Thanks, Chris, that's very helpful. When using a metric like cost per sq ft. the issue of whether that includes the basement is key here. 300ish/sq ft is okay if they mean for 2000 sq ft. and not the basement. Btw, the delta for MV vs the mainland is interesting --- not too bad.

We spent a week there in August and needed sweaters at night. Very few of the properties we saw (incl new constr) had A/C. In our CT house, we spend a fortune and have 5 zones and I hate it, just hate it. Perhaps we would plan for adding it if need be.

BTW, for those interested in this tangent on costs, I found another site I like a lot better. One, it is more sophisticated. Two, it gives you detailed output to discuss with a contractor or to revise yourself. For example, I personally could do a much better job estimating appliances, bath fixtures, etc. than their formula does. FWIW

Here is a link that might be useful: bldg cost estimator

August is not the month to measure AC requirements in New England. That's when Fall starts here.

Almost every Fourth of July I can remember spending at the beach in MA, the temperature was over 100. One year all the overnight guests had to leave and drive home because it was too hot to sleep.

I included the basement in my guesstimate because it will be finished to the same level as above ground and you have a walkout and patio. Since the basement will be important living space, you will be spending money to pour a good foundation and spare no expense on waterproofing.

In the basement we did on our project, by the time we added large lightwells with windows, same italian porcelain as upstairs, under floor heating, major waterproofing, sump pump, lots of lights, same real wood trim ... the costs weren't much different than the main floor.

Can we start a pool on final build costs? LOL

Yes, you can build for less than $200/sq.ft, just not in the areas that we live in. On the selling forum someone posted a nice newer house, I think in Ohio, that was around 2400 sq.ft and selling for about $160K. In my west coast town it would be around $1 mill. Both the land costs and build cost are much higher. Truly crazy!

Wonderful location and a most interesting discussion.

We are in the 15th month of a 9-month build on an island and expect at least another 3 months to finish. Our GC does great work. We chose him in part because our banker assured us that in addition to doing great work, he did things on time and within his estimate (not even close now). I suppose one out of three isn't bad, although painful for us. Even accounting for the lapsed time I think the last of the online estimators posted on this thread is giving a more accurate estimate of final costs than our GC did.

Thank you for sharing your decision making process. I, selfishly, hope you will decide to go ahead with this property because you are so generous with sharing the evolution of your projects and it would be great to see more pictures of that beautiful site as you make a home on it.

Don't forget to take into account how long it takes to get things done on an island.

My parents just finished a gut renovation of a 1600 sq ft 1920s beach cottage and it took...3 years!!! And they did nothing fancy - my mom grew up with the place and didn't want too many changes.

If that's block island then they are in the same state, different island than you. It's just there is really only one guy who is a contractor and be works on island time, the subs are all at the mercy of the ferry schedule, etc.

So besides cost, I am guessing that's not a one year project.

Cotton - totally agree that time is as much an issue as money on this one.

Orcas - So you like the second online estimator? What I like about is the actually break things out so you can revise it yourself. I have no idea how much sheetrock I need and what it costs, so it is helpful for that, but I can price plumbing fixtures myself... Thanks for saying I am "generous" sharing my projects instead of, we are so tired of you Mtnrdredux! : )

Chispa - Sump pump and water proofing are not a big issues because you are like, 60 feet above the water table. I have underfloor heating in my CT house, which I made a big fuss over and insisted on throughout the downstairs. The plumber showed me how to turn it on once. I forgot how and have never used it. How dumb is that. FFS, just buy slippers. Lessons learned.

Marcolo, anecdotes are helpful but not dispositive. The average daily high and low are the same in July and August, eg 78/62. Doesn't mean it can't get a lot hotter of course. I found it instructive that only one of the houses we looked at had a/c. ANd the broker selling it said (it has a/c, but I don't know why because no one uses a/c here". I hate central air but that is a whole nother rant and I know I am in the minority on that!

mtn, I agree with you on a/c. I'm a fan of fresh air. This whole past summer I think we had the a/c on maybe 5-6 days. Even though I'm inland where it gets hotter than at the shore, the breezes and cooler night air are enough to keep us comfortable. I'm sure ocean breezes will do even more. I remember one year we went to Mystic Seaport and ended up freezing as it was overcast and in the 60s....at home...2 hr drive away... it was HHH in the 90s!

