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What I'd love to know / see (maybe in a new thread?) is exactly what were your MUST haves and your WANT to have items. A lot of first time buyers (Property Virgins?) could use some pointers as to what really matters when picking a home.
Thanks!
Lol... poor timing, we just trashed the remaining paper copies a few days ago and the digital copy is gone too. From memory though, the musts:
Brick. Our first had vinyl siding. It fades, is easily broken (esp. when cold) and looks cheap IMHO. We would have settled for cement-board, but didn't want the hassle of painting the exterior.
Single level. While our ranch Has a basement, the only essentials down there are the washer and dryer. Should we grow old (or become handicapped) in this home, we can have them relocated upstairs.
2+ car garage. I work on motorized toys for pleasure/hobby and needed more space. I WAS willing to settle for a 1-car + room to add another 2-car
1300~1800 sq/ft. We're just 2 people and a dog, and that's all we will ever be (maybe 2 dogs). We don't Need a lot of space to heat, cool, clean or become that void which always seems to become filled with junk. There just are not any well laid out floorplans in Denver. The building boom here seems to have neglected the smaller homes and focused on McMansions. Sad, but just something to deal with.
At Least 2 bed, 2 bath. We have an original 3-bed that's been converted to 2 bed (joined the 2 smaller rooms), with an additional 2 non-conforming beds in the basement. Unfortunately, the baths are split one up and one down (our last, cheaper, place had a master and guest on the same floor).
Small yard. Again, our last property had .6 acre of land and it was a Nightmare to maintain. We need Some land for those emergency dog bathroom needs (we walk 2~3 times a day, usually 2 10-min and 1 60-min ~ just to quell those people who will claim animal abuse).
That's all I can remember for must haves... though we left off the obvious of a neighborhood that we liked. That's one of those visual ques that is up to each shopper... we don't like things like non-maintained yards/homes, junk cars parked everywhere, etc...
Wants were things like a hot tub (got it ), fireplace (got it too), 40 foot run of indoor space (I shoot 10 meter Olympic pistol and like having a range in my home), mature landscaping (got it), sprinkler system (didn't get, but also don't need), craftsman/arts and crafts style home (didn't get, did get a '50 brick ranch with some 'mid-century modern' feel ~ what we wanted was a house with character), good walkability (got it, 2 blocks from a King Soopers, K-mart, Library and other businesses), close proximity to green spaces (got it again, we're a few block from Ruby Hill park)... and I can't remember the rest.
The most Major thing we learned between the 'first'/virgin house and this one was to buy for resale. Our first (granted, there were 6 homes on the market in our price range, and we needed to move ASAP... so we picked what seemed the best) had some issues that kept it from a quick sale. Things that didn't bother us in the least.... like a slight settling (2" over 24') of the basement slab but not the foundation, were the primary reason given for buyers not wanting our home. Another buyer said it as in a 'bad location' (on a through street, had slightly more traffic than a normal suburban street).
The second was that Cosmetic stuff is EASY to change. Paint the inside of a home for under $200 and 2 days of work (3 colors), and it'll feel Completely different/clean/fresh. We did laminate flooring (1,000 sq/ft) ourselves in a weekend for $800 in materials on our first place (this one has original oak). 2 bathrooms remodeled for $1500 total (kept the tubs and toilets only, vanity, flooring, medicine cabinet, etc... all replaced), kitchen job (kept the fridge and cabinet boxes, but replaced all the doors/hardware, counter, oven, sink, floor, etc...) for $2000 while living in and using the home.
Mike, feel free to move this as you see fit. It's obviously just my opinion, but you're right. Newbies to buying homes have a LOT to deal with, but the best thing is to be honest about what they need right now. Home buyers aren't like kids in the growing years... you don't need to buy a house to "grow in to" like moms buy kids shoes 1 size too big. Having the "Latest and Greatest" isn't all that great when you're struggling to make it paycheck to paycheck (or not building retirement/savings). The first home you buy doesn't Have to be the last.
EDIT: We were shopping in the $150~180k range, bought at $180k though found others as low as $170k that we couldn't get under contract.
Brian
Last edited by Mike from back east; 10-23-2009 at 07:15 PM..
Brian, thanks for posting that stuff, I made a new thread of it. REPS TO YOU!
I'll add mine later.
