Real Estate

[lookinforwalleye]

Well it looks like we may be on the move again, the wife misses Orangeville and she wants to move back.

I can understand this as all her social life and friends are in Orangeville and judging by the Petro Canada bill it will be cheaper to move back.

Now the rant, our agent whom I have know for many years has had us out a few times looking at what is available and I must say the majority of homes I have seen are dumps. I should mention that we are looking to downsize and to me that means a smaller house not a lesser house,but it seems that the smaller they get the dumpier they get.

We have seen maybe 20 or so homes and I think maybe 1 or 2 would be what I would call move in condition and several that require major updating think "That 70's Show" and yet these people are asking top dollar.

Now the remaining handful of homes my agent has shown can only be described as pig sty's just absolutely filthy these people know they have showings you`d think they would tidy up a bit maybe spray a little Fabreze to dampen the disgusting pet orders a bit, we were in one last night and my feet were sticking to the floor for crying out loud and again these slob's are asking top dollar.

Now my agent tells me I may have to lower my standards a bit because as he says my house is way cleaner than normal which judging by what I have seen is accurate and he says it`s only dirt it can be cleaned up!!

I can`t believe that a clean house is a rare thing and by clean I mean you can eat off the floor clean.

[bigbuck]

I went through that 8 years ago when I bought my house. I think in 6 months I saw about 80-90 homes in the Milton/Oakville area. My poor real estate agent got a workout with me. I hear you, we saw one home that was brutal, buddy thought that he was a student slumlord for Sheridan College students, there were 3 so called apartments in the basement that had concrete floors and unpainted unprimed drywall that were the size of closets, another was a home that had the most ridiculous colour scheme you have ever seen, I mean bright red, yellow, orange, green...... Some were downright disgusting with the filth. Another, the owners used chemical warfare against us, it was a beautiful home in Georgetown (too far), they had baked cinanamon buns and the aroma permeated the whole house. They were smart, the house showed beautifully and had it been closer I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Too many people are out there thinking that their little pigsty is worth top dollar. They wouldn't get the time of day from me unless I was getting a great (and I mean great) deal on that sh....thole. Keep looking, something will come up that you will spend many years enjoying.

[perchslayer666]

Tell you wife to suck it up, and put your foot down. It's as simple as that.

What is more important, social life or paying off the mortgage? Tell your wife to make new friends unless you both want to live in an over priced dump.

 

Sorry man, the common sense and rational of you scenario as described drives me nuts.

[JohnF]

 

I can`t believe that a clean house is a rare thing and by clean I mean you can eat off the floor clean.

 

I can. I continue after 35 years in the business to be amazed by what some folks consider as "ready to show". Very few places that hit the market would satisfy my wife.

 

Is it possible you're moving from a lower priced area to a higher priced? That compounds the problem. But on the upside if you buy a poorly maintained place then the price should reflect the condition within the general local market values. My experience has been that people who are particularly obsessive about cleanliness (like my wife) are going to clean the bejeepers out of anything they buy regardless of what it's like to begin with. If you are careful about not paying too much then you will build in instant equity by making it spotless. A good first impression is critical in getting the best possible price.

 

The other thing to consider is a possible upgrade meaning slightly more mortgage payment but a higher comfort level with the house. Interest rates today are so low that a few extra thousand on the price doesn't necessarily mean a crippling mortgage payment. For $100 per month you can get around $25,000 more mortgage unless you're really accelerating the payout. In the end you might be happier all things considered.

 

Unfortunately this kind of suggestion is almost always construed as "upselling" to get a bigger commission. Sometimes it's just good advice.

 

Dunno if that helps get things into a better perspective.

 

JF

[JohnF]

Tell you wife to suck it up, and put your foot down. It's as simple as that.

What is more important, social life or paying off the mortgage? Tell your wife to make new friends unless you both want to live in an over priced dump.

 

Sorry man, the common sense and rational of you scenario as described drives me nuts.

 

I don't necessarily agree. How many compromises do we have to make in the name of getting ahead? There's so much more to life than just getting a house paid for. I often recommend that people buy less house in a better area if I think they're going to be happier in that location. I've even suggested that folks rent instead of buying if it's the only way to be in an area in which the family will be comfortable.

 

Think "no man is an island".

