Hello and welcome to DmentD’s eddying, sucking void of time. I’ve managed to broadcast this message to the outside world utilizing the raw power of my will, boosted by regular caffeine injections administered directly to the base of my skull.
So, Lady and I are still on the great house-hunting safari and we have one interesting prospect in mind, but there are… complications. To start with, buying a house is a nerve racking experience, especially for folks like us who are in an unusual position of having more expensive tastes than our budgets can afford. So, in order to buy a house that is large enough for our needs, allow us to entertain, be comfortable without busting at the seams, in one of the few areas we prefer and at the right price, we have had to do a tremendous amount of searching.
The current house that interests us has issues. It was bought by the current owners with the intention of being shored and renovated before re-selling at a higher price. Now living in New Orleans, more generally in southern Louisiana, has the distinct disadvantage of putting you on softer ground (what with that whole below sea-level, water table 18" below the ground nonsense), which means that heavy structures like, oh, let’s say a house have a tendency to settle a bit. It’s a common problem, and there are solutions — shoring. There are inherent problems with shoring, like finding a reputable company to do it. Even then, it takes a few years to know if the reputable company has done a good job. It also detracts from the overall value of a house as compared to one that is still level without the need of any assistance. Not a bad deal for folks like us with expensive tastes and small budgets, but can cause headaches when folks like us go to sell the house years later. The work has already been done and I’m checking references from the company that has done the work, which incidentally comes with a lifetime transferable warranty. Dilemmas ensue.
Secondly, the renovations have me a bit worried. I want to be assured that they don’t skimp on anything and do it properly. I also want to be sure that they do as much work as possible to fix the place up as that means less money, sweat and time I have to spend in the future to do the work myself. Of course, there are things that they definitely aren’t going to do, but are they insignificant enough to overlook when considering this house. Of course, this is mostly all negotiable when you put the bid in on the house. Our real-estate agent advises us to "get it all in writing" so that if they skimp or don’t do something we have on paper, we can hold their feet to the fire.
The last qualm I have is the final value of the house. The folks renovating the place bought the house for a steal, owing to the amount of work it needed. Once all is said and done, is the house really going to be worth the increased price they’re asking for it? After all, unless you intend to live in a house for the rest of your life, you’re making an investment in property that needs to gain in value as time goes on. Even if the value stays the same over the years, you’re still losing money.
So, we’ve been doing a tremendous amount of research. We’ve been talking to everyone we know who has ever bought a house, done renovations or had a home shored. I’ve been an internet researching fool. My ear is taking on the shape of my phone from making so many calls. In the midst of all this we’re still looking at other houses, because if all of our concerns don’t have satisfactory answers, we’re ejecting this prospect like a bad case of food poisoning.
It’s been a long road, and I expect it to go on for a while longer. The house hunt is only one of the many loverly things shaking our lives up these days. If you are good boys and girls, I might tell you all about how I became Queen Of The Bingo later this week(end). It’s a daunting tale about the challenges each human faces, and the hurdles we each must clear to make it to the top and snatch that "crown". There’ll be a picture, too. Aren’t you lucky?
End transmission.
If I could I’d build you guys a house and give it to you.
Last I checked, having tastes that exceed your means was NOT and "unusual" problem.