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Must have a two car (or more if I get lucky) garage. Don't waste my time showing me a house with a 1 car garage.
Must not face north.
Must have a basement, preferably unfinished, as I'd rather not inherit someone's non-conforming "uncle Larry" basement finishing and have to deal with that BS as a seller down the road.
Must have three bedrooms and two bathrooms above grade.
Gas cooking would be strongly preferred but not required.
If the house is older, I'd like one that's been brought closer to modern energy efficiency standards.
3 out of the 4 houses I have owned in Colorado have had north facing driveways.
I like having a south facing backyard. Lot of things to grow in the sun. More dinners on the patio.
There is a option to have your driveway heated. Mine's not. But to eliminate a 4th of the available inventory because of the 55 inches of snow we get a season....
3 out of the 4 houses I have owned in Colorado have had north facing driveways.
I like having a south facing backyard. Lot of things to grow in the sun. More dinners on the patio.
There is a option to have your driveway heated. Mine's not. But to eliminate a 4th of the available inventory because of the 55 inches of snow we get a season....
Well I drive every day but I don't spend much time in the back yard. I've seen too many pictures (and saw it on my February trip) where the south facing side of the street is completely clear of snow and ice while the other side of the street is still covered. The more the sun can take care of, the happier I'll be. When I mention moving to Colorado and buying a house, everyone I personally know who lives there say, "Get a south facing driveway. It makes life easier in the winter."
I'm casually looking for a house right now (first-time homebuyer) and this is what I would like:
MUST
* a garage because i'd like some extra storage space for my Jeep stuff
* a fireplace
* two bedrooms (or three, but definitely two)
* a yard with a fence, even if it's a small yard
* within a reasonable distance to downtown (where i work)
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE
* a gas stove in the kitchen
* mature trees nearby
* rustic/wood-sided house with kind of a mountain contemporary flair (okay, i know this is hard to find in the city, but i've seen some places in lakewood, for instance, that fit this)
* something not in an HOA
* single family home (a duplex is okay if it matches my "must haves" -- and some of them do!)
as an aside, i saw a house the other day that had solar panels mounted on the garage roof and my realtor said something about solar heating being popular in the 80s and doubted that they were in working condition. if this was popular then, why isn't it popular now? i suppose i could research this, but it just came to mind.
I def. want a garage or covered parking, lots of closet space, a pantry, and some of those built in spaces in the wall for decorative items, or a tv, something like that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian_M
Lol... poor timing, we just trashed the remaining paper copies a few days ago and the digital copy is gone too. From memory though, the musts:
Brick. Our first had vinyl siding. It fades, is easily broken (esp. when cold) and looks cheap IMHO. We would have settled for cement-board, but didn't want the hassle of painting the exterior.
Single level. While our ranch Has a basement, the only essentials down there are the washer and dryer. Should we grow old (or become handicapped) in this home, we can have them relocated upstairs.
2+ car garage. I work on motorized toys for pleasure/hobby and needed more space. I WAS willing to settle for a 1-car + room to add another 2-car
1300~1800 sq/ft. We're just 2 people and a dog, and that's all we will ever be (maybe 2 dogs). We don't Need a lot of space to heat, cool, clean or become that void which always seems to become filled with junk. There just are not any well laid out floorplans in Denver. The building boom here seems to have neglected the smaller homes and focused on McMansions. Sad, but just something to deal with.
At Least 2 bed, 2 bath. We have an original 3-bed that's been converted to 2 bed (joined the 2 smaller rooms), with an additional 2 non-conforming beds in the basement. Unfortunately, the baths are split one up and one down (our last, cheaper, place had a master and guest on the same floor).
Small yard. Again, our last property had .6 acre of land and it was a Nightmare to maintain. We need Some land for those emergency dog bathroom needs (we walk 2~3 times a day, usually 2 10-min and 1 60-min ~ just to quell those people who will claim animal abuse).
That's all I can remember for must haves... though we left off the obvious of a neighborhood that we liked. That's one of those visual ques that is up to each shopper... we don't like things like non-maintained yards/homes, junk cars parked everywhere, etc...
