UPDATE'S, Where are you in life, and your move to Maine (Gorham: trailer, car)

[starwalker]

no, not Milo per se but within a reasonable commute to Bangor, but the "gotcha is I need owner finance and the $50s are getting kinda high for me to do 20% down and cover my part of closing costs... not to mention I am arriving in less than a week! LOL

But I also am not willing to look at anything on less than an acre and a half... which eliminates a bunch of what otherwise looked good. I have seen some really nice, cute houses on a postage stamp, in the middle of town, like I am now... NOT what I am looking for.

I may end up singing "it's a 'dump' but it's MY dump, ya hear me? come h#!! or high water (and pray the river don't rise)"

Originally Posted by McMar

Starwalker, I hate to hear that your house is in need of so much attention. It makes me so mad when I see that the structural integrity of a home has been jeopardized by plumbers cutting joists. That is pure and simple laziness and incompetence. I suppose it could have been an handyman or homeowner that did it, but come one - people need to use some common sense. Are you set on Milo? I looked on the Maine MLS last night and found a few houses in the $40's and $50's in other areas.

[McMar]

Yep Starwalker, tough to find everything you need for the $40's price range. Particularly the owner financing. Do the sellers of the Milo house seem flexible about the price? I'm sure they know the condition issues, and it's probably priced fairly. But in this slow, slow, slow market I would think that people would jump for joy at the thought of an interested buyer. If they would drop to $35K, that would give you a few grand to put toward shoring up the house. Because you can do so much of the work yourself, that $5 grand would go a long way. Ok, not really my business, so don't feel like you have to answer. I just totally relate to your situation - that's why I'm so curious. My means are limited, but like you I'm not afraid of a "project house", so I'd love to see this one work out for you my hammer swingin' sister. "Ahhh, Home crap home." I think that quote was from "The Money Pit." If you buy your Milo house, just watch that movie and it will make you feel like your little home is built like a castle.

[starwalker]

Owner is an investor, I believe he has broken up a 42 acre parcel into three bits, to get rid of this "problem" <g> so I am not sure how motivated he will be, but I will work on it... once it does (or doesn't) happen there will be a blog following our insanity.

Originally Posted by McMar

Yep Starwalker, tough to find everything you need for the $40's price range. Particularly the owner financing. Do the sellers of the Milo house seem flexible about the price? I'm sure they know the condition issues, and it's probably priced fairly. But in this slow, slow, slow market I would think that people would jump for joy at the thought of an interested buyer. If they would drop to $35K, that would give you a few grand to put toward shoring up the house. Because you can do so much of the work yourself, that $5 grand would go a long way. Ok, not really my business, so don't feel like you have to answer. I just totally relate to your situation - that's why I'm so curious. My means are limited, but like you I'm not afraid of a "project house", so I'd love to see this one work out for you my hammer swingin' sister. "Ahhh, Home crap home." I think that quote was from "The Money Pit." If you buy your Milo house, just watch that movie and it will make you feel like your little home is built like a castle.

[starwalker]

There have been lots of plot twists and turns but to cut to the chase, we HAVE a place to land come Monday. Not the red house in Milo -- the inspection report was much more dire and dire in more ways than I expected -- and the seller's agent's first response to my "have concerns about..." was to offer to return all monies tendered.

I may still revisit it at some time in the future, when I can poke and prod around some and after it has sat, unsold, for a bit longer (can't get much more dilapidated! LOL) but in the mean time, between packing and sweating, I have considered one more property but it was an estate and had a mortgage so they could not work with me and there is another that I am waiting to hear on...

But in the mean time one connection lead to another and I DO have a monthly rental -- for as many months as need be -- within my budget and accepting of the critters. It is a trailer in a park but is roof over head, no leaks and we won't fall through.. a beachhead from which to move forward. The agent will be meeting us there, in Milo, Monday at 11 AM and hopefully we will be able to begin unloading shortly thereafter.

[Elcarim]

We'll all be starting somewhere when we arrive in Maine! IN MAINE is as good a place as you can get. "Shopping" will be so much easier once you're at least settled into the general area where you want to grow roots. You may even find more FSBO once you're there and can poke around the hidden places more.

I'm so happy for you!!

[WhoFanMe]

Originally Posted by starwalker

There have been lots of plot twists and turns but to cut to the chase, we HAVE a place to land come Monday. Not the red house in Milo -- the inspection report was much more dire and dire in more ways than I expected -- and the seller's agent's first response to my "have concerns about..." was to offer to return all monies tendered.

I may still revisit it at some time in the future, when I can poke and prod around some and after it has sat, unsold, for a bit longer (can't get much more dilapidated! LOL) but in the mean time, between packing and sweating, I have considered one more property but it was an estate and had a mortgage so they could not work with me and there is another that I am waiting to hear on...

But in the mean time one connection lead to another and I DO have a monthly rental -- for as many months as need be -- within my budget and accepting of the critters. It is a trailer in a park but is roof over head, no leaks and we won't fall through.. a beachhead from which to move forward. The agent will be meeting us there, in Milo, Monday at 11 AM and hopefully we will be able to begin unloading shortly thereafter.

Sounds like the agent has been through this before. Congratulations on finding a place to stay and welcome to the Pine Tree State!

[McMar]

Starwalker, I'm happy to hear you've found a temporary home. In time, you will find just the right place for you. If your instincts are right (and aren't one's instinct almost always right?), then you are totally making the correct decision to wait on the Milo house. Put some feelers out - maybe even post a real estate wanted ad on Craigslist, and see if anything pops up. You may have responses from homeowners that weren't wanting to list because their homes were in need of repair, but if they know a buyer is just out there waiting and they didn't have to prepare for numerous showings, they could be ready to sell. Good luck, and as El wrote, just the getting there part and having a place to rest your heads (and your pets' heads) is excellent in itself.

[starwalker]

my daughter has had good luck with Craig's list on the west coast; my mileage has varied greatly... but it is alway worth another try. The price is right up my alley!

I dunno about anyone else's instincts, but I have learned (the hard way, as have come many of my lessons! LOL) to listen to mine. I missed being able to catch a friend's baby the last time I didn't listen to that voice...and she could have really used my support... her 3 YO caught, with mom's help, just moments before dad walked in. The doc was about 15 min late (they were planning home birth). Mom had managed to call dad at work and he called the doc before heading out the door. I had visited them earlier in the day and was not far away when "the nudge" came to go see them again... that was the last time I ignored "intuition."

Originally Posted by McMar

Starwalker, I'm happy to hear you've found a temporary home. In time, you will find just the right place for you. If your instincts are right (and aren't one's instinct almost always right?), then you are totally making the correct decision to wait on the Milo house. Put some feelers out - maybe even post a real estate wanted ad on Craigslist, and see if anything pops up. You may have responses from homeowners that weren't wanting to list because their homes were in need of repair, but if they know a buyer is just out there waiting and they didn't have to prepare for numerous showings, they could be ready to sell. Good luck, and as El wrote, just the getting there part and having a place to rest your heads (and your pets' heads) is excellent in itself.

[starwalker]

By the way, thank you Snow Fairy... and I hope you flit by with a sprinkling or two of the stuff AFTER we have unloaded next week! I'll take Maine Writer's share, since she is ready for spring...

[starwalker]

We are a bit behind schedule due to the malfunction of the car trailer... it didn't want to let go of the truck hitch yesterday. Penske support was great, but the guy the called had an hour travel time to get here, so we are only just starting to load.

But we will be there!!