General
09 Nov 09
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- 14 Mar 04
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09 Nov 09
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundAn area you like? You won't need a riding lawnmower or a lawnmower period. You could cut the grass with a pair of scissors. I particularly like the lawn between the driveways.
Something like this is nice (not sure why they added a pic of a field, but what you gonna do)
http://tinyurl.com/yhbmza5
09 Nov 09
1 edit
Originally posted by Great Big SteesI sent them an e-mail, and got a response in 5 minutes. They have an offer of €219000 apparently, but they were very quick to respond. It being fully furnished is a big plus for us, and 220,000 would leave us with a mortgage under our current rent.
An area you like? You won't need a riding lawnmower or a lawnmower period. You could cut the grass with a pair of scissors. I particularly like the lawn between the driveways.
I really want to wait till the budget before we make any decisions. There was even talk of the IMF coming in here if things don't improve. The house is really nice though.
edit....re the lawn. Big gardens are not normal here, outwith the countryside. I'm sure for the same money, we could buy a big piece of land in parts of America.
09 Nov 09
Originally posted by CrowleyAll true.
I can only comment on how things work here.
The agents do their utmost to keep the seller away from potential buyers and may even have a sole mandate, meaning the seller can't sell privately.
Even if you get to the seller, they may not be willing to deal direct, as this means they have to go through all the red tape and legal hassle, and many people will ...[text shortened]... o the contract so you can force the bank to put pressure on the builder. All builders are scum.
One advantage of NOT getting rid of the agent is that agents don't care too much about price haggling. They just want to sell and move on to the next and be sure they are the agent doing the selling. This means they will talk to the seller and convince him that the price you're offering is good (as long as you don't offer something ridiculously low).
09 Nov 09
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundGet a book and treat it like the Holy Bible. This way, every single thing that comes along is something you anticipate.
What is the best method, and what are the things to look out for?
Thanks in advance....Huck
Additional advice for later: check all doors to make sure they open/close properly and that all electric sockets are tight and compact. The little things can be expensive and easily missed.
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09 Nov 09
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundIf there's no reason to rush into this then spending time to "do your homework" is of the essence. Buying a home is a big desision and unlike what colour of underwear I want to buy, really needs some very serious considerations. Don't jump into it. Set your "needs and wishes" and go from there. Oh and good luck.
I sent them an e-mail, and got a response in 5 minutes. They have an offer of €219000 apparently, but they were very quick to respond. It being fully furnished is a big plus for us, and 220,000 would leave us with a mortgage under our current rent.
I really want to wait till the budget before we make any decisions. There was even talk of the IMF ...[text shortened]... ountryside. I'm sure for the same money, we could buy a big piece of land in parts of America.
- Joined
- 14 Mar 04
- Moves
- 186286
09 Nov 09
Originally posted by SunburntHire "an expert" to go over the house (constructionwise) when you find one you are serious about. It's worth the expense.
Get a book and treat it like the Holy Bible. This way, every single thing that comes along is something you anticipate.
Additional advice for later: check all doors to make sure they open/close properly and that all electric sockets are tight and compact. The little things can be expensive and easily missed.
09 Nov 09
Originally posted by huckleberryhound- View a few houses, even if you know that you are unlikely to buy them. That way you get a better feeling for what you want, need or should look at.
What is the best method, and what are the things to look out for?
Thanks in advance....Huck
- If you seriously consider buying a house, read the papers about it very carefully and check out any defects mentioned. Some things are easy to do something about, others can be disastrous (e.g. water damage leading to mould in the walls etc.) and would be a good reason not to buy the house. If you are in any doubt, take a building expert or at least someone with more experience than you with you to view the house.
10 Nov 09
Originally posted by huckleberryhoundwait til next year, see if the market improves.
Just useful hints, tips, and pitfalls.
We have a set budget, and have nearly half the house cost as deposit. Our main worry is location, and the current financial situation. When you're plowing €150,000 into a piece of property, we don't want to lose a percentage of that in negative equity. As far as locartion goes, it's just trying to find a place in our budget that is in good idstance to amienities.
friend of mine bought a $550K condo june before last. he walked away from the loan when the market value hit $250K. lost his $50K down payment.
10 Nov 09
Originally posted by Great Big SteesI wish I had done this.
Hire "an expert" to go over the house (constructionwise) when you find one you are serious about. It's worth the expense.
The bank sent out an assessor to make sure everything was sound, but this idiot bureaucrat knew nothing. He gave the OK.
Things I only found later:
There is absolutely no insulation in my roof, neither around the geyser or warm water pipes.
The hardwood floors were not laid in spec - he did not leave enough space around the walls for expansion and contraction, meaning we had to replace a section that eventually made a bump in the floor.
There is not proper damp-sealing around my foundations - Granted, this is difficult to check after the fact.
My gutters were painted without being properly cleaned, so the paint is chipping now.
All my wiring for the house goes through only 3 chased conduit into the DB, with no spares or space for expansion. Hell, even maintenance will be a problem in the future.
All the light fittings were connected with 4mm connector blocks, but the wiring is 1.5mm, meaning when I replaced a bulb the wires come loose almost every time. I had to replace all of these.
These are mostly problems with a newly built house, but it just highlights that you need to get someone with experience to help you asses something you're interested in.
10 Nov 09
look for a site like zillow, that will show you market price graphs for the houses and areas you are interested in.
http://www.zillow.com/homes/map/dublin,-ireland_rb/#/homes/for_sale/map/32.097672,-98.283638,32.057672,-98.4038_rect/13_zm/1_rs/
http://www.zillow.com/homes/map/hillsborough,-ca_rb/