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... Again, it's not about whether something works or looks bad, it's about whether it is functional for today's uses. A 40-year-old A/C and furnace may work, but they are not functional, efficient or DESIRABLE for today's family. Same goes for the U-shaped kitchen with 1970s oven.
Working and not functional seems contradictory.
And why is a U-shaped kitchen with a 70's oven not functional (unless the oven does not work)? Not desirable by most, maybe.
And why is a U-shaped kitchen with a 70's oven not functional (unless the oven does not work)? Not desirable by most, maybe.
I agree. It seems saltzman feels a dated kitchen is equated with not functional or working.
I have a U shaped kitchen and my husband and I cook all sorts of stuff in it. We also bake in it too! Our friends and family enjoy our food too! It's amazing what kind of stuff I can cook up in an OMG U shaped kitchen.
I even showered in my blue bathtub for 20+ years with no issues. I was always clean and fresh.
LOL!!!!!!!!!! No offense to people with dated kitchens, baths and roof or A/C issues.
"Dated" (1970 blue shag rug) is different from "non-functional" (1970 electrical system that shuts down with 2 or more appliances plugged in). Both of these things are "dated", only one "works," (i.e., there is electricity) but is "non-functional" for today's family/household needs (you can't plug in an ipod and a food processor at the same time).
Dated: 1971 brown wood paneling
Non-functional: 1971 asbestos walls
Dated: 1964 pink bathroom
Non-functional: 1964 bathroom sink that is too low for average height of today's adult
Many things are dated and are fine; other things are dated and need replacing or repair, whether sellers want to admit it or not.
Dated: 1964 pink bathroom
Non-functional: 1964 bathroom sink that is too low for average height of today's adult
You know I have a buyer that drools over the pink and teal 1950's bathrooms. It is a retro thing. There is an entire website dedicated to Save the Pink Bathrooms.
If 1970 electrical works so great, why do people pay an electrician 10k to update it, as my neighbor across the street just did?
During the late 60's and 70's there were a substantial number of houses built with aluminum wire. Many of them were by electricians that simply replaced copper with aluminum.....a major mistake. To carry 15 amps, you can use a 14 gauge copper wire. For the similar amperage, using aluminum, you must use 12 gauge. If the existing wire is aluminum and 14 gauge then the wire itself cannot handle a 15 amp circuit. This should be checked out by a competent electrician asap. If the original electricians did that kind of work, no telling what kind of connections they used. You could be facing a fire without any warning.
That is why it took an electrician 10k to update it.
You know I have a buyer that drools over the pink and teal 1950's bathrooms. It is a retro thing. There is an entire website dedicated to Save the Pink Bathrooms.
Yep. We own a 1959 house with the pink tile bathroom, and have thought about redoing it, but we're afraid it would lose value in the process for this reason! It also has a period Roper Range, and that's one of the biggest draws as a lease house (and I miss that thing every time I cook - it was, and is, REALLY functional!).
I have a 1969 house in the same neighborhood (same model etc) and the electrical is a disaster; you cannot plug in more than two appliances w/out tripping the breakers. my neighbor has the same problem. Now I am not an electrician nor a home inspector nor a home expert but when you can't plug in the vacuum and the blender without the whole house going dark, there is a problem. Otherwise why would people upgrade the electrical in these houses? If 1970 electrical works so great, why do people pay an electrician 10k to update it, as my neighbor across the street just did?
Again, it's not about whether something works or looks bad, it's about whether it is functional for today's uses. A 40-year-old A/C and furnace may work, but they are not functional, efficient or DESIRABLE for today's family. Same goes for the U-shaped kitchen with 1970s oven.
I live in a house built in the early 70s with a 200 amp service.
I'm also married to an electrician.
Generally, generalizations are bad.
Not all 1970s houses need an electrical overall.
And there is a big difference when it comes to mechanicals vs. cosmetics.
If something functions as it was intended without adverse effect to the habitability of the home - it's not a fixer upper.
You know I have a buyer that drools over the pink and teal 1950's bathrooms. It is a retro thing. There is an entire website dedicated to Save the Pink Bathrooms.
Kinda off topic but ... I had the best pink & green retro bathroom as a single chick.
The bathroom had to be, oh, 10 x 10 ... it was huge - claw foot tub, hex tiles, walk in closet in the bathroom ... gorgeous.
My realtor keeps showing me fixer uppers, but she says they are not fixer uppers. She seems to think houses that need new kitchen, new electrical, plumbing, A/C&furnace, new bathrooms, etc. is NOT a fixer upper. I am confused. To clarify, if the house needs more than 20k in repiars or upgrades, it's a fixer upper IMHO.
The only opinion on "fixer' that matters here is yours. If in your realtors opinion, what is being shown to you is not a fixer, yet you say it is, you two need to have a discussion on exactly what it is you are looking for.
It sounds like you want something newer or completey renovated and updated. If so, let your Realtor know that.
It's no different then how "move in ready" means different things to different people.
Get crystal clear with your Realtor on what you are looking for and will consider or not. Once your Realtor understands what you are looking for better, ask them if you will need to make compromises elsewhere to get it.
Your definition of a "move in ready-non fixer," may mean having to increase your budget, or accept something smaller, waiting for it to come on the market, or move your search into a different area to find it.
Go to Realtor.com and start your own search and see if you can find what you are looking for, in your price range, in the area you want. It may not exist and that's why you are being shown what you are. If it does exist, then ask your realtor to take you to see those places.
This is either a simple case of mis-comunication on both your parts OR one of where, your budget just isn't going to afford you all of what you want and that is why you are being shown the next best thing.
You won't know until you have this talk with them.
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