Any old house lovers to share my pain?

[Allisonfaye]

DH and I moved into our new construction home in 2004. We made a few glaring mistakes in building it. The kitchen is small (long story) and the backyard is nonexistent. I guess it is common for us city dwellers to make this back yard mistake and then want to move to a place with a bigger yard. So, I started looking around at lots. They are expensive. I also, on some level, feel guilty about building ANOTHER new house. Like in a green sort of way. So, I got it into my head that an older home might be nice. I started keeping my eyes open. I go to open houses now and then or see a house I like but I am not actively working with a realtor. When I mentioned moving back in Dec to DH, I thought he would say NO WAY. But he didn''t. He said he might consider moving but we both agree we needed to pare down some debt and shore up our finances before moving (which we are doing). The other thing about building something I don''t like is how long the whole process takes. I think it would take at least 1.5 years to find the lot, get the plans, etc.

So, I took DH too see an older home and neither of us really liked it. It was a mishmash of endless rooms that would serve no purpose and it had no back yard. It was in a nice area.

We saw a newer home last week and while it was beautiful, it was too small.

So then I went to an open house last Sunday. This house sounded perfect in the description and it was built during the time period of homes that I love (the 1920''s). I didn''t have a lot of time to look around because I had to be somewhere but I loved it. It was a dream. Although it had an addition, you couldn''t really tell because they had done such a nice job of tying it all together. The kitchen had been redone about 10 years ago. There were a few issues that were practical concerns. (The laundry room was in the basement (ours is on the second floor). The master bathroom wasn''t huge but it was adequate. The master closets weren''t really walk in. But the house was beautiful. The molding was unbelievable. The rooms were very good sizes for an older home. I liked the layout. It had a gorgeous family room with french doors out to the pation and a breezeway leading to the garage with all french doors. TONS of curb appeal and everything was in mint condition. It was exactly the kind of thing I had in mind. The back yard was a dream. It was huge. I had an old oak tree and a brand new fence. There was not one thing that made me say, I can''t live here. So I made an appointment to take DH through it. When I was there, I more closely inspected it and I realized the master closet was actually bigger than I thought and it had a neat attic area that could be finished and used as off season storage. I could go on and on.

I KNEW what would happen. And it did. He LOVED the living room. He loved the area. But he picked it apart and said on a scale of 1 to 10, he would give it a 6!!!

I love my husband but he just can''t see aesthetic appeal in anything. It drives me crazy. See I love being outdoors and where we live, there aren''t a whole lot of interesting things to do outside. You have to lug the kids to the parks to get any time outdoors. I want to just go out in my backyard and have some privacy and interaction with nature. My husband couldn''t care less about being outside.

My husband said he didn''t like the kitchen island and the kitchen sink and the range. He said if you pull out that out, you will ruin the floors and you will have to do all this and redo the master bath, yada, yada. And it would probably be about $150k to do all of it. And he is probably right. I could move in and not change a thing. But a $150k remodel on top of a house that would initially stretch our budget is just not possible. I don''t know. Maybe with the market the way it is, it will sit and we will have a chance to see lots of other stuff. I know a gem when I find it.

This house wouldn''t even need any window treatments because it is so pretty just to showcase the glass and the beautiful molding around the windows. It is in move in condition. Another thing we did when we moved into our house is not finish the basement and not do the back yard landscaping. All this is already done in this house so we wouldn''t have to take years getting into a presentable decorating condition.

Ok. Thanks for letting me vent. I know there are bigger problems in the world than not getting your dream house.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Sounds like a nice home. Sorry your husband didn''t like it.

Was it insulated well? We owned a house from ''36 and it was COLD. No insulation! We sold it years back and it seems those houses go quickly since nothing beats a bit of charm. Ours sold within a week.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Well, if we ever did buy an older home, there would be a million more things to consider. I told DH I would make them give me copies of their heating bills for the winter. Obviously, a good inspector would be essential but based on the appearance, I have no reason to believe they let anything go. It seemed comfortable while we were touring it. The temp outside was about 48 yesterday.

