The House Hunters Thread

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 12/1/2009 12:27:40 PM
Author: Selkie
NEL, just popping in to say that I LOVE that house. An (updated) historic New England house in a beach town in Massachusetts? Yup, that''s my dream too! Good luck with the offer. What town is it in (you can just tell me the first letter if you want)?

It''s on the South Shore and it starts with an S. The second letter will give it away--it''s a c.

 

[geckodani]

Holy moly Lynnie! What a huge change! It looks fantastic! I''m gonna have to go with you on the thinking that yellow would pop fabulously with those great walls in your bedroom!

 

[Lynnie]

Date: 12/1/2009 12:53:08 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Oh my goodness, Lynnie! I am completely FLABBERGASTED!!! This looks like a completely different house, it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL now!!! Who knew those gorgeous hardwoods were hiding under that carpet. I am just in awe of how fabulous hyou made this house look. And in a MONTH! Job well done, Lynnie, you should be very proud!!

And those kitty pictures are adorable! I'm sure they love the new house!

Aw, NEL, you are such a sweetheart! Thanks

haha... DH is in the 'What's Next?!?' phase. Already itching to do more. With the holidays and all coming up, we're probably going to take the next few months slow. Maybe small projects here and there. He went to Home Depot on Friday because they were supposed to have amazing deals on tile (to tile the basement). But he got there, and they didn't have enough! We need roughly 350 sq ft. So I think that'll be the next project - we can't move the pool table in til its done, anyway!

The cats do like the house. The new one terrorizes Salem, sometimes. She's ridiculously playful, and he's in that old-man stage, I think!

ETA: Thanks to you too, Gecko!!! Yeah, I was pretty upset when they didn't have ANYTHING yellow at macy's... the hot colors are all maroon and browns. Ugh. It was one of those "Wow, what a great deal" buys.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/1/2009 12:55:36 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 12:27:40 PM

Author: Selkie

NEL, just popping in to say that I LOVE that house. An (updated) historic New England house in a beach town in Massachusetts? Yup, that''s my dream too! Good luck with the offer. What town is it in (you can just tell me the first letter if you want)?

It''s on the South Shore and it starts with an S. The second letter will give it away--it''s a c.

Ohhh I LOVE that town. So so cute. Can I come visit?

 

[Bia]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:37 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 12:55:36 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 12:27:40 PM

Author: Selkie

NEL, just popping in to say that I LOVE that house. An (updated) historic New England house in a beach town in Massachusetts? Yup, that''s my dream too! Good luck with the offer. What town is it in (you can just tell me the first letter if you want)?

It''s on the South Shore and it starts with an S. The second letter will give it away--it''s a c.

Ohhh I LOVE that town. So so cute. Can I come visit?

ohhhhh meeee tooooooooooooooooo! Lucky girl!

I swear if I could convince my FI to move back to MA with me, I''d do it in a heartbeat! I miss my state!!!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Lynnie, wait a minute. You and your hubby have been working on the house for a month (with only a break to catch the flu!) and he wants to do MORE?? Honey, give that man a project! What a sweetheart your husband is! I hope you guys do take a little break, you must be exhausted, everything just looks so nice!

NF, you can come and visit me ANYTIME. We would even throw a Boston PS party for you! Not that I''m biased, but the local PSers are the best group of ladies you could ever wish to meet. And I know you''d fit right in!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:17:56 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:37 PM

Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 12:55:36 PM

Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 12:27:40 PM


Author: Selkie


NEL, just popping in to say that I LOVE that house. An (updated) historic New England house in a beach town in Massachusetts? Yup, that''s my dream too! Good luck with the offer. What town is it in (you can just tell me the first letter if you want)?

It''s on the South Shore and it starts with an S. The second letter will give it away--it''s a c.

Ohhh I LOVE that town. So so cute. Can I come visit?

ohhhhh meeee tooooooooooooooooo! Lucky girl!


I swear if I could convince my FI to move back to MA with me, I''d do it in a heartbeat! I miss my state!!!

Me too! I do love the SF Bay Area-but I really would love to move back to New England at some point...

 

[Bia]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:22:55 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 1:17:56 PM
Author: Bia

Date: 12/1/2009 1:14:37 PM

Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 12:55:36 PM

Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 12:27:40 PM


Author: Selkie


NEL, just popping in to say that I LOVE that house. An (updated) historic New England house in a beach town in Massachusetts? Yup, that''s my dream too! Good luck with the offer. What town is it in (you can just tell me the first letter if you want)?

