Buying property

[judy]

The condo sounds great Lindsey! Can you live with a deck instead of a backyard?
That sounds like the only negative.

I have a very large deck, and it is so nice. But, a backyard would be ideal. I could
let the dogs out to play in the grass. But, in a condo, you don't have to do any yard work like getting the snow off the walks, etc.

I lived in a top floor, corner apartment. It is really nice to have nobody on top of you and you should have windows on all of the walls for a wonderful breeze.

[Lindsey]

Thanks for your input Judy! I have been toying with the idea a lot. My mom is against me buying a condo, but I don't think it's such a bad idea. She thinks I need a yard and that I would lose money on a condo and it will be hard to sell later. But I really don't think so... my brother is an electrician and he is wiring all the new condo developments. There are tons of condos being constructed because there is demand for them!
My grandma also lives near this condo, and my grandma has a yard Layla and I could go hang out with her in the yard on nice days, although Layla would have to be leashed because she can fit through the fence. But Layla can run around off-leash in the dog park, and she can run around my parents' huge yard every time we visit!
I guess I would really just like a place to call my own. I want to have a real home!

[DianaB]

Lindsey, I haven't answered because I really don't know what to tell you. My best advice is still to talk it over with your parents. We live in such a small town that the prices of things just don't compare between where you live and where I live. You seem really young to go into debt that far by yourself but I don't know all of the facts either. Good luck with your decision.

[Lindsey]

I guess that the thing is I will be paying to live either way... right now our duplex is $1125 a month for rent, with about 700 square feet of living space on our main floor for three of us. In comparison, the condo would be about $750 a month for a mortgage, with 910 square feet to myself And if I really wanted extra spending money, there is enough room for a roommate, although I would rather just be alone.
It is a lot of debt, I know that... but I am in debt for the next 15 years from college anyway. I guess the main thing is I can either throw my money down the drain by renting, or invest my money in something by buying.
I actually emailed a real estate agent this morning to try to schedule a showing. I'd like to at least see the place before getting too excited about it.

[Lindsey]

I just happened to be browsing some websites this morning and came across a new listing for a 780 sq ft split level in a great neighborhood on a 50x140 ft lot AND in my price range
It's a definite fixer upper, but has original oak hardwood floors under the ugly old carpet that could be refinished. It was built in 1912 but has a full height basement with a lot of windows. The basement walls have been reinforced over the years (I don't know if it's good that they have been reinforced, or bad that they had to be reinforced... future problems?) Anyways, the rooms are all huge! And the basement could possibly be finished (it is unfinished) and a third bedroom could be added... it is currently a 2 bedroom/3 bathroom home. I think 3 and 3 would make it more appealing to families when I decide to sell!
Lucky for me, my brother is an electrician, and my cousin is a plumber. The back yard is all rock, which I am not a fan of. I like grass! But one of my good friends from back home just happens to be a landscape architect, and her dad is a carpenter
I emailed a realtor to go have a look... I don't want to get my hopes up too high in case the house is beyond repair. It looks like an old man had been living there... The basement was used as a workshop and the house looks very cluttered. The master bedroom had a single electric adjustable bed. Maybe the man passed away and the family wants to get rid of the house as soon as possible (with the real estate market this slow, the low price would make sense) or maybe he was put into a care home... I'm just hoping the price isn't so low just because there is so much wrong!

[judy]

Good luck Lindsey!

[Lindsey]

The realtor just said they got 2 offers the day after it was posted and they accepted one of them.
But I did find another just down the street from my grandma's house... it's a much smaller yard, and there are no pictures of the inside, but it's a beautiful 1912 1-1/2 story house right across from the high school my dad used to go to The back yard has a 2 car garage with back alley access, and a nice sized garden.
This whole house-hunting thing is pretty exciting for me