First time home buyer need help

[twingles]

Originally Posted by ovi8

A few contractors did this for us before we closed, but business is probably better for them now than 5 years ago perhaps?

Are you making additions to the house or just getting it fixed up to living condition? If it's the former, I'd save the headaches especially in its current condition for sure.

And you already owned a home and were probably reliable to close on the new place. This one is taking out a rehab mortgage on a house that sounds like it's past rehab except for the savviest (and handiest) of buyers. How exactly is a contractor supposed to give any sort of estimate on a boarded up house - and then be held to what is written? I wouldn't touch it either!

[karenliny]

Those rehab loans require a LOT of paperwork and red tape. The contractors know that and are steering clear of involvement with the project. They are busy enough with customers with the money ready to go without all the bureaucratic hoopla.

[Joe461]

Originally Posted by twingles

My guess is any contractor the OP has called has deleted the message before the OP gets to the end of it, and I don't blame them.

I am sure for some well-off and busy contractors, quoting on such a project may not make sense. For others with an eye on building their business and finding new long-term clients, it makes sense to quote on such a job. I run my own business with an eye towards the long- term and am always happy to spend time with a potential new customer. A major overhaul of a house in any neighborhood sounds like a large project and good size opportunity for most contractors. It really depends on the contractor. Let's agree to disagree.

As to the above point I quoted, I agree 100%. The OP never claimed they left details of the project in their message. I wouldn't be surprised if many contractors simply deleted the message having absolutely no detail about the potential job. The busy ones seem too "busy" to care about new customers and the not so busy ones are probably available because they aren't smart or ambitious enough to follow-up potential leads. This phenomenon is not specific to Long Island. Nor is it specific to contractors.

[Bossman140]

This reeks of LIQUEST

[Deeham]

Originally Posted by Longislegal

Good morning, I am buying my first home. It is a boarded up home and I have to get 2 contractors to give me quotes, the problem is no body calls back or they don't show up when they say they will. Is this the norm? I am so frustrated. If I can get a rec. for a RELIABLE contractor experienced with 203K rehabs I would appreciate it

Also the house has a collapsed cesspool, how do I get that fixed and exactly what does that mean? Does anyone know ballpark how much that will cost?

Thanks so much.

I know a guy who knows a guy lol no seriously that's out of the norm for a contractor not to show up (before getting your money). I know a lot of people are going to tell you to stay away but not me. If you can 1)get a home well beneath the neighborhoods value and 2)it's a nice area 3)The amount of money you have to spend to fix it leaves you equity. I say go for it.

[Longislegal]

Thanks everyone for your responses, all makes sense. I haven't been feeling so good about this and will tell the realtor I am not interested anymore...let them suck in some other naive person. I keep thinking it must have been so not worth it for it to be sitting on the market all this time, what with collapsed cesspool and all.
Even though it is boarded up, the realtor does open the pad locks so we got to go in a few times.
Thanks.