Housing market is hot - yet I see homes more than 30 - 60 days on market (Dallas: short sale, appliances)

[Ralph_Kirk]

Originally Posted by Streetslide

The ones not selling are due to condition, pricing or location reasons. Bad if you want move in ready and fair pricing. Good if you are an investor, handyman or rehabber. Those homes with purple paint are sought out by investors and often sold for cash. Junk is not selling - nice is being snapped up.

It's amazing how many people can't see past paint.

It's also amazing how many Dallas homes have utterly atrocious paint schemes. When I sold my home in Illinois, Realtors practically demanded we repaint the walls to beige.

Looking at homes in Dallas, I was amazed how many had green, orange, purple, red walls...in the same house.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by Ralph_Kirk

It's amazing how many people can't see past paint.

It's also amazing how many Dallas homes have utterly atrocious paint schemes. When I sold my home in Illinois, Realtors practically demanded we repaint the walls to beige.

Looking at homes in Dallas, I was amazed how many had green, orange, purple, red walls...in the same house.

Paint is relatively cheap, but let's be honest...it's a PITA to paint over someone else's horrific color schemes. Some of those deep dark colors require several coats to cover. Even with Kilz (which is more expensive than regular latex paint, usually) it can take multiple coats.

Every room in my house was painted white or off-white when I bought it, and I was so grateful.

[GreyDay]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

Paint is relatively cheap, but let's be honest...it's a PITA to paint over someone else's horrific color schemes. Some of those deep dark colors require several coats to cover. Even with Kilz (which is more expensive than regular latex paint, usually) it can take multiple coats.

Every room in my house was painted white or off-white when I bought it, and I was so grateful.

A saavy buyer can look past horrid paint schemes. And while BDG may do-it-yourself it, it's not a huge deal. Plus you can try to get a seller's credit for the changes.

Now texturing, popcorn ceiling, faux finishes, wood paneling or wallpaper, fabric or otherwise is alot more expensive.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by GreyDay

A saavy buyer can look past horrid paint schemes. And while BDG may do-it-yourself it, it's not a huge deal. Plus you can try to get a seller's credit for the changes.

Now texturing, popcorn ceiling, faux finishes, wood paneling or wallpaper, fabric or otherwise is alot more expensive.

When I bought this house, it had:

• A hot, sweaty "rumpus room" where the garage used to be
• Hideous old lady stencils in the kitchen
• Vinyl flooring in the entryway
• Little old lady wallpaper in the entryway
• Ugly low-hanging brass and wood ceiling fans everywhere
• Hideous brass chandelier in the dining room
• The original aluminum single-pane windows from when the house was built in 1957

This house had been on the market for six months before I bought it, most likely because a lot of this market's buyers have the HGTV stars in their eyes and lust after granite and stainless steel.

I was able to see past that and realize that this house has an awesome location, outstanding floor plan that makes excellent use of space, and great bones.

Before I even moved into the house I replaced the electrical panel and hot water heater, hired a contractor to knock out the wall in the rumpus room where the garage door once was and put in a new door, tore out all the flooring in the garage and re-wired it (myself), and installed a new garage door opener (myself). I also tore out the vinyl in the entryway and restored the original tile floor (myself), took down the chandelier and spray-painted it (myself), painted the kitchen (myself), and had the windows, ceiling fans, and wallpaper replaced.

It's a work in progress for sure, but I got a good deal because I could see the house's potential.

Eggplant-colored walls wouldn't put me off buying a house that was otherwise a good deal, but I'd be cursing the prior owner while I was painting over that hideousness.

[globe9]

I must say that I was amazed at the sheer # of older ranch's that hadn't been updated or remodeled since they were built in the 50's or 60's. My parent's house and childhood home in Nola was built in 1965. It was remodeled in the mid 70's, late 80's and in 2004. It was kept updated with the times. Why does this not seem common here in DFW? Just looking at various listings I see $10k fences but 40 year old paneling, Formica countertops, hideous cabinetry, and pink and turquoise bathroom sinks, toilets, tubs and tile. Is renovating and remodeling not for selling, but just for yourself really not a priority here?
Luckily we found a completely remodeled old ranch as we had already done a fixer upper and didn't want to go through that again.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by globe9

I must say that I was amazed at the sheer # of older ranch's that hadn't been updated or remodeled since they were built in the 50's or 60's. My parent's house and childhood home in Nola was built in 1965. It was remodeled in the mid 70's, late 80's and in 2004. It was kept updated with the times. Why does this not seem common here in DFW? Just looking at various listings I see $10k fences but 40 year old paneling, Formica countertops, hideous cabinetry, and pink and turquoise bathroom sinks, toilets, tubs and tile. Is renovating and remodeling not for selling, but just for yourself really not a priority here?
Luckily we found a completely remodeled old ranch as we had already done a fixer upper and didn't want to go through that again.

My house's master bathroom is completely original. I have no plans to change it. Why would I? I think it's actually kind of cool, it's unusual, you don't see things like that built nowadays, and most importantly it all works. I don't see the point of spending thousands of dollars to remodel a perfectly functional bathroom.

When I see a well-maintained but not updated older house, I think the previous owners must have been thrifty. That's all.

ETA: Most people think my master bathroom is badass. It may be completely pink, but it's in tip-top shape. There are people who would pay a lot of money for my bathroom's fixtures. I've been offered thousands for them before. If I ever do remodel, I am going to sell everything in there that can be salvaged and it will probably pay for a significant percentage of a remodeling job. I'll only remodel when the plumbing completely fails and I'll have to, since I'll have to break tiles that cannot be replaced.

[GreyDay]

When I looked at 70 or so odd homes in HP/UP in my pricerange was. I was surprised by how crummy some of them were (carpet in the bathroom always a bad idea). A bit of the shine wore off as my house search continued.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by GreyDay

When I looked at 70 or so odd homes in HP/UP in my pricerange was. I was surprised by how crummy some of them were (carpet in the bathroom always a bad idea). A bit of the shine wore off as my house search continued.

Yeah, carpet in the bathroom is disgusting. I don't understand why people do it.

[globe9]

Originally Posted by BigDGeek

My house's master bathroom is completely original. I have no plans to change it. Why would I? I think it's actually kind of cool, it's unusual, you don't see things like that built nowadays, and most importantly it all works. I don't see the point of spending thousands of dollars to remodel a perfectly functional bathroom.

When I see a well-maintained but not updated older house, I think the previous owners must have been thrifty. That's all.

ETA: Most people think my master bathroom is badass. It may be completely pink, but it's in tip-top shape. There are people who would pay a lot of money for my bathroom's fixtures. I've been offered thousands for them before. If I ever do remodel, I am going to sell everything in there that can be salvaged and it will probably pay for a significant percentage of a remodeling job. I'll only remodel when the plumbing completely fails and I'll have to, since I'll have to break tiles that cannot be replaced.

To each their own I guess, but the pepto pink bathrooms make me want to puke. Not my thing at all. Rarely are they in great shape as well. I guess a lot of people in Dallas are "thrifty" then. Amazing when I see how much money they waste on luxury cars and designer clothing.

[veuvegirl]

mo it depends on the house you are purchasing a) starter b) home for a couple of years c) home you plan in staying 'forever' whether or not you need paint.

We purchased our first house in NJ, horrid paint, neon colors, neon trim, carpet in the bathroom. We saw the great bones of the house and painted it as soon as we moved in.

We purchases our home here, hoping this will be our last house (for a long time at last!) we looked at houses Ina fairly high price post. If the paint was old, stained etc it was a turn off. If I walked into a house immaculate with nice paint (maybe not my color choice) fell in love.