Weddingbee boards

So, yesterday, we went out house looking for the first time ever. I've gone house hunting to lease before, but never to purchase. Anyways, our "number 1" from the 15 or so we saw was a rough gem in need of some polish in a GREAT neighborhood and location.

It's a foreclosure, so it does need some cosmetic work, but doesn't seem like anything major. It even has a recently new roof and windows!

So, we went to go look at it today for a 2nd time (knowing places go quick!) with FFIL and when we got there our relator goes "so, uh... just so you know, there was an offer on the house at $10,000 under the asking price."

Ahhhhhhhh, heart panick then. It wasn't accepted and they were willing to take our offer into consideration if we were to make one today essentially.. ahhhhh, heart thumping overload!

Well, we looked through it, FFIL agreed it was a great floor plan, needed the cosmetic help, but great bones and potential.  Up to date homes in the neighborhood are selling for $50,000 more.

Well, we went to the FIL's house which is conveniently down the street and crunched numbers.  It's still in the higher range of what we were looking at, but after crunching numbers we came to a decision, and that was that we'd be paying the same thing for a potentially less house. 

This house has EVERYTHING we wanted and didn't think we could get, and MORE! It's the kind of house we can buy now, have multiple kids in, and be OK till we're old and gray.  It's so much more than I ever expected in a first home here... and in our market. And a much better neighborhood. 

It's not a guarantee we'll get it... and we know if we don't God has something better in store for us... so if we don't get it I don't think I'll be completely crushed, but the bar has been set high.

I'm tempted not to include pics, but I might as well, right? Keep in mind this is a foreclosure. Most that we looked at were in pitiful condition! 

Great Room

Dining Room

Main stairs with Great room on left, dining on right

kitchen

half bath

Mud / Utility room (be still my heart!) needs non-blue paint, lol

FROG - or 4th bedroom. The room in most need of help. Most likely my studio... after some remodeling. 

Family Room from eat in kitchen

family room from back of it, there's a hallway to the front and great room behind my right shoulder

Full shared bath upstairs

bedroom 3

bedroom 2

Master closet number 1! I didn't take a picture of the 2nd but it's a "normal" sized closet in addition to this!

Master bath, this needs a lot of repair. The sink unit is in good condition, but, the floor needs to be replaced. The tile was done badly, no one wiped the grout off the tile tops so around the toilet it's covered in grout... ick

Awesome back deck for entertaining, great sized yard too!

So, say some prayers that Gods will be done if it's meant to be ours, so scary! I've never seen my FI so nervous! lol. I'm the spontaneous one and even I was nervous and felt rushed, etc. The thing is, it just hit the market Saturday, and there's already an offer before ours! lol, this is going to be crazy if we don't get this one... Now, to wait...

Ms. Caniche, love your name! I have a Caniche Royal to enjoy that backyard if we get it!

Thanks, y'all! I don't know if i can sleep tonight, lol... and we might not even know for a few days... whew... deep breaths!

thanks!

love the house, and so exciting! good luck!

Wow what a cute house!!! I really hope you get it and if you do, I can't wait to see what you do with it :)

That is considered in bad condition? It's nicer than most of the houses I lived in growing up. The colors in that one room are a lot to handle at once, though, and I would want to fix the grout, too. But to hear you talk about it, I was expecting like holes in the wall and stuff. It looks like a great house; I hope they accept your offer!

littlemissmoo - My parents live in London, I COMPLETELY understand what you are saying and you are completely right!  Lol, my PARENTS even wish they had space like this there!  but, this house couldn't even pay for a flat anywhere within London... the worst of the worst this couldn't buy :-) The cost to live in london and what you would get for your money would give most americans a financial heart attack, lol! Especially if you're using the USD :-o

Thanks again everyone, I hope we did the right thing! oh, waiting will be hard!

OK, my pictures make is look a bit nicer than it is ;-) The railing and banister have chunks out of them and will need to be replaced, there's a doorframe that looks like this...

Yup, that's staples and gorilla glue or something holding it together. On the inside it's completely cracked as is the dry wall so hopefully this doesn't have structural issues, we don't think so, but it needs to be replaced. The master shower is "livable" but not for long, lol. ALL the floors except front entry, kitchen, mudroom, and half bath need replacing. So basically 3/4 of the house needs new floors... and yes... lots and LOTS of paint! Oh, we also would need a whole new door, haha.

The front porch isn't in good condition either. It looks fine from the sidewalk, but it needs to be completely sanded down and repainted or replaced. The top trim of the house and the shutters need to be replaced as well.

There is evidence of possible termite issues, and the garage door and frame around it need to be replaced. There is also no automatic garage door opener! lol, that will need to be added.

The deck needs some powerwashing and sealing, and will probably need replacing in a few years. Were going to have to replace the latice work around in right away... 

So, I mean, while there's loads of minor things... overall, ya... most foreclosures we saw did have giant holes in the walls, downed fences, gouges in kitchen cabinets, etc.

Is there anything Gorilla Glue (and/or duct tape) can't fix? I giggled at that picture, though I am sorry because it will not be funny when you have to fix it!

Hopefully the home inspection goes well and no termites or structural issues!

Oh, laugh all you want, that was the whole reason I took the picture! lol... I mean... REALLY? Who calls that a "fix!?" lol I did laugh out loud when I saw that, haha.

Well, then... in that case, scratch replacing the banisters off the list becasue I'm sure I can sturdy them up with some good ol fashioned duct tape! lol, that's so funny that it kept re-appearing!

I'll have to tell the home inspector if we make it that far to check for staples, glue, and duct tape fixes :-)

@KLP - I hope you'll be getting an inspection? Just to make sure there aren't any major problems you missed!!

Well, I just had to run over to our relator's office... The offers been submitted, but another offer was submitted last night and we don't know what that offer was... Soooooooooo

not feeling too confident right now...

We put in a offer $5k over the 1st and $4999k under the asking... plus closing costs.. so there's so many what ifs...

... what if the other person put in at $3k over the first? what if they also did $5k but without closing costs... etc... 

not looking promising :-( now I'm more anxious just to know... lol. Just tell me if I need to keep looking or planning color schemes.. haha

I LOVE the size of the kitchen!!
That house looks great for a foreclosure!
The back deck is very promising!!

Best of luck!!!

Thanks everyone, I'm really not feeling too confident right now... :-/

Oh well, whatever happens, happens. If not this one, we'll find one.. 

Thanks, I know, crazy right! Well, I talked to the relator and asked if we should change our offer, he said he didn't think so, that much higher we'd be out pricing ourselves or something, but... i also don't want to loose the house because we didn't want to pay an extra $30/month or something.. ya know? Also makes me wonder, does he really know and he promised not to tell us? Like, maybe the 2nd offer was for 2 or 3k over the 1st... and since ours was 5k over the first offer we'll get it?

Ahh, too many what ifs! I just want to know and I bet it takes a few days :-(

lol - YOU think it's suspensful! I'm trying really hard not to start debating paint colors or look up flooring and appliances, etc... even the moulding that needs replacing, etc... haha

Ahh I SO feel your pain!  We went through the same thing when looking for a house.  We found a foreclosure that was originally lisetd for like $400K and was asking $235K.  We wrote up our offer at $225.  That Monday, we heard there was another offer on the table, so we raised ours to $230.  The other bidders offered $235.  They never gave us an option to re-offer.

In the end we found another house for sale and bought it a month later.  We got an even better price.  Looking back, the other house was not meant to be.  We love our floorplan and yard so much more than the other house. 

Keep us updated!

Because I love our house and my dog, I thought I would share my picture!