Housing Humor 2

Enjoy a little housing humor!

 

 

Photos taken from Google.com

Before and After Inspiration

I have added inspiring before and after photos to show you how old can be new again or torn out and become modern.  You can see what a big difference each of the remodels do for each house or room of the house.  The housing exteriors are most amazing to me.  The first photo looks like a completely different house. Enjoy!

 

 

In the kitchen changing out the cabinets and the counter tops are most common. What a difference it makes!  In the second photo they changed out a simple light and the room looks completely different.

 

 

 

In a bathroom changing out old tile or a vanity changes the entire look and feel.  You can also cheaply paint the vanity to make it look new again!  Painting a room can make a huge difference as well.

 

And lastly my favorite.  If you have kids and an old TV entertainment center you can make your kids a play kitchen!



Roof Styles and Materials



 

There are several different styles of roofs:

 

 

Several different varieties of roof coverings:



Roof Sustainability:

According to the American Society of Home Inspectors, the longest lasting roof covering is slate.  They state slate typically lasts anywhere from 30 to 100 years, asphalt lasts 15 to 20 years, clay 20 years or more, metal lasts 20 to 40 years and wood typically lasts 10 to 40 years.  The sustainability has a lot to do with the product used, environment/weather, and sun exposure.

Neighborhood Crime

Neighborhood Crime can take place anywhere.  Before purchasing a home it is a good idea to do as much research as possible to find out about the neighborhood and the crime rate.  You want to purchase in as safe neighborhood as possible.  Some cities have joined and released information to the public so residences can search their specific house or neighborhood to see what type of crime has happened near by.  Feel free to check out this site, not all cities have adopted this site so you may have to use other sites to search your local area.  It doesn't hurt to talk to the neighbors and check out local papers or new reports in addition.  Also, driving by the house at different times of the day to see the type of activities that take place on a normal basis may also help see what kind of neighborhood you are moving into.

Right Sized Buying

Many buyers can afford more home than they need, it doesn’t mean they should purchase the size they can afford.  There are lots of considerations that should be made when looking for a home in the city (buyers for farm properties have different needs and wants than typical city buyers):

 

Longevity:

You want a home you can grow into if you are a young person or a couple and plan to get married and/or have children in the future. That way you don’t have to move with every addition to the family.  The opposite if you are nearing retirement.  You probably want a ranch or a home with a first level bedroom in case of any potential unforeseen medical issues. That way you don’t have to purchase a new home in order to still live on your own.

Affordability:

You want to make sure you are not trying to stretch every pay check just to make a house payment.  Too many people live beyond their means just for the perception of a large home and life style.

The larger the home, the higher the utility bills, higher potential maintenance costs, more time spent cleaning/dusting.

If you purchase a smaller house with a lesser payment you could potentially pay off the home early and save thousands in interest.

Location/Conveniences:

Consider location and future potential of what could be built nearby.  You can check with the local city planning department to see what they have planned for a specific area.

Purchasing near well-known school districts and/or desirable locations typically helps resale as others want to be in the same area.  In these areas home values typically stay steadier due to the desire of others to be in that location.

Age/Updates:

When purchasing an older home make sure the structure and large expenses have recently been updated such as recent roof replacement, newer windows, new furnace/ a/c, hot water heater.  You don’t want to dish out a ton of cash right off the bat fixing the home unless you purposely purchased a fixer upper.  Also, you may want to make sure they have completed some recent updates to the kitchen and bathrooms. These can be large expenses you might have to upgrade when you resell in order to be competitive with the market.

 

There are many more must have or requirements for each individual which will also play in your home buying decision. Happy New Year, and Happy house hunting!