The House Searching / Buying/ Building Thread

[Nate]

We are scheduled to break ground on our new house this December!!! Still working out some bank issues (apprasials now-a-days are terrible due to all the foreclosures and apprasial rules that have to be followed now) but we should still be a go in about 2 months from now. Ended up with a lot north of Plano/Frisco in a town called Prosper, TX. It's a 3/4 acre lot on a corner with a green belt behind it. We designed the house from scratch and it's been a work in progress for the last 6 months. Here's a front view:

The sides will also be stone now, which isn't on the drawing. Going for a hill country house, white limestone with grey limestone leuders mixed in with a gray roof. It's been a project!

 

[JR]

Picked out some tile for the bathrooms. It is porcelain and looks like slate stone. Also went over to the house and picked out our rooms (they put up wall studs for the second story last week and built the stairs.) We are undecided on the type of hardwood. I am partial to Brazillian Cherry, and so is Mom, so we will see.

 

[GrantD]

I use to build houses. We built big, fancy, custom "mountain" homes. Everything we did was cut and nail. We were a 4 man crew and we did everything except for the plumbing and electrical work. I was kind of the tile guy. We also always either did granite counter tops or we made concrete ones, it depended on the customer. It was a lot of fun and we were making great money until the end of 2007 when things started turning south. I still have all my tools and equipment and i like to do around the house projects quite a bit.

Good luck with the house JR. Those are stressful times for a family.

I didn't know you knew how to do concrete counter tops. I might get your help whenever I build a house. Don't worry it will be a while.

 

[Super Tuna]

Your market must be much different than ours. Very few properties of any type are being built on spec here. Very few houses being built period. Though lot prices have dropped to a level where you can almost buy a lot and build a house for at or less than buying existing.

Kevin

The market CB and I are in is quite different Esox. We have constant and consistent levels of foreign investment so our market never dips. People keep talking about the Vancouver/Victoria housing bubble bursting but it hasn't happened in 25 years and doesn't look to be coming anytime soon.

My wife and I are starting to look but it's a depressing time to buy. $375k for less then 1000 sq feet in a 1bdr equals blah. I tried to convince her that we would look at Wolfsville on the east coast but she wasn't having it due to the winter conditions (seriously. $220 there gets us 4 bdr, 2 bath, 2 car garage, 3000ish sq feet with hardwood, granite, etc).

It's insane how much info you need to know as a first time buyer as well. Many of you seem to be grizzled vets so are well past this point but I've been making a check list of things to find out abor properties, etc and the list is getting absurdly long.

 

[JR]

The market CB and I are in is quite different Esox. We have constant and consistent levels of foreign investment so our market never dips. People keep talking about the Vancouver/Victoria housing bubble bursting but it hasn't happened in 25 years and doesn't look to be coming anytime soon.

My wife and I are starting to look but it's a depressing time to buy. $375k for less then 1000 sq feet in a 1bdr equals blah. I tried to convince her that we would look at Wolfsville on the east coast but she wasn't having it due to the winter conditions (seriously. $220 there gets us 4 bdr, 2 bath, 2 car garage, 3000ish sq feet with hardwood, granite, etc).

It's insane how much info you need to know as a first time buyer as well. Many of you seem to be grizzled vets so are well past this point but I've been making a check list of things to find out abor properties, etc and the list is getting absurdly long.

That is horrifying. wow.

 

[VA. Vince]

Now my wife and I are thinking about moving back closer to the city. Ugh, I hate the thought but getting up at 2:45am is the worst.


Tap-in Talking

 

[JR]

Went to town today. Picked out a different kind of tile ( I like this one better ) and the brick for our house. Also went to the furniture store and picked out furniture for my bedroom. The whole house is going to be very traditionally styled, except for mine and my brothers rooms, which will be contemporary.

Picked out the following bedroom (bed, media cabinet, and nightstand, I have a walk-in closet where I will store my clothes, minimizing the need for a dresser) :

 

[hartattack52]

Looks good JR! I have the same style bed.

 

[Nate]

We close on our construction loan tomorrow! Set to break ground Jan. 2, 2012. :banana:

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

We paid the deposit on 37 acres we are buying just down the road from our current location. At present, we live on a 5 acre corner lot. I'm looking forward to living in the middle of 37 acres and being able to walk out the door and shoot my guns.
Our plans are to build a "bardominium" over the next few years.
This spring/summer will probably be spent working on cleaning up the land, clearing a home site, getting a driveway put in, and possibly having utilities ran.

 

[Dr. Teeth]

We paid the deposit on 37 acres we are buying just down the road from our current location. At present, we live on a 5 acre corner lot. I'm looking forward to living in the middle of 37 acres and being able to walk out the door and shoot my guns.
Our plans are to build a "bardominium" over the next few years.
This spring/summer will probably be spent working on cleaning up the land, clearing a home site, getting a driveway put in, and possibly having utilities ran.

Acre? What is an acre? And why do you have 37 of them?

