:)
So this is my Idea.
Right now we have a shell on our property (which is out in the middle of no where and really no work locally for nethog).
The plan is to finish the "cabin" out and enjoy it. When the time is right move and live there year round.
The reality is that it wont happen as soon as we like. But hey we have property with phone, electric, septic, well and a building shell that we own out right.
So the idea is to try to sell our home near seattle (it is currently on the market) and move about 30 miles away. The drive will/should be the same for nethog. The distance is longer but the commute is easier. I want to down size our home. Go from aprox 2000 sq ft to 1000 sq ft. Take the extra furniture and place it at the cabin. This will cut on current mortgage payment almost in half giving us the extra cash to finish out the cabin and save for living there too (cause the 401K is kaput and SSI well be a distant memory).
I found a really cute 1923 bungalow. Of course I am in love with it. The kitchen has the cabinets and counter tops circa 1950's (quality work too, have no desire to change it).
Of course there is Pros and Cons with my idea. 5 people in a 2 bedroom 1 bath (oh did I mention the claw foot tub bath?) however, the basement is 7ft tall bone dry, windows for egress, absolutlely no musty smell of old basement (and I have a super sensitive nose). It has this huge heater in the basement. Actually the home has three ways to heat and only half of the electric wiring is current (which isn't a problem to switch the rest over, all the hard work was done).
The heating, I saw electric baseboards in the house, but in the basement is a coal/wood stove that has brick chimney/stack to goes up through the house. The idea heat rises. (no fireplace or anything like that on living level) there is also the huge oil burner heater.
This home has been very well maintained over the years, is about 100 yards from the snoqualmie river (high bank side).
Nethog is on the fence with the idea. He does not want to get into another home that needs a lot of work. He does not mind finishing up the electric but nothing else. My real estate agent, who also happens to be a friend and in my small group kept saying "wow, this is really in great condition"
So, I guess... Is it crazy to stick 5 people in a 2 bedroom 1 bath home wit the idea of framing out 2 additional bedrooms in the basement?
.
I don't think your crazy.
My wife and I razed 4 boys and a crazy squirrel in a 460 square foot 3 bedroom cabin d*
The worst part was dinner time,and did you know that boys grow fast after they are 12??
and eat everything that isn't tied down and there parents have to take one or two of them to the emergency room at least once a month and the girls call at all hours of the night and,and ,and, sorry I was having flash backs [crz]
Can you believe we are still married [crz]
I love my wife
3 boys and 1 girl. Oldest is out and about.
I think at times the girl is worse then the boys.
My boys come home a open a can of anything and will eat it. I am certain if I kept dog food in a can they wouldn't think twice or look at the can and open it up and eat its contents.
You forgot to mention the funny teen smell that starts at 9. I am certain that their shoes are worse then a toxic waste dump.
Oh' the smell factor well lets see the fish bait that was left under one of there beds or the pb&j sandwich in the dresser or the gym bags or,or,or,or
Dang it Stink you made the flash backs reappear
They have all been set free and now there is food in the house my wifes eyes no longer have bags under them. my wallet is full, I don't have to watch teen moves anymore, they can finally all gang up on me and take me out!!!!!
I love my kids too!!!
I love it when I help hijack my own thread!
I become evil mom when I find food in their bedrooms.
Gym clothes....Is like mustard gas. I have to get on my kids to shower. I am not sure why they are so reluctant. They smell and they say they do not!
Don't you love it when you fight to get them in the shower and then you have to fight to get them out ???
But before you get them in you must explain that they need to use soap and shampoo and use the towel to dry off that is what it is for.
One of our sons would come out of the bathroom with his clothes stuck to him like glue and I would ask did you dry off?
He would answer yes dad but not with the towel. I would just roll my eyes and well next time dry of with the towel evey night this would happen. To this day I wonder if he uses a towel????
If I wasn't evil Mom and made them comply to laundry standards, I think they would let their sheets just rot off their bed before they would take them off to get washed.
Stink to tell you the truth I think that is a man thing ???
If my wife doesn't change the sheets and pillow cases it would never get done :-\
Sorry guys
Reason 12904763 that I love my wife :)
Stink have you ever watched Bill Cosby "Himself" if not you have to rent it you will die laughing.
I am not sure I have. I have read his books, I have seen some of his routines. He so hits the nail on the head.
Stink if you can better yourself money wise and be comfortable I think it would be a wise move. As for the kids I often wonder while I am building on the cabin what size family they raised in such a small space. It was astounding back then. So yes they will be cramped until they adjust. If they would have started out in the 1,000 Sf then they wouldn't know the difference. They will adapt. Got to love kids. For anyone that has never had them they are missing out IMO. And the Bill Cosby tape is a must if you want to compare and have true entertainment.
Quote from: StinkerBell on November 12, 2008, 01:45:22 PM
there is also the huge oil burner heater.
Would this use huge amounts of hugely expensive oil?
Probably. I have never have had to deal with an oil burner. Found the pipe outside that the oil truck pumps into. Personally it would get the boot. It sucks up too much square feet and its in the middle of the basement. Between that and the tube wiring in the attic (not much too bad, there is new cap and a 200 amp box with half the house connected) has to go.
I am hoping to return to the home this Saturday and will try to get some pictures. I am hoping to drive out to the neighborhood tomorrow. The area has flooded and this will hopefully confirm it is high enough bank too.
