What would you do if you could buy a house now at below current market value

[MichelleCarmen]

Congrats TG! Glad you found a place.

FWIW, we love the house we're renting and like you didn't want a "prestine" home while raising small children. The house we found is perfect for us because a scratch in the wood floor won't result in our huge damage deposit being sacrificed! (Also, if we decide to buy it later on, we can pay a lower price and upgrade the stuff a few things here and there.) (Also, it's located in the same school boundries as my son has been in kindergarten - a VERY important attribute when renting!)

Oh, and the owner did say we could paint the interior and I took her up on that and painted both of my kids' rooms blue. The walls look so fresh and the color looks great! Oh, and I painted the interior of my closet so it'd feel clean (it WAS clean, but it's more of a mental thing - just some left over OCD from childhood).

Enjoy your new home.

 

[joelly]

If you can afford to wait then just wait. The market will be tanking more in next couple of yrs.

My FI and I are also in Southern CA. With the money we have saved, we don''t have a lot of choice in our desirable location because the CA real estate price is so inflated now. Seeing where the economy going, there is no way up, at least for now, in the real estate market. So if you wait, you will definitely gonna get what you want.

If you have a reservation of this current deal, then its not a deal.

Keep us posted, pls.

 

[Mara]

yay TG...sounds exciting!!!

re: the painting whatever you want as long as you restore to white before you leave--personally i think that is a bit odd because she will prob have to paint the house anyway after you leave (assuming you stay something like 2 years). so to me that sounds like she is just trying to get out of having to paint it herself (which can be pricey depending on how big is it but for 1850 sq ft we paid $2k).

our renters asked if they could paint the office (we striped the walls with tester colors) and we said sure and didn''t even ask what color. we might have to paint it after they leave anyway, so i figure why not let them treat it like its their and it''s our responsibility afterwards.

anyway maybe you can paint 1-2 rooms which aren''t as much of a hassle or maybe she''ll like the colors after all!!!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/10/2009 6:31:14 PM
Author: Mara
anyway maybe you can paint 1-2 rooms which aren''t as much of a hassle or maybe she''ll like the colors after all!!!

Yes, and paint the rooms yourself. I bought decent (not super high quality paint) and it was around $50 for the two kids rooms (since I already have all the rollers, tape, etc.). I''d never paint entire interior of a rental.

 

[TravelingGal]

Thanks for the excitement all! I got word yesterday that she did select us to have the place and we are going to sign the lease today. The fleas are so sad in my house, they are crying!!!

Mara, the place looks clean, but I don''t think it''s painted. So who knows if she would have had to paint again when we leave.

Mia and MC, that''s cool to hear I''m not the only crazy person that wanted a place that wasn''t fantastic. This place has what we need - great street, LOTS of storage space, lots of light and a yard. I''m thrilled thrilled thrilled.

MC, what kind of paint did you use for your rental? I did searches here and everyone loves BM paints but I obviously don''t want to use expensive paint on a rental. I think I want to do Amelia''s room, the living room and my office.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 8/11/2009 11:58:00 AM
Author: TravelingGal
Thanks for the excitement all! I got word yesterday that she did select us to have the place and we are going to sign the lease today.

Yay, I am so HAPPY for you!!!! Very exciting

 

[Mara]

i love BM and Ralph Lauren paints.

honestly spend the extra $10 or whatever per can to get the good paint because then it takes less coats than a cheap paint and it lasts you the 1-2 years you are there. amortization of cost is good.

i typically only have to do one thick coat of paint on a white wall in a color. if it''s a super dark one, maybe 2. but light colors, i have always been able to get away with 1 and some touch ups.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 8/11/2009 1:13:37 PM
Author: Mara
i love BM and Ralph Lauren paints.

honestly spend the extra $10 or whatever per can to get the good paint because then it takes less coats than a cheap paint and it lasts you the 1-2 years you are there. amortization of cost is good.

i typically only have to do one thick coat of paint on a white wall in a color. if it''s a super dark one, maybe 2. but light colors, i have always been able to get away with 1 and some touch ups.

Thanks Mara, good tip. If the RL ones are cheaper, I will look into that one.

 

[Mara]

home depot carries RL and i think it might be cheaper than BM. i have done 3-4 rooms in it and always loved the results...they have great neutrals too.

 

[snlee]

Yay! Congrats on finding a new place TGal! That''s very exciting!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 8/11/2009 1:18:18 PM
Author: Mara
home depot carries RL and i think it might be cheaper than BM. i have done 3-4 rooms in it and always loved the results...they have great neutrals too.

I''ll look into those...I can always count on you for good advice. Now if I could only convince TGuy to paint...

