Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

It's really cute and has a lot of charming qualities. I think it would be great.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

I think it is a gorgeous house!!

And it does need work - but any house you are going to buy is going to need work!

Good luck!!

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

Posted by Tah-wee-ZAH

It is a project but I think it could be well worth it in the end especially if you have family in the business.

Here's what I would do/did with my own house. Bring your FIL in and ask him to tally up everything that would need to be done (of course, before inspection).

Make an offer reflecting SOME of that cost. You honestly want the seller to bite and too low of an offer they might not.

Once they bite call in a VERY thorough home inspector. I'm sure his list will even be more extensive and itemized. For that house it will be A LOT. Apart from all of the things you said, I'm sure the heating and electrical need a complete upgrade, and possibly the plumbing... about 30K for just those things.

When the home inspection comes back with the figure for all necessary repairs (remember this isn't cosmetic, just to systems of the home) THEN you ask for the rest of the money back off of the original agreed upon price.

It's better to do it this way because you already have the seller "on the fish hook" so to speak because your original offer wasn't too ridiculous. An original VERY low offer will make them balk. To be honest I think the price of that house largely reflects the work that is needed and a very low offer they might not even entertain.

Their RE agent will probably urge them to negotiate the price even farther knowing that they are already half way on this deal and who knows when the next offer is going to come around. They should then be willing to give you the majority of the money back off of the agreed upon first offer.

This is what we did on our house and it worked. Our seller (last year) also had no idea it was going to take so long to sell her house (when the market started to turn but the house was in BAD shape, you saw my thread...lol.) and she was getting desperate.

If you are up for a project... and I lived through one this house could be a GEM!! It just takes lots of patience and a real love for the house but in the end it is so worth it because you will have a house exactly to your tastes.

BTW: One of the top school districts on the south shore. So worth it.

Good luck.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

has really good bones
and lots of charm!

refinish floors
new front door - fix the white part of the outside

electircal work

the cabinest are not that bad but they would be nice painted white- and you will need new applances

i dint see pics of the bathroom im sure that will need to be gutted
you are looking at an additional 40-50k into that house

*my advice- get a contrator in there when you go look at it again and have him give you an estimate on the changea you want to do

Message edited 10/7/2006 7:32:51 PM.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

Wow! This house reminds me SO much of the house I just bought. There is a ton of potential and it's such a cute house at a great price!

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

It has been on the market since May, and is an estate sale. It was originally listed at $499K , and has been working its way down (last price change was 9/6).

I think it needs a lot more work than you can tell in the pictures, or it would have sold months ago. But Stephanie, you've been there, so you know. If you're willing to put in the work and the house is structurally sound, low ball the offer, and see what happens.

Good luck!

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

I love it. Like others have said, it has so much charm and potential. There is so much potential.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

I feel like it's hard for me to give a fair opinion because I have been away from Long Island prices for so long but looking at the house and not the price I think it has tons of potential to be an awesome house. I love the wood floors and the tudor style. I think with some TLC it will be a great place to live.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

I you really love it (and it sounds like you do) I think it may be a good investment. As long as it's structurally sound. We bought an old house with a lot of repairs, but in the end it was worth it.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

if you make an offer - make sure its contingent on a satisfacotry inspection...it sounds like you are willing to do the work and you like it, so I say make a low offer - if they want to sell it they will negotiate

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

It's really cute - a little elbow grease and it'll be gorgeous.
Good luck!!

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

It looks like a lovely home. With some of your own touches, some paint, and redoing of the floors it will be a gorgous house.

Watch the DIY channel, TLC, the home shows and visit home depot and you'll be surprised at how much you can actually do yourself.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

If you are willing to do some work to fix it up, I'd say go for it!

I live in (grew up here) Merrick, and love it.

The schools are great, and it's close to all parkways.

Homes in the area are going for much more.

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

I love it. It needs a little work. But for that price in this area, it's great. (I live in the same area, so I am a little bias

Re: Honest opinions on this house please...

The house looks nice and has alot of potential. The floors look like they are in great condition, just need some polishing. The area is also great! Good luck with your decision!