making an offer, need ps fairy dust!

[Kaleigh]

Fingers and toes crossed!!!! Good luck!!!

 

[gingerBcookie]

good luck sweetie! positive house vibes headed your way from texas!!!

 

[allycat0303]

Fingers crossed jcrow, if it''s meant to be it will happen!

 

[jcrow]

ok, i''m totally freaking out. we just signed the offer. it should be in their hands right now.
IF no one already made an offer, then we''re in, and we''ll just have to negotiate from here.

 

[allycat0303]

Jcrow: I''m super-excited for you. The first house is always the most nerve racking. I just read the rest of the thread...I''m glad you''re getting the hardwood floors. I''m totally nuts for hardwood. When we first bought the house the wood floors were a little banged up and I *said* I could live with it. In any case, 7 months in, I had new hardwood floors everywhere, *including* the basement. The contractor had to build a subfloor for that....but floors are everywhere so you should love them. As for the granite counters.... I say definitely go for it! I think it''s a tremendous addition in terms of resale. I have two absolute musts, and that''s hardwood and granite counters. Your new house sounds divine. Enjoy daydreaming of color scheme, furnishings etc. Lets hope you''re the only offer!

 

[snlee]

How exciting! Good luck, jcrow!

 

[jcrow]

ok, if this was your starter home, and most likely someone else''s if you sell it, would you still upgrade to granite?

 

[KimberlyH]

jcrow,

The added value of granite to the home would be worthwhile if you intend to sell w/i 5 years or so. I would think a bit harder about it if you intend to stay in the house longer because granite is a trend and so it will, in all likelihood, be replaced with another kitchen trend at some point. Hard wood is not as suseptible to the same issues so I would have no doubts about putting the floors in.

 

[allycat0303]

Absolutely. Because granite makes it more attractive to buyers, and I still have to look at those counter tops for 4-5 years. It's our starter home too....and the wood floors were really perfectly acceptable. But I really believe that your home should be something that brings you joy, if it's forever home or temporary home. But things like that in a home really affect me. I'm much less affected by something like closet space (all my clothes are on the floor anyways

). So if you cook a lot and like granite, I would get it. If you are NEVER in the kitchen and love ceramic, then don't buy the granite, because I'm sure that ceramic top is still nice.

ETA: I didn't know that granite was considered trendy though. My parents bought their home 30 years ago, and even before it was remodelled it had granite. I think ceramic is less common in Quebec though. I've never seen it in a kitchen.

 

[colorkitty]

Date: 1/8/2007 4:14:54 PM
Author: jcrow
ok, if this was your starter home, and most likely someone else''s if you sell it, would you still upgrade to granite?

Would it be okay if I said it seems to me like you really want the granite and you might regret it if you don''t go for it? Of all the upgrades you can make, something like granite is a good idea. You''ll get the most $ back from your kitchen and bathroom renovations. Granite will continue to make a nice impression on buyers and be desirable.

 

[jcrow]

ok, then i''ll ask this - cause i''m clueless!!! - is there something else that would be a better maybe inbetween solution? inbetween granite and ceramic tile?
something easier to clean than ceramic tile and the grout that comes with it, but less expensive than granite?

 

[KimberlyH]

Corion (sp?) is an in between product, but if I were going to spend the $$ I''d go granite.

Ally: My experience w/ homes/trends is based in SoCA. Most homes built in the 80s had tile countertops. Granite became big here in the 90s and was typically only found in high end homes. People are starting to do concrete countertops now as opposed to granite. There''s no way to know if granite will eventually be considered dated but there are definitely trends with countertops. I am not a professional, so I may be way off base, but this is what I have seen.

 

[allycat0303]

Well I''ve seen granite/marble and laminate (I''ve only seen ceramic tiles in magazines).

Here''s an article I found on it:

http://www.prosalesmagazine.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=425&articleID=241970

I''ve seen it in MANY houses (even upscale), and it can be very nice and easy to maintain.

 

[butterfly 17]

Hi Jcrow,

Good luck!!! I am keeping my fingers crossed for you!!!

 

[jcrow]

all of the new homes in my price point are done with ceramic tiles for the kitchen counters, and kitchen, bath & utility floors.

 

[jcrow]

Date: 1/8/2007 4:42:11 PM
Author: allycat0303
Well I''ve seen granite/marble and laminate (I''ve only seen ceramic tiles in magazines).

