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House buying tips...

JohnE

filthy rascist
May 13, 2005
13,430
1,949
Front Range, dude...
So with the impending change in career path and such, the Frau and I are looking for a white picket fence to buy, along with a house behind said fence. Have only lived in government housing or rentals for my entire adult life...am basically scared shitless.

Since I know not all of you live in a van down by the river or bong sheds behind Westys house...who has tips for house buying that the average idiot (Me!) would not think of.

Rep for the best tip...
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,570
24,185
media blackout
Make a list of what you want. Then group into must haves and want to haves. Figure out what it a deal breaker.

Find a good real estate agent. Find a good home inspector (start looking for one before you make an offer).

Get all you financial docs in order.

When it comes time to make an offer, look at comps. Don't lowball unless the asking price is absurd. And know when. To walk away.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
Also if you have always rented you probably haven't had to do much house maintenance. Be prepared to do so and budget this in. You will need to buy tools/equipment and pay for consumables for regular upkeep not to mention the occasional big ticket item like roofs/HVAC.

I would recommend owning a ladder if only for the fact that sitting on the roof drinking beer is time well spent.

Also, with any home you own, you should be able to piss in your yard.

Avoid neighborhoods that have HOAs that will prevent you from doing anything you would normally do, like changing your oil, building sweet jumps or going pants-less.
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Not on or near a major highway.
or major street. This is especially true in snow country where you'll get plowed in.

One thing that I know now that I didn't before is that undermount sinks are much nicer than self-rimming. Self-rimming are the ones that stick up above the counter. It's not a deal breaker but seeing that the prior owner/builder picked cheap stuff (like that self-rimming sink or a shower enclosure with lots of metal around the edges) is an indication that they cut corners, IMO.


Undermount, easier to clean


Self-rimming.

This holds true for kitchens and bathrooms alike. Also I must not that self-rimming sounds awfully nasty, or at least implies some exceptional flexibility and a long tongue. That is all.
 

dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
I would recommend owning a ladder if only for the fact that sitting on the roof drinking beer is time well spent.

Also, with any home you own, you should be able to piss in your yard.
Do not underestimate the value of this advice.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,016
Sleazattle
or major street. This is especially true in snow country where you'll get plowed in.

One thing that I know now that I didn't before is that undermount sinks are much nicer than self-rimming. Self-rimming are the ones that stick up above the counter. It's not a deal breaker but seeing that the prior owner/builder picked cheap stuff (like that self-rimming sink or a shower enclosure with lots of metal around the edges) is an indication that they cut corners, IMO.


Undermount, easier to clean


Self-rimming.

This holds true for kitchens and bathrooms alike. Also I must not that self-rimming sounds awfully nasty, or at least implies some exceptional flexibility and a long tongue. That is all.
And there are always trade-offs.

Sub mounted sinks expose the corners of the counter-top to high traffic areas of large steel items and are therefor commonly cracked and broken.
 

Beef Supreme

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2010
1,434
73
Hiding from the stupid
Be prepared for it to take a while. Most of what is on the market at any one time is shit and/or over priced. If it was any good it would have sold already. Take some time to get your bearings and then be ready to act fast when new stuff comes up. Also, don't count on your realtor to find stuff for you. Do demand they get you into to see places the moment they come up.
 

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,520
7,069
Colorado
Don't spend more than 2.5x your lowest gross household income. That should keep your mtge in check, especially in a worst-case scenario.
Don't fall in love with a house. It's just a house. Falling in love means you're probably going to chase a bid, which is expensive.
If you want pretty finishes, don't necessarily look for them. Look for a floor plan and location you like. Anything can be upgraded over time for less than buying finished. The easier fix is paint.
 

Colonel Angus

Monkey
Feb 15, 2005
915
410
land of the green chiles
Also if you have always rented you probably haven't had to do much house maintenance. Be prepared to do so and budget this in. You will need to buy tools/equipment and pay for consumables for regular upkeep not to mention the occasional big ticket item like roofs/HVAC.

I would recommend owning a ladder if only for the fact that sitting on the roof drinking beer is time well spent.

Also, with any home you own, you should be able to piss in your yard.

Avoid neighborhoods that have HOAs that will prevent you from doing anything you would normally do, like changing your oil, building sweet jumps or going pants-less.

Westy pretty much nailed it:

No HOAs
If you don't know how to remodel, don't buy a house that needs it desperately.
Be prepared to buy tools and stuff.
If you find a house you're interested in, go cruise that neighborhood on a Saturday night and be sure you still like it.
The type of cars in the driveways around there will tell you a lot.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
No HOAs is going to be difficult in many cities these days. I have a reasonable HOA: $40/month and that covers park maintenance and gets admission to the 6 neighborhood outdoor pools that are open in the summer.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
40,941
13,135
Portland, OR
Worst thing about my 'hood is the HOA is only covering the first phase of the build out. All phase 2+ houses aren't included. There isn't a line or anything to show it, so the houses up the street don't have to comply to the CC&R's. Sucks because I pay an annual due, but can't keep my boat at the house for more than 3 days. Homeboy just 6 houses up has a 5th wheel trailer parked next to his garage and no fucks are given.

