House hunting update 2

[Audwoman]

I have been pretty quiet about the house hunting because I have exhausted all the possibilities that are available. I have specific wants/needs and I have an area that I have to stay in because of my mother's medical needs and my own convinces of getting to the airport and work responsibilities.

My want/need......
1 acre or more
4 - 5 bedrooms and 3 baths & 1 half baths.
2 car garage.

I have narrowed it down at this point to 3 options.

I am working with a builder that is working up a plan on two properties. One to remodel with the additions and I have found 2 acres that I can build on.

The third option is a bank foreclosure property that is not available to go in yet. I have only seen the outside. But I love the area 2 acres very private and good garden space. It has a cottage feel, 10 rooms and best of all it is a good price.

So that is where I am with the house hunting. Unless something comes on the market between now and October it looks like I will be going with one of these three options.

Which would you go with???

[boo]

Gosh that's a tough call, Aud. Sorry things have been so difficult for you. I would probably go with the best location/land and then build or add-on what i needed. I know living with (and waiting) construction is such a headache. :unsure: Is this a home your going to live at forever? If you ever have plans to move somewhere warmer then I would find the house that works for your mom & your needs now and go from there.

[Audwoman]

Boo, I do not think it will be my last house. I still want and will move out of the cold one day but I cannot move from the area because of my Mom right now.

I also am looking at resale value so I am trying to make sure I get a good value property. It will be my get away profit maker to the warmer climate to spend my golden years.;)

[DandyLioness]

4 to 5 bedrooms? HOLY MOLY! Is that so that you can have space to put up your BS buddies when we have a renunion? http://smileygenerator.us/pop/silly/harhar1.gif

It sounds like you have some fabulous options to go with. Go with your heart. No wait, go with your head.

Hmmmm go with your heart AND head. http://smileygenerator.us/pop/laughing/giggle.gif I know, I'm no help. I bought the second house that I looked at and plan to stay here.

[Audwoman]

Dandy, I am trying to move my Mom in with me. I have three bedrooms now and it is not big enough. Also, my daughter does not look like she is going to ever leave home. :lol:

Everybody teases me. They say I need a room just for my luggage. I work from home when I am not on the road so one of the rooms has to be an office. We are not talking about a place to pay bills and personal things I have serious amounts of work files, cabinets of papers, binders and manuals. I have to have a lot of space.

[boo]

I know what you mean about space. If you have family living with you, :unsure: and then you need a study, how about a spare bedroom a place to to put the treadmill :lol: next you know it 5 bedrooms doesn't seem extravagant at all.

Good choice to go with resale value since it's not your final home. :) It sounds like you're in the right direction.

[DandyLioness]

Yes, I understand. A bedroom for you, your daughter, your Mom, an office and a luggage room. HECK, I think that you need 8 bedrooms! You need a storage room and a guest room.. and maybe a room just for overwintering plants.

Well, DH and I have added a couple of small rooms to our 3 bedroom home and there are only 2 of us here. Storage is the big deal for us!

[Audwoman]

:lol::lol:How about a threater room. I have the big screen TV all I need is a popcorn machine and some more speakers. Yep, Yep I need 8 bedrooms. :lol:

[DandyLioness]

Well, we have the big screen too, but NO popcorn machine.

OOOOOHHHH - why can't I get microwave popcorn that doesn't have FAKE butter on it. Why can't I get microwave popcorn and put on my OWN REAL BUTTER????

It's been a mystery for quite some time.

[grindle]

It gets difficult, after a while the houses all begin to look the same, I went for good location, reasonable garden [for here] and cruddy house, you see I got my priorities right:lol:, but then I didn't have to think about too much else.

[Pennylee]

I'm looking at house plans now (but the project is all in the mind at the
moment.) The main thing is to have this house wheelchair happy
(have to face up to what might happen even in the near future.
The basic plan we're working on has to have some changes. The "theatre"
next to the main downstairs bedroom has to be incorporated into that bedroom to make it roomier and better for storage; the lavatory part of the
ensuite bathroom has to be built at the nearest entrance from the bedroom
suggestion from Nicole's sister, a nurse. Possibly stair lift later for upstairs. Double garage with proper
storeroom attached. Safe entry from garage through to kitchen.
The house remains a family house, but the slight changes are to help with
age concerns. Mind you, I don't intend to need them till I am 104!
P.S. :
Rambling on again!- but what I was indicating was that if your Mum
is going to be with you for some years, it would be nice to buy a house that
already had enough sensible convenient aspects or modifications to make life easier for you both.