I also agree that living vicariously through your project is an exciting prospect. Even more fun will be when you invite me for a visit after it's done!
;)

On your steep grade and large lot you should be able to drain the foundation to daylight fairly easily.

Early July is always extremely hot--cooler on the islands but even there it was around 90.

One thing I think you do need to prepare for in RI (and parts of CT, too) these days is extreme weather. Not just hurricanes, though I'd also ask for hurricane clips on the roof (not much added cost for new construction). Tornadoes are now significantly more frequent, so make sure your ping pong room can be tightly secured. I'd also ask about lightning protection, too. These are all pretty cheap.

Funny to say all that, because I've lived in New England for a long, long time. And while the weather was often lousy and always changeable, the idea of extreme weather here seemed absurd. Not anymore.

I live full time in MA and have a beach house in RI, and temps over 100 degrees in either location are extremely rare. We had a very hot and humid July -- certain days, not the whole month -- but when I say hot, I mean 90s, not 105. At our place in RI, "hot" means mid to high 80s. Our experience with AC was that originally, when we gutted our entire house (near the beach) and the contractor suggested putting in central air, we said no. We had had a house near the beach for years and never had AC except for bedroom window units, which we hardly ever used. But in the end, we did put in central air, and we are so glad we did. The biggest reason is that being near the water, the house gets "sticky" and damp and sometimes you just need to run the AC to dry out the place. And this summer was the hottest, most humid summer I can recall in our area, so we definitely used the AC more than I would have expected. In its former life, our house had baseboard heaters that were rusty, and other signs of dampness that the occasional AC use has helped us avoid. Just my two cents on AC. Then again, I also said the house would be "TV free." Ha. Totally got overruled on that one.

So, will you be having me over for a margarita next summer? Maybe I missed something but have you actually made an offer on this house?

My question would be - is it worth it? You may want to spend less, but it seems you should be prepared to spend $300 per sq foot. Would that be a stressor?

More importantly, if you did end up spending that much, how would your investment compare to the other homes you looked at? Custom builds are always a bad value to existing homes, especially in weak markets.

How old are your kids? Does this house make sense for the long run, or only for the years you have young children? Would you retire there?

With regard to the plans, did you forget or forego a fireplace?

Thanks for posting, it is kind of fun to be an armchair homebuyer. It's like HGTV interactive. Only we need more pictures of your declines, too. And no program is complete without the mention of the three touchstones; granite, hardwood floors, and closets.

mtnrdredux

I don't think I was clear. The estimator that seemed accurate to me (I didn't check the others) was the one you posted on Wed, Oct 3, 12 at 23:00

I think its an adorable house on a magnificent property. I'd try to get it for a bargain price, bring the blender to my new place and make a pina colada and enjoy that view for the rest of my life.

Mtn, the second estimator (oct. 3 @ 23:00) was much more accurate and would be a good tool for those on the building forum just starting to plan and budget for a build.

I wouldn't take waterproofing lightly on a fully finished basement. I'm 400 ft up and water doesn't just come from the water table. Not an easy or cheap problem to fix after the fact. Our first rainy season is coming up ... we'll see how our basement holds up.

What Sueb20 posted about running her AC in high humidity was what I was also referring to about being on a boat at night - it can be 75 but it's going to be a damp and sticky 75. And I also find myself running the A/C to resolve humidity, I never knew others did that! So maybe you could look into a dehumidification system or just talk to a company about climate control. One feature of our AC system, which I imagine would exist as part of a forced hot air system with no AC, is the "Fan" option. Many times I just run that in the day to keep the air circulating.