If I don't keep my lawn green, I will get a nasty letter. :rofl:
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
.
I would recommend owning a ladder if only for the fact that sitting on the roof drinking beer is time well spent.

Also, with any home you own, you should be able to piss in your yard.
the roof also can double as a bong shed.....this was revealed to me visiting my friend in norcal....star gazing from the roof is great....falling asleep on the roof while staring at the stars ain't half bad either.

the only other thing i have to add is land over neighbors....all day every day.
 

junkyard

You might feel a little prick.
Sep 1, 2015
2,601
2,303
San Diego
Also take into account prevailing winds that could be annoying at certain times of the year, or hot areas that are in a valley with no wind. Also The sun it can be a blessing or a curse. In cold areas i would think you would want lots of southerly windows. In hot climates it sucks. If you get up early easterly bedroom windows can be a good thing. Just stuff to think about. Also NO HOA's, that is if your like me and like doing what you want. Kids? Plan accordingly, i didnt and now am stuck in a two bedroom with the wife and two kids. One may just have to live in my old school bus.
 

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,504
In hell. Welcome!
1. location, location, location
2. good schools -> motivated buyers
3. wet basement sucks. sum pumps I like not, so I have a house that does not need one
4. freedom to piss in your own yard is key. land/location/privacy matters, house can always be updated / fixed
5. say bye bye to non-house-hunting activities for the next six months or so. learn the market ASAP to spot a good opportunity quickly, especially in a sellers' market.
6. don't do it!!
 

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,647
1,116
NORCAL is the hizzle
Don't forget to budget for the annual cost of property tax and insurance.

Check out the neighborhood at different times of day for traffic, weather/sun, and noise issues.

In addition to any HOA agreements, check the real property records for things like easements, rights of way, and restrictions. Most, but not necessarily all, of that stuff will be in the Preliminary Report your title company will prepare in advance of issuing title insurance.

If you expect to build or expand, check local zoning and building codes.

Make a list of things that are important to you (and things that are not). I bought in SF, and gave up a backyard for a house with a two-car garage with a shop space.

And...what Westy said.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,531
Exit, CO
Having just bought my first house, I'm clearly an expert. Clearly. Okay not really but I have some opinions on what others have said...

Make a list of what you want. Then group into must haves and want to haves. Figure out what it a deal breaker.
Adding to this, when you make this list of what you want I found it critical to think of it in terms of what you're trying to solve and not just a feature you think you want/need. Sounds simple but an example is this: when I made my list of wants, "garage" was on that list—a feature. After taking a deeper look I found that what I really was trying to solve for was "bike, ski, and other gear storage". Having a "garage" wasn't critical in this sense, particularly because I could not care less if my vehicle is covered or not. I found a place with a sweet-ass basement that features sealed cement floors and built in shelves, perfect for a workshop and toy storage. My place also has covered parking spots, so I feel as though I got a bonus in that regard.

Get all you financial docs in order.
This. So much this. Taxes... get your taxes done if you haven't. And since it's that season, get them done on time and dealt with. If you have any side income, make sure it's well documented. I have 2 side businesses and this added a lot of wrangling of paperwork for me during the process. YMMV.

Disagree. It all depends on what is covered in the HOA, what the HOA provides, and what the HOA restricts. I was anti-HOA from the get-go as well, but as a life-long renter buying his first hours at nearly 43 years old, I went down the townhouse route. My HOA covers most of the utilities, all exterior maintenance including roof, has cash reserves if something covered breaks or needs upgraded, and poses very little restrictions on me as an owner. As an active person who's away from home often, the townhouse route made good sense to me.
 
I wouldn't touch a property with restrictive covenants or a homeowner's agreement. I like to run my little empire in my own fashion.

Know what's around you. A little south of me, just such a wind brings strong paper plant odors. In this neighborhood, shit pits from local dairy farms have a similar effect, not on me, but on close neighbors.
 

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,143
16,538
Riding the baggage carousel.
Colorado Springs area...
I know a lovely real estate lady if you don't already have one. I may in fact be presiding over the lesbian marriage of her daughter as an emissary of the FSM here in the near future. Gonna be awesome. :weee:

big ticket item like roofs
In CO your insurance company buys you a new roof every 7-10 years, historically speaking.

Be prepared for it to take a while. Most of what is on the market at any one time is shit and/or over priced. If it was any good it would have sold already. Take some time to get your bearings and then be ready to act fast when new stuff comes up. Also, don't count on your realtor to find stuff for you. Do demand they get you into to see places the moment they come up.
Kind of this. Real estate is reasonably hot here right now, not crazy stupid like it is in Denver, but it is definitely a sellers market.

