JennRenee question...

JennRenee question...

I have been house hunting for about 2 months... b/c the market is still so high we are a little afraid to buy anything. My question is this -
did you fall in love with the house you bought?
I have seen a few that I like and for the right price I would buy - but as my husband says it's not our dream home (but I feel our dream home) is out of our price range - It's hard knowing if it's the right house - we have put a bid on one (a very low bid) and this how we feel about it - it would be great for that price but it's not exactly what we were looking for but it would do. Should we be waiting to find the 'dream home' or will we never find it and let some great deals slip away? I just was curious on your opinion and what you did?? Thanks!

Junebride

I know you posed the question to JennRenee, but I just bought a house too so I decided to respond.

I didn't fall in love with my house when I saw it, but price and timing wise it was perfect. Now that I'm living in it, I'm falling in love because we own it. With a little work and not a lot of $ you can totally change the look of a house and make it yours(and we've just taken down wallpaper and panelling and painted a little)
Make a list of the things you absolutely have to have in a house and the things you would like, but can do without. Go to Open Houses. They are the best way to check different types of houses out(in and out of your price range). While at the Open Houses, talk to the real estate agent running it. Tell her/him what you are looking for in a house(including what you like and don't like about the house you are in) and see if they have any other houses that you could look at. That's how we found ours.

Jenn Z

Thanks for your response!
When did you buy? We both said we would wait a while before looking b/c the market is so high but right after the wedding (I wanted to look) so we've gone to a lot of open houses - it's just so hard b/c every house has some things to offer and of course some down sides. I am going to make that list! Just curious where did you buy? I am looking in Rockville Centre, Massepqua, and Farmingdale. It's so hard knowing if it's the right house... and I thought picking out the dress was a hard choice...
How long ago did you buy and did you feel like you were overpaying?? What I have seen so far is just not worth the money (we are putting in bids) but for houses that we don't love but if we got them for the price we are giving we'd take them. Anyway thanks!

JuneBride

We looked for our house for over a year and a half - starting in 1999. We finally found our house almost a year ago - last Labor Day weekend at an open house. During the whole process, we kept wondering if we would ever just find 'THE' house - and if we did would we know it when we saw it?? And guess what - that's exactly what happened! We had seen hundreds of houses and put bids in on two prior to the one we ended up buying in Massapequa. When we saw it we just knew it was finally the one! It was a bit more than we wanted to spend, but we realized that over the year we were looking, we passed over a couple we really liked because we didn't want to spend over our original budget. One house in particular comes to mind - we figured it was overpriced even though we really liked it, so we didn't put a bid in. Turns out in the end that we spent only a few thousand less than that house would have cost. It's real hard because prices don't seem to be coming down and you question waiting it out -- believe me I've been there! My advice is to just have some patience and look for the one you love! And it doesn't have to be perfect -- but I think you'll just know when you see it! Good Luck!!

JuneBride

Our house is in Massapequa(just north of Merrick Rd.). We found the house in February, but didn't close on it til June 15th. I don't feel like we overspent, because we saw some houses that weren't nice at all for just a little bit less. We sort of rushed right in to our decision to put an offer on the house because it was 'officially' going on the market a few hours after we saw it and since it was one of the nicest ones around, we didn't think it would be available for long. As I said I didn't love it right away, but my husband and daughter did and now that we are living there I know it was the right decision.

Overspending

I guess I really didn't mean to say we overspent - just that we realized after seeing so many houses (many of which cost a lot of money and were really in bad shape) that we would need to adjust our spending limit based on what we discovered was important to us during the whole process, like how much work the house needed, location, etc. We ended up south of Merrick Road in Massapequa which was really where we wanted to be. Jenn Z...did you grow up in Massapequa? I'm a Brooklyn-born girl myself, but hubby grew up in Massapequa.

Quest. on Massapequa

We too have looked there - do either of you know Builtmore Shores (I think that is the area - and there is another area next to it maybe BayShores - we thougt this was a nice area - can you tell me a little bit more about Mass.?? We really want an old Colonal but most of the homes we have seen there are ranch and splits? Is this true for Massapequa? Jenn and Lee - did your homes need to be updated? (meaning the kitchens and bathrooms)?