 

[drk]

Well, I''m in the camp who say it''s too early to tell. My DH and I were part of the same group of friends at work, and were friends for a year before we started seeing each other. I don''t know that I''ve had had the mad passionate sparks thing with him or my other serious boyfriend. Then again, I don''t lay a lot of value on that aspect of things. I''ve always thought that looks and passion can fade over time, but the inherent character and personality of the one you love won''t so much. My DH isn''t the most gorgeous man I''ve met, but he''s attractive. But more importantly, he''s patient, generous, gives me space, and is the only person I could possibly see myself happily living with and talking to day after day for the rest of my life. With anyone else, silences get awkward. Never with him.
We''ve been together for nearly 12 years now, married for just over 4. We were long-distance Canada-Germany for 4 years of that, and never had problems.
I couldn''t really care less that we never had crazy sparks - I''m just happy that we''re really compatible on our outlook on life, our finances etc.

 

[neatfreak]

Congrats TGal! We just painted the entire interior of our house in Behr''s Ultra paint (primer and paint in one) but using Benjamin Moore colors. The colors are VERY true and we were able to do one coat on almost the entire house despite the fact that there were dark colors (and even red!) on the walls. Anyway, it''s much cheaper than BM paints but is still very good quality. Consumer Reports recommended it.

And it''s flat paint and is COMPLETELY washable (yes I have already had to test this feature)!

 

[zhuzhu]

Congrats! I am sure you will be loving the new place without annoying neighbors and fleas!

 

[gwendolyn]

That''s great that you found a place you''re happy and excited to live in for the next few years! Congrats!

 

[April20]

Date: 8/11/2009 1:23:36 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 8/11/2009 1:18:18 PM
Author: Mara
home depot carries RL and i think it might be cheaper than BM. i have done 3-4 rooms in it and always loved the results...they have great neutrals too.

I''ll look into those...I can always count on you for good advice. Now if I could only convince TGuy to paint...

I don''t know if you''ve got one near you, but shockingly, the Walmart house brand of paint is good quality. The Color Place stuff. I don''t know if it still is, but I believe at one time it was manufactured by Sherwin Williams. I had most of the interior of my house painted with it- they have most of the major brands'' paint formulas in their database and can color match what they don''t have. It''s about $10/gallon here. My painter was shocked with how well it went on the walls and how good the coverage was.

 

[DMBFiredancer]

YAY! glad you found a place! As a fellow So Cal girl I KNOW the pain of trying to buy a house. We are renting right now and sadly can''t see ourselves being able to afford more than a 1 bedroom condo in the area we want to live. Plus the damn property taxes will kill us, so we''re waiting it out a few years like most people our age seem to be doing.

I just keep playing the lottery and praying...since that seems like the only way I will be able to afford property here in So Cal!

 

[Kaleigh]

YAY Tgal, I am very happy for you!!!

 

[TravelingGal]

drk, I'm pretty sure you posted on the wrong thread.

Thanks again for the congrats - although it feels funny since we are only renting and didn't buy. But I am happy.

I will look into everyone's paint suggestions - so THANK YOU. From walmart to RL, I have a lot of researching to do - and that's only if I can convince TGuy to do it.

DMB, we wil be able to afford something decent at some point. We just have to be realistic. I know I won't be able to afford anything in MB or HB, but it's not crazy to think I should be able to afford something in West Torrance. If this is "bottom", I am not missing anything because I just can't afford it.

 

[DMBFiredancer]

Date: 8/11/2009 5:04:07 PM
Author: TravelingGal
DMB, we wil be able to afford something decent at some point. We just have to be realistic. I know I won''t be able to afford anything in MB or HB, but it''s not crazy to think I should be able to afford something in West Torrance. If this is ''bottom'', I am not missing anything because I just can''t afford it.

True....same here. We are renting in HB now and LOVE LOVE LOVE it here but realistically we know we cannot buy here.
Redondo? maybe someday.
West Torrance? maybe someday.
If not we pick up and move somewhere like North Carolina or Colorado.
We are hoping for the best as you are! Who knows - maybe we''ll be neighbors one day!

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 8/11/2009 11:58:00 AM
Author: TravelingGal
Thanks for the excitement all! I got word yesterday that she did select us to have the place and we are going to sign the lease today. The fleas are so sad in my house, they are crying!!!

Mara, the place looks clean, but I don''t think it''s painted. So who knows if she would have had to paint again when we leave.

Mia and MC, that''s cool to hear I''m not the only crazy person that wanted a place that wasn''t fantastic. This place has what we need - great street, LOTS of storage space, lots of light and a yard. I''m thrilled thrilled thrilled.

MC, what kind of paint did you use for your rental? I did searches here and everyone loves BM paints but I obviously don''t want to use expensive paint on a rental. I think I want to do Amelia''s room, the living room and my office.

I used paint from Fred Meyer - it was either their store brand or Dutch Boy and painted the walls slightly darker than a robin''s egg blue. It''s a soft blue, but still a "guy" blue. Not babish.

Are you planning to paint the ceilings?

(Yes, and it''s not a good idea to have a "fantastic" house when 6 kids are running through the house all at one time!)

 

[KimberlyH]

TGal, I''m glad you''ve found the right place and that you''ll be away from the flea infestation for good.