Finally.. closing on new house

[Sam1]

Well, after a month of back and forth with the appraiser and underwriters, we've finally got the paperwork on the way and closing on our first house in 2 days.  Great deal on it, 3 bedrooms, an office, extra room that could be an bedroom and a pretty large block storage/safe room.  Place was immaculate, owned by an engineer and built by them about 15 years ago - it was one of those places you can tell they went out of their way to take care of.  Heck, even after the contract was signed they still invested more money into it to pretty it up some more. Best part of all, in back we have a horse farm, in front we have a cattle farm and there's only about 4 houses in the vicinity.

 

Unfortunately one of the owners was developing MS and they were building a new 1 story house so she could get around in a wheelchair easier.  We exchanged stories, and they seemed more interested to know the house would be taken good care of than who moved into it.  Anyways, here she is:

 

[Spook]

Congrats!  Nice place you got there.

[TripleDigitRide]

Congrats! I just bought my first house in September. Enjoy!

[peejman]

Congrats! Owning a house is a ton of work, but its worth it.

[rugerla1]

Very nice! Congratulations.

[NoBanStan]

very nice first home! im in the process of making mine sale ready myself. 1440sqft was great when it was just the wife and I....2 kids later and it's cramped.

[Sam1]

Congrats! Owning a house is a ton of work, but its worth it.

 

Yeah, we're spending $1300/month on a two bedroom rental here in Brentwood and have zilch to show for it.  That house is substantially cheaper without even taking into considerations the deductions and benefits.

[willis68]

Congrats, very nice house!

[mav]

Congratulations sir.  Very nice house. 

 

I will be forced to buy my first house this year.  I am single and really have no need of one, and I have incredibly cheap rent which has suited me just fine since I am such a tightwad about spending money on certain things.  Since I have lived well below my means for years, I have built up a rather sizable amount of cash in my money market and checking accounts.  The problem is the money is doing absolutely nothing except losing value and I know interest rates will eventually go back up.  So, it looks like I will break down and buy one.

 

The problem I am running into now is deciding what I want or should do.  Buy it outright or finance?  Subdivision, rural, or lake.  Build or buy pre-existing, and if pre-existing, new or older?  I keep flip flopping back and forth on what I should do.  I am having a hard time letting go of any money even though I know it is the smart thing to do.

Edited April 4, 2013 by mav

[NoBanStan]

Yeah, we're spending $1300/month on a two bedroom rental here in Brentwood and have zilch to show for it.  That house is substantially cheaper without even taking into considerations the deductions and benefits.

what area is your new place?

[npgunner]

That's an excellent looking place. Love the porch!

[seez52]

That looks like a picture out of a magazine. Very nice.

 

BTW. a shameless plug. If anyone out there is looking for a good Realtor, I just happen to know one....

 

http://www.sellmyhouse4free.com

[Dolomite`s Breezy]

That is a very nice house..I LOVE the dormers...

[xRUSTYx]

Congrats!  Beautiful house!

[hipower]

Let me add my congratulations as well. May you have a long and happy life in it.

[dlm37015]

good for you

[JeffL]

Nice! I'm closing on one in E. Nashville in 2 weeks.

[Bad_Bowtie]

Congrats, looks like a wonderful home! Im in the process of refinancing my home right now. Should have done it sooner, my local bank was raping me on interest.

[peejman]

Congratulations sir.  Very nice house. 

 

I will be forced to buy my first house this year.  I am single and really have no need of one, and I have incredibly cheap rent which has suited me just fine since I am such a tightwad about spending money on certain things.  Since I have lived well below my means for years, I have built up a rather sizable amount of cash in my money market and checking accounts.  The problem is the money is doing absolutely nothing except losing value and I know interest rates will eventually go back up.  So, it looks like I will break down and buy one.

 

The problem I am running into now is deciding what I want or should do.  Buy it outright or finance?  Subdivision, rural, or lake.  Build or buy pre-existing, and if pre-existing, new or older?  I keep flip flopping back and forth on what I should do.  I am having a hard time letting go of any money even though I know it is the smart thing to do.

 

 

Honestly, given the current states of the stock market and the housing market... a house may not be your best investment.  Invest your money in a good fund and get 10-15% return.  Invest your money in a house and get -2% return....  :squint:   The experts claim the housing market has hit the bottom.  I sure hope so, because given what I paid for my house 5 years ago and what my neighbor sold his similar house for late last year, I'm looking at a 5-10% loss if I had to sell it today.

 

I lived in the house before this one for 7 years.  When I sold it, I made 0.78% total return on the bottom line.  Granted, I built a lot of equity over those 7 years that helped immensely with buying the 2nd one.  And I certainly wouldn't have been able to invest what I paid on the mortgage and pay rent at the same time. 

 

That said, the apt we lived in between the 2 houses reminded me why, and firmly convinced me, that I hate renting.  Even if it is a sucky investment and lots of work, I'd much rather be in a house than an apt. 

 

However, they're not making more land.  Land typically seems to do ok... land with a house sitting on it... not so much.  I don't understand why. 

 

Definitely lots to consider.

[Sam1]

TY all

[QuietDan]

Congratulations sir.  Very nice house. 

 

I will be forced to buy my first house this year.  I am single and really have no need of one, and I have incredibly cheap rent which has suited me just fine since I am such a tightwad about spending money on certain things.  Since I have lived well below my means for years, I have built up a rather sizable amount of cash in my money market and checking accounts.  The problem is the money is doing absolutely nothing except losing value and I know interest rates will eventually go back up.  So, it looks like I will break down and buy one.

 

The problem I am running into now is deciding what I want or should do.  Buy it outright or finance?  Subdivision, rural, or lake.  Build or buy pre-existing, and if pre-existing, new or older?  I keep flip flopping back and forth on what I should do.  I am having a hard time letting go of any money even though I know it is the smart thing to do.

 

Something you might not have thought about.

 

Single guys who own their own home are incredibly attractive to young single women. No fooling.

 

I know we live in a gender neutral world now, and guys and girls are all the same (sarc), but a house is an entirely different thing for a lot of women. A guy might consider a house an investment, a place to hang his hat, one pretty much like another.

 

However, to a lot of women, a house is something else entirely. Be a single guy and buy a house and take good care of it, and you'd be surprised how much difference it makes to women you date.

 

I bet you think I'm making this up, but I'm not.

[Sam1]

Think we scored pretty good on the house, the owners went back in again and painted some of the rooms to have a similar paint scheme throughout the place. This was after we done the final walkthrough, so it was a nice surprise after we closed yesterday.

Also the neighbors seem great, he came over and said someone is home 24/7 there and they keep an eye out for strangers in the area, then said he'd keep the yard mowed for us until we get up and running.

It's so nice to be back around country people and out of the city!