I really think the best way for you to make all of these decisions is to buy it and then invite all of us for a weekend and collectively we can design the house. It will be the first "GW Dream House" ;-)

mtn, you have even more to think about if it really is possible to expand the building envelope---a prospect both exciting and frightening :-)

With respect to AC, you'd do better to add a large capacity, built in, water going down a drain dehumidifier. We did that in the basement of our last house, where there was no need to heat or cool, just dehumidify. We put it in a closet and the contractor connected it to the main drain somehow, and the closet door was replaced by a louvered one and the basement was perfect afterwards. We didn't need cooler, we needed drier.

KSWL,
Yes, I was surprised when the environmental guy said "you are basically grandfathered to build up to 32' high on your footprint. Minor overages are not a problem. But if you were to add a lot, like 50%, then more and more restrictions come into play". It never occurred to me I could add significantly. I don't think we want to ... we have a 2500 sq foot lakehouse (incl walkout footage) and it is fine for our family.

Another good suggestion in re humidity. I think my DH did a poorman's version of that at the lakehouse. He just put the dehumidifier on top of the washing machine and ran the hose into the utility sink. It sits like that,on, most of the year.

LATEST - I may chose not to demo. Spoke to an architect who made some good points. I don't want to change the shape, size or location of the foundation. I do not want to change the front porch size or location, and i want wood floors which are there(refinished recently). Septic is good and electrical was updated. He thinks we could save a lot by using the shell and adding out to the 44' edge, and reconfiguring within that box.We can change the roofline to a gable, too.

My only concern is that when you do all that, bringing old stuff up to code will kill you. I never want to hear the phrase "site conditions" again.

Chris and SueB -
Thank you so much for taking the time to post. You are 1000% correct ... whether the best way to attack it is central air or dehumidifier or both, we do want a way to address humidity. The rust on the baseboards is really a great visual. I think the whole darn island had that!
Chris - I think a GW collective would have it all over any professional I could hire. The array of experience and attention to detail just isn't available for hire IMHO.

Chispa - thanks. Good luck w your basement! ANd you are right, it isn't only about water table.

Dilly --- enough pina coladas and you don't notice the finishes anymore. : )

SueB - no, we have not made an offer. We stayed there last weekend, and decided we would not make an offer until we felt we had a good handle on the remodel/rebuild costs. That and some complexities with the deed and the CRMC and the estate (I've spared y'all that nonsense. So we are still in our "due diligence" phase. Margaritas, pina coladas, I am going to need a bartender!
Our lakehouse is "no TV", going on 7 years this spring (when we bought it!). We have always just told the kids "there is no TV here" (and no connectivity). I think they took that to mean it was unavailable. Of course the supposed intellectual benefits of limiting screentime may be illusory; should I be concerned that none of my kids have noticed the satellite dish on the roof from the PO? Rocket scientists.

Kitchy, The stressful part of reno is the constant "eau de ripoff" scent that hangs over the job site. That sinking feeling that the word "sucker" is emblazoned on your forehead. As to the economics, based on what I have seen, and where I think I could buy this house, I think the numbers are okay. I saw two houses that were done perfectly. One really did not have beach access, unless you are a bird or a goat. The other was very far from town, yet manages to have another house just behind it. Both are offered at levels above where my basis would be, worst case. Of course, that is where they are OFFERED.

We actually are retired, but if you mean would we use it more when the kids are grown and gone, no, I don't think so.

Fireplace? Something I can easily forego. Once youve had one (or 7, in our old house, 4 in this one) I think you want one less! We only use ours at the holidays. If i get around to it I will post a few comps.

Annie,Our last house did not have central air. It was an old house and I didn't want the disruption. This house had it, and as we reno'ed and expanded we added more. It drives me crazy. So often, I would find myself reaching for a blanket watching TV in July. That is just so wrong! In the old days, I was always opening and closing windows. With a/c, you just never do. First, you feel like you need to shut it off in all zones before you open a window. Second, you get used to just pushing a button and deciding between 68 and 72.In our new house i too rarely open the window. I miss it.