Quest. on Massapequa

Biltmore Shores is a lovely area south of Merrick Road and I think you can find some colonials in there although they may be a bit expensive since some homes down there are right on the canals. We bought our house in an area called Massapequa Shores which is South of Merrick Road in the All-American area - if you are familiar with that place. Down here there is a good mix of houses - hi-ranch, ranch, cape, split, colonial, just about everything. Also homes on the canals. I don''t know too much myself about the colonials because we really wanted either a hi-ranch or a split. We only looked at one colonial in West Islip.

The house we have is a hi-ranch on a corner property. One of the reasons we loved it was because it was completely updated. The only things we need to do are purely cosmetic. The bathrooms are new and the kitchen is not brand new but definitely new enough that we won''t have to do anything for a long, long time. The only major project we did do since moving in was to put in central air - everything else we consider 'small' (changing the mouldings, re-finishing the floors, painting the bedroom, etc.) We were fortunate that the house really doesn''t need anything (except furniture - which we are sorely lacking!). But that was what we were looking for.

We both work in the city and leave early and come home late and so we like to be able to relax and enjoy our weekends. Also, hubby is not the type that can do anything too advanced by himself, so it was important for us to spend the money to get something that was 'almost perfect'. The house really was a diamond compared to a lot of things we saw!! The relief we felt when we finally closed (which we did within 30 days after seeing the house!) was amazing!! It''s so nice to be settled in our own house so soon after the wedding, but the stress of moving and unpacking during the wedding planning was almost too much for me...

An answer for Junebride, a bit late, however! : )

Patrick and I truly love our house, and did at first sight. It's not our dream house though. We know that buying our dream house now was out of the question, since our budget was on the low side, considering today's market. We do love our house though, and our yard, and our neighborhood. I think we will be very happy while saving for our dream.
So... in answer to your question, if your dream house is way out of reach right now, I'd say not to settle for something you don't love, and don't give up your dream. A house will go up in value over time, making your dream house a bit closer to reality. At least that's what we are hoping!

Quest. on Massapequa

Sorry, I haven't been around lately.

Our house doesn't really need to be updated, but we are choosing to do some things. We are going to tile(ceramic) our kitchen floor and redo our countertop with granite tile(we really want a granite slab but it's too much $$$$). I also want a new stove. As far as the bathrooms go, the downstairs one needs new fixtures because they are brass(or something like it) and are a bit discolored. We want to change to chrome. The past owners had a country decor in the house and we are doing little things to make it more contemporary.

Lee

Yep, I grew up in Massapequa just north of Sunrise Hwy. Now we're not too far from you over by the high school.

JennZ, same situation...

Our house is also very country, which is not my taste at all, so we are trying to make it more 'artsy' and modern. Does anyone know how time consuming it would be to strip and restain mohogany kitchen cabinets??

JennRenee

Hmmmm...Stripping and staining is quite a job. How big is your kitchen?
We opted to leave the cabinets alone and change the hardware to give them a whole new look. We just picked out Blue Pearl granite tile to do the countertop--can't wait to start that project!!! My husband was at Home Depot(his home away from home) last night and decided to sit in on the skylight class they were holding. Now he's determined to cut a hole in our kitchen ceiling to add a skylight. I'm not so sure if it's a good idea.

Alternate solutions....

Rather than strip and stain perhaps you could paint them. I don`t know the rest of the color scheme, but a bold color like Red, or just a clean White, maybe a sophisticated Celedon Green... Another option is having the cabinets re-faced. They leave the structure but put on a new front and door. Ask about his at Home Depot or check the phone book - I think there is one that advertises on TV - it might be called Facelifters or something like that. You could also look into replacing the doors with glass-front doors and, as Jenn Z. suggested, new hardware.

Jenn Z

Your kitchen sounds like it is going to be beautiful! Our kitchen is large, with lots of cabinets. They are practically new, but they are such a dark color... I just can't get used to them! : ( We have a skylight in our kitchen already, and in our den, but I'm DYING for one in the bathroom. When is that Home Depot class?? : )

Thanks for the great suggestions KarenH! I'll try anything! *NM*

JennRenee

The class was last night, but the hold some sort of class just about every weeknight(and they're free). We go to the Copaigue store and they have a sign up board in the front of the store past the cash registers. I'm waiting for them to hold the tiling class again just so we can make sure we know what we're doing before we start on the kitchen.

Jenn Z Thanks for the info : ) *NM*

Your welcome! *NM*