract (no way).?ÿ?ÿ Almost nobody had the slightest idea about how to arrange financing by themselves; they needed a hand-holder to guide them through it.
I eventually sold it by using an agent.?ÿ Most buyers don't know it can be done any other way.
The market here is insane right now. It's like nobody learned anything in 2009. Houses that are all but unlivable sell over asking price in days. If I time the bubble and pop just right my retirement is gonna be great...
I could have made a bundle on my first house had I sold it in the post - Katrina bubble. But my wife wanted everything to be just so and by the time we listed it the housing bust had hit. It's been rented out ever since.
We have it listed with a large local brokerage house.?ÿ The market may have peaked here already.?ÿ I couldn't have worse timing, buy right before the peak, try to sell right after the peak.
We have had two lowball offers.?ÿ I'm not selling it that cheap.
My sense of the market here is it is either all new and completely turn key -OR- don't spend a dime and sell it as a flipper.?ÿ Trying to do some work to improve it a little bit cosmetically doesn't seem to work.?ÿ It can be lived in just the way it is although it doesn't have brand new but pretty particle board cabinets with soft close doors.?ÿ For crying out loud, the original cabinets are 5/8" plywood, full dimension, good stuff too, no voids that I can see.?ÿ I didn't have the heart to put those in the landfill in favor of particle board c__p that will be worn out in 10 years.
Accepted the first offer, buyer dropped out because of family issues.?ÿ Then two lowballers not accepted.?ÿ Then accepted fourth offer, home inspector and plumbing inspector scared her away.?ÿ I haven't seen the video of the sewer lateral yet, he claims it is Orangeburg which wouldn't be unusual for that era but we haven't had problem one with it so I doubt it is really Orangeburg.?ÿ This builder generally used better materials.?ÿ If it is egg shaped or layers are peeling off then that is probably Orangeburg.?ÿ If it is still round and maybe just rust flakes then probably cast iron.?ÿ Clay would be common then too.?ÿ Clay would've been best, the Romans used clay.
Generally the Orangeburg pipe installations had failed by about 1990 around here so some plumber saying we have Orangeburg surprised me.?ÿ We had Orangeburg at the first house and it clogged every six months, you could set your calendar by it; I eventually got around to digging it up myself and replaced it with ABS.?ÿ We have had zero problems at the listed house so it surprised me when word came across that the plumber told the buyer we have failing Orangeburg.?ÿ As soon as I get the video I will know more, first have to make sure it is really a video of our pipe, I have a few ways I will be able to tell.?ÿ I can always have a plumber I know and trust TV it too and get his opinion.
Nitpicking is totally bizarre to me. ?ÿEither you want it or you don't.
Closing has been delayed on a tract I surveyed recently because the lender is insisting a certain outbuilding be repainted first because the inspector reported some peeling paint. ?ÿFor crying out loud, it's basically a shed to hold gardening-related items. ?ÿThis is located in Boondocks, USA not Beverly Hills.
Here the appraiser passes judgment on what's required. In our case an automatic closer on the door into garage (doesn't care that it's hollow core) and fix the sliding door that he broke, I'm not kidding, idiot didn't release the factory lock pin that came with the door and he left it all cockeyed. I "fixed" his stupidity in five minutes, got the door back into its track and it works just like before.
the paint issue is because of the potential for lead paint. Just tell them the shed is only 20 years old, no lead paint.
Now that I've seen the video, the orangeburg pipe looks awfully good for 63 year old orangeburg pipe. About the only issue is the typical flattened egg shape. Based on viewing other orangeburg on YouTube it looks like it, coloring, etc. Except other people have very bad delaminating layers and big bubbles and holes. I guess our builder only used the best orangeburg pipe.
Someone with more free time than me needs to put together an RPLS/Beerleg FAQ so all the new folks can follow along with the references from posts that are fifteen year old. ?ÿ
Edit.. of course they would have to do it with no water and write with a banjo, because they know how?ÿ
"..Grover Cleveland, our 24th president, and former Astros pitcher, stayed here on numerous occasions while visiting California, and meeting with important West coast industrialists. The coffee percolator on the table, and the service tray with Astros coffee mugs was found in the corner of the attic. An antiques appraiser said the set likely belonged to the former president and will stay with the house at the sale."?ÿ
Someone with more free time than me needs to put together an RPLS/Beerleg FAQ so all the new folks can follow along with the references from posts that are fifteen year old. ?ÿ
Edit.. of course they would have to do it with no water and write with a banjo, because they know how?ÿ
A banjo is a grade setter tool, a friend described it to me. Perhaps TDD was not referring to the musical instrument?
It's been 8 years since I sold a piece of residential real estate..and I would prefer to never do it again if I can help it.?ÿ I sold Momma Cash's homestead after she passed away.?ÿ We all had kept the place clean, tidy and dry..but as per Momma's wishes she never went with anything really "modern" when it came to the numerous upgrades on the place over the years.
It still had the original wooden cabinets.?ÿ The bathroom fixtures were all at least 40 years old but in great condition.?ÿ The maple wood floors were in great shape.?ÿ But it was by no means "modern".?ÿ There was still an alcove in the hallway for a telephone and phonebook.?ÿ There was still a telephone sitting there with a six year old phonebook beneath it.
I realized that some folks are just plain crazy when the real estate agent contacted me and wanted to "go over" an offer she had received.?ÿ A young couple offered somewhat less than what I had the place listed for...but they included three pages of "upgrades" they would expect me to perform to complete the sale.?ÿ They wanted, among other things, new kitchen appliances and washer & dryer.?ÿ The HVAC was only about 5 years old but they wanted that replaced also.?ÿ They also had a list of what color each room should be painted before they would purchase the place.?ÿ I was told if I didn't like their offer I should provide a "counter offer".?ÿ I wanted to tell the prospective buyers "if you want a new house, go buy one".?ÿ Since I couldn't write down "stuff it up your butt" in good faith I countered that the place be sold "as is" and I added 35 thousand to my original price.?ÿ I didn't receive a "counter-counter".?ÿ
The real estate agent didn't want to work with me any longer.?ÿ I found someone else?ÿthat actually knew how to sell real estate.?ÿ?ÿI finally?ÿsold the place for 20K more than the original listing and I didn't lift a finger.?ÿ
The home inspector said the 15 year old HVAC is at the end of its design life and will need to be replaced...holy heck who replaces the HVAC every 15 years? Funny thing I'd more likely flag the water heater but he didn't say replace it or anything. Nothing against the home inspector though, he's just doing his job. We got a very detailed $410 report with pictures for free. And a $99 sewer inspection report and video for free too.
The new house thing is exactly what I said. People want a new house in an excellent, established mid century neighborhood, like what the heck man? They want an open concept too, like maybe 10% of the homes have an open concept, if that.
Houses are a lot of work especially old houses, if you don't want to work then rent.
Really complicated DIY under shelf light project in my current kitchen (stick on battery powered):
I hope you realize if you ever decide to sell that place the masonry wall will need to be regrouted...after the existing grout is tested for asbestos before removal.?ÿ Oh, and that shelf will need to be lowered to make it ADA compliant.