 

[lyra]

I think I''d expect a whole lot more for $150K worth of renovation. Are you talking about gutting the kitchen, putting in new cabinets, the whole works? I think I''d be more like you. Well, I know I would. We renovate every house we buy, but over a length of time. I absolutely *hated* our new construction house. We lived there for just 4 years, and it was endless nitpicking and expenses. I''d never want to do that again unless we won the lottery and got to build a palace on acreage.

I like the character you find in an old home, but I''d want one (much like what you described really), that had been renovated in all the major areas HVAC, electrical, plumbing, kitchen, baths. At least then you can live in it the way it is for a while and think about what you need to change. It sounds like with this house it was mostly cosmetic, major issues notwithstanding (things an inspector would have to tell you about). I''d *LOVE* to have a big yard with mature trees and landscaping. That would be a dream.

 

[iheartscience]

I LOVE old homes, so I totally understand! I live in an old apartment building right now that is AMAZING. It has super high ceilings, wood floors, a double parlor, molding everywhere, columns in the living room, built in glass door covered shelves, a built in chest of drawers in the hallway, a built in china cabinet in the kitchen, etc. I could go on and on!

I''m never leaving this apartment until I buy a house, and it will be old, too! I don''t know-I think if you''re going to buy an old house, you kind of have to appreciate its charm and just leave it as is for the most part. Otherwise you might as well get a new house! Obviously renovations are necessary for certain things, like central air, but it sounds like this house has all the updates!

Maybe you can let your husband think on it/fall in love more and then take him by there again? And then if you can get him to go for it, try living there for a year or so without doing renovations and then figure out what you just have to change and what you can leave? Wishful thinking, I know, but it''s worth a try, right?!

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/4/2008 7:58:01 PM
Author: thing2of2
I LOVE old homes, so I totally understand! I live in an old apartment building right now that is AMAZING. It has super high ceilings, wood floors, a double parlor, molding everywhere, columns in the living room, built in glass door covered shelves, a built in chest of drawers in the hallway, a built in china cabinet in the kitchen, etc. I could go on and on!

I''m never leaving this apartment until I buy a house, and it will be old, too! I don''t know-I think if you''re going to buy an old house, you kind of have to appreciate its charm and just leave it as is for the most part. Otherwise you might as well get a new house! Obviously renovations are necessary for certain things, like central air, but it sounds like this house has all the updates!

Maybe you can let your husband think on it/fall in love more and then take him by there again? And then if you can get him to go for it, try living there for a year or so without doing renovations and then figure out what you just have to change and what you can leave? Wishful thinking, I know, but it''s worth a try, right?!

This is exactly what I would do. Live in it and do things over time.

He just expects the perfection you find in a new home. But the funny thing is, we just filed a lawsuit suing our builder because our floors have huge separations in them when it gets cold in the winter and we turn on the heat. EVERYONE who has seen it says that the workmanship is inferior. So even a new home is no guarantee of perfection.

I guess I will just lay low for a while and see if they drop the price. I do think it is a bit overpriced. I know what they paid for it two years ago (market peak) and what work they have done. They are asking a huge premium for their work. Not worth it.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 5/4/2008 5:28:24 PM
Author: Allisonfaye
Well, if we ever did buy an older home, there would be a million more things to consider. I told DH I would make them give me copies of their heating bills for the winter. Obviously, a good inspector would be essential but based on the appearance, I have no reason to believe they let anything go. It seemed comfortable while we were touring it. The temp outside was about 48 yesterday.

Just FYI, in many cities you can get the average cost for heating bills for a certain house from the electric company (assuming they have electric heat) just by calling and asking. That way you don't have to go on the word of the previous owners.

