So, here's the house that almost had us signing papers...
Looks nice and quiet, right? That's one of the problems. After talking to the neighbor I found out there aren't many kids in the neighborhood and "everyone keeps to themselves."
John and I walked through this house super late one evening then drove back with the kids this weekend to see it in the daylight. BIG TIP for house hunters: Make sure you see the house at different times of the day.
That wood beam was a major selling point in my book.
I could see a cozy little seating area in front of the fireplace and some open shelving on the brick wall. I had plans people...
I had to wonder if a blogger lived in this house. Everything was very on trend and the finishes were definitely of the DIY type (some good, some not so good).
There were 3 fireplaces. Too bad it's only cold enough for fires in Texas about 3 nights out of the year.
Nice neutral finishes. Looked great the first time we walked through, but the second time the seller failed to clean...big mistake. HOUSE SELLING TIP: Clean you house before all showings. Potential buyers don't like seeing hair on the bathroom floor (or the bathtub for that matter). Yuck!
Two of the rooms had cute little window seats that open up for storage.
Brick floors again. Love those.
So, are you wondering why we didn't pull the trigger?
I prayed for clarity before we drove back to make our decision. Both kids didn't like this house. I was shocked because they've seen others they've liked better and this one was 10 times better than those. Seeing it in daylight revealed that the pool had major problems and would have to have a complete overhaul. We also noticed several potential structural issues with the house, roofing issues and a slanted floor that may have indicated foundation issues. And the biggest question mark was the beginnings of a road expansion project that looked like it'd end up placing this house with a busy street in its side yard. No one wants to buy a house on a busy street...got to think resale value.
You may be thinking that many of these issues would give us serious negotiating power and you're right, but it's at the top of our budget. We'd have to get them down lower than they originally paid for the house to make this thing happen. Also, don't forget from my previous post that this house is an hour away from John's office. Too many factors to make it work. :(
In four weeks and one day, we'll officially be living in a hotel. Can you hear the butterflies fluttering in my stomach?!
5 comments:
It was close, but not THE ONE! Thanks for taking us on the tour, glad you decided to hold off and wait for one that doesn't have potential structural issues! Big $$$$.
Oh, dang! Some of the others you've shown us 'looked like you' I didn't get that so much with this one ~ hang in there friend!
i think when you know you know, and you are smart not to just go for it because you want a house. go for the right house. it will be there soon. :)
I think you made a good decision not to get this one. No one wants to deal with and pay for major house problems. Best of luck to you and your family! I hope you get the home you want soon!
“Make sure you see the house at different times of the day.” -- This tip is very helpful in a lot of ways. One important thing is to be sure that what you see is what you get. That can be quite a disappointment for house buyers, you know. Sometimes, a house can look great in the evening and dull in the morning. Another thing is to be able to look around the neighborhood. It was a good thing you were able to get a tip that the place is a “selfish” community.
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