 

JF

[lookinforwalleye]

Tell you wife to suck it up, and put your foot down. It's as simple as that.

What is more important, social life or paying off the mortgage? Tell your wife to make new friends unless you both want to live in an over priced dump.

 

Sorry man, the common sense and rational of you scenario as described drives me nuts.

 

 

Spoken like single or divorced guy!!!LOL

[lookinforwalleye]

I can. I continue after 35 years in the business to be amazed by what some folks consider as "ready to show". Very few places that hit the market would satisfy my wife.

 

Is it possible you're moving from a lower priced area to a higher priced? That compounds the problem. But on the upside if you buy a poorly maintained place then the price should reflect the condition within the general local market values. My experience has been that people who are particularly obsessive about cleanliness (like my wife) are going to clean the bejeepers out of anything they buy regardless of what it's like to begin with. If you are careful about not paying too much then you will build in instant equity by making it spotless. A good first impression is critical in getting the best possible price.

 

The other thing to consider is a possible upgrade meaning slightly more mortgage payment but a higher comfort level with the house. Interest rates today are so low that a few extra thousand on the price doesn't necessarily mean a crippling mortgage payment. For $100 per month you can get around $25,000 more mortgage unless you're really accelerating the payout. In the end you might be happier all things considered.

 

Unfortunately this kind of suggestion is almost always construed as "upselling" to get a bigger commission. Sometimes it's just good advice.

 

Dunno if that helps get things into a better perspective.

 

JF

 

 

Yes John Orangeville is priced around 10-15 percent or so higher than Shelburne, I won`t be compromising and buying a dump I may have to spend a little more but the only problem with that is it usually means a bigger house.Our current house is just shy of 2000 sq.ft and we find it way too big for the two of us.

Another option we looked at is an apartment I haven`t lived in a apartment in a long time but there is a nice 50 plus type building in Orangeville that has some appeal and it might make sense to take some equity and throw it into the RRSP and get a nice cheque from the Gov.

 

The search continues.

[kickingfrog]

You live in Shelbourne and Orangeville only about 25km/30minutes away? Quality of life is more important (IMO). Tens of thousands of people drive 4 times as far to go to work each day looking for their quality of life (that's open to debate). Take your time and find exactly what you want.

 

BTW it can take 30 minutes for me to get across Barrie.

[mbosh1980]

you should see some peoples homes when they aren't trying to sell! A number of years ago I worked for a junk removal company. We saw some pretty horrifying living conditions...can anyone say dog waste stockpiled in a hallway closet? Don't worry I'm pretty sure they let it dry out on the carpet before they threw it in there. Lots of hoarding type behaviour out there too. Very sad to see especially among the elderly. I think it might have been something about living through the depression that turned a lot of our elders into habitual collectors.

[mbosh1980]

now if you'll excuse me I feel compelled to tidy my condo...

[Fish4Eyes]

I went through that 8 years ago when I bought my house. I think in 6 months I saw about 80-90 homes in the Milton/Oakville area. My poor real estate agent got a workout with me. I hear you, we saw one home that was brutal, buddy thought that he was a student slumlord for Sheridan College students, there were 3 so called apartments in the basement that had concrete floors and unpainted unprimed drywall that were the size of closets, another was a home that had the most ridiculous colour scheme you have ever seen, I mean bright red, yellow, orange, green...... Some were downright disgusting with the filth. Another, the owners used chemical warfare against us, it was a beautiful home in Georgetown (too far), they had baked cinanamon buns and the aroma permeated the whole house. They were smart, the house showed beautifully and had it been closer I would have bought it in a heartbeat. Too many people are out there thinking that their little pigsty is worth top dollar. They wouldn't get the time of day from me unless I was getting a great (and I mean great) deal on that sh....thole. Keep looking, something will come up that you will spend many years enjoying.

 

Cinnamon takes away the smell of mould. Dont kid yourself for a second, that is the exact reason they did it.

[JohnF]

Cinnamon takes away the smell of mould. Dont kid yourself for a second, that is the exact reason they did it.

 

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of home staging advisors suggest baking cookies, pies or muffins just before a showing to fill the home with pleasing aromas to create a nice atmosphere. Cinnamon is one of the best. Right in there with have a crackling fire in the fireplace during a showing and tasteful music playing softly in the background.