And I sympathize...we love old houses too, but they really can be a lot of extra work unfortunately. I feel like both people have to be into it to make it work.

 

[Allisonfaye]

I was going to try to post photos of this house but I am having trouble getting them. May be a problem with the website. I will try again later.

Thanks, everyone, I knew you would understand. I wouldn''t want to get a house DH isn''t happy with. Part of it is that he can''t appreciate such a beautiful thing wtih me but I guess everyone has their own taste. The funny thing is, when it comes to food, we have the exact same taste. We went to a new restaurant the other day and picked the same thing, appetizers and all.

 

[dani13]

I feel your pain, Allison....I ADORE older homes (especially colonials), but I do find that even though they have TONS of charm and character, they also come with their own sets of problems. For instance, the rooms in these types of houses are generally small and choppy, and there is no closet space, which is a HUGE problem. In order to be happy in an older home, I would think (at least we would) just renovate over time....

Im sorry you found your dream home and you just cant get it right now! But always remember there will be other homes that you will love...the timing just has to be right....And it would be great if you and your husband could find someplace that you would both love. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, and if this house isnt meant to be, there will be another one out there that is meant to be yours!!

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[iheartscience]

Yeah, it''s so crazy how overpriced some houses still are-I peek at house listings every now and then because we might buy this year, and some houses are still SO overpriced. It''s insane! There was one house listed where I live for almost half a million dollars. It was probably worth MAYBE $275,000. And the market is bad right now! Well guess what-now there''s a For Rent sign out front!

So fingers crossed the price will drop and you can sell your husband on the house! And I would love to see pics if you can get them posted!

 

[ahappygirl]

I get it.

Our last house was custom built, we loved it and the wooded 3/4 acre it was on, the neighborhood, etc. We lived there 4 years and then moved to another state when my husband changed jobs. New house is almost 80 yrs old, less than half the space, required tons of work, but we really it. I really have a love-hate relationship with this house. It has charm galore, great lot, superb neighborhood. The last 3 times it sold, it sold in 3 days. We had to get rid of some oversized pieces that wouldn''t have made it through the door. Also got rid of some boxes of stuff we didn''t need, but we do have a small storage unit keeping some things while we live here (giant dining room set that was my grandmothers, etc) Also there was another couple who were going to offer about 50K+ more than we paid and bulldoze the house just for the lot, but we beat them to a purchase agreement by about 2 hours. (Their realtor was hopping mad. The people wanted to build their McMansion.) Anyway, we saved the house!! Yay. It was nowhere near bulldozing condition, but we did refinish all the wood floors, paint, put it 2 new appliances, sinks, and a toilet, had the air ducts cleaned, the foyer closet tiled, and the full bath (we used to have 4 full baths and now 1 1/2!) tub/tile sandblasted and reglazed. Mostly ust TLC that the previous owners had neglected. Over the following 2 years we put in all new windows matching the orignals and landscaped the whole yard, and updated the basement so that it''s useful space. Also insulated the attic. The windows/ insulation dramatically helped our heating/ A/C bills and comfort. We also had a couple of phone jacks and extra electrical outlets put it in. No major renovation, although we have thought about gutting the kitchen and expanding the back of the house. I''m not up for it. I''ve been down that road before and at this point I want my energy to focus on spending time with our 4 yr old son.
I miss my old gormet kitchen and storage, certainly at times the extra space (ie overnight guests). I love the character of this house, the fact that we saved it from destruction, the neighborhood is phenomenol, living a lot more simply in general. I don''t have to spend much time keeping this one clean. We aren''t tempted to buy furniture or things we don''t really need because we don''t have the space anyway! We really like having our son grow up here, at least while he is young.
It was a huge adjustment going to an older home - I think I cried every day the first 3 weeks thinking "what have we done!" but it really ended up being a good thing. And it is SUPER charming. Good luck!!

