We have a meeting with a realtor today. I set my alarm for 8:30, but was so excited that I woke up at 6:30 and couldn't get back to sleep.
I got up and took my laptop in the other room and wrote an essay I've been stressing about all weekend. It really wasn't all that hard. Part of the reason I didn't get it done on Friday like I meant to was because I was overwhelmed by the idea of the essay--it could make or break my job application. But another reason is simply that I don't have a quiet place of my own to work. This morning I went into the workout room and wrote my essay with the computer sitting on the treadmill; it's the most privacy I can really find.
Once I reserved my quiet spot and got to work, though, the essay came flowing out of me. A few revisions, and I was ready to submit my application. (Here's hoping!)
We're about to leave for the realtor, and I've been writing out a few last-minute questions I have about purchasing a home. Hopefully this meeting will be very educational.
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4 comments:
Yes, yes, you just want to sell your house ;>
Seriously though, do those houses need a lot done to them? We probably aren't going to end up with a new build after all, but we'd like to avoid having to replace everything in a few years' time.
Hmmm, to be honest, I really don't see you and Sean in Olde Towne; there IS a lot of upkeep and renovations needed for many of the houses, and those which have already been done are expensive. Also, a good bit of Olde Towne is nice enough, I suppose, but it butts RIGHT UP TO A VERY ROUGH PART OF AUGUSTA, and with the amount of electronics and things you guys would naturally collect, I just don't see that being a very good area for you. You're much better off staying in Martinez, or Columbia County, where the crime rates are lower, and you can find better, safer, more established, and "traditional" neighborhoods.
I'm not saying that if Olde Towne is where you want to be, that you shouldn't go there, just know that it's going to take a LOT more effort on the homeowners part, there, to keep their home (and themselves) safe and secure (structure, theft, etc.) than it would in other places in town.
Maybe you and Sean DO want to be part of a what seems to be an ongoing and semi-aggressive "take back our safe neighborhoods" type of area, and if so, Olde Towne is a perfect part of town for you. It IS picturesque, historic, and a much enjoyed place in Augusta.
Do also remember that I have never lived in Olde Towne, but only had had several friends over the years who have lived there, in either rented apartments or houses they have bought, and none of them stayed there very long. Theft was a big factor for most, and that was cars being broken into, as well as homes. Also, I know one couple who just did NOT feel safe in Olde Towne, no matter if it was day or night.
Just consider carefully, and don't settle for the first thing you see. True, the first place probably won't have every single amenity you'd LIKE for it to have, but I'm sure that you and Sean can get pretty close to it, and don't forget, if there's anything I can do to help you guys out, painting, cleaning, hanging curtains, whatEVER it may be, you know where I am... :D
If you buy a fixer upper, and learn from say, your dad, the people at Home Depot, etc, how to fix things yourself (you don't have to do them perfectly or majestically or anything like that, either), then when it comes time to sell a few years down the road, you should be able to make more money than you would have, (and end up with marketable skills) assuming you do avoid the worst neighborhoods. Not currently having kids makes such an idea more manageable, for obvious reasons. You could make this into a full time business. The cash flow that real estate can generate can be quite wonderful, take it from me. The cost of fixing things isn't nearly as expensive as it can be, if you do it yourself, buy parts and tools for which you have searched out the best deal, etc.
That's a thought.
The real estate market in Augusta is expected to keep growing, even if the rate of growth slows, because there are so many temporary-ish jobs here (not just at Fort Gordon, but also at places like SRS and MCG). I asked the mortgage broker today if he thought the bubble was going to burst, and he said he didn't think so. Indeed, Augusta has so far been insulated from the cooling housing market elsewhere in the US.
It could be a good opportunity to make some money.
I would have to do all the work myself, but that's not really an issue.
I'll have to think about this. I'm not sure Sean would go for it, so I need to be sure that I can commit to it before I try to convince him.
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