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Let me guess: Richmond Home. We had a rental house that had that configuration, and we don't have a TV. I hated that stupid hole in the wall. Worst idea ever.
Yes! We found a tv and equipment that fits and is decent but it took FOREVER and I worry that eventually we'll need to replace the tv set and it's not going to be easy. While we were searching for homes, we also saw lots of holes that were set up to house those enormous stand-on-the-floor tvs. We do watch TV, but even we have our limits. If we ever have some extra $$, that's the first thing that goes!
Yes! We found a tv and equipment that fits and is decent but it took FOREVER and I worry that eventually we'll need to replace the tv set and it's not going to be easy. While we were searching for homes, we also saw lots of holes that were set up to house those enormous stand-on-the-floor tvs. We do watch TV, but even we have our limits. If we ever have some extra $$, that's the first thing that goes!
I never liked those walls with the square TV hole and fireplace.
I should have added to my list of must haves if we move, a sink in the laundry room!
My neighborhood is filled with absolutely gorgeous ash trees. Ash borers are making their way west to Colorado, but infestation is easily prevented with an annual treatment. We haven't had any limbs break even with heavy, wet snow because we have the tree checked for soundness and dead wood trimmed every couple of years. I love that tree, and I wouldn't give it up for anything.
I agree, I think ash are beautiful trees and the fall colors of purples and yellows... especially after it rains and the bark is wet ...is just gorgeous. (Breaking limbs = I was referring to Silver Maple, sorry)
2009 We took the kids to a state park in Michigan on Memorial Day to fish and canoe. I could not understand why there was such a clearing at the entrance of the park. Acres and acres and acres. Well they had to clear the trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer. Emerald Ash Borer
About 3 years ago was when we started hearing of them via news reports. I was told by nurserymen in my neighborhood I could try a soil drench systemic (which I have done) but no guarantees. There is now a treatment that can be done every two years.
We now have the little buggers just beginning to show up and 1 mile from my soon to be ex-home. Well actually they have likely been here for 5+ years but we are just now seeing them.
Had they been on our radar 5 years ago I would have been treating them at that time! My son was a toddler when I planted the two in my back yard. This summer I planted 2 Golden Rain Drops Crabapples (which the Japanese Beetles did not touch) in proximity to them just in case.
Here they are monitoring and preferring to clear away infested trees. Good thing is that the area overall is planted with a relatively large mix of trees.
Just as an FYI from someone who hasn't lived here too long. A 1-hour commute is WAY too long in Denver. Denver is a great city and while I wave the flag for my side and the school district (SE Aurora/Centennial and Cherry Creek SD), I can also assure you that Denver has many well-performing school districts and safe neighborhoods on all sides. The only reason to commute for so long is if there was only one safe place to live with the only decent school district in the city. I used to live in Florida (Tampa) and can vouch that that is a city that really only has one area to live in if you have kids (or not enough money to put them in private school). Denver isn't like that. My husband commutes 25-30 minutes each way and he works at DIA which is out in the boonies, no matter where you live. There are some less-than-stellar places to live in the metro area, but you'll find decent places all over and not just on one particular side. It was quite liberating, actually, to realize that we had numerous choices when we started our househunt.
I believe you!
I put together a 316 lined xls of HS, MS and Elementary schools in Jefferson, Boulder, Denver, Douglas and Arapahoe counties and many of meet the criteria I mentioned.
I have columns to sort by:
ACT
CSAP
Blue Ribbon Schools
Sports (my son likes Cross Country)
City
County
Zip Codes
School districts.
Inserted comments on Choice enrollment, Track calendars etc...
Almost done then I am adding in Costco locations, malls etc...
Visted the forum today to print off maps.
The sort by zip of the school has been most helpful. This is how I am finding homes both to rent and to buy.
The realization that we might actually be able to have dinner as a family before 7pm is really just something else. Seriously, like homework can be done, dinner had then we can go out to the park? Maybe even a movie on a weeknight? Or sledding?
Yea!
It's these little things are are starting to make the idea of moving easier to adjust to.
Yes! We found a tv and equipment that fits and is decent but it took FOREVER and I worry that eventually we'll need to replace the tv set and it's not going to be easy. While we were searching for homes, we also saw lots of holes that were set up to house those enormous stand-on-the-floor tvs. We do watch TV, but even we have our limits. If we ever have some extra $$, that's the first thing that goes!
Something about your description sounded familiar. Is your house model called the Spruce? We rented one in Castle Rock for a couple of years while we house hunted. As an aside, if the front of your house faces west or south, consider installing a tinted window film on the clerestory windows in the living room. It will make a huge difference in your a/c bills in the summer, and it prevents the hot spot at the top of the stairs on sunny days.
As far as the TV nook, I was going to hire a carpenter to create bookcases on both sides of the wall. We ended up putting a fish tank in the space while we lived there, but it wasn't an optimal solution. In the spaces underneath, we tucked a couple of rattan boxes that held the kids' special papers from school.
One thing I learned while living in that house was that I really do NOT like having to enter the house from the garage through a laundry room. It seemed like we were forever tracking in greasy dirt, and it tended to accumulate on the carpet at the transition point between the kitchen and family room. Plus, we were always tripping over piles of laundry in the middle of the kitchen floor.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa in Illinois
About 3 years ago was when we started hearing of them via news reports. I was told by nurserymen in my neighborhood I could try a soil drench systemic (which I have done) but no guarantees. There is now a treatment that can be done every two years.