 

[Allisonfaye]

I did it! I got it to post. Here is the front. The left ''side'' actually faces the street. I can''t get any of the interior photos. But you can see kind of see the molding around the front door. I swear the house is in beautiful condition.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Oh well, I guess it didn''t work. Rats!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We lived in a beautiful English tutor that was built in 1920 growing up. Charming, beautiful, historic...money pit! Seriously one thing after another needed to be fixed, upgraded, replaced. I personally don''t think I would ever buy an older home b/c of it. Could you sell your current home for the price you want in the time you want? I know the market is dead in a lot of places.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/5/2008 5:53:27 PM
Author: Tacori E-ring
We lived in a beautiful English tutor that was built in 1920 growing up. Charming, beautiful, historic...money pit! Seriously one thing after another needed to be fixed, upgraded, replaced. I personally don''t think I would ever buy an older home b/c of it. Could you sell your current home for the price you want in the time you want? I know the market is dead in a lot of places.

There is a lot on the market right now. I don''t know how much prices have dropped. I would like to do research to at least find out. But I do have to agree with my DH that the timing is kind of bad.

 

[Pandora II]

LOL, we''re house-hunting at the moment and have decided to go for 12 years old at the most!

My parents house dates from 1600 and they spent ages doing it up. All the beams had woodworm and death-watch beetle and had to be treated, all the lathe & plaster walls came down and were rebuilt - nightmare...

We found some amazing things in the house - a mummified cat and 2 rats above my bedroom door. They''re still there as my parents put them back when they redid the walls.

They have a huge inglenook fireplace that you can sit in with an enormous beam across the front where the spit was attached. It had all been plastered over, and when we cleaned it off, there were all these things that had been hidden in the spit-holes from the 1780''s: flints and sulphur matches, ''A Child''s Pleasing Instructor - Thou Shalt Not Steal'' - this had a beautiful woodcut of two little boys eyeing up an apple-tree with a man-trap underneath at the top of the page and a treatise on the punishments awaiting those who sinned!. We also found little leather children''s boots and other bits and pieces.

FI and my''s current house is from 1931 and is pretty modern by UK standards.

We looked at lots of Victorian houses, but the windows are small, they have fireplaces that you can''t use (not allowed in London) and the rooms are pokey and the wrong shape. There is also never enough storage.

But, even though we are going for ultra-modern, I still love old houses, especially Georgian.

 

[Selkie]

Allison, can I ask what region you live in?

Pandora, that house sounds FASCINATING!

I am determined to someday own an old house (and of course, suffer all the consequences!) I grew up in a mid-19th century New England farmhouse, which my parents still own. Someday I'd love to renovate it. Either that, or buy and fix up another old house (preferably a salt-box colonial or a Greek Revival cape). If we stay in California, we plan to look for an 1920's Craftsman cottage because both DH and I love them and they are the signature "old" house style in CA.

If we were to build a new house, we'd probably go with a post-and-beam Cape, made to look as authentically old as possible. That way we could get all the modern energy-saving features together with the solid construction!

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

I grew up in a house from the 20s and while it needed repairs, it wasn''t anything more than any other house. The tile in the master bath had to be redone because it was leaking, but the leaking part was actually redone in the 80s, the old one didn''t leak. The water pressure is very poor, but it keeps the water costs low. On the other hand, the brick and laster are more solid than much more recent houses I have been in.
I live in an old appartment from the 20s an before that I lived in one from 1905 and my favorite dormroom was from 1904. I loved them. The thick walls kept sound out, the wood is so beautiful and would cost a fortune to get done today. All the walls and windows have moldings and are deep set for our kitties to sleep in. All had new kitchen features with the exception of the current one where the kitchen was done in the 50s and looks it.

The town I am moving to doesn''t have many old houses converted to appartments, so I think I may have to live in a new place and it makes me really sad. It does have the old trees, lilacs and roses I love though, so it is not totally souless.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/5/2008 6:38:01 PM
Author: Selkie
Allison, can I ask what region you live in?