It''s on the South Shore and it starts with an S. The second letter will give it away--it''s a c.

Ohhh I LOVE that town. So so cute. Can I come visit?

ohhhhh meeee tooooooooooooooooo! Lucky girl!


I swear if I could convince my FI to move back to MA with me, I''d do it in a heartbeat! I miss my state!!!

Me too! I do love the SF Bay Area-but I really would love to move back to New England at some point...

No place on Earth like Massachusetts/NE. I esp miss the beach towns. I''m a North Shore girl (Ipswich) but I love the entire coast. From Rockport to the tip of P-Town. Well except for maybe Revere LOL.

FI wouldn''t leave NY but he has promised to someday buy me a summer house on the Cape.

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/1/2009 1:22:00 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
NF, you can come and visit me ANYTIME. We would even throw a Boston PS party for you! Not that I''m biased, but the local PSers are the best group of ladies you could ever wish to meet. And I know you''d fit right in!

Awww I''d love to meet all of you NEL! Next time we are in town (my DH has lots of family in Boston, my sister lives there, and my parents still live in my childhood home in the Berkshires) I will try and arrange an afternoon for a PS GTG!

And same goes to you of course if you ever find yourself in San Francisco!

 

[anchor31]

Lynnie - Your renovations look fantastic!!!

 

[Selkie]

NEL, I thought that was probably it. My best friend grew up there, and someday I really want to spend more time on the South Shore. I''m way more familiar with both the Cape and the NS, but clearly the SS has a lot to offer too.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Bia and NF, you both need to visit for a PS get-together.

Selkie (and Bia), I looove the North Shore. If D''s family weren''t all on the South Shore, I have a feeling we''d be looking on the North Shore. We spend a lot of time up there in the summer eating clams and ice cream . I actually prefer the landscape of the North Shore since it''s more rocky and I really hate South Shore traffic.

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/1/2009 4:54:38 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Bia and NF, you both need to visit for a PS get-together.

Selkie (and Bia), I looove the North Shore. If D''s family weren''t all on the South Shore, I have a feeling we''d be looking on the North Shore. We spend a lot of time up there in the summer eating clams and ice cream . I actually prefer the landscape of the North Shore since it''s more rocky and I really hate South Shore traffic.

Why not look on the North Shore? It''s not that bad a drive to the SS to visit the family, if you plan it well. Of course, I''m coming from the perspective that anything within 2 hours of my family would be close, since right now it''s a 6 hour plane flight.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 12/1/2009 5:00:17 PM
Author: Selkie

Date: 12/1/2009 4:54:38 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Bia and NF, you both need to visit for a PS get-together.

Selkie (and Bia), I looove the North Shore. If D''s family weren''t all on the South Shore, I have a feeling we''d be looking on the North Shore. We spend a lot of time up there in the summer eating clams and ice cream . I actually prefer the landscape of the North Shore since it''s more rocky and I really hate South Shore traffic.

Why not look on the North Shore? It''s not that bad a drive to the SS to visit the family, if you plan it well. Of course, I''m coming from the perspective that anything within 2 hours of my family would be close, since right now it''s a 6 hour plane flight.

I agree--the North Shore isn''t far at all, we drive up there all the time, anyway. I''m like you, I consider anything within a couple of hours to be close. But his parents are the type who think that anything over a 20-minute-drive is really far, so I know they would never come up to visit. We figured that when we have kids, it is probably better to be a bit closer so they can come visit when they want...if we''re too far away, they''d want us to go down and visit all the time.

We did see a couple of homes in Marblehead when we were considering the NS. We''ve lived on the SS for several years and have been sort of closely eyeing the real estate market for a couple of years, so I feel like I know area well at this point. The NS would be a completely blank slate for us, so I''d probably want to rent up there for a bit before deciding where I definitely want to buy. We''ll definitely continue to visit up there, though, in fact we''re buying our Christmas tree on the north shore this weekend.

 

[Loves Vintage]

NEL,

Thanks for posting another photo!! I think I am in love! I really adore those windows. I am the exact opposite of you when buying a house. I fall deeply in love, instantly, even if the house isn''t necessarily love-worthy! To keep yourself at a safe distance from that house is really quite remarkable. I''m impressed!! I am going to follow this thread now, to see if you get it!!! I bet your doggies will love it too! Maybe you''ll even get another???

