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Location: Mokelumne Hill, CA & El Pescadero, BCS MX.
6,957 posts, read 22,313,597 times
Reputation: 6471
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In my first real estate transaction in 1979, the water line from the street to the house broke the day before closing (A VA loan in which the final inspection required it to be repaired) I was out with a shovel digging up the line and repairing it because nobody else could be found on such short notice. Deal closed.
In this rural area we run into a shortage of professionals to make repairs from time to time. I try to be present at all inspections so I can understand what needs to be done. I've been in the trench when a septic inspection went a little sideways and raw sewage went where it shouldn't have gone.
Today a pest clearance went a little sideways too and I'll be helping my contractor do the fixes for the next two days. I have the skill set to help out, but certainly not the body that I used to have.
Is anyone else as crazy/stupid/fill in the blank as I am?
recently had a foreclosure that had no power on, and a walk up basement.... you know where this is going...
my buyer and I were in there vacuuming out water before the appraisal so that we could get the deal done. after closing, he cut out the lower baseboard/drywall and replaced it all.
Location: Danbury CT covering all of Fairfield County
2,636 posts, read 7,433,232 times
Reputation: 1378
I do everything. I've helped shovel driveways, weeded, assisted with moving, visit empty houses and run water 5x a day for.potabilty, make keys, purchase air freshners, raked leaves, time numberous hours overseeing tradespersons for busy or out of town clients and more.
In my first real estate transaction in 1979, the water line from the street to the house broke the day before closing (A VA loan in which the final inspection required it to be repaired) I was out with a shovel digging up the line and repairing it because nobody else could be found on such short notice. Deal closed.
Is anyone else as crazy/stupid/fill in the blank as I am?
Reminds me of the 2am night I was at a vacant listing in the mud trying to turn off the broken water line to the house by the headlights of my car.
I also go to all my Inspections (with the buyer if possible). An Inspection report will scare the jeehebies out of a buyer if they can't get it interpreted into common sense and discuss with the Inspector.
I did have a seller (at the closing table) ask if I could go help his wife move out of the house because he had to go back to work. No.... that's where I drew the line.
I've babysat houses, done cleaning, done landscaping, hauled trash (I have a long-bed pickup), watched kids, cooked, and a host of other things that don't technically fall under the job description (though, honestly, most things do at one time or another). Rakin, I probably would have gone and helped move - I've done so in past for friends who were clients - just because of the pickup.
I mowed the grass across the street from my open house.
Yes, I did.
When I listed my house for sale a few months ago, I mowed 3 yards around mine the day before I stuck the sign in the yard.
The two houses to my right are for sale b/c the owner died and his only heirs are in California....they had not been mowed in about a month, and the one to my left has a single woman in her 60's who is a night shift nurse and never mows or has it mowed.
I mowed them all that day and continued mowing them for 4.5 weeks until the house closed. I wanted it to look good up until I was out. I drove by about 4 weeks later and all 3 yards looked terrible b/c nobody had touched them since me.
I mowed them all that day and continued mowing them for 4.5 weeks until the house closed. I wanted it to look good up until I was out. I drove by about 4 weeks later and all 3 yards looked terrible b/c nobody had touched them since me.
Personally, this is why I like a strong HOA. It affects the values of the neighborhood.
I once allowed an out of town buyer stay at my house on his second visit to the city. I always walk friendly dogs for my Seller(s) if I am showing their property during the day. I cleaned a number of properties just before an open house despite the Seller(s) think that the house was clean. I drove my Buyer's child to a college interview.
Personally, this is why I like a strong HOA. It affects the values of the neighborhood.
I hate HOA's with a passion and would never live in a house in an area that has one...The idea of a group of jerks I don't know telling me what I can and cant do to my own property is repulsive to me. I do however approve of strong deed restrictions that can be enforced by a neighbor filing suit against another neighbor...that requires enough of a nuisance that it prevents stupid things and bs letters but still serves a purpose. I do however think that an HOA is good for rental properties though b/c it does a fairly good job at forcing others to make their property look maintained.
This particular house was in a highly desirable neighborhood of Houston (Houston Heights) that has been rapidly appreciating....Average home value is now approaching $500,000, and almost every new construction is selling for $800,000+
The smaller older homes that are not well kept are generally still occupied by older people, or the few holdouts who are staying put as long as possible to increase their cash out.
What makes the Heights popular is the location to downtown, lack of tract homes, and the fact that there is no HOA...In fact, none of the most desirable neighborhoods in Houston have an HOA. Riveroaks, Memorial, Heights, West University, Southside, Bellaire, Tanglewood - they are THE nicest places to live in Houston and not one of them has an HOA, but all (except the Heights) have good deed restrictions.
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