Pandora, that house sounds FASCINATING!

I am determined to someday own an old house (and of course, suffer all the consequences!) I grew up in a mid-19th century New England farmhouse, which my parents still own. Someday I''d love to renovate it. Either that, or buy and fix up another old house (preferably a salt-box colonial or a Greek Revival cape). If we stay in California, we plan to look for an 1920''s Craftsman cottage because both DH and I love them and they are the signature ''old'' house style in CA.

If we were to build a new house, we''d probably go with a post-and-beam Cape, made to look as authentically old as possible. That way we could get all the modern energy-saving features together with the solid construction!

I live in the Chicago area.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/5/2008 6:19:36 PM
Author: Pandora II
LOL, we''re house-hunting at the moment and have decided to go for 12 years old at the most!

My parents house dates from 1600 and they spent ages doing it up. All the beams had woodworm and death-watch beetle and had to be treated, all the lathe & plaster walls came down and were rebuilt - nightmare...

We found some amazing things in the house - a mummified cat and 2 rats above my bedroom door. They''re still there as my parents put them back when they redid the walls.

They have a huge inglenook fireplace that you can sit in with an enormous beam across the front where the spit was attached. It had all been plastered over, and when we cleaned it off, there were all these things that had been hidden in the spit-holes from the 1780''s: flints and sulphur matches, ''A Child''s Pleasing Instructor - Thou Shalt Not Steal'' - this had a beautiful woodcut of two little boys eyeing up an apple-tree with a man-trap underneath at the top of the page and a treatise on the punishments awaiting those who sinned!. We also found little leather children''s boots and other bits and pieces.

FI and my''s current house is from 1931 and is pretty modern by UK standards.

We looked at lots of Victorian houses, but the windows are small, they have fireplaces that you can''t use (not allowed in London) and the rooms are pokey and the wrong shape. There is also never enough storage.

But, even though we are going for ultra-modern, I still love old houses, especially Georgian.

So you would consider this house built in 1924 new construction, right? Haha.

 

[decodelighted]

I''m a current old home *owner* and contend that position is where the TRUE PAIN lies!

Never. Ending. Pain. Heartache. Financially crushing surprises at every turn. Not "remodel the bathroom" beauty-enhancing lifestyle modifications over time but EMERGENCY walls-falling-down, structural integrity, mold growing, roof collapsing, squirrels digging toward your head through the drywall TOR-freakin-TURE!!!!!!!!!

Aiiighhhh. Count your lucky stars & kiss that husband of yours.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 5/6/2008 5:25:23 PM
Author: Allisonfaye

So you would consider this house built in 1924 new construction, right? Haha.

Fraid so!

I love art deco houses, and while they''re not considered ''old'' they''re considered ''period''.

To have an ''old'' house in the UK, it really needs to be pre 1850 at the latest.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/6/2008 5:50:21 PM
Author: decodelighted
I''m a current old home *owner* and contend that position is where the TRUE PAIN lies!

Never. Ending. Pain. Heartache. Financially crushing surprises at every turn. Not ''remodel the bathroom'' beauty-enhancing lifestyle modifications over time but EMERGENCY walls-falling-down, structural integrity, mold growing, roof collapsing, squirrels digging toward your head through the drywall TOR-freakin-TURE!!!!!!!!!

Aiiighhhh. Count your lucky stars & kiss that husband of yours.

Ok. I will. But...but...if you SAW the condition this gem was in.....am I naive?

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Date: 5/7/2008 2:58:05 PM
Author: Allisonfaye

Date: 5/6/2008 5:50:21 PM
Author: decodelighted
I''m a current old home *owner* and contend that position is where the TRUE PAIN lies!

Never. Ending. Pain. Heartache. Financially crushing surprises at every turn. Not ''remodel the bathroom'' beauty-enhancing lifestyle modifications over time but EMERGENCY walls-falling-down, structural integrity, mold growing, roof collapsing, squirrels digging toward your head through the drywall TOR-freakin-TURE!!!!!!!!!