 

JF

[The Urban Fisherman]

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of home staging advisors suggest baking cookies, pies or muffins just before a showing to fill the home with pleasing aromas to create a nice atmosphere. Cinnamon is one of the best. Right in there with have a crackling fire in the fireplace during a showing and tasteful music playing softly in the background.

 

JF

 

LOL Hey John should I fire up the fireplace mid-august on a 30 degree saturday afternoon? While running the Central Air full force to keep the house at 76 degrees?

 

Good luck with your house hunt! I've found one that I like, my wife likes another, but the biggest problem we're facing is trying to sell our current home without an agent!

 

Cheers,

Ryan

[JohnF]

LOL Hey John should I fire up the fireplace mid-august on a 30 degree saturday afternoon? While running the Central Air full force to keep the house at 76 degrees?

 

 

 

I forgot to say "in season". In the hot weather make sure the a/c is running. I've never understood why someone would leave their house for a showing and not have the a/c blasting.

 

JF

[lookinforwalleye]

I forgot to say "in season". In the hot weather make sure the a/c is running. I've never understood why someone would leave their house for a showing and not have the a/c blasting.

 

JF

 

 

AC is always on as is music in the background, I don`t know what the market is like down your way but it`s pretty slow here in two weeks two showings and a offer which I rejected outright and I am priced right in one of the better area`s of Shelburne and my home shows great.

[The Urban Fisherman]

LFW - I live in sort of a different area out in the country. 90% of the families that have called so far are Mexican Mennonite families with 10+ kids! Very nice, but quiet group from what I've experienced... We've had 1 showing and though they seemed to like the house very much, they haven't phoned us back... which could have something to do with the fact that they have 9 kids and the house only has 4 bedrooms... We've also had a few phone calls that haven't really amounted to much. Keep in mind we haven't listed with real estate as of yet because we'd like to put that money to use and our home is a week or so away from being 100% finished inside. Of course our house was cleaner than it's ever been for our first showing, and will be again in the future.

 

I know exactly what you mean about looking at other houses though. Most of what we've looked at so far have been total dives, one of which might as well be bulldozed! lol One house is a rental house, and the current tenant was ashing his smokes on the rug the whole time we were there. The ceilings were completely yellow from smoke, basement window's broken, the list goes on. The one I like most needs some serious clean up, and updating, but the current owners ( Estate Sale ) realize this and it is obviously reflected in their asking price. If the house was in prime condition it'd be a $200,000 home but they're only asking $144,000 which is what it's worth. Of course I'm still going to low-ball them a little as the house needs about $10,000 worth of new window's.

 

Anyways, good luck with the sale and purchase! Keep us posted!

 

Cheers,

Ryan

[JohnF]

AC is always on as is music in the background, I don`t know what the market is like down your way but it`s pretty slow here in two weeks two showings and a offer which I rejected outright and I am priced right in one of the better area`s of Shelburne and my home shows great.

 

I think we're in the hot summer doldrums. It's fairly normal for a bit of a downturn now. People have vacations on their minds with the kids out of school. People who need to get moved before school starts have probably already done their deal. It'll start to pick up again shortly. Not to worry. The late summer market should be great.

 

JF

[John]

AC is always on as is music in the background, I don`t know what the market is like down your way but it`s pretty slow here in two weeks two showings and a offer which I rejected outright and I am priced right in one of the better area`s of Shelburne and my home shows great.

 

Generally, IMHO and with all due respect, you should try wherever possible to work with an offer, unless it is completely out to lunch, even then there may be hope. Rejecting it outright may not be the best option available to you. The market will determine the correct price for your home, of course you reserve the right to agree or disagree with the market.

[bigbuck]

As for the post above regarding the potential of mould, I don't think mould could ever start in that house, it was immaculate. You would think that nobody lived there. JohnF is right, baking bread, cookies, cinnamon buns and the like is what I call chemical warfare, it is not fair. It puts you into a nice frame of mind and hopefully catches you at a weak moment to offer the asking price or more if they throw some baked goods in....

[lookinforwalleye]

Generally, IMHO and with all due respect, you should try wherever possible to work with an offer, unless it is completely out to lunch, even then there may be hope. Rejecting it outright may not be the best option available to you. The market will determine the correct price for your home, of course you reserve the right to agree or disagree with the market.

 

I agree John but this offer was 6% under my price and full of conditions.