You asked about square footage. DH and I live in 2700 sq ft and I could never see it getting small. Seriously, I don''t know how to live in a house this big. There are rooms that we never enter for long spans of time. We pretty much live in the bedroom, kitchen and family room. The living room is the designated dog room (that''s their kennel when we are at work.) Of course, if we have children (working on that one) then the space will make more sense.

Anyway, I hope you get it!!

 

[drk]

Lynnie - those floors are to die for, and the walls look fantastic now! Love your colour choices. I don''t mind the bedding, but yellow would be really nice too (if it''s the right yellow).

 

[Selkie]

Date: 12/1/2009 5:10:34 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

I agree--the North Shore isn''t far at all, we drive up there all the time, anyway. I''m like you, I consider anything within a couple of hours to be close. But his parents are the type who think that anything over a 20-minute-drive is really far, so I know they would never come up to visit. We figured that when we have kids, it is probably better to be a bit closer so they can come visit when they want...if we''re too far away, they''d want us to go down and visit all the time.

We did see a couple of homes in Marblehead when we were considering the NS. We''ve lived on the SS for several years and have been sort of closely eyeing the real estate market for a couple of years, so I feel like I know area well at this point. The NS would be a completely blank slate for us, so I''d probably want to rent up there for a bit before deciding where I definitely want to buy. We''ll definitely continue to visit up there, though, in fact we''re buying our Christmas tree on the north shore this weekend.

Sure, that makes sense. Tell you what-I''m stalking the listings for Essex County, if I run across anything awesome I''ll forward it to you!

Have fun getting your tree!

 

[zoebartlett]

Lynnie -- great pictures! It looks like you''ve been a little busy!

NEL -- you have GREAT taste in houses -- I LOVE the picture of the house in S----! It''s gorgeous. What a great town! I really miss living in NE -- there''s nothing better, in my opinion. I''m hoping to return over the summer.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 12/1/2009 5:14:19 PM
Author: Loves Vintage
NEL,

Thanks for posting another photo!! I think I am in love! I really adore those windows. I am the exact opposite of you when buying a house. I fall deeply in love, instantly, even if the house isn't necessarily love-worthy! To keep yourself at a safe distance from that house is really quite remarkable. I'm impressed!! I am going to follow this thread now, to see if you get it!!! I bet your doggies will love it too! Maybe you'll even get another???

You asked about square footage. DH and I live in 2700 sq ft and I could never see it getting small. Seriously, I don't know how to live in a house this big. There are rooms that we never enter for long spans of time. We pretty much live in the bedroom, kitchen and family room. The living room is the designated dog room (that's their kennel when we are at work.) Of course, if we have children (working on that one) then the space will make more sense.

Anyway, I hope you get it!!

You are so sweet. I don't know what it is, I've seen hundreds of houses and have never fallen head over heels for any. I think the debt of a mortgage helps me to keep my distance, haha. I really like this one, though, so who knows. Right now the plan is to meet with both our agent and the seller's agent at the house on Sunday so we can ask a bunch of questions about the property. If I get a sense that the seller isn't motivated, we'll wait a month and see if the price drops (and risk it selling). If we get the sense that the seller is motivated, we might put in a lowish offer without waiting for a price drop. I don't want to low-ball this one, we just have a walk-away price.

Thanks for the info about square footage--I've always lived in smaller homes, but it's just been D, me and the dogs. Trying to plan for a family is tough since I'm not sure what we'll need, but I remind myself all the time that several of my friends have kids on the city in condos that are less than 1,000SF. I definitely don't want anything big, just not sure what a good amount is.

For now we're sticking with 2 dogs We've made a deal that we'll have a human child before getting the next fur baby. Two is keeping my hands full for now!

ETA: Zoe, we miss you up here!! But I'm sure your weather is MUCH nicer right now!

 

[pennquaker09]

Meresal, I really would consider having the ceilings painted, but I think it depends on what colors you have picked. Generally, going from painted walls to unpainted ceilings or stark white ceilings is very noticeable. I would at the very least paint them Dove White.

 

[neatfreak]

NEL: FWIW I cannot imagine 2500 sq. ft. being too small for 4 people and 2 dogs. We have only 1500ish sq. ft. (granted it's a ranch so it's all useable sq. ft. and it's a very open house so it feels a bit bigger) but we have two kids, two big dogs, and a cat and we are totally fine here.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Date: 12/1/2009 7:33:24 PM
Author: neatfreak
NEL: FWIW I cannot imagine 2500 sq. ft. being too small for 4 people and 2 dogs. We have only 1500ish sq. ft. (granted it''s a ranch so it''s all useable sq. ft. and it''s a very open house so it feels a bit bigger) but we have two kids, two big dogs, and a cat and we are totally fine here.

