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Yesterday we saw a house that was built in 1880...
but seems to have been well maintained
You'll need to do some serious "due diligence" on this
before any of the rest of the questions can be fairly considered.
And it really should be far more than just "well maintained" by now.
Meaning that the complete mechanical and structural renovation
(with all due sensitivity to it's architectural merits) should be complete
and that done by highly competent contractors and architects with scrupulous records.
The continued maintenance of an old house beyond this work will be job enough.
Unlike some, I do not want old, I do not want large property, I do not want things I must maintain, I do not want a garden, I do not want tools/hoses/power equipment, etc. I had all of those things when I was young. I do not want nor need them as I age.
Pretty much where I find myself wanting to be. I've spent my life maintaining, working, fixing, etc. Enough already, I want to relax and travel, not work on a house and yard. The place we looked at in Las Vegas even had a wood working shop so I wouldn't have to set one up myself. Perfect.
Have you checked that you can do what you're talking about where you plan to move? There are some areas with big lots in our county where you can't have livestock (like goats) - because the zoning doesn't allow it. As for hiring a garbage collector - it's kind of hard to do on a one at a time basis (at least at a cost that makes any sense at all). And you should take a look at what you should and shouldn't put in a compost pile - it's not like you can simply dump all your food garbage in one.
There's no zoning where our home is - of course I checked. Garbage collection: one time basis? What kind of nut would do that? You hire a service and they come once a week - seems like a no-brainer to me. I'm quite experienced in maintaining a compost pile, thanks.
FWIW - I think 4 acres is a lot for someone who has never even had 1/4 acre before. It's easy to talk about in the abstract - but I think the reality is harder (and more expensive) than the talk. Robyn
Assumption on your part and it's erroneous. First, my first husband and I owned a 3/4 acre lot in a development - yes with zoning. I grew up on over a 1 acre home in the country. Maintaining 4 acres is not at all what we intend. 3.5 acres is wooded. The only maintaining we will do is cutting up downed/dying trees to use as firewood for the OUTDOOR fireplace in the covered seating area my husband and I are building. The remaining 1/2 acre has 2 outbuildings now, will have a large deck and pool within the year, and very large driveway and parking area for 6 cars, and another area will be raised garden beds - the plan is for 6 that are small enough to be able to reach midway from any point without having to climb in/up. (Planning for aging.) Doesn't leave much for "lawn" and I don't plan to have much mowable area when we are done landscaping.
As for reality being more expensive or harder - we both have plenty of real life experience teaching and supervising, but that just makes it easier to hire unskilled workers to do the work while we supervise and train. It accomplishes 2 things: the work gets done not by us and we wind up with skilled help we can leave to do the work while we lounge around the pool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tek_Freek
Pretty much where I find myself wanting to be. I've spent my life maintaining, working, fixing, etc. Enough already, I want to relax and travel, not work on a house and yard. The place we looked at in Las Vegas even had a wood working shop so I wouldn't have to set one up myself. Perfect.
That's the great thing about our retirement home: it already has a shop for both of us to putter in. The smell of sawdust is such an aphrodisiac to me!
Unlike some, I do not want old, I do not want large property, I do not want things I must maintain, I do not want a garden, I do not want tools/hoses/power equipment, etc. I had all of those things when I was young. I do not want nor need them as I age.
I live in a new, stand alone patio home in a 100 unit (85 in, 15 more to go), 1600sq ft, one story, stick built, brick front, vinyl siding, internal cathederal ceilings, one car garage, lawn sprinkler system, in a development controlled by an HOA. I have 25 feet from front door to street. 25 feet from rear screened porch to a pond (not all homes on the pond), 25 feet (minimum) between home sides. All exterior maintenance (including the exterior of my home) is done by the HOA. We have no pools, no tennis, no paths, no parks, etc. Streets, water, and sewage are city owned/provided. Private trash collection. The HOA dues are only $600.00 per year. Yes these costs could go up. All costs generally do.
Home cost base prices (several models to have built) $100 to $125K. This is the lowest cost, no maintenance, private home living I could find and we love it.
This is an excellent suggestion for a retirement home. Simple and Basic, that is all you need. I like the idea of not having all those extra cost for pools, tennis courts and parks. That makes the HOA dues more reasonable. Why pay for all these extras when you may never use it. In addition, those recreational amenities are already provided by the municipality which you would have paid for in your taxes.
I am surprised that 1600 sq. ft. is available at this cost--unbelievable. I would like a smaller size house about 1000 sq. ft. in this setup for a retirement home. Unfortunately, here in the Denver area, all this would cost much more.
NY Annie - Our lot is "wooded". We have trees (lots of them). We like looking at them - but they are expensive to maintain. Perhaps you're thinking about small(er) trees - but we would never in a million years try to take down a dying/dead/damaged (usually by lightning) tall pine - oak - cedar - gum tree - etc. - by ourselves. It is really dangerous work (which is why our tree guy pays 125% of payroll for workers' comp). FWIW - here are some of our trees:
As for living in a place with no zoning - that is also fraught with peril. I remember once reading about the lack of zoning in some nice looking places in the Finger Lakes - and the article cautioned that in those places - your dream house might wind up next to a biker bar. Wouldn't be our cup of tea - but YMMV.
I don't want unskilled people anywhere near my house. A lot of the work we hire people to do requires a combination of brains - brawn and skills (including business acumen) to get a job done without the worker hurting himself/herself or messing up something in or around the house. Also - here in Florida - an owner who employs people like this can wind up having to deal with various workers' comp - unemployment - and other insurance issues. Robyn
Pretty much where I find myself wanting to be. I've spent my life maintaining, working, fixing, etc. Enough already, I want to relax and travel, not work on a house and yard. The place we looked at in Las Vegas even had a wood working shop so I wouldn't have to set one up myself. Perfect.
I read today that LV has the highest rate of foreclosures in the country--so it's fortunately for you a buyer's market at this time.
yes... and only really because our plans changed. with a grandchild due in march marilyn doesnt want to leave nyc full time. its just silly plowing so much a year into keeping it going if its not going to be our full time home anytime soon.
A friend of mine always went on and on about old charming houses and bought an 1890s Victorian-type 2-family, modest. Needed all cosmetics. But 'whoops' the electrical system was knob-and-tube (or whatever you call it) and the water pipe was exposed to freezing and and and. "Well maintained" ought to include systems, as unsexy as they are (don't we all prefer cosmetics?)?
Love the house in the previous pic!
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