Why did nobody warn me that this bloody house-hunting lark is hard work?
When you’re looking at a rental property, there’s this little voice in the back of your mind reminding you that if the house or neighbourhood turns out to be a dump, then at least you can move again. It’s a pain in the arse, but doable.
We had a viewing of a property earlier today and all I could think of was “do you want to commit to buy THIS?!”. Admittedly the house in question needs some work, but I didn’t expect to feel so negative about it. I came away and I was already preparing “dislike” lists in my head. I worry that my scrooge-like tendencies, picked up from Karl, will get in the way of every house we look at.
I don’t know. It doesn’t help that I don’t really know how to arrange my priorities. I don’t know how much work we’re willing to put in. I don’t know what I’m doing!
10 Apr at 8:37 pm
Think of it this way: you have a lifetime to get it perfect! A house will always come with quirks, unless you get a new build which is likely to fall apart in 5 years time (not many new builds in this country are sustainable).
And never settle for the asking price! You can always get money off :) If you talk to an estate agent, they can help you figure out what you can get for your budget.
I have all this to look forward to at some point :/ Good luck!
PS Did you slip a note to the fanny flipflop with the nice house?
10 Apr at 8:40 pm
We did post a note through the door of the house so wanted, but no response. Grumpy cowface. :(
10 Apr at 9:09 pm
Trust me, you will know when you see the perfect house. It won’t matter what state it is in, or how much work will be needed – you will just ‘know’. Do bear in mind that there are numerous helpers here, painting/shifting/gardening etc….
Lil is right too, don’t offer their asking price right away, try putting in a lower bid and see if they take that first, you can always raise your offer little by little but you can’t take back what you have offered.
I wouldn’t give up just yet, not even on ‘the’ house, the one you really liked. Ok at this moment she is kidding herself thinking that she will be able to get more for it via auction but believe me… houses on there only go for rock bottom prices. Hopefully she will have put a baseline price she wants and when it doesn’t reach what she expected she may even ring you after all. Life has a habit of doing that to you…when you least expect something – Bam! Along it comes. :o)
p.s. Lil, I now have to clean my screen after reading ‘fanny flipflop’, I sprayed my coffee all over the place lol!
10 Apr at 9:39 pm
Lil cracks me up XD
Agreed with your mum on knowing about the right house – just take your time and you’ll find The One soon :)
11 Apr at 12:05 am
I always think that there’s no need for a house to be perfect. If you’re putting down roots, you’re going to want to make changes to your house yourself. You’re going to want to renovate the kitchen, repaint the living room, rip up the carpet and polish the floors…to do whatever you need to do to make the house feel like your own.
Location is probably more important than anything. Buy in a nice neighborhood with good local schools and infrastructure (transport, parks, etc.). A crappy dilapidated house in a good neighborhood, is much better than a brand new house in a bad neighborhood. You can always fix up the old place, but you can’t change the location!
11 Apr at 1:18 am
I’ve house-hunted several times in my life growing up. I think that you just have to accept the fact that no house you find will be perfect. If you can imagine yourself living in a house (and the neighborhood) with only a few minor fixes, then I believe the correct choice is to seriously consider the house.
11 Apr at 7:21 pm
My Andy and I just went through all this last year and it was prolly one of the most stressful experiences I’ve had. But what I’ve learned, and what I’ve heard from so many people is that buying a house is kind of like falling in love. When you know, you know! So if you immediately have a negative reaction to a house. Scratch it off your list. There will be more houses. This is a huge commitment and you have to love it. You have to close your eyes and see if it *feels* like home.
Also, because you’ve got a little one, and you’re working etc, I’d avoid major fixer uppers. Fixer Uppers are for couples who have a bit of time and money and they’re excited about taking on project. You can do wonders with some paint and new curtains, and even if you’re unhappy with a few features, (counters for example), those can always wait a few years. That’s the nice thing about owning, it’s all yours!
The most important thing is to not let anyone pressure you. Andy’s parents tried to pressure us into buying a place that needed a ton of work because that’s what they did when they first got married. Like everyone above me has said, when it’s right, you’ll just know.
11 Apr at 9:19 pm
I’d say that you should decide on whatever work you’re willing to put in/ have the time/money/skills to put in and then halve it!
Half, I bet is about reality of what you actually will set out to do (cus of last minute things popping up, getting ill, tired, can’t be arsed, etc) and then any more would be a bonus!