I don''t mean to threadjack here, but this is actually really helpful for me. Maybe I should start a different thread for it, but I think I''m being overly-analytical to begin wth, so that seems like overkill. Do you have a separate "play area" for the kids? So far we''ve been looking at 3 or 4-bedroom houses, but for some reason I''ve been focused on having a separate room or a den that can serve as a play room (and toy storage). D doesn''t think we need to because he says "kids play anywhere" and to be honest, if we want a bedroom for us, each child, a guest AND a separate room for an office in addition to a playroom, it seems like way too much house. It would be over our budget and I''d be annoyed every weekend when I had to clean everything, haha. I know your twins are still too young to be terribly mobile but any insight would help.

 

[Snooper]

Lynnie, the after shots are AMAZING! I love the green color paint in your house!

Sending dust for everyone in their search for a new home! Frustrating, mixed emotions at times, disappointment, but it''ll be worth it in the end!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 12/1/2009 7:53:06 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 7:33:24 PM

Author: neatfreak

NEL: FWIW I cannot imagine 2500 sq. ft. being too small for 4 people and 2 dogs. We have only 1500ish sq. ft. (granted it''s a ranch so it''s all useable sq. ft. and it''s a very open house so it feels a bit bigger) but we have two kids, two big dogs, and a cat and we are totally fine here.

I don''t mean to threadjack here, but this is actually really helpful for me. Maybe I should start a different thread for it, but I think I''m being overly-analytical to begin wth, so that seems like overkill. Do you have a separate ''play area'' for the kids? So far we''ve been looking at 3 or 4-bedroom houses, but for some reason I''ve been focused on having a separate room or a den that can serve as a play room (and toy storage). D doesn''t think we need to because he says ''kids play anywhere'' and to be honest, if we want a bedroom for us, each child, a guest AND a separate room for an office in addition to a playroom, it seems like way too much house. It would be over our budget and I''d be annoyed every weekend when I had to clean everything, haha. I know your twins are still too young to be terribly mobile but any insight would help.

So we have a 3 bedroom (kids share a room for now so we still have an office). I would love to have one more bedroom in a perfect world so that we could still have a guestroom/office when the kids want their own rooms. So we might move up in house size then-but really just for that extra bedroom.

Anyway, we have a family and a living room and I try to keep the kids toys contained in the family room. BOTH of these rooms are certainly heavily lived in-I am not someone to have rooms we don''t use. But the living room is an "adult" room in the sense that our nice TV is there, the fireplace is there, and unless the kids are actively using toys in that room there are no toys in there.

The family room I really look at as a family room! All their toys are in there and they play in there for the most part. They are pretty mobile now and it''s worked out just fine. If you are someone who will be anal about the kids having toys in the family room or living room then you might need a playroom. But I really don''t think it''s necessary IMO.

Some people always want more space but IMO even 1500-2000 sq. ft is fine for a family of four.

If it makes you feel better there have been some studies showing that families who live in smaller houses have closer bonds.

Less space to get away from people and ignore them so you need to work through problems. It''s very healthy to live in a smaller space apparently!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 12/1/2009 2:09:13 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 1:22:00 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
NF, you can come and visit me ANYTIME. We would even throw a Boston PS party for you! Not that I''m biased, but the local PSers are the best group of ladies you could ever wish to meet. And I know you''d fit right in!

Awww I''d love to meet all of you NEL! Next time we are in town (my DH has lots of family in Boston, my sister lives there, and my parents still live in my childhood home in the Berkshires) I will try and arrange an afternoon for a PS GTG!

And same goes to you of course if you ever find yourself in San Francisco!

NF - we''d LOVE to see you here! Just let us know when you''re in town!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 12/1/2009 4:54:38 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
Bia and NF, you both need to visit for a PS get-together.

Selkie (and Bia), I looove the North Shore. If D''s family weren''t all on the South Shore, I have a feeling we''d be looking on the North Shore. We spend a lot of time up there in the summer eating clams and ice cream . I actually prefer the landscape of the North Shore since it''s more rocky and I really hate South Shore traffic.

NEL, my hub''s family is South Shore, too (home of Thanksgiving), but even that couldn''t get us to the SS. The traffic is just too wild/crazy for my liking; I think I''d be homicidal.

However, next time you''re up this way for clams, lemme know - I''m in!

 

[Allison D.]

