Bad timing

[89th]

@Doctor-Phibes Wow, I presumed the septic system (whether 4 or 5 bedrooms) is mainly based on the expected volume and frequency to empty it. What does testing it mean? And yes, I know that question is prime meat for a good joke.

[Doctor Phibes]

@LuFins-Dad said in Bad timing:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

So, the house we were supposed to move into in 3 weeks time isn't hooked up to the sewer after all, as the listing said.

Worse, it's a 5-bedroom house with a septic system suitable for 4 bedrooms, and the bank don't like that at all, to the point where they may not give a mortgage. We're having the system tested, but in the words of George Lucas I've got a bad feeling about this. Our current house already failed its Title 5, so we're having to pay for 1 new septic. I sure as hell can't afford to pay for two.

Ours went on the market yesterday. I was worried about having two houses - now it looks like we might not have any....

Ugh. Sorry to hear that.

Buying a house seems so much more stressful when you already own one - in the past I've always been a first-time buyer - three times in total....

[George K]

@Doctor-Phibes oh, man, that's terrible.

It's good that you're not buying a potential disaster, but the thought of having to redo your septic is terrible. OTOH, with it being defective, it probably makes your place unsellable.

I've sold 3 houses - none of the experiences were was remotely pleasant.

[Horace]

That sounds very stressful. Sorry for all the bad luck with the septic systems Phibes.

[Horace]

My sale closed yesterday and I’m homeless now. In AZ on the way to TX. 19 more hours. We slept in the car, through an exciting thunderstorm with 60 mph winds. Knocked the power out of this whole highway rest stop area. But it’s calm now and the power is restored. It’s going to be very hot this week here in AZ, up to 110. But Houston will be better, only 85.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Horace said in Bad timing:

That sounds very stressful. Sorry for all the bad luck with the septic systems Phibes.

Thanks - it's certainly not ideal. I don't understand why they don't build sewers. It's bloody stupid in built up areas.

[Ivorythumper]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

@Horace said in Bad timing:

That sounds very stressful. Sorry for all the bad luck with the septic systems Phibes.

Thanks - it's certainly not ideal. I don't understand why they don't build sewers. It's bloody stupid in built up areas.

When was the house built? Ours was 1928, with a sewer system.

Btw for $20/year we got an underground utility rider on the homeowners insurance that covers repairs up to $25,000. For a 100 year old terracotta sewer system seems like cheap insurance….

[Doctor Phibes]

@Ivorythumper our current one is 1988, the next one is 1962.

[Ivorythumper]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

@Ivorythumper our current one is 1988, the next one is 1962.

I’m surprised a recent housing development in a major urban area would allow septic. Does the municipality have a waste sewer system?

[Doctor Phibes]

@Ivorythumper said in Bad timing:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

@Ivorythumper our current one is 1988, the next one is 1962.

I’m surprised a recent housing development in a major urban area would allow septic. Does the municipality have a waste sewer system?

The town put together a big study a few years back and came to the conclusion that hooking everyone up was the only way to go. Sadly, they put it to a vote and the short-sighted morons won the day. They were going to charge everyone about 18k to connect. I thought they would have been better spreading the cost throughout the entire town as they do when, for example, they build a school - everyone pays, not just the people who use it, and the septic system has real environmental dangers for everyone

[Ivorythumper]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

@Ivorythumper said in Bad timing:

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

@Ivorythumper our current one is 1988, the next one is 1962.

I’m surprised a recent housing development in a major urban area would allow septic. Does the municipality have a waste sewer system?

The town put together a big study a few years back and came to the conclusion that hooking everyone up was the only way to go. Sadly, they put it to a vote and the short-sighted morons won the day. They were going to charge everyone about 18k to connect. I thought they would have been better spreading the cost throughout the entire town as they do when, for example, they build a school - everyone pays, not just the people who use it, and the septic system has real environmental dangers for everyone

The masses are asses.

[Copper]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Bad timing:

They were going to charge everyone about 18k to connect.

That is a lot of money for the average homeowner.

Shouldn't the county issue a long term bond issue or something like that to cover the cost.

Like this: https://www.schwab.com/learn/story/understanding-municipal-revenue-bonds

[brenda]

@89th said in Bad timing:

Congrats @Horace, my realtor had the same signature in her email too. Perhaps it’s semantics, but usually when you both sign the closing papers, the property is officially transferred to the new owner unless you had a rent-back in the contract. Anyway, time to buy that Apple Air Tag.

@Doctor-Phibes exciting, and best of luck. Yes market timing isn’t the best compared to 6 months ago but compare it to 6 years ago or even 10 years ago…I’m sure you’re home value is up. You should move to Minnesota btw. Horace too.

+1 and +1

Yes, everyone should move to Minnesooooooota!!!

[Horace]

Got here and the first stop was the home we have a contract for. Not to the taste of the important half of the decision makers. Some unwelcome things have become apparent now that the fencing is in. Looks like we will be renting for a while. On the bright side, the Airbnb is very nice. But we will only be here for 4 weeks.

[George K]

@Horace said in Bad timing:

Some unwelcome things have become apparent now that the fencing is in

Like....?

[Horace]

@George-K said in Bad timing:

@Horace said in Bad timing:

Some unwelcome things have become apparent now that the fencing is in

Like....?

The yard is too small. The back yard, and the side yards. The windows in the bedrooms that face the side of the house, make those rooms feel like jail cells, with the privacy fence an arm’s length away.

[Friday]

@Horace

I'm surprised that the house and yard are like that. I would expect that in California, not in Texas.

[George K]

@Horace said in Bad timing:

@George-K said in Bad timing:

@Horace said in Bad timing:

Some unwelcome things have become apparent now that the fencing is in

Like....?

The yard is too small. The back yard, and the side yards. The windows in the bedrooms that face the side of the house, make those rooms feel like jail cells, with the privacy fence an arm’s length away.

I’m surprised that wasn’t obvious from the listing or sale documents.

[Horace]

@Friday said in Bad timing:

@Horace

I'm surprised that the house and yard are like that. I would expect that in California, not in Texas.

These master planned communities are built to maximize number of houses. There’s lots of space, but that doesn’t mean lots of space per house. See for instance the satellite view I posted above.

Better lots are available, but they come at the cost of price and time. You have to buy the lot first, then build on it. The less expensive options are resale houses and inventory houses. Inventory are the new homes the builder builds on spec. If they complete before they go under contract, then they are sold at whatever price the market will bear. In a market like today’s, that is about 10% less than the wishful list prices of 4 months ago.

Right now we are considering buying a nice