[Garden Bear]

bank foreclosure property is not a bad deal if you can get it well below market thats how I got my house and now if I sell I can make 3x what I paid for it but thats not going to happen I like my little house don't give up and just take any thing get what you want go for the whole cake and enjoy it


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Garden Bear

[jennie]

tough decision, all 3 sound like they could be do-able for you.
I agree if your not staying forever go with the best chance of making money when you re-sell.

[springsprunginmy<3]

Do you need something right away, because building on property can take some time, and they are never done on time...where would you stay until the new house is being built ?

I would choose something that your NOT going to have to keep trying to do a lot of repair work to, since it seems like you have a lot on your plate.

Have you gone back to just those three places, and tried to picture yourself living there ? Which one makes you feel like your home ?

Resale value is a good thing to look at, but also remember sometimes we get "stuck" somewhere a lot longer than expected...so make sure you will be happy there.....not unhappy.

Good Luck ! I hope it all works out for you, and that you get settled soon. We cant wait to have a house warming party;)

[Rich]

Have you thought about moving to England? I have a 5 bedroom house with two garages for sale.

[Sashweezy]

Like the realtors say, location, location, location, especially when it comes to resale value in the future. Also the house you can change but the property you can't. Oh, and a word to the wise. Some day your daughter may leave but come back by your revolving door. I have some experience with that. :rolleyes:

[Sneezie]

:unsure:Oh goodness Aud. This girl just can`t make that call. Your house is gonna have to be your decision. But hey at least there are still possibilities out there. Good luck.

[Audwoman]

Pennylee, you made a good point. Making it elderly friendly for my mom as well as for me possibly is one of the reasons I was considering building. I ain't getting any younger.

grindle, these people are getting in my way if I did not need so many bedrooms I would be OK. I want enough land to garden. We have our priorities right. :lol:


springsprunginmy, when I move I will have a big BS garden party. Boo promised to come help me mosaic some garden art. :grin:

Rich, I would love to have your house.

Sashweezy, I know it seems the children do not leave the nest and stay away these days. My niece and nephew have come back several times my sister said when is she ever going to have the spare rooms she planned. I told her as soon as they leave for work hurry up and move the beds out of them.

Sneezie, I need someone to blame if it is the wrong choice. :rolleyes:

[galu]

Aud I was looking for info on where you were moving to and this was dated 2003. Are you moving again or did I not notice the date on the last post that made me think you were moving. I am confused. I did enjoy reading through this old post though. I too am having to consider my mother possibly ending up with us in the not too far future.

[donybee]

One thing I regret now is not building a Ranch style home. I have a split entry with six steps up and six steps down but it's still 12 steps everytime you have to wash or go to get anything stored below. Another ting is to make sure of the location if your planning to resell in the future.

[Audwoman]

galu, maybe you looked at joined date. I just started house hunting this year. I am staying in the same state for now. I really want to stay in the same suburb that I am in now just a bigger house.

donybee, I have been looking at ranches I never thought I would like a ranch because I like the idea of seperate floors but you are rightl...as you age you need things on one floor.

[jennie]

No to mention everything on one floor is so much easier for doing housework. We went from a huge 5 bedroom two story into a 3 bedroom one story. I certainly do not miss dragging the vacume and cleaning supplies up the stairs:lol:

[galu]

My knees never want to go back to two story houses. I like the privacy of two story but... We had our child in the wheelchair for fifteen years and had to manage the flight of stairs for about ten of those years in a couple of different houses. That and skiing took care of my goal to stick with the ranch homes. I am surprised that they are so hard to find in so many parts of the country. There are too many of us in the same shape in our aging population. If we build I will be sure to make it an "accessable" home as well with the wide doorways etc. They should do a tvshow on what to do to do that.