CT: Would you hope the seller fixes, would you walk, or would you run from the deal? (square foot, agent)

[JimG2]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

They can go every couple months to the dump. Get them a few cans and some bins for recycling, recycling can eliminate a lot of the bulk of garbage. Maybe you can help them with that until they can get a truck.

And for housewarming and Christmas presents, some emergency supplies and battery operated lanterns, or if you're really cool, a mercury vapor light for outside and a generator for power outages. You know... Helpful things.

Save household trash for every couple of months? Seriously? And recycling is mandatory in CT. Heck, in our household of 3 adults (Me, wife, my dad), we fill a 95gallon bin every 2 weeks of recyclables. The 95gallon for trash ranges from 3/4 to full for us weekly.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by JimG2

Save household trash for every couple of months? Seriously? And recycling is mandatory in CT. Heck, in our household of 3 adults (Me, wife, my dad), we fill a 95gallon bin every 2 weeks of recyclables. The 95gallon for trash ranges from 3/4 to full for us weekly.

Yes, seriously. At our farm, we have about 6 cans, for us and our tenant, and we go to the dump about every 4 months. About that often we take a load of recycling. The recycling is free, the dump run costs us about $20.

We could do it every month if you want. Still only about $20. $20 is the minimum charge for up to six cans. Your local prices may vary.

Point is, if this is a major problem you foresee, you can offer to help them with it... Or you can use garbage as a reason for them not to buy a house.

There are some concerns in the report that we aren't talking a lot about yet... Things that are harder to fix... do you want to elaborate more on those?

[foundapeanut]

Originally Posted by AlaskaErik

Run, don't walk. Run away from this money pit as fast as you can. That's what I would tell them.

Agree.

NEVER BUY A HOUSE WITH MOLD! If they didn't take care of that, it probably spread. Mold and water damage are disclosed at inspection time. As most people would walk or not even look at a house with either of these. Once you have put money down and signed contracts, you are emotionally connected and not thinking it through.

Your kids don't have enough life experiences. Be the adult and say no.

[Diana Holbrook]

OK - let's talk about the mold. We need to know more. Where is there mold and what is the source of the moisture, if you can tell?

It makes a great deal of difference whether it's mold outside or in a damp window track, or around the tub, or in a leaky wall or ceiling. Also can makes a difference if the house has been vacant with no heat in it, or if it's been lived in these past few months.

Can you tell us more about the extent of the reported mold?

[MikeJaquish]

The well gets my attention more than anything else. Gotta have water.

2nd is the staircase riser mess. Expensive to fix.

3rd, improperly vented baths and mold.

4th, the family dynamics, which I will totally avoid....

The rest is no big deal, IMO.

[JimG2]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

Yes, seriously. At our farm, we have about 6 cans, for us and our tenant, and we go to the dump about every 4 months. About that often we take a load of recycling. The recycling is free, the dump run costs us about $20.

We could do it every month if you want. Still only about $20. $20 is the minimum charge for up to six cans. Your local prices may vary.

Point is, if this is a major problem you foresee, you can offer to help them with it... Or you can use garbage as a reason for them not to buy a house.

There are some concerns in the report that we aren't talking a lot about yet... Things that are harder to fix... do you want to elaborate more on those?

There is no "can" option, other than to store bags of trash in the garage, then fill the trunk of a small sedan with said bags and take to the transfer station on Friday, between when she gets home from work and on his way to work. Saturday is not an option because the transfer station closes too early.

We live an hour away from this house. 45 minutes from where they are now. Only get to see the grandchild about every 3rd Sunday. Wife is a banker and works every Saturday until around 1pm.

No septic inspection yet. I think the seller needs to get it pumped out first.

It may sound like I'm being overly negative, but I want to see them succeed. I'm only calling out the red flags that would make me reconsider if I were in their position

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by JimG2

It may sound like I'm being overly negative, but I want to see them succeed. I'm only calling out the red flags that would make me reconsider if I were in their position

You say that's true, but you're saying it's not an option for them to buy garbage cans and figure out how to get it to the dump? This is an unsolvable problem for you? Really?

