update on home search! 1910 vs 1995 :)
7 years ago
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House Plant Expert vs. New House Plant Expert
Comments (0)I've been looking for a comprehensive book on house plants that I used to have access to (belonged to a friend in a state where I no longer live.) After several internet searches, I'm pretty sure it was either The House Plant Expert or The New House Plant Expert. Funny thing is, it appears that the most recent publication date for both is 1992, and that that is the only publication date for The New House Plant Expert, but The House Plant Expert has several others. I've also noticed that The New House Plant Expert is available mostly in the UK. A few small US sellers have it (abebooks.com,) but none of the big ones (Amazon, B&N, etc.) Every US bookseller carries The House Plant Expert though. I'm wodering if they are really one in the same? Did they change the name in the UK when they updated, and leave the name the same in the US? Or do they not offer an updated version in the US? Anybody know? Also, I see that The House Plant Expert has at least three different jacket designs, and I'm not conviced that they correspond to different publication dates, although it's possible that some internet booksellers have not updated their images, I suppose. Here is a link that might be useful: google image search of jacket design...See MoreBuying Old house Vs New house.
Comments (23)Honestly, I'd be much more comfortable buying an 11 year old house over a brand new one. I have heard and experienced too many horror stories regarding shoddy construction of new houses - unless you really bone up on good building practices and are there supervising every day, you really have no idea if your new house is built well or not. My sister-in-law just spent $400K on a new Pulte townhome (a big tract builder around here). In one year, she has had about 5 separate plumbing leaks, a basement leak, several leaks at the windows, her kitchen floor has heaved and had to be torn up and replaced twice, and her heating bills are running over $500/mo because the houses weren't insulated correctly and the HVAC was sized wrong. And everyone in her development is having similar problems. They just don't build new homes well anymore. Even "slightly old" houses can have really bad problems. We bought a 3 year old house that was custom-designed and built with very high end materials (cedar roof, 4-side stucco siding). We ended up having to spend upwards of $140K fixing it because it leaked like a sieve. We are now in litigation with the builder trying to recover our repair costs, but have spent over $10K in lawyer fees with no end in sight. I will never ever buy a brand new house again - in fact, I've sworn that any house I buy will be at least 80 years old, LOL! But by the time a house is 10 or 11 years old, any serious problems will probably have shown up - our house had been leaking from day 1 but it took until the house was 6 years old before we discovered it, since all the leaks and damage were confined to the insides of the walls for the first several years. I'll link to our saga for anyone who's interested. Here is a link that might be useful: Our house......See MoreWWYD re Stove? 1910 Kitchen
Comments (17)Here are my responses to the New to GW Kitchens. I will work on my floor plan tonight. Thanks How many people will work food in the kitchen at the same time? Or, IOW, is this a one-butt kitchen? 2-3 Are there any special cooking needs - and related appliances and storage - to consider? (Do you bake, microwave popcorn, keep Kosher, make espresso, grill indoors, etc.) I love to bake with my sons (2 & 5) Who else will use the kitchen and for what? Coffee with the neighbor, feeding the dog, little kids doing homework, big kids surfing the net, etc. Consider all the possible non-food activities as well as any users� special needs: toddlers, elderly, physically challenged, etc. When I have family over they like to hang out and help me out. I also use it as a buffet for parties. Some folks are the dining area or kitchen both of which have a doorway leading to the breakfast room. I feed the dog here and at times (not often will surf the net on my laptop). What is the traffic situation? Does part of the kitchen function as a passageway from one part of the home to another? Where do the groceries come in and where does the garbage go out? There are 3 doorways: south end connects to the dining room, east side encompasses a short hallway: powder room, pantry, and stairwell to outside/basement, the west side leads to the breakfast room. Groceries/garbage come in/out through the east side doorway. What are your storage needs? Do you shop frequently or prefer to keep a lot on hand? Do you have lots of gadgets, china, special pans, etc. I shop weekly. I have food in the pantry and the upper cabinets. I have some kitchen gadgets: juicer, microwave, blender, mixer, and toaster that are always out. I store extra big stuff, or items rarely used in the basement storage room. Everyday china and glassware is stored in the upper cabinets. Everyday pots/pans are stored in lower cabinets as are the plastic containers (storage). Where are you on �form over function� vs. �function over form�? Would you prioritize perfect point of use storage or perfect visual symmetry in the look of the cabinets? Prefer function over form. I want it to function and have counter space where others can help. Is there something you want so bad (a pantry, an island, a 48â³ range) that you will accept a compromise such as narrow passage, less counter, etc. I�ve always wanted a 5 burner stove, but am ok with a 4 burner. I would love a narrow table to serve as an worktable know that space it tight. Mostly I want to be able to utilize the kitchen space to the max. What is your budget? Is there money for structural changes like moving a window? DH has always been conservative with money. Therefore, I need to stretch my little budget: that would consist of reusing the existing cabinets and working/tweaking with the floor plan. I don�t want to......See MoreOffer price vs updating needed
Comments (18)ellusionz, it sounds to me like you need to consider a few things: 1. Current value of home- easy. Work with a buyer's Realtor, now. Get the comps, get the price evaluated. 2. Current condition of the home- it's not a bad idea to have somebody in the process who can help you "spit-ball" costs of both necessary repairs and improvements you might make. Of course, that won't be sufficient, but it just might give you a decent idea of what you're looking at, long term, with this house. If it still seems worth it (as long as this isn't an "as-is" purchase), you can include "pending inspections" in the terms of your offer. Then you have a certain amount of days to get a comprehensive inspection done. I don't know your area, but most lenders- VA/FHA/Conventional- will require this as part of their underwriting process. Then be prepared to walk, if it either seems more than you can "bite off" right now and/or will end up with a home that is overvalued for the market OR if the lender says "nope". BTW: I totally get "view", as if it's stunning, then it's "beachfront"! 3. I want to strike the right tone on this, so as not to offend: You seem to be in need of a bit more education re: the financial vehicles at your disposal, even what you've done in the past. That you didn't think about taking money from your retirement fund as a down payment on a home is a bit of a red flag. And "I'm guessing", "I've heard" is unnecessary. Get with your lender, and ask all questions until you really understand it all. And quiz your Realtor, as well, about how you, even if you're a pre-approved buyer, might be viewed in an offer/negotiation You speak of a "we", so it's entirely possible that the "other half" is the driver on financial/lending side. So that, of course, can be a good thing. But there's no reason you shouldn't educate yourself, given the questions you have. Maybe the "other half" is all the resource you need. Just ask until you really understand. Good luck, take care, and try hard not to get emotionally involved with this one place. When it's right, it'll be standing right in front of you and will be obvious....See MoreRelated Professionals
Gladstone Architects & Building Designers · Winchester Architects & Building Designers · Tabernacle General Contractors · Titusville General Contractors · Liberty Township Interior Designers & Decorators · Anchorage General Contractors · Arkansas City General Contractors · Norridge General Contractors · Norwell General Contractors · Richfield General Contractors · Town and Country Architects & Building Designers · North Aurora Painters · Syracuse Painters · Leon Valley General Contractors · Valle Vista General Contractors- 7 years agolast modified: 7 years ago
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