now it can be told
Mar. 12th, 2011 12:41 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kirkcudbrightHere's a house we looked at on Sunday. (I should/could have posted it then, but I've been busy/lame, sosueme.)
We've been trying to get in to see it for TWO MONTHS, put off with various weather-related and personal excuses, then suddenly last Friday the seller decided to have an open house. WTF?
Parenthetically but significantly, the listing agent is also the seller/resident. You know the saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client - the same holds for realtors. The property has been on the market for almost a year, de-listed and re-listed repeatedly. When she finally decided to show it, she tidied up the main living spaces, bud didn't de-clutter them, and every closet and storage space was completely full of crap. There was a bureau blocking the cellar stairs, and she seemed genuinely surprised that anyone would want to go down there.
There are also two listings, one for the house (with land), and one for the land (which just happens to have a house on it).
So, ambivalent about selling it, and ambivalent about how to market it.
Anyway, this is the back, with the ca. 1790 original house to the left (kitchen, small bedroom upstairs), and the 1835 addition to the right (living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms upstairs, full attic).
And the front of the house. (It's set sideways to the street, so "front" and "back" are relative to the doors.) There's also a tiny office and cute screen porch next to the road.
It's reminiscent of James & Jocelyn's house, with their large wood-stove room replaced with a somewhat smaller kitchen, and of course no barn.
If we bought this, we'd want to tear down the older portion, and build a larger addition on the back or side, and a barn. This property needs a barn, for both aesthetic and practical reasons. e.g. The cellar is low, stone-walled, dirt-floored, and tends to flood (seller says "only 3 times in the last 22 years, but two of those were the last two years").
On the plus side, it has two fairly unique things we have now - close walking distance to a boarding stable, and close walking (or riding) distance to a state forest. Plus it has four times the land we have now, so it would actually make sense to put up a barn, and it's zoned something like "heritage agricultural", so we could keep chickens and horses without hassle. It would be cool to be able to keep Gemini at home, and I'd like to be able to foster horses. OTOH, having a boarding stable practically next door would be handy before or instead. It's also on a quiet road, so we wouldn't have to worry about letting the cats out. (In 26 years of living together, we've never had a cat die of old age or illness - it's been the road every time.) Also, lilacs everywhere, paddock fencing already in place, and deeded access to a fishing/skating stream. Lots of little things add up.
On the minus side, as Francie put it, it would mean making a lifestyle out of renovation, for several years. There's a bunch of stuff that needs to be done, and more that we'd like to do. Windows and doors need replacing. Chimneys need major work. Vinyl siding is atrocious, and at least needs a good scrub. To say nothing of ugly ceilings, rotted woodwork, and a seriously sketchy wood stove, even if we didn't do the demolition/addition.
Moar pixs pls?
This is the old goat shed, more recently a run-in shed for horses, currently a crap magnet and first candidate for demolition.
Front door is not in good shape, but very photogenic.
Not sure we're going to go for it, but it's helped us think about what we do want.
We've been trying to get in to see it for TWO MONTHS, put off with various weather-related and personal excuses, then suddenly last Friday the seller decided to have an open house. WTF?
Parenthetically but significantly, the listing agent is also the seller/resident. You know the saying that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client - the same holds for realtors. The property has been on the market for almost a year, de-listed and re-listed repeatedly. When she finally decided to show it, she tidied up the main living spaces, bud didn't de-clutter them, and every closet and storage space was completely full of crap. There was a bureau blocking the cellar stairs, and she seemed genuinely surprised that anyone would want to go down there.
There are also two listings, one for the house (with land), and one for the land (which just happens to have a house on it).
So, ambivalent about selling it, and ambivalent about how to market it.
Anyway, this is the back, with the ca. 1790 original house to the left (kitchen, small bedroom upstairs), and the 1835 addition to the right (living room, dining room, 2 bedrooms upstairs, full attic).
And the front of the house. (It's set sideways to the street, so "front" and "back" are relative to the doors.) There's also a tiny office and cute screen porch next to the road.
It's reminiscent of James & Jocelyn's house, with their large wood-stove room replaced with a somewhat smaller kitchen, and of course no barn.
If we bought this, we'd want to tear down the older portion, and build a larger addition on the back or side, and a barn. This property needs a barn, for both aesthetic and practical reasons. e.g. The cellar is low, stone-walled, dirt-floored, and tends to flood (seller says "only 3 times in the last 22 years, but two of those were the last two years").
On the plus side, it has two fairly unique things we have now - close walking distance to a boarding stable, and close walking (or riding) distance to a state forest. Plus it has four times the land we have now, so it would actually make sense to put up a barn, and it's zoned something like "heritage agricultural", so we could keep chickens and horses without hassle. It would be cool to be able to keep Gemini at home, and I'd like to be able to foster horses. OTOH, having a boarding stable practically next door would be handy before or instead. It's also on a quiet road, so we wouldn't have to worry about letting the cats out. (In 26 years of living together, we've never had a cat die of old age or illness - it's been the road every time.) Also, lilacs everywhere, paddock fencing already in place, and deeded access to a fishing/skating stream. Lots of little things add up.
On the minus side, as Francie put it, it would mean making a lifestyle out of renovation, for several years. There's a bunch of stuff that needs to be done, and more that we'd like to do. Windows and doors need replacing. Chimneys need major work. Vinyl siding is atrocious, and at least needs a good scrub. To say nothing of ugly ceilings, rotted woodwork, and a seriously sketchy wood stove, even if we didn't do the demolition/addition.
Moar pixs pls?
This is the old goat shed, more recently a run-in shed for horses, currently a crap magnet and first candidate for demolition.
Front door is not in good shape, but very photogenic.
Not sure we're going to go for it, but it's helped us think about what we do want.
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no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 05:56 am (UTC)Go for it - old houses need someone to love them, and I think you and f would be great at it.
I'd even come help you out sometimes...
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 07:47 am (UTC)How old is the roof? Any signs of leaks around the chimneys?
Did you get a peek in the basement? How old is the wiring?
Vinyl siding on an old house makes me nervous, it can trap moisture (especially if someone uses a power washer).
Looking at the front door, I'd want to check the sill under it.
"it would mean making a lifestyle out of renovation, for several years."
Possibly longer. :)
After 15 years of living in my house, I finally covered up the dirt floor with a concrete floor (with drains along the foundation). It's a big improvement.
p.s. Please don't tell Ann about your idea of keeping horses at the house.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 10:23 pm (UTC)I'm probably too lazy to keep horses at the house... Having someone else deal with it all is pretty sweet, really.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 08:42 am (UTC)That door is wonderful, even if it might need to go. My first thought when you said that you'd need to demolish the older part of the house was 'NOOOOOOOO!' but I do realize that there's a lot of difference between enjoying some history and having to live in it on a daily basis.
This is so exciting, looking for a new house. The one you've posted looks really gorgeous from the outside. ::hints for piccies of the inside if they become appropriate::
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 12:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 03:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 05:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 06:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 08:48 pm (UTC)Also, if the windows are creaky and need two people to open, those are candidates for replacement. Especially after this past winter, being able to let in some warm spring air is pretty nice.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 12:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 01:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 02:26 pm (UTC)(on the other hand, I grew up in an old farm house, I totally get the renovation draw :)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 03:07 pm (UTC)Good luck! ;-)
no subject
Date: 2011-03-12 10:26 pm (UTC)That said, it looks like a great house!
no subject
Date: 2011-03-13 11:22 pm (UTC)