Wants were things like a hot tub (got it ), fireplace (got it too), 40 foot run of indoor space (I shoot 10 meter Olympic pistol and like having a range in my home), mature landscaping (got it), sprinkler system (didn't get, but also don't need), craftsman/arts and crafts style home (didn't get, did get a '50 brick ranch with some 'mid-century modern' feel ~ what we wanted was a house with character), good walkability (got it, 2 blocks from a King Soopers, K-mart, Library and other businesses), close proximity to green spaces (got it again, we're a few block from Ruby Hill park)... and I can't remember the rest.
The most Major thing we learned between the 'first'/virgin house and this one was to buy for resale. Our first (granted, there were 6 homes on the market in our price range, and we needed to move ASAP... so we picked what seemed the best) had some issues that kept it from a quick sale. Things that didn't bother us in the least.... like a slight settling (2" over 24') of the basement slab but not the foundation, were the primary reason given for buyers not wanting our home. Another buyer said it as in a 'bad location' (on a through street, had slightly more traffic than a normal suburban street).
The second was that Cosmetic stuff is EASY to change. Paint the inside of a home for under $200 and 2 days of work (3 colors), and it'll feel Completely different/clean/fresh. We did laminate flooring (1,000 sq/ft) ourselves in a weekend for $800 in materials on our first place (this one has original oak). 2 bathrooms remodeled for $1500 total (kept the tubs and toilets only, vanity, flooring, medicine cabinet, etc... all replaced), kitchen job (kept the fridge and cabinet boxes, but replaced all the doors/hardware, counter, oven, sink, floor, etc...) for $2000 while living in and using the home.
Mike, feel free to move this as you see fit. It's obviously just my opinion, but you're right. Newbies to buying homes have a LOT to deal with, but the best thing is to be honest about what they need right now. Home buyers aren't like kids in the growing years... you don't need to buy a house to "grow in to" like moms buy kids shoes 1 size too big. Having the "Latest and Greatest" isn't all that great when you're struggling to make it paycheck to paycheck (or not building retirement/savings). The first home you buy doesn't Have to be the last.
Looking ahead 5-7 years to the next house, primary goal is to downsize. I've added a section to my list for NOT wanted items. Price target (in today's dollars) is $350k-$400k.
MUST HAVE ITEMS
- One level living
- Garage for 3-4 cars (instead of storage shed or basement)
- Big kitchen with upscale appliances, large pantry, lots of cabinets and lights
- Open floorplan
- Big master bath with walk-in closets
- Den / office
- All exterior house and grounds maintenance covered in the HOA
- HOA that takes care of many things and enforces covenants
- About 2000 square feet
- Quiet area, no major highways nearby
- A/C with humidifier for winter
- Lots of can lights in ceilings
OKAY TO HAVE ITEMS
- Unfinished basement, for eventual resale potential
- View of some sort, though not going to pay a lot premium
- One spare bedroom, for eventual resale potential
- Health club / pool / clubhouse with eatery and bar
- Walking or bike trails
DO NOT WANT TO HAVE THESE ITEMS
- Corner lot (too busy / less privacy / noisy / a magnet for dog walkers)
- Low lying lot (where neighboring lots drain into mine, NO WAY)
- Stockade fencing in the housing area (turns any neighborhood into a cubicle farm, like many offices)
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Last edited by Mike from back east; 10-23-2009 at 10:49 AM..
**A usuable front porch (at least 8 feet deep, 5 length). I will never buy a house again without one after having the one I have now.
**Alley loaded garage. It makes a HUGE difference in the look of the house.
**Small lot (3000-6000 sq feet). I love to garden but don't need a huge yard to maintain and waste time/water/resources
**Walkable neighborhood. Meaning can walk to many stores/restaurants/services/parks. Being able to do this makes a huge difference where I live now as I hate driving.
**Open floor plan, less walls the better.
**A social, friendly neighborhood.
Like to Have:
**Nice exterior architecture but flexible on style
**Close to both downtown Denver and downtown Boulder as I love restaurants and cultural attractions
**Solar photovolatic system
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), fireplace (got it too), 40 foot run of indoor space (I shoot 10 meter Olympic pistol and like having a range in my home), mature landscaping (got it), sprinkler system (didn't get, but also don't need), craftsman/arts and crafts style home (didn't get, did get a '50 brick ranch with some 'mid-century modern' feel ~ what we wanted was a house with character), good walkability (got it, 2 blocks from a King Soopers, K-mart, Library and other businesses), close proximity to green spaces (got it again, we're a few block from Ruby Hill park)... and I can't remember the rest.