Just keep the goal in mind, then Jim... are you honestly trying to help them, or are you trying to throw land mines in front of them? Because your motives matter in whether they should listen to you, or whether this turns into a big family squabble that is hard for the relationship to recover from.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

The well gets my attention more than anything else. Gotta have water.

2nd is the staircase riser mess. Expensive to fix.

3rd, improperly vented baths and mold.

4th, the family dynamics, which I will totally avoid....

The rest is no big deal, IMO.

I agree the well is an issue we haven't addressed yet. Need more info on that, Jim!

The stairway thing.... assuming it's always been that way, might be one of those things the prior owner lived with, and they can to.... can't say yet.... are there pictures?

Improperly vented baths might be easy to fix, just need to install some vents, either in the wall or the roof, and vent them outside.

[JimG2]

Originally Posted by MikeJaquish

The well gets my attention more than anything else. Gotta have water.

2nd is the staircase riser mess. Expensive to fix.

3rd, improperly vented baths and mold.

4th, the family dynamics, which I will totally avoid....

The rest is no big deal, IMO.

#4..... I know my place in it. Mostly keeping my mouth shut. I have mentioned a few things to wife, like the trash situation, which she brought up to them. Kid says no problem. But the novelty of the dump run will wear off after a few trips, especially after the first "leaker" into the trunk. Kid grew up in an area where you roll the 95 gallon can 35ft down the driveway to the curb.

To me, the well is super huge. Again, he always had city water. The well repairs I'm sure can be HUGE.

The back step thing. To me no big deal, but it's another $1-2,000 to fix depending on what he does, and if he wants to do it himself and not pay a contractor. ME, I'd put at minimum an 8x8 deck to have room for a gas grill, so you don't have to go up and down stairs constantly from the kitchen to the grill. I just see the way it is as a major fall hazard for my granddaughter.

Most of my concerns are financial. They don't have 20% to put down, less than 10% I think, and they don't see the $5,000 cash up front hit they need to lay out on pre move-in minor repairs and painting, washer/dryer, lawn equipment, window treatments, etc. Wife says, "they will have to learn it on their own".

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by JimG2

#4..... I know my place in it. Mostly keeping my mouth shut. I have mentioned a few things to wife, like the trash situation, which she brought up to them. Kid says no problem. But the novelty of the dump run will wear off after a few trips, especially after the first "leaker" into the trunk. Kid grew up in an area where you roll the 95 gallon can 35ft down the driveway to the curb.

And garbage service is something they can still pay for, or not. Something they can figure out.

To me, the well is super huge. Again, he always had city water. The well repairs I'm sure can be HUGE.

Maybe... need to know more on this one!

The back step thing. To me no big deal, but it's another $1-2,000 to fix depending on what he does, and if he wants to do it himself and not pay a contractor. ME, I'd put at minimum an 8x8 deck to have room for a gas grill, so you don't have to go up and down stairs constantly from the kitchen to the grill. I just see the way it is as a major fall hazard for my granddaughter.

The back step is not a deal breaker at all. The deck can come later, for now there's a workable patio that two young people and a kid can enjoy. The granddaughter is probably only months away from being a lot more nimble than any of the adults here.

Most of my concerns are financial. They don't have 20% to put down, less than 10% I think, and they don't see the $5,000 cash up front hit they need to lay out on pre move-in minor repairs and painting, washer/dryer, lawn equipment, window treatments, etc. Wife says, "they will have to learn it on their own".

Again on this stuff, there are expensive ways to solve them, and cheap ways.... appliances and lawn mowers can be purchased for a couple hundred bucks off craigslist, they don't have to be new or top of the line.... Any of these things might be a nice house warming present from the folks. Some repairs and painting can wait, they don't all have to be done now.

Which things are important to THEM? And which are just land mines from you?