We open and close our windows every day. The more comfy the weather the more the windows.

Eauderipoff is the perfect description for what happens. At least you make poor victims.

Mtnrdredux, I haven't been reading every post, but it sounds as if you may choose to buy for what you can never add--that exquisite site, and now you're thinking of working with that nice old house. Wonderful! Wonderful! (The runners up frankly sound like duds comparatively, no matter how lovely the houses.) I'll be checking back in the hope you guys decide it makes economic sense. And thanks for the pix. I'll go back and fantasize over them a bit. :)

I live a block from the beach in FL. A/C is a must for us because (1) If we opened the windows, everything inside that could rust, would rust from humidity and wind blown salt. (2) The humidity would invade our carpet and the furniture. (3) Salt would cover our furnishings, walls, cabinets, mirrors, etc., and be a pain in the whatever to remove. Lots of reasons we can't open windows in our location, regardless of when fall arrives! We love it here and deal with the inconveniences.

This thread is a lot of fun! I love the property Mtn - I am also glad you are considering keeping some of the original house if you purchase it. The view and land are striking!

We own waterfront on Cape Cod, and in addition to the eauderipoff for the basic reno, you can also expect the "seasonal owner surcharge" and "water view premium pricing". Of course you probably are familiar with this tiered pricing strategy from your lake house!

And, fwiw, on the topic of a/c, when we purchased our older, no a/c house on the Cape 5 years ago, all of the neighbors said we would only need a/c a couple of nights a summer. So we decided to rely on window units in a couple of bedrooms on those "two nights." Every summer since then, when we are suffering through at least two weeks' worth of unbearable heat and humidity, our neighbors tell us it never used to be this way. So I think times they are a changin'. I personally dislike a/c but we are about to do a kitchen reno and plan to put in some a/c as part of the reno - really it's mostly for the humidity which is a KILLER when it's bad.

Having said all that, my husband and I spent a few days this summer in Newport and the surrounding area during those 100 degree days in July - and I have to say that on parts of the RI coastline the strong off-sea winds really cooled things down dramatically compared to winds off the Nantucket Sound, where our summer house is.

Looking forward to future installments of Beachhouse Quest!

I'm coming to this late and I don't have much to offer. You have a firm grasp of RE values and experience rebuilding homes. We're into our 3rd year renovating (weekend DIY) a tiny beach house in Socal that is on a postage stamp lot with zero privacy, is only 1,100 sf, and is a couple houses from the water. The opportunity that "your" property presents in comparison is unbelievable. My suggestion would be to make an offer for what you think is FMV and go from there. If you wait for the sellers to lower the price to FMV, you will have other buyers to compete against. Listing agents generally have a good idea of value so even if your offer is way below asking, they can sometimes convince the owner to consider the offer.
Good luck.

I've spent quality time in beach houses in Jamestown and Charlestown, RI and Marshfield, Ma. Love them all so much, hard to imagine you'd hate any place you bought around here.
A/C- Yep. Better put in at least window air conditioners in the second floor bedrooms. The heat and humidity will rise to the second floor, so even if you have a beautiful ocean breeze on the first floor floor the bedrooms will be ovens.
Upside down building plans. Friends with this type of new construction (Charlestown) live on a street perpendicular to the ocean- maybe three or four houses down. Very nice. Their second floor raises them above the neighboring cottages ,so they have a great room with a beautiful view. They have had to tweak things a bit. The kitchen is on the second floor, so they have had a dumbwaiter installed to lift groceries and supplies. They've had problems with it. Laundry was on the second floor, but now they've installed a second laundry on the ground floor as well. The grill was of course on the ground floor, but they got sick of going up and down, up and down, and installed a smaller grill on their second floor deck, bolted down so it can't blow away in a storm.
The lot you've shown wouldn't require an upside down floor plan for views. The ocean is right there in front of you! You wouldn't need two of everything to make it liveable. A/C on the second floor would make it more predictably comfortable, and I was going to suggest a fireplace- my friends have one, and it makes crisp nights so cozy. Just yummm.
But I do think that if you are an interior voice type of person, if you are patient a house will turn up that will make you say "THAT'S THE ONE I WANT."