The home is very similar to this
http://www.antiquehomestyle.com/plans/sears/1923sears/23sears-argyle.htm
The foot print is a tad smaller, and no fireplace in the living room, or bump out in the dinning area. and the porch goes across the entire front, so the front bedroom is 2 feet shorter. Also, probably back in the 50's/60's a back bum out was done off the kitchen. The washer/dryer and water tank is there.
I would never change sheets or pillow cases, in fact somehow my sheet gets twisted into a 3 inch diameter rope every night, even if I straighten it out every week or so.
...and my kids are grown but I have a 75 lb dog who smells like a skunk and has ticks sleeping in my lap right now. Time for him to go out I think.
Uggg.
Took a drive up to the house we are interested in. The area has been flooded. The river flooded over its banks and was a record breaker (I am listening to the news right now). So the peak was last night at 10:30. Was up at the house at 10:45 this morning. About 2-3 feet of water is in the basement. I saw where the water mark on the garage door. it would take another 12-18 inches more before it would have breeched the main house.
Good points, the streets were clear and drivable. There was no area in the yard itself that was retaining water area perks really well. Got to met the neighbors, an had a run in with the owner, not the renter. I startled her with my picture taking of the basement Peering through the basement windows. I explained to her I am interested in the home and was curious how much water did get in the basement. I feel for this woman. She revealed a few things to me that made my heart ache. Seems they have put a lot of money into this home and have lowered it 60K. They are just struggling with 2 mortgages, and the month to month renter has left. She also had a previous offer (close what I was thinking to offer) that she said they just could not take. She also has no idea if the coal burner flu works (this I suspected).
I talked to the neighbors before the owner drove up. They are funny! That seemed to like me too cause we laughed and decided that I fit the neighborhoods personality and I like the neighborhood. Martin shares his house with his friend for years and lives in the basement, he was pumping it out as we chatted. He want on to explain that it really was no big deal (seemed like all the neighbor had this pumps). He said it was the 2 time in the last two years and normally it happens maybe every decade or so. They know before it happens and he gets his important stuff to the main living area and the rest he just replaces. He says all he has to do is hose it down and replace the dry wall. Flood insurance is mandatory in the area 1000k a year, but at the same time they cut you a check for 1000k for the basement clean out. He felt it all balanced out. He also went on to say that it was worth the pain it causes maybe one day every 5 years.
The thing is I really really really like this house, but at the same time despite the price I still think it is too high. My heart goes to this woman who is obviously struggling herself with two mortgages.
Looking for opinions here.
Look no further, though you should. :-\
I could never knowingly move into a flood prone area. Back home I had family & friends who did. Just not for me.
The neighbor stated they know when it's coming. I'd be worried it would happen when I was away.
I manage to come up with all the negatives I need without accepting ones as a part of the deal. [crz]
I am having issue with my mind and the heart here. The mind says, ummm no unless you can get the house really really cheap and relocate the house itself! But then the heart comes into play and its a 1923 bungalow with all this great detail. And that its been siting there for 85 years and is very well kept, and for 85 years its been flooded many many times with no damage to it or the foundation. Then the brain steps into the discussion and says to the heart shut up. Yup, that pretty much how the conversation has been going on in my mind all day today.
Stink I guess IMO you should listen to your mind. There are some things that you can change in a house that you are planning to buy. But mother nature is not one. Knowing that I would steer clear no matter what the temptations are. But then again you could always raise the foundation but that just escalated the price out of reason.
I think there are other places that you would not have to fight mother nature.
...and Sassy feels sorry for me and changes the sheets because she knows I am too helpless to do it.... I sleep there when she is away.... and....muldoon, buddy....she felt sorry for your too so they were fresh.. :)
Sounds like your mind is well grounded, Stink.
I just need to know.
Yes or No.
NO
heh
I so much prefer a direct answer.
Thanks MD!
I agree with Don, NO, Stink.
Seems the forum consensus is running about 50/50, half no, the other half hell no. Personally, floods scare me. Nowhere to go once the water comes up, certainly has the potential to destroy your life, all your work, dreams and possessions in an afternoon. Many people lose their lives in floodwaters every year. No thanks.
Maybe some fresh images of what a flood does to homes will help you. You could always google Ike or Iowa or Catrina or Mississippi floods, or likely any of dozens of rivers that do it every single year. Maybe hearing about some high water rescues might help, or seeing what a clump of flooded fireants looks like, or the snake swarms in floodwaters. No thanks for me.
Theres lots of great places out there still, dont give up on finding another quaint bungalow so fast :)
I simply have too many memories of nights spent filling, moving & stacking sandbags, sometimes to enjoy eventual success and sometimes to wallow in defeat, to ever want to voluntarily step into the maw.
It's one thing to feel sorry for the poor lady stuck with the flooded home. It's something else to be that lady.
I talked to Stink on the phone and she goes "There's only 4 feet of flooding... and the neighbors are really nice!"
I told her she wasn't exactly convincing me.
rofl rofl
We're trying to help, Hog, but it gets rough sometimes... ::)
the floods are bad enough but now you have the potential for the dangerous types of mold that can grow sight unseen-NO!!!
Ok, so the title of this thread should read..."Bad Idea"
I new it was a bad idea. I really did, I just needed to hear it from others.
Found another home in a different area, hopefully it not in a flood zone either.
This one is a 1935 craftsman.
Good girl, Stink, good girl... pat, pat, pat ... :)
I don't think you guys would lie to me. Tease me, torture me, make fun of me, yes. But lie about a house, NEVER!
You got it, Stink --- it's that love thing all over again... ::)