Aiiighhhh. Count your lucky stars & kiss that husband of yours.

Ok. I will. But...but...if you SAW the condition this gem was in.....am I naive?

I don''t think so. My parents have had a few suprises along the way, but nothing that was a money pit and the most expensive problem was due to bad repairs in the 80s, not when the house was built in the 20s. Anything that makes a house a true money pit is something the investigator (I am not sure what they are called) should have caught when the house was built.
I live in an area with a lot of new and old houses and the new houses often have the costly repairs. The old houses were built with slanted roofs because it keeps the snow off and they do just fine. Many of the new houses were built with flat roofs because it was more chic. It was, until the roof caved in. I can''t even tell you how many times I have seen that happen.

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/7/2008 3:40:33 PM
Author: brazen_irish_hussy

Date: 5/7/2008 2:58:05 PM
Author: Allisonfaye

Date: 5/6/2008 5:50:21 PM
Author: decodelighted
I''m a current old home *owner* and contend that position is where the TRUE PAIN lies!

Never. Ending. Pain. Heartache. Financially crushing surprises at every turn. Not ''remodel the bathroom'' beauty-enhancing lifestyle modifications over time but EMERGENCY walls-falling-down, structural integrity, mold growing, roof collapsing, squirrels digging toward your head through the drywall TOR-freakin-TURE!!!!!!!!!

Aiiighhhh. Count your lucky stars & kiss that husband of yours.

Ok. I will. But...but...if you SAW the condition this gem was in.....am I naive?

I don''t think so. My parents have had a few suprises along the way, but nothing that was a money pit and the most expensive problem was due to bad repairs in the 80s, not when the house was built in the 20s. Anything that makes a house a true money pit is something the investigator (I am not sure what they are called) should have caught when the house was built.
I live in an area with a lot of new and old houses and the new houses often have the costly repairs. The old houses were built with slanted roofs because it keeps the snow off and they do just fine. Many of the new houses were built with flat roofs because it was more chic. It was, until the roof caved in. I can''t even tell you how many times I have seen that happen.

Ok. Good. So I can still dream?

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 5/6/2008 5:50:21 PM
Author: decodelighted
I''m a current old home *owner* and contend that position is where the TRUE PAIN lies!

Never. Ending. Pain. Heartache. Financially crushing surprises at every turn. Not ''remodel the bathroom'' beauty-enhancing lifestyle modifications over time but EMERGENCY walls-falling-down, structural integrity, mold growing, roof collapsing, squirrels digging toward your head through the drywall TOR-freakin-TURE!!!!!!!!!

Aiiighhhh. Count your lucky stars & kiss that husband of yours.

Eeek! That doesn''t sound like much fun Deco! When my DH got home from work yesterday a piece of the siding on our house was starting to fall off! He managed to nail it back into place but he was not happy about climbing up on the roof to do it!

DH and I are currently renting (and trying to buy) a house that was built in the late 1880''s. It''s small, yes but it has so much family history behind it. We have found out that there is possibly valuable things buried in the yard and that 5 children were born in the house.

The kitchen has avocado green countertops and only a small amount of counter space and the bathroom has some funky "marble" paneling on the walls that is very retro indeed - I should really post pics of it. The house really needs cosmetic fixes and, upon inspection, seems to have a good foundation and structure.

Jess

 

[Skippy123]

I love love love old houses; they have so much character. I have been in both but there is nothing like an old house and it''s charm.

There was so much attention to deail.