Thanks Rosie, it is quite the site.

Beach, yes, I think there are a lot of things worth compromising for!

Marinagal, LOL with the special surcharges. I joke about it, but it really drives me crazy. It makes you feel pretty unwelcome and unliked. One of the reasons I love my little stonehouse project is that it is time and materials. I see how they work, i get bills for materials. At the end of the day, whatever it costs will be fair. That's all we homeowners want, no?
As to the various New England microclimates ... I think I am correct in saying that no hotel on the island offers a/c. (And they are always booked solid well in advance). But the helpful GW people have convinced me I need a system to remove humidity, which is probably central air.

Socal, good advice about not waiting for the owner to reprice. It's no mystery why homes sell, and as soon as the price is right they do tend to go.

Sonic, I think I know why I was ambivalent. I don't like the house, but I love the lot. Now that I can envision the house I want on that lot, if it makes economic sense I think I will do it. As for the fireplace, the last conversations I had with contractors today led me to think I should keep some of the existing structure, so that may as well include the fpl.

Anyway, I still have a lot of calls to make. I want to feel pretty certain about what we can do and what it might cost. So if you don't hear from me on this post for a few days, I am off figuring this all out.

Thanks again, everyone. If we buy, beach party at our house for GW'ers ---- 2015??? LOL

Good to keep the fireplace. It gets chilly out there. And sometimes you need to keep warm when the power's out.

Make sure you budget and prepare for constant repairs. Moist salt air destroys absolutely everything. So choose materials wisely and know you're going to have to do a few projects every year.

as crazy as it sounds, at some point they [kids] may actually not want to go away on weekends in order to attend important local events like other kids' birthday parties. You dont have to ask me how I know this, right? :-)

Important point. That's exactly why my family unloaded a similar house on the ocean. Arrrgh. I was too young to vote on it.

Is this Block Island? (I haven't read the whole thread) If so, it is likely impossible to build anywhere close to 150/sf.

Lovely spot though. Good luck with your decisions.

I need to go back and read all the replies, but I LOVE the house, it's charming. The view.. breathtaking! I personally love old houses.. BUT, I'll talk about mine for a moment, to give you food for thought. The Realtors felt we should have knocked it down, but the quality of the construction of older homes, you just don't find it today and if you did.. it would cost a pretty penny. That said, restoration and remodeling an old home really can be more expensive than building new. We had difficulty finding contractors.. they felt it was "too much" work! We have done a great deal of work ourselves, and there is still more work to do 1-1/2 years later. I'm so happy we saved our home, but at the same time.. I am sure that I would never do this again - but building s extremely stressful too...

Anyways, whatever you decide, it will be beautiful!

Mtn. Let me ask you this. If the house was in perfect condition and at a good price, would you buy it as is and do nothing to it?

No. I don't love the style. I love the lot and location. I want all three though, which i can get by tear down or gut reno. For example, to my surprise, I can change the roof from gambrel to gable. I can build out the house to the right, make it 44' feet wide, and turn it into a center hall. What would that cost?

Well, what I really want is for it to feel like a simple farmhouse. Noticeable simple and even perhaps, unexpectedly down-market. Linoleum and painted wood floors. Unfitted kitchen (yes, really, truly unfitted ... no counters, no islands, no cabinets, no backsplash, no wine fridge). No vanities, no shower niches, no rainheads, no shower benches, no clerestory, no underfloor heating, no mudroom custom cubbies, no fancy tile, no charging station, no no no no to all the many things that every home seems to "require" nowadays.

What I do want that will be very very expensive is many very good quality doors and french windows. Very simply profile but generously sized moldings; no clamshell junk. An expensive range and fridge (not subzero, but a good 10 grand between the two). Good quality faucets (not 1000 and up, but maybe 500). Cedar shake siding. Reuse all the old doors.

