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Old 12-09-2010, 05:18 AM
 
71 posts, read 172,717 times
Reputation: 113

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Quote:
Originally Posted by OutDoorNut View Post
You might want to rent the old movie, "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House."

More realistic than the newer movie, "The Money Pit," the couple in "Mr. Blandings" makes just about every major mistake somone can make when buying an existing home or building a new one (and in New England, too): from not getting a house inspected before they buy it, to bulldozing it without first getting permission from the bank holding the mortgage.

Really an instructive movie. Here's a clip:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32JWU...3E0C72&index=1
One of my favorite movies!! The message is relevant in relation to renovating as well Found that out the hard way!
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Old 12-09-2010, 05:20 AM
 
Location: 3.5 sq mile island ant nest next to Canada
3,036 posts, read 5,851,558 times
Reputation: 2170
With the new Maine building code pplan on adding a WHOLE lot more to the cost of building. R-32 or so in the attic, airtight envelope (forget that a house needs to breath), energy efifciency codes, radon codes, lead code, code code, the list goes on and on. Then an inspector for the bank while the place is beingbuilt to ensure the codes are followed. Regulating everything but what goes down the drain. Sooo much fun.
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Old 12-09-2010, 09:11 AM
 
52 posts, read 85,408 times
Reputation: 31
We just closed on a house in Eastport and went through the same process you are going through - whether to build or buy an existing house. We finally ended up buying an existing house and are very happy with that decision. I highly recommend a good house inspection before buying so you know what you are getting.
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Old 12-09-2010, 12:23 PM
 
1,064 posts, read 2,021,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hlmagan View Post
One of my favorite movies!! The message is relevant in relation to renovating as well Found that out the hard way!
I liked the scene in the architect's office.

Afterward, I realized I could be just as likely to drive an architect crazy if I'm not careful.

Like I told the other poster--you can learn something from that movie.
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Old 12-09-2010, 12:26 PM
 
1,064 posts, read 2,021,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rosebud1 View Post
We just closed on a house in Eastport and went through the same process you are going through - whether to build or buy an existing house. We finally ended up buying an existing house and are very happy with that decision. I highly recommend a good house inspection before buying so you know what you are getting.
Gosh--a good house inspection is a must.

But the big problem is, how do you inspect the inspector?

I mean, the hardest part might be finding a capable inspector, and one who doesn't happen to be the realtor's or seller's close friend or relatvie.
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Old 12-09-2010, 09:02 PM
 
Location: Mountains of middle TN
5,245 posts, read 16,355,485 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OutDoorNut View Post
Gosh--a good house inspection is a must.

But the big problem is, how do you inspect the inspector?

I mean, the hardest part might be finding a capable inspector, and one who doesn't happen to be the realtor's or seller's close friend or relatvie.
Ask.

We had the realtor give us a list of three. We started asking locally - future neighbors, etc - who they'd use. Wound up with a crazy long list. Apparently everyone and their brother is in the business. We went through the list and found the one that was most recommended.

He did our inspection cheap. He did the major things - foundation, roof, electric, water, etc., and gave us the verbal report on that and asked if we wanted the rest of it. Told him no, the big things were what we were concerned about. Took that to the realtor and that alone was a good enough report for us to bargain over the price quite a bit. Well worth the $75 we paid him. Don't think the full $300 would have been that much more help. We pretty much knew what we were buying before he came in, just wanted to check the big stuff.
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Old 12-10-2010, 07:14 AM
 
Location: West Virginia
16,586 posts, read 15,510,172 times
Reputation: 10826
Quote:
Originally Posted by OutDoorNut View Post
Gosh--a good house inspection is a must.

But the big problem is, how do you inspect the inspector?

I mean, the hardest part might be finding a capable inspector, and one who doesn't happen to be the realtor's or seller's close friend or relatvie.
Good grief! We're talking about Eastport here. How many home inspectors do you think there are in Eastport? Besides, there are about 10 regular posters in this forum who live in or near Eastport that would provide first hand information about property, agents or inspectors. Just ask.
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Old 12-10-2010, 08:04 AM
 
52 posts, read 85,408 times
Reputation: 31
And the inspector doesn't have to be from Eastport - there are some who are willing to travel from other parts of Maine for reasonable fees and are not the realtor's cousin/brother-in-law, etc. Just a thought...
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Old 06-01-2011, 10:08 PM
 
12 posts, read 12,534 times
Reputation: 34
The house on 4 Key needs a ton of work.
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Old 06-02-2011, 12:50 AM
 
1,064 posts, read 2,021,385 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrs1885 View Post
Saw this on RDC today - don't know if I missed it when I searched before or if it just got posted, but I'm in looooooove with that house!

Does anyone know anything about it? A bit out of our price range and I'm not sure we could move money around enough to give us that much room in the budget, but I'd be willing to try. I really, really love that house. I was going through pictures deciding where I'd put different pieces of furniture and which room would be mine.............. And for a change, even hubby likes it. We actually agreed on a house.
Looks like it's being auctioned: 4 Key St Eastport, ME 04631 - Williams & Williams Real Estate Auctions
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