Just Bought an REO in Wilton! Solar? Roofer? SnowBlower? (sound) - Maine (ME) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:47 PM

@NorthernMaineLandMan THANK YOU! You explained soo much and with such a light tone I think we can do this now. There is a 'master electrician' meeting me at the house Tuesday to look over the system as well as the upgraded fuses my friend put in and we'll have a definitive answer hopefully from him then!
ON an up note we'll get to start our new generator up that day and learn how to operate it as well.

Thank you for explaining the Lally column vs the floor jack. I'd only seem SHORT jacks as for moving homes before and when I saw the tall ones in a basement of a home we were looking at the realtor referred to them as the column but now I know what I was looking at were floor jacks. I had a feeling I could put something along the line of the elephant pad down but until you backed me up on that thought I still wasn't sure. You've taken a load off there! It is unfortunate that the sill is missing right at the original front door and that floor and doorway are already rotting out so it might have to be a priority before next winter as the stairs to the second floor are in that hallway and we won't be able to totally block them off.

You also backed up what my friend has been trying to smash through my thick skull...one thing at a time so as not to be overwhelmed. You've helped us put things in order or importance GREATLY and I thank you for that!

Yes! I feel a WHOLE LOT BETTER now and am actually starting to look forward to fixing things now instead of that dark forboding mist that was starting to enfulf me! After electric will be plumbing and then the roof. I think we could move in after that and start hitting the Community Action Agency up for help with the rest as we should be out of money by that point lol. Hopefully not. Went to the CPA the other day and he told us that the Fed's took more than they should've when I won the lottery so I'll be getting close to another 10k back soon! It was like winning another time!

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maureenb

100% agreed!!!

Please disregard the adage, "one day at a time," even; make "please (dear God)) help me through the next five minutes" your mantra

It's just a house. Sometimes I get caught up in how I think things should be. Work out the basics - heat, power, water. It's an opportunity to be grateful for having what a lot of folks don't...

Having been homeless from 15-my mid twenties I think I can handle appreciating the home for what it is! No problem whatsoever!

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:53 PM

The one chimney is lined and new that goes to the three woodstoves that came with the house so we're good there. We have a 'master electrician' coming Tuesday so whatever we need there will be officially addressed that day as well as learning how to run our generator lol! I'm feeling more confident now hurray! Next the roof and plumbing I do believe we can wait on the basement with decent floor jacks and elephant pads until closer to Fall. This is so exciting...I wish I were still in my 20's or 30's it wouldn't rock my world one bit then if I were to sleep in a tent in my living room lol.

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:56 PM

If I were still in my 20's or 30's I would be okay with tenting in my living room but for now I'll sleep at my boyfriends lol. We have a 'master electrician' coming Tuesday so that'll give us a real safe idea of what we need to do. I'll need a big amperage in the kitchen as I'd like to be able to run the juicer, blender, stove, microwave and toaster oven all at one time...(I like to cook, can you tell?) but the rest of the house can use smaller stuff except our music room and the washer and dryer. I've been told I can run a circuit breaker that is private only to those rooms to increase the amperage locally so I think that's what we'll do when that time comes.

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:57 PM

And to whoever suggested finding a church for recommendations forget about it. Last time I went to an auto mechanic that ripped me off it was the guy with all the "Jesus stuff" all over the walls of his shop. I'll never do that again. Probably figured out I was Jewish or something ... I don't really care what his issue was but he was a thief that didn't even do a proper job. I steer clear from any 'provider' that wears their religion on their forehead/sleeve.

AuntyReni · 03-06-2010, 01:59 PM

It has double pane thermal windows throughout the house. I really am not interested in upgrading anything. I'm interested in making the house habitable as my priority. Then later I can add some improvements to what is there that already works but thank you for the education for later!

msina · 03-08-2010, 07:49 AM

I'm so glad you're feeling a bit more settled and I hope things work out well for you. It does seem at times as if the more you do, the more you find you need to do. We bought our home this past June and it has been a boon of projects. It seems as if each time we make plans to do something, we need to wait and do something else first! LOL. All my best wishes to you.

Northern Maine Land Man · 03-08-2010, 08:17 AM

AuntiReni, Glad to help. Great weather and it looks like we could have an early spring.

AuntyReni · 03-12-2010, 02:45 PM

Well so much for the 'Master Electrician' that was coming lol! Have an email out to a man that should be able to hook me up with contractors. I hope. I hope. Looking for an electrician that can double check my work before having an electrician sign it off for hook-up.

AuntyReni · 03-12-2010, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhoFanMe

Like Island Mermaid, I don't want to pile on, but I'm going to show this post to buyers who want to purchase distressed properties, it takes a special skill set to make these work. One has to weigh the savings against the aggravation and expense at bringing the house up to living standards and compare it to a re-sale home owned by a non-distressed owner that is move in ready. I hope you're able to make it work.

Thank you so much for your good wishes. I really appreciate that.

One thing to think about is that I suddenly had a pile of money from the lottery but no work history for a mortgage. I had very little choice other than an REO that was distressed to tears!

I thought about using all the money for the purchase but I don't know that there is a 'lemon law' about homes and was worried I'd be broke with no job in a home that needed some expensive work. This way I am fixing things one by one and will 'know' my home from the inside out. That's a really good thing as long as the money holds out lol!

Yes people you really should if you can GET a mortgage... you should think about the joy of just cleaning it before moving in. That would be so sweet! Instant gratification!