According to our arborist, the borers are heading this way, and we began treating last fall. Hopefully, we've started in time to prevent an infestation. A tree to avoid here in the front range is Aspen, believe it or not. They do beautifully in the foothills, but down here on the plains, Aspens are extremely vulnerable to pests and they're very short-lived (only 25 years or so). We had to remove two dead ones immediately after we moved into this house, and we pulled three more small ones shortly thereafter. I've heard that the Paper Birch is a good alternative, because it has a similar look and growing habit.
I thought of another thing that is a no-go for me with houses: crushed rock mulch. I hate that stuff! We've hauled away thousands of pounds of it since we moved in, and we still have thousands of pounds to go.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 10-22-2009 at 04:49 PM..
I thought of another thing that is a no-go for me with houses: crushed rock mulch. I hate that stuff! We've hauled away thousands of pounds of it since we moved in, and we still have thousands of pounds to go.
Haha I know how you feel. My old house had lava rocks in the back "flowerbeds'. I use the quote marks because there were no flowers or anything else living except weeds, just dirt mixed with lava rocks mixed with shreds of black plastic that at one time served to stop weeds. That crap was everywhere. Without a border between the grass area and the flowerbed, mowing meant shooting lava rocks around the yard like missiles. I was tempted to find some neighbor kids and pay them a penny for every rock they found but I'd have probably gone broke.
Wow, so of you folks have a LOT more money to spend than a typical property virgin (considering the newer lending laws). But it's fun (and funny) to read others must haves and wants.
If you've posted, would you mind going back and editing in the price range you're thinking of with the lists you have?
When we moved here 2 years ago from CA this was our basic list:
needs:
newer (energy efficient, not in need of updating right away)
minimum 1800 sf (preferably 2000+)
4 bedrooms, 3 up, 1 down
dining room
decent sized yard
2 car garage
basement
no back yard street noise
wants:
3 car garage
finished basement w/ bathroom
south facing
what we ended up with:
2060 sf
built in 1996
4 beds up
formal dining room and living room
big back yard
2.5 car garage
unfinished basement pre-plumbed for bathroom
south facing
our big compromises were the main floor bedroom or office and the finished basement.
If we were to move now our list of must haves:
main floor office! preferably a 3/4 bath on the 1st floor for guests.
3 car garage
2300 sf
if we couldn't find that in our price range it just wouldn't be worth moving.
The first list above, we were looking in the $275-$310K range. The second list, I don't know because it is hypothetical at this point. We were not property virgins. Sorry if that was misleading. We owned 2 houses in CA, before buying our 3rd here. FWIW, we downsized a little. Our current house is smaller than the second, only slightly bigger than the first and has the least "bells and whistles" (I went from working mom to SAHM)
Wow, so of you folks have a LOT more money to spend than a typical property virgin (considering the newer lending laws). But it's fun (and funny) to read others must haves and wants.
If you've posted, would you mind going back and editing in the price range you're thinking of with the lists you have?
RE: Editing a post. Editing an existing postt can only be done within 90 minutes of posting. Else, people can SEND ME the info via DM and I'll edit the post for them. Moderators can edit any post at any time, no matter how old. (we can also merge posts/threads, copy/move posts/threads, etc. Tons o' fun.)
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Neighborhood:
*Walking distance to stores, restaurants, shops, library, parks, public
transit. Preferably an area with an older downtown rather then strip malls.
*Nice block where at least most of the neighbors make an effort to keep up with their yard, etc.
*An area with investment potential.
*Reasonable commute to work
*Prefer an area with older architecture (craftsman, Victorian)
*Prefer an area with lots of mature trees
* Prefer and area with great schools but would settle for decent ones. We can always open enroll in other districts or consider alternatives if we don't end up at our neighborhood schools. Schools should be at least be decent mainly for resale reasons.
*Must be an area where I feel safe walking alone.
Lifestyle:
*A home that is well within our means. Don't want the stress of a huge mortgage. Also want to be able to live comfortably on one income.
House:
*Must be 2BD, preferably 3BD
*Must have 1 full BA. 2BA are preferable.
*1000 sq feet +
*Must have room for a dining table
*Must be a single family home, no condos, duplexes or town homes
*Must have a yard, preferably fenced.
*Do not want to live next to an apartment building or a multi story house where neighbors can see in our yard.
* NO HOA's!
* Fix ups are fine, even expected but must be at least move in ready and livable.
* 2 car garage is preferable but if the price is right and there is room to build a garage then that works too.
*Prefer a home with new windows and a newer roof, no foundation problems or water leaks.
*Prefer not to live on a busy street but would definitely consider it depending on how busy (wouldn't live on main streets with 4 lanes such as Colorado, Hampden, University or Federal but would consider 2 lane busy streets like Logan, Downing, Yale) and if the house and price were right.
*Prefer a house with a basement, preferably finished.
Price range: under 190K
This would be our list of must have/wants for Denver. If we lived in an area where real estate was cheaper, our list would change.
I forgot to add to our list: bedrooms all on the same level.
Last edited by Mike from back east; 12-02-2009 at 05:36 PM..
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