I think I know exactly what you mean. You don't want a steady diet of haute cuisine, you want some place that's a picnic, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some place you can just let go. We have friends who lived for many years in a gated estate in Atlanta who had an old fish camp at Lake Burton... linoleum, warped wood screen doors that creaked and slammed, uneven floors, everything was rough but very serviceable and required almost no upkeep save the occasional sweep out. No decorations in the bedrooms, built in bunks in most bedrooms (which at some point replaced the previous iron cots that looked like summer camp), nothing to dust, nothing to break. It was the ultimate luxury of simplicity, and not "cool" simplicity, real simplicity. They thought it was heaven, and for them it was.

You got it KSWL.

Marcolo - yes, the selection of materials really needs to take into account the tough environment.

Tinker -- Glad you stuck to your guns and remodelled ... but yet, it is often a luxury to do so at the end of the day

Celtic - some people with second homes use them so much that they become more attached to them then their primary home, ive found .... and for some they sit empty most of the time. I don't know if there is any way to know a priori which we would be, to be honest. We have made very good use of our lakehouse for 7 years, but time change. It's a risk one takes.

In Tidewater Virginia, where the closer you get to the Chesapeake bay, the more lacy with creeks and rivers the land becomes, there are a zillion river houses, from weekend shacks to historic piles to modern retreats, and I've never seen an upside down house that I didn't love.

A cousin of mine built his own himself, and while he and his wife are content with a more rustic warren of bedrooms below that I would be, the upper living quarters with open kitchen and living/family room, dining area one step up along a wall of creek-view windows, and wrap around porches, is glorious.

They are often hosts for Thanksgiving, and we all come from all over the country - the house can't sleep a lot of us, but the living space easily accommodates four generations - 12 adults of various ages, and 7 small children and counting.

I don't have anything to add other than I wish Mtn all the best of luck while she figures it out. The views are breathtakingly beautiful.

Bronwynsmom, What a lovely image you conjure!

Gscience, Aww, that is sweet of you to take the time to post!

ALL ;
It was a gorgeous sunny day here and I guess on the island too, because i couldn't reach anyone in the building dept! But I did price 10 sets of Marvin Zone 3 hurricane proof french doors and found to my surprise that a local bldg supply chain delivers to the island at no extra cost, routinely. Well, at least when you are buying 20 french doors!

Do you need hurricane shutters too? There are some that resemble traditional shutters rather than the rolling metal ones that we saw in Florida. I'm wondering if you'll use this home seasonally and close it up for the winter. The shutters might provide extra security.

We have a vacation home that's three hours away and last winter when the heavy storm hit we were unable to drive there to check on it. We use our place year round so we also installed a whole house generator and a whole house surge protector. The local contractor we've used for years will also check our place for us during those times too which gives us added peace of mind!

As a long time 'This Old House' addict I'll love watching the progress on your new/old place. Even reading about the work you're doing on the Little Stone Cottage is a treat - I remember when you posted photos of your CT home but I can't find them - would you be willing to link to that again?

I hope everything falls into place - it will be so enjoyable to watch the new/old place come to fruition, especially for me since I totally lack skill and confidence in my own decorating abilities. So thanks for your generosity in posting about your projects.

I'm with MarieCate. I have seen photos of your house in CT from time to time, but did you have them all in one place?

Thanks.

Uh oh, you are already sourcing French doors.....you are firmly on the hook! ....let us know when the closing is and we will give you an online housewarming :-)

Beautiful beach front, fabulous views and privacy. It would be very hard to match that.

Love it!

My BIL and SIL have done an extensive renovation to their BIRI vacation home. I can probably get their architect and builder information for you if you're interested. You may not be building on BI, but it's such a small geographic area that the issues would probably be the same.

PorkandHam - how nice of you. You are right, I don't think anyone does just one area or island as the islands are too small for that. Let me know the best way to get that info, if you can.

