Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
3) We don't have the time or skills to fix-up and repair. It's true. In most family's both the husband and wife work, and it does make it hard to find time to do fix-ups. Plus, some folks lack the skill to even repaint.
It's not so much lack of skill, but lack of the body willing to do it. I want to be able to paint but with a bad back, arthritic knees, and other ailments for both of us, we do what we can and save up to hire out what we can't.
I would LOVE to be a DIY'er. It's just not in me anymore. Liz
I totally understand where you're coming from. It seems to me that buyers have high and sometimes unrealistic expectations. I've had people call me wanting a brand new single family home, stainless steel and granite kitchen, hardwoods throughout, three finished levels, on at least a 1/4 acre lot, and a payment of $1200 or less, no money down. That's impossible in Northern VA unless they buy a mobile home.
I think it may have something to do with all these shows on TV about home improvement. I think the shows make home improvement look like it's cheaper to do than it really is, and that the benefits of doing all of those improvements pays off more than it really does.
In Florida, it can also be a safety issue. The new homes are up to code, so there is the perception that a new home is safer than an old home (hurricane-wise).
I say perception, because so much of the safety is dependent upon location, and some (not all) of these new developments are going into low level evacuation areas (where the new neighborhoods have to evacuate earlier than a lot of the old neighborhoods...people in the old ones may not have to evacuate at all).
Location: Danbury CT covering all of Fairfield County
2,636 posts, read 7,429,511 times
Reputation: 1378
[quote=kturbe;1157222]
In my market first time buyers are having troubles getting into homes but what I see more of an issue is they could get into a starter that needs work but won't even consider them as they want that turnkey beauty of home that should really be a move up home.
QUOTE]
It is completly like that in my market place as well. I took a couple to see a townhouse at their top of their budget, and they were upset that it didn't have grantite, stainless steel applicances, hardwood floors, central air, a two car garage and had only 1.5 baths. There was nothing really wrong with the place since I would have no problem living there. So I told them, if you want all of those things, there is a community across the street where all of the homes have those things, since it was built 3 years ago, but it would be $120,000 more (where the place I was showing them was $240,000) and your taxes would be about twice what they are in this home.
I agree with the sense of entitlement thing. Also, if you build a house you can add all these extras "for free" while building, but if you buy an older house that needs work you actually have to have some cash on hand or credit card space to take care off it and many people don't have either.
I will have buyers, we want to live in this sought after school district. great, here are the homes located in that district. But they are all older, where are the new houses? They are in the not so desireable school district.... at your home price. Ok, we'll take it anyway. What? Shiny and New!!
And I have a clue for those folks buying new: You will paint. Builders grade navajo white paint gets REAL old. and you will have to put in a yard, landscaping- extremely expensive. and you will make changes to your new perfect home- shock. and all those windows will need window coverings TODAY - not as time permits.
Using a primer over red paint? that is easy compared to what you will need to do get your home ready to live in!!
Aloha all...this is my first post in the Real Estate Professionals forum, though I've been in the Hawaii forum for a while now.
This post caught my attention since the Big Island of Hawaii is a place where you see such a stark contrast between what we call "kaamaina" or plantation-style homes dating back to the sugar cane era and new construction developer-built homes.
Many older homes are built of redwood and fir. Those that have been preserved are truly treasures that help the islands maintain a sense of "Old Hawaii". But there are many that are now reaching that stage where they need immediate attention to survive.
On the other hand, there has been a huge influx of kit homes and cookie-cutter subdivisions, some of great quality, some of questionable quality. (Side note: we have started recommending termite inspections on new construction homes since builders will sometimes keep cabinets in unprotected storage and bring termites into the house near completion!)
I can say, however, having been through a few renovation projects (we are just about to begin the last room in our total renovation of our old plantation-style home), it's tough to live through the process when you are a dual-career family. Sometimes those shiny new construction subdivisions have a fleeting moment of appeal!
In Florida, it can also be a safety issue. The new homes are up to code, so there is the perception that a new home is safer than an old home (hurricane-wise).
I say perception, because so much of the safety is dependent upon location, and some (not all) of these new developments are going into low level evacuation areas (where the new neighborhoods have to evacuate earlier than a lot of the old neighborhoods...people in the old ones may not have to evacuate at all).
Yes new homes are obviously being built to code (re: hurricanes) but i feel that older homes have been through more and are obviously still standing so personally speaking i lean more towards an older home.
I think it is an entitlement issue we are encountering. I run into so many people who would rather go WAY over board in debt to get that nicer house that is way beyond their reach then buying something more resonable that needs work and you grow into it.
In my market first time buyers are having troubles getting into homes but what I see more of an issue is they could get into a starter that needs work but won't even consider them as they want that turnkey beauty of home that should really be a move up home.
I wish there was a way this could be factored into the data on the homes that are sitting on the market.
yup I agree with you on this one. My dh and I purchased our first home in 1998. We were thrilled to find a home with a 2 car garage (didn't think we could even have a garage in our price range and that was fine with us). we bought a small 3br ranch with GASP 1 bathroom. Oh the horror of only having ONE bathroom (for two people) and ONLY ONE SINK! How do we survive.
It makes me want to gag when I hear people (especially folks who have never even owned a home before) say things like oh I must have this and I must have that. How the heck do you know what you MUST have and must not have when you've never owned a home in your life.
DH and I are still doing work on our home (10 years later). the work never stops even if it's a new cookie cutter home. Just this weekend I ripped the carpet out of our guest bedroom. Granted the hardwood's a mess but i can live with it for now. sanding and restaining will be for another day.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