Here''s an article I found on it:

http://www.prosalesmagazine.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=425&articleID=241970

I''ve seen it in MANY houses (even upscale), and it can be very nice and easy to maintain.

interesting. thanks.

 

[butterfly 17]

Date: 1/8/2007 1:10:40 AM
Author: Mara

Date: 1/7/2007 11:26:43 PM
Author: Fashionvictim
Good luck!
On another note, will someone please come buy my parents house? Its a beautiful, renovated home in a desirable town and neighborhood, and no bites. Its been 18 months on the market. The price is at an all time low for a few days now. The market is terrible!

It''s so random...there was the prettiest little house up for sale about a mile from us, within this really desirable neighborhood where we always go walking, totally remodeled, SO CUTE inside, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1850 sq ft, huge lot and really beautiful roman looking exterior...it dropped almost $100k before it sold and that took about 8 months. We walked by it ALL THE TIME. I loved it and was really tempted esp after it dropped $75k where it was in our ''comfort'' price range...but I think the reason it took so long was because it''s on the corner of a semi-busy street...that is what kept us from really considering it. But the longer it was there, the more I thought about it. Then one day it had sale pending and now new owners are there!! But 8 months and $100k. You could tell a ton of love went into re-creating the house and all that, I was so sad for the little house. And it was empty the whole time, so you know that the people had already moved on and bought something else kinda thing...which I thought was sad too because they were probably paying double mortgages! I thought it was really odd that it just being a corner house on a busy street was enough to drop it $100k and sit on the market for so long. There was another house that I remember a few blocks away that was a corner on the same street and it sold within 2 months...again beautiful renovated and stunning outside. Sometimes it seems so random.

Yes, I definitely think it is really random. For example our block has 5 homes on the market right now, mine being one of them and the most recent on the market since September. All of our homes are about the same from the outside and one of them I am attached to. We are all duplexes (attached on one side) and there are a total of 36 on my block.
One of the homes has been on the market since April and the one I am attached has been on the market since May.
I am pretty sure I am the only one in contract and I feel terrible. Everyday I see my neighbor that I am attached to and she asks me how the house thing is going and I feel terrible telling her we are closing soon, esp. when she is in the same situation as me, about to buy a house, but need to sell the one she is living in first.
I dread seeing her everyday.

 

[KimberlyH]

Home decor really is area specific, but I say if you guys can afford it and would really enjoy the granite it''s worth your while. I know I brought up trends, but I changed my mind as having said that people don''t redo their entire kitchens all that often and I don''t think it will make a difference in the long term. Wow, I''m all over the board today, hope this makes sense!

 

[allycat0303]

I think it''s a a geographical trend thing. I think of ceramic tiles for counters as being really, really fashionable. Most likely if it was in a house here, it would have the same value as granite because it''s original.

Here in Quebec when we talk of upscale homes it''s hardwood floors (always brazilian rainforest wood and not maple etc., I think because there''s too much maple in Canada), granite counter tops, and ceramic tiles (I think the style is called terra cota or something) for flooring in the bathroom and the kitchen.

I think it also depends on what the contractor is charging you for the granite

I know that when you are building the house, the contractor doesn''t just charge the price of the counter and installing it but a little extra for himslef too, so also a consideration.

 

[jcrow]

ally- if we upgrade to granite, we''d only be paying the difference between the ceramic tile it comes with vs. the granite. we don''t pay for instillation, supposedly.

 

[Ann]

Date: 1/8/2007 4:30:03 PM
Author: jcrow
ok, then i''ll ask this - cause i''m clueless!!! - is there something else that would be a better maybe inbetween solution? inbetween granite and ceramic tile?
something easier to clean than ceramic tile and the grout that comes with it, but less expensive than granite?

How exciting, I''m keeping good thoughts for you.

jcrow, I do interiors for new spec houses. Most of the homes are large higher end homes. I haven''t used tile in a kitchen, ever. I''ve used granite probably 99%, only on occasions when a client wanted a less expensive option to stay in their budget, have I used something else, but that was on a less expensive home. Even in starter homes in the same area, granite is used. It is all about the wow factor for a potential buyer. Granite is becoming very mainstream these days and prices have dropped.

For kitchen counters you have choices of, laminate, which has greatly improved over the years, tile, Corian-like products - Silestone and other manmade solid surface materials, stones like Granite, Marble and a host others. The price for solid surface is close to granite. At least in the area I build (North of Houston, Texas) I can get granite for the same or a tiny bit more than solid surface.