If your Military career is coming to a close, why the Springs?
(nttawwt, just curious)

Live riding distance from Palmer Park, or get a larger lot in the canyons.

@Pesqueeb : any beta on trail conditions in PP?
This is most of town to be fair. I ride to Palmer from my house pretty frequently, and it is pretty centrally located. I'd love to be closer to Cheyenne Canyon or Cheyenne Mountain State Park, but most of those places are out of my price range. Houses near Ute Valley are not terribly expensive though, and if they were liable to burn they would have done it 2 years ago. We put an offer on a house near Ute Valley when we first moved up here that was turned down at the time, I'm not sure it's still standing now.

That said, riding anything here sucks right now, it's either under snow/ice or a muddy mess. Either ride very early before it thaws for the day or don't ride it at all.

South facing driveway in CO = snow melting on its own.
This. Jesus Christ do I wish I'd thought of this. Our stupid driveway faces east and is between our house and the neighbors to the south, and god damn am I tired of the wind blowing snow all over the driveway and up against the garage. Also, a detached garage may have something of an aesthetic appeal, but it is pure horseshit in any country that has an actual winter.

My one piece of advise is to rent for a year. I say this out of regret for not doing the same. We were in a big damn hurry to buy, didn't know the town very well, and were afraid of missing out given how fast prices were increasing at the time (late 2004). Had we waited 18 months, we would have know the neighbor hoods we really wanted to live in, and at that time because the market had shit the bed we could have actually afforded most of them too. Not that I'd recommend waiting and hoping the market goes bust, but since you're settling in for the long haul, I'd want to be sure your in the area you really want to live. If you've got questions about schools, or specific areas, or anything else, feel free to PM me.
 

cecil

Turbo Monkey
Jun 3, 2008
2,064
2,345
with the voices in my head
Do your own home inspection before your official home inspector does take lots of pictures this is a big investment scour every inch even if you don't know what your looking for, chances are if it looks odd or you think it wrong it probably is. Once you have looked closley at everything and have tons of pictures you can compare your findings and pictures to the inspector report see if he did an inspection or a "drive by" don't be afraid to politely question him on anything and ask for a discounted fee if he missed a lot

Open and close every window and door check for ease of operation do they lock and latch with ease

bring a flashlight look in the attic at the underside of the roof plywood for water stains mold also look for old rodent nest condition of insulation trusses. You should be able to see daylight when you look down towards the overhang where the vent baffles are proper venting is important

Open cabinet door where sinks are run hot water look for drips and signs of water leaks and mold look for corrosion or calcium build uo around water supply fittings that will be a sign of water leaks turn the water shut offs under the sinks and toilets make sure they shut water off and don't drip when in the on or off position if they don't work then you will have to shut off whole house to change fixtures look inside the toilet tanks is there a mildew water line

Pull fridge and oven out enough to see how clean it is behind them and if the coil on the fridge is covered with dust or pet hair

Look at every inch of basement walls poured concrete walls are great but look for cracks water infiltration stains mold or evidence of mold that has been cleaned if they are block look for step cracks in joints of the cracks go straight vertically that's worse than step cracks in the joints there is so much stress it split the block. Look at floor joists plumbing pipes hvac ductwork cobbled sloppy work will stand out. Take furnace filter out see what it looks like pour water in sump pump crock make sure it works keep track of how much it runs when your there if it runs every 10 min not good mine runs twice a month if that

Get serial numbers off every thing AC water heater furnace you can get accurate manufacture date and btu ratings from model and serial numbers

check electric panel see if all breakers are labeled bring a phone charger turn off a couple breakers and plug into outlets you turned off to verify accuracy of panel schedule

Look at outside of house caulk roofing insect and rodent harborage trees that are close to house and will fill gutters with leaves. Is the dirt setteling and back pitched around foundation

If you buy the house sooner or later you will find out these things so why not spend a few hours and dig in before you buy

Feel free to pm me with any questions or concerns
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,883
448
If it's a heat pump, make sure the heat pump works and isn't heating off of the back up power. Learned that the hard way when we got our first electric bill, then had to fork out for a new heat pump.

Also, I recommend meeting the neighbors. Not that you can help people moving or anything, but I have had enough BS renting that I really didn't want to be locked into being next door to an idiot.

Another vote for fuck HOAs
 

berkshire_rider

Growler
Feb 5, 2003
2,552
10
The Blackstone Valley
Research and visit the specific neighborhoods you may want to move to.

Go to local open houses in CO (if they still do open houses?) and meet with local realtors. We met a some pretty good realtors that were much better than who was representing ourselves.

Check the size of the garage, in that it has the necessary space you require AND that your cars will fit.

On the things Cecil and Westy noted above, not all are deal-breakers but can potentially be used to negotiate the price or get the seller to fix/pay for before you move in.

Avoid HOA's, unless you find one similar to FT. A lot of them suck.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
38,032
7,552
Ah yes, the garage width. 16' door width with unencumbered clear areas on either side for door opening is the minimum, IMO.