 

[cnspotts]

We bought an old house built in 1940, it''s block, brick & stucco. It''s interesting too in so many ways. It has a full basement but we''re sure that it didn''t always. The house is only 1200 sq ft so we''re redoing it room by room starting with the main bathroom. Currently there is no floor in there, the door opens to the basement below (watch your step)lol. Hubbs is putting the floor joist back and reconfiquring the entire thing, also added extra room by taking out a closet adjacent. After months we''re pretty sure now how we''re going to finish it (sunken tub, frameless shower, floor to ceiling cabinets, glass bowl sink, etc.) Next we move the laundry room into the other bathroom off the kitchen which will begin our kitchen remodel. We''ll be replacing all the windows soon too with something energy efficient, the ones now are awful. We insulated the ceiling in the attic which really helps and added a dehumidifier to the basement.

It''s a lot of work but every little bit makes the vision we have come to life. We also do a little here and there outside as well. The landscaping is coming along so nicely. I planted foundation plants, fruit & nut trees of which some are already fruiting out. Amazing.We have 3 lots on a hill with a fantastic view so I know we won''t be giving that up any time soon. There''s a fence going up currently to keep strays out which run freely here and have attacked my dogs, they have 2 fenced areas themselves. Sometime this summer we''ll put in a turtle pond with a deck, pergola and a firepit area. We just put in hammock posts but hubbs is planning to put a roof on it so we can lay out there in the rain.

The old house is work but we were never as happy in other neighborhoods, or new houses with less to do. This keeps us working together and talking about it along the way. I guess we enjoy the planning of it all. It''s not for everyone.

Good luck with your search, hopefully you two will figure out what works best for both of you.

 

[moremoremore]

OOOHHHH, I love OLD homes....LOVE THEM. Would I ever buy one....HECK NO, well, unless I had won Lotto and This Old House was going to make me the project for the year! I watch and drool....They just do require so much maintenance that adds up...and paying the mortgage is enough thanks LOL

That said, you DON"T need an OLD house to have what you want...we came from the city but I grew up on almost an acre on Long Island so the yard (AKA I can't see my neighbors) was really priority #1 and the new construction here in Charlotte had no privacy....I also don't think new construction is all that great and can be definitely shoddy...they all want a quick buck with these gross cookie cutter mcmansions...The house was built in 1988 and was really boxy....we did a lot of work, knocked down walls, reno the kitchen, etc., etc...it was a lot of money to spend...probably about $75k in total which we did right away bc of husband's OCD hahaha and that we had it from your sale....there is still a lot to do,but will be done over time....but worth every penny bc it's money back in your own pocket....You DON"T have to spend that if you can stuff yourself and CAN do it over time....I am really good at small projects but nothing structural, etc, so we had to contract out....so don't give up hope .... you can have the best of both worlds!

 

[Allisonfaye]

Date: 5/10/2008 11:31:13 PM
Author: moremoremore
OOOHHHH, I love OLD homes....LOVE THEM. Would I ever buy one....HECK NO, well, unless I had won Lotto and This Old House was going to make me the project for the year! I watch and drool....They just do require so much maintenance that adds up...and paying the mortgage is enough thanks LOL

That said, you DON''T need an OLD house to have what you want...we came from the city but I grew up on almost an acre on Long Island so the yard (AKA I can''t see my neighbors) was really priority #1 and the new construction here in Charlotte had no privacy....I also don''t think new construction is all that great and can be definitely shoddy...they all want a quick buck with these gross cookie cutter mcmansions...The house was built in 1988 and was really boxy....we did a lot of work, knocked down walls, reno the kitchen, etc., etc...it was a lot of money to spend...probably about $75k in total which we did right away bc of husband''s OCD hahaha and that we had it from your sale....there is still a lot to do,but will be done over time....but worth every penny bc it''s money back in your own pocket....You DON''T have to spend that if you can stuff yourself and CAN do it over time....I am really good at small projects but nothing structural, etc, so we had to contract out....so don''t give up hope .... you can have the best of both worlds!

Oh, so you live in Charlotte? I used to live there for about 3.5 years. Beautiful place, especially when the azaleas bloom. I can''t spell today.