I would do the granite if you can. And the wood floors are great, my favorite. Some people seal their tile floor grout joints, but in my experience that doesn''t always work out so well. The sealer seems to attract grime and stains more!

Good luck, let us hear back what happens!

 

[Ann]

jcrow - if you go with granite, what kind of sink does your builder provide? Drop-in or undermount?

Most granite kitchen counters have an undermount sink and that can cause installation $ to go up. But you can use a drop-in sink and save lots of dollars!

 

[jcrow]

thanks for your imput ann. i''ve been busy reading the ps kitchen counter top threads

trying to soak it all in. i live in louisiana, if that makes and difference price wise or other.

what i see here where i am is that the new starter type homes have ceramic tile. the homes prices a bit more have granite.

i wasn''t planning on doing granite, until i started reading about the problems with keeping the grout clean. plus, we''ve looked a a few homes with cracked tiles. they just don''t give. but then again, granite could crack too. and it wouldn''t be a matter of replacing and grout matching on tile, but the whole slab?

 

[flopkins]

I am late on this, sounds like you pretty much got the house, but good luck and congrats!!

I would go w/granite if you can reasonably afford it. My ILs have tile and I don''t like how the grout changes color when it gets old/used/dirty compared to the rest of the counter(say, under the toaster, or on the backsplash) My parents got granite when they remodeled their kitchen, and I think it looks great and is way easy to clean.

Also SS appliances look so sleek but I never understood why it''s called ''stainless'' bc IMO it stains very easily, esp water marks. (not permanently, I mean, but it shows if it''s dirty or wasn''t wiped really easy. I always hate that. My parents got all stainless in their new kitchen, they spend 400% more time cleaning up afterwards to make it looks spic and span. But dang it looks great.

 

[jcrow]

WE GOT IN! as in, no other offer was put before ours. so, it''s just a matter of us negotiating with them.

we asked for archways leading to the master bedroom & hall to guest rooms. they can do them. we also asked about adding another window to the living room since it''s a corner lot. RE is checking on this.

 

[tdiddy]

jcrow -

i built my first home just under a year ago and they offered something in between granite and laminate called Corian (someone earlier mentioned it). Corian is the DuPont brand name of the product but other companies make it now - it''s "generic name" is solid surface. I think Formica makes a version and there are a few others. It''s a popular alternative right now and many of the "colors"/variations they offer are very close to granite. I can specifically remember some tan and black/white versions that really were close to granite in terms of resemblance. The only big difference to me was that it didn''t appear as glossy. It''s not super cheap but it is cheaper than granite.

enjoy your new house - i had so much fun with building and making the selections for mine

 

[Kaleigh]

Awww, congrats!!!!!

 

[allycat0303]

Oh wow! That was so fast. Congrats on your new home! Now have fun with the options.

 

[KimberlyH]

Great news! Yay for jcrow and mr. jcrow!!!

 

[Ann]

Oh, Congrats!

Date: 1/8/2007 5:18:51 PM
Author: jcrow
thanks for your imput ann. i''ve been busy reading the ps kitchen counter top threads

trying to soak it all in. i live in louisiana, if that makes and difference price wise or other.

what i see here where i am is that the new starter type homes have ceramic tile. the homes prices a bit more have granite.

i wasn''t planning on doing granite, until i started reading about the problems with keeping the grout clean. plus, we''ve looked a a few homes with cracked tiles. they just don''t give. but then again, granite could crack too. and it wouldn''t be a matter of replacing and grout matching on tile, but the whole slab?

Granite can chip, but it takes a pretty hard blow for that to happen. Tile can crack, even tile floors if your slab moves, and they do. Porcelain tile has the same color all the way through, so if you get a crack or chip, you don''t see the "red clay" on the inside like would on ceramic tile. Ceramic tile is cheaper than porcelain tile.
If granite chips, it can be smoothed out, refilled with something. You don''t have to replace the entire slab. I have a few chips around my kitchen sink, I owe that to my hubby being very rough with pots and pans. Most people are not that rough. But my chips are very small and not noticeable.
You might ask your RE their opinion on your upgrades. You don''t want to be the only house around with granite, because when you go to sell, you may or may not be able to get your money back, also depends on how long you are going to stay in the house. On the other hand, the granite can be a great thing to have at resell time, makes your home standout. But surely, other homes in the area have granite?