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

Acre? What is an acre? And why do you have 37 of them?

Oh, I've got 43 more, but I just don't want to build there. Don't want to mess the hunting up and I might want to harvest the timber off of it someday.

 

[MWard]

Oh, I've got 43 more, but I just don't want to build there. Don't want to mess the hunting up and I might want to harvest the timber off of it someday.

My up to a quarter acre lot mocks you in disgust haha

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

My up to a quarter acre lot mocks you in disgust haha

Of course your quarter acre is probably a lot closer to more golf courses than my 43 acres!

Hard for me to imagine living on 1/4 acre as I'm mowing a 3 acre lawn at my current place. Hopefully I won't have any more than that to mow when we get the new place ready. The rest will be maintained with a tractor.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

Really stuck right now. We put an offer on house and have 40 days to sell ours. We have only had two showings. Crappy move on our part to list right now during this time of the year.

 

[MWard]

Of course your quarter acre is probably a lot closer to more golf courses than my 43 acres!

Hard for me to imagine living on 1/4 acre as I'm mowing a 3 acre lawn at my current place. Hopefully I won't have any more than that to mow when we get the new place ready. The rest will be maintained with a tractor.

Fact. Cut through a neighbor's yard and I'm on the first tee. Or just hit lob wedge over their house and I'm on the first tee hehe

 

[ddxu]

Really stuck right now. We put an offer on house and have 40 days to sell ours. We have only had two showings. Crappy move on our part to list right now during this time of the year.

In your boat man. Our house has been listed since Mid August. 2 price deductions later, its still on the market. Luckily, we've had about 15 showings and 1 offer. Offer had to walk away because they couldn't get approved for what we were asking. This market sucks. Consumer confidence is just killing us, very few people have the stones to sign with the job / mortgage market being the way it is. The buyers hold all the chips, hopefully you took advantage when putting your offer in on your new place.

We've already signed for an apt in our new city, as we have no confidence our current place will sell by the time we have to move.

(typed as I sit at a bar while our house is being shown)

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

Fact. Cut through a neighbor's yard and I'm on the first tee. Or just hit lob wedge over their house and I'm on the first tee hehe

Of course I could make my own practice area on 43 acres... but who wants to maintain that when I can be at the course in 10 minutes!
I'm just looking forward to being able to walk right out the door and shoot skeet or do some plinking with my .22's.

 

[MWard]

Really stuck right now. We put an offer on house and have 40 days to sell ours. We have only had two showings. Crappy move on our part to list right now during this time of the year.

You might not be totally SOL. Depending on how your agent structured the contract, he/she may have included a contingent upon sale of current home addendum to the contract. If they didn't, you still have to be approved for your new mortgage. If your debt to income ratio doesn't fall within certain percentages, you could get declined and then you wouldn't be able to buy that other home. Your escrow deposit then kind of is 50/50 if you get it back or not. If you lose a few grand though, but aren't stuck with two mortgages, it might be worth the money. I'd speak with your mortgage person and your agent to see what your options are.

 

[Doug the lefty]

Of course I could make my own practice area on 43 acres... but who wants to maintain that when I can be at the course in 10 minutes!
I'm just looking forward to being able to walk right out the door and shoot skeet or do some plinking with my .22's.

Congrats on the property. W/43 acres you could build a 9 hole course easily! lol

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

Congrats on the property. W/43 acres you could build a 9 hole course easily! lol

Thanks! The land will be a constant work in progress for the next several years, so it may be possible that I do end up creating a practice area at least big enough for some full shots with the PW.

 

[KellyBo]

When we built our house, I told OG that I wanted to oversee the entire thing myself and that we would save a bunch of money if he would agree. He didn't want any part of it but I am a "do-it-yourself" not afraid of anything type of lady. I told him I would handle hiring all the subs, making sure they are paid, and would oversee all the construction. I got the construction loan and researched myself to death. Since I was a business manager, I knew a lot about bidding out jobs, insurance, etc. The house was built, right on target with our budget, and on time. I even learned how to install real hardwood floors with the help of my brother-in-law. I've never worked so hard in my life but the house turned out really nice and I was a proud lady. I spent the next year landscaping and decorating. Now I just play golf. Haha.

 

[Doug the lefty]

Thanks! The land will be a constant work in progress for the next several years, so it may be possible that I do end up creating a practice area at least big enough for some full shots with the PW.

I know what you mean. We have bought several properties and there is always something to do. lol

 

[JR]

Few more details for you guys.

Brazilian Cherry hardwood floors.
Dark Granite in the kitchen
Mahogany with dark finish for the cabinets.
In the bathrooms, a reddish marble.
And, a little birdie told me there will be a putting green and a pool table in the basement.

 

[Arkie_3_fan]

I know what you mean. We have bought several properties and there is always something to do. lol

There is never a shortage of stuff to do. And somehow, I've got to fit some hunting, fishing and golf in the schedule as well.