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that is the biggest problem, finding a handyman who can do good work. we often save up all the stuff that needs to be done, add something big like put in a window if wanted, and then call him. he may or may not come. his work is not perfect but he is honest. it is hard to find people to do odd jobs and do it right.
That's the thing, isn't it? My problem is that I've always had family members who were good at helping out but they are all "too busy" anymore. That's okay with me but it means I have to start looking. I don't need someone a lot but some things are just not easy to do myself.
Yesterday I started the intimidating job of painting the interior of the house. Boy, that is going to take me a while! lol Still need to get a ladder so I can reach the 10' ceilings and do the edge work. Whew!
My front yard was a mess and an eyesore. I budgeted $1500 to rework the landscaping up front and to fix some of the issues.
I decided to use the HOAs landscaper. For $240, he dug up much of my front yard, rearranged the rock into a beautiful design and dropped about a square yard of decorative gravel. The place looks fantastic.
For $25 a quarter, he will remove the weeds and address any other issues.
Well, I (in former marriages) owned everything from a city lot to acreage, and now (in this marriage), I'm back to a 5000-sq-ft, city lot, and it's all I can handle.
We seem to be raising moles in the back yard; have been for the last 3 years. Just when I find the mole trap lying in the yard with fur and/or bone in it, another mole seems to show up. I dunno - maybe they hibernate in Winter. Do they reproduce individually?? (just kidding!)
Then, because we're here in "The Drought State" (California), we have even-more-stringent "rules" about watering. Our front and back yards are dying; bushes & trees are dying. I have all I can handle just walking around and hand-watering each of the bushes, trees, etc. And now, we're supposed to cut back even more!
Once we both retire, DW & I are looking to get a townhome or patio home, or whatever the latest sales-phrase is, for one of those types of residences.
Yeah ... HOA's can be a real pain, but I'd rather pay them for any labor & materials than to have to try to (unhandily) do it myself; I'm too old to climb up on a 2nd-story roof anymore, or haul saws & loppers up a ladder to trim & prune things.
So, I say: "Give me a 1-story townhome, in a warmer climate than North Cali (preferably in TEXAS, but open to others) and a decent HOA to handle the maintenance" - that oughta cover it for us.
... Is there even a place like that?
...
My front yard was a mess and an eyesore. I budgeted $1500 to rework the landscaping up front and to fix some of the issues.
I decided to use the HOAs landscaper. For $240, he dug up much of my front yard, rearranged the rock into a beautiful design and dropped about a square yard of decorative gravel. The place looks fantastic.
For $25 a quarter, he will remove the weeds and address any other issues.
My front yard was a mess and an eyesore. I budgeted $1500 to rework the landscaping up front and to fix some of the issues.
I decided to use the HOAs landscaper. For $240, he dug up much of my front yard, rearranged the rock into a beautiful design and dropped about a square yard of decorative gravel. The place looks fantastic.
For $25 a quarter, he will remove the weeds and address any other issues.
For that price, I am NOT doing it myself.
My front AND back yards are a "mess and an eyesore". I've got 1/4 acre of dirt and weeds. Sigh. The previous owners put in a couple of things by the front porch and I have the biggest Mulberry tree out front that I have ever seen! It shades the entire front of the house to the garage. I can't believe that the previous owners lived here for 23 years and never did anything with the yard. I notice that a lot of people in the neighborhood haven't either though. Their 'patio' was some old wood nailed together and I need to get that broke down and out. I did have an old storage shed removed and that helped.
I am planning on having a couple of landscaping guys come over and give me estimates to do what I want to do out front. I have quite a bit of materials for it already. And my brother knows a guy who'll get rid of the weeds and keep it up for me later. It's just so ugly!! And my house is so cute it deserves better!
The sweetest sound in all of nature, to me, is the sound of somebody else mowing the lawn. At the condo down south, our HOA fees fund a staff of three people plus all services required from contractors to keep the place in pristine condition. The home up north is in an association that handles exterior maintenance, lawn care and mowing, and snow removal.
I could do everything, but have better things to do with my time.
The sweetest sound in all of nature, to me, is the sound of somebody else mowing the lawn. At the condo down south, our HOA fees fund a staff of three people plus all services required from contractors to keep the place in pristine condition. The home up north is in an association that handles exterior maintenance, lawn care and mowing, and snow removal.
I could do everything, but have better things to do with my time.
My front AND back yards are a "mess and an eyesore". I've got 1/4 acre of dirt and weeds. Sigh. The previous owners put in a couple of things by the front porch and I have the biggest Mulberry tree out front that I have ever seen! It shades the entire front of the house to the garage. I can't believe that the previous owners lived here for 23 years and never did anything with the yard. I notice that a lot of people in the neighborhood haven't either though. Their 'patio' was some old wood nailed together and I need to get that broke down and out. I did have an old storage shed removed and that helped.
I am planning on having a couple of landscaping guys come over and give me estimates to do what I want to do out front. I have quite a bit of materials for it already. And my brother knows a guy who'll get rid of the weeds and keep it up for me later. It's just so ugly!! And my house is so cute it deserves better!
The prior owner lived in Illinois and hadn't been down in 10+ years. She relied on a management company to "keep up" the place. They replaced part of the sidewalk and instead of carrying off the old cement, they put it in the front yard, raked some dirt over it, and put some gravel over it.
I have the landscaper carte blanche to get it done nicely. He carried off a lot of rock, made a natural drain off for the rain and left everything very nice. It is now very attractive which encourages me to spend more time on the front yard.
Several years back I decided I wanted my home to be as carefree living as I could find. I ended up in a small HOA consisting of 113 patio homes. The early models (Phase 1) were side by side duplexes. Phase 2 are all standalone, single homes. Several models of homes from 1200 to 1500sq ft. Small lots so homes on either side are about 15 to 20ft apart. None of the homes back up to each other. In my case I backup to a pond. Each home has a small, 6ft privacy fenced in backyard.
Having lived in HOA's before I knew things to look out for:
1. I knew how to read a budget and things to look for like Reserve Funding for future needs.
2. I knew how to and did read the Covenants/Bylaws. Our rules are fairly tight but I like such so the neighborhood does not become ramshackle. I want it looking as good or better then when I bought in.
3. I was not adverse to an over 55 development though ours is not.
4. I did not buy in early as I wanted to see how things were going and not get stuck in an unfinished/bankrupt development. I was about 80th home and expected the developer to be done in 2 years but it took 3 years.
5. The more amenities, the more expensive and the more arguments/disagreements over such. We have no amenities.
6. All exterior landscaping and outside home shell maintenance is done by the HOA. Granted we pay for it in our dues but in the long run it is much less than if I had to hire individuals to do the work. Landscaping is 1/3 of our budget.
7. Our yearly dues are $600 per home.
8. I wanted new construction as I did not want to take on remodeling, repairs, nor be surprised by (hidden) things.
9. I have found a reasonably priced and good handyman for odds and ends to add further to my carefree living desire.
I hope this helps others considering a down buy, retirement home.
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A no-brainer.