Date: 12/1/2009 7:53:06 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady

Date: 12/1/2009 7:33:24 PM
Author: neatfreak
NEL: FWIW I cannot imagine 2500 sq. ft. being too small for 4 people and 2 dogs. We have only 1500ish sq. ft. (granted it''s a ranch so it''s all useable sq. ft. and it''s a very open house so it feels a bit bigger) but we have two kids, two big dogs, and a cat and we are totally fine here.

I don''t mean to threadjack here, but this is actually really helpful for me. Maybe I should start a different thread for it, but I think I''m being overly-analytical to begin wth, so that seems like overkill. Do you have a separate ''play area'' for the kids? So far we''ve been looking at 3 or 4-bedroom houses, but for some reason I''ve been focused on having a separate room or a den that can serve as a play room (and toy storage). D doesn''t think we need to because he says ''kids play anywhere'' and to be honest, if we want a bedroom for us, each child, a guest AND a separate room for an office in addition to a playroom, it seems like way too much house. It would be over our budget and I''d be annoyed every weekend when I had to clean everything, haha. I know your twins are still too young to be terribly mobile but any insight would help.

NEL, you know I don''t have children, but I''ll input anyway for what it''s worth. My house is just a shade over 1800 sf; config right now is LR/Kit/DR downstairs, 3 bedrooms (ours, guest, and office) upstairs. It works great for our situation (pets only), but if we had chosen to have children, I''d have wanted an additional room for playroom.

Even though we aren''t going that route, it still was a bit of a concern to me for resale purposes. However, our place has a walk-up attic and plumbing capped already as well, so it presents options. One half of the attic could be made into a playroom, OR the current master (on 2nd floor with other BRs) could be turned into playroom and use the attic space to build a master suite w/bath on one side.

In the house I grew up in, my parents finished one side of the basement for us to use as a ''playroom''.

Space can be a plus or a minus; it depends on your needs. There are only 2 of us in my house, so there''s enough room for everything to have a place. HOWEVER, I''m also the primary one to do the weekly housecleaning, and I can tell you that it can be a challenge for me to keep up with this modest space. Big sounds great, but more room requires more attention, too, so it''s a delicate balance.

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Thanks again, ladies!

Allison, one of the homes we were considering (and is still on our radar) is about the same square footage and configuration of your house, but no attic. I said the exact same thing to D--that with just the two of us and the dogs, it was perfect. Another house we were considering had the same configuration, but only about 1,600 SF, but there was an attic and it would have been easy to change into a playroom. I think the fact that yours has an attic is really nice.

NF, I agree with you about a family room being a family room. I actually consider it a drawback when a house has a formal living room and then a separate family room (like this one does) because I don''t need a formal living room. I''d rather have that space for something else. The house we put the offer on was just over 2,000 SF (and only 3 bedrooms), but it was fine because there were two empty rooms on the third floor that could have been used as an office and playroom. The fact that it didn''t have a family room and separate formal living room was really nice.

D and I talked about it a little this morning and I told him I think I''d rather wait and see what happens than put an offer in right now (it''s already stressful with the holidays) and he said that sounded good to him. Then I got an email from the realtor this morning telling me that the seller is very motivated and needs to sell the house ASAP. I''m not going to think about it today, I just need to give my brain a little break and then see it again on Sunday. I took a boat into work today and saw the other house we put an offer on and it made me doubt going inland. Blah.

 

[Bia]

Date: 12/1/2009 9:34:09 PM
Author: Allison D.

Date: 12/1/2009 2:09:13 PM
Author: neatfreak

Date: 12/1/2009 1:22:00 PM
Author: NewEnglandLady
NF, you can come and visit me ANYTIME. We would even throw a Boston PS party for you! Not that I''m biased, but the local PSers are the best group of ladies you could ever wish to meet. And I know you''d fit right in!

Awww I''d love to meet all of you NEL! Next time we are in town (my DH has lots of family in Boston, my sister lives there, and my parents still live in my childhood home in the Berkshires) I will try and arrange an afternoon for a PS GTG!

And same goes to you of course if you ever find yourself in San Francisco!

NF - we''d LOVE to see you here! Just let us know when you''re in town!

ahhhhh...you guys are making me soooo homesick. I miss my whole bellied clams. And the smell of the ocean. festivals.

 

[anchor31]

The Anchor family has a HOUSE!!! Our offer was accepted!!! I''m so excited. We''ll be moving on May 1st so I need to call our landlord to tell him we''ll be breaking our lease two months early.