Eandhl - Thanks, I agree ... that's the only reason I am going through all these machinations!

KSWL - I have been going through each category of the cost estimate and plugging in stuff where I can get pricing. As I mentioned there are estate and deed issues that need to be cleared up, so I won't be bidding for a while no matter what ... may as well do my homework.

Kitschy - I don;t know how to link to an album.

Maire - NO, we don't need shutters. Yes, we will need a generator and a property manager. Thank you for your kind words! I will post some photos maybe tomorrow. You won't have to ask me twice; that's the fun part or all this!

Just create a separate album with all the photos you wish
to been seen and don't mark "private"

I just watched "Castle" last night. He has a beach house like your's on the show. Sort of a double of what you are looking at. Maybe some great ideas. I couldn't find the house, so watching the show free on CBS is as close as I can suggest. It was interesting to go through photos, your house style is very common in the Hamptons.

Technicolor -- I will have to try to find that ... thanks for the tip!

PorkandHam --- you don't seem to have an email function on GW. Can you email me? thanks!

I'm wondering what happened... did you buy this house? :)

Yes. And no. Not yet, anyway.

Let us sit upon the ground and tell sad stories. ::: sigh :::.

I am not known for brevity but will try.

1. We went on vacation and "just looking" in end August
2. I fell for this dump and convinced DH and kids that view mattered most
3. We went back end Sept and stayed the weekend
4 Trust me, it i really is a dump
5 Did a ton of due diligence on market value of land, zoning, building costs, etc
6. Bid the day before Thanksgiving
7. They countered
8 Rinse and repeat
9 Rinse and Repeat
10. Signed the contract, told them we'd be ready to close in a matter or weeks, just as long as paperwork would take
11 Rome burned
12 Holidays were celebrated
13 We went on vacation for three weeks
14 We interviewed architects and tried to get ready
15 MtnRdRedux plays with house plans and falls in love with U's, thoroughly exorcising their pros and cons on GW
16 Unresolved ROW issue on our property and adjoining lot makes both contracts untenable.
17 Lawyers confer
18 Rome burns
19 Lawyers still conferring
20 Mtn still playing Architect on GW
21 A very interesting oceanfront lot, much larger, has a major price reduction
22 We now have two irons in the fire as we continue to pursue this house, and this other lot

I guess you probably wanted a yes or no!

WOW! You poor thing. It's hard to have one situation like this hanging over your head and you have two. OUCH!

I sure hope the situation works out for the best (and quickly!) for you.

HUG!

Susan

Thanks, Susie. It has been frustrating.

I hate to admit it but I am really enjoying this, mtn. It's some kind of perverted real estate schadenfreude. Or something :-) I glad it's not me, but otoh I would love it to be my problem!

How frustrating-for me uncertainty is almost worse than a defeat. I hate not knowing yes or no, and hanging for months would drive me crazy. Like kswl, buying oceanfront property will never be in the cards for me but I"m rooting for you and your family all the same!

One question-what does 'ROW' mean? Guessing it is 'right of way but it's been so long since I was in the real estate/home buying market that I don't have much sense of lingo anymore.

Good luck and thanks for updating the audience over here :).

Ann

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This post was edited by mtnrdredux on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 10:49

KSWL,
It's very bizarre IMHO. Part of the issue is that this is an estate sale, so I think conferring with heirs may complicate things.

Ann,
Yes, "ROW" stands for right of way. This area was "developed" (settled, I guess!) in the 17th c, and it seems every property we have looked at has a crazy deed. Lots of ROW, easements, conservation easements, coasal protection, in addition to the typical issues of setbacks and a quite low lot coverage maximum (3%). In this case, there are two ROW on the house in the picture above, the most pressing is that the driveway now in use is not all on "our" land. Been so for 100 years some say...

What a saga, my dear.

But if anyone is up to the challenge, you are.

I know it's a PITA to deal with all the restrictions, but the more I see of the world, the more grateful I am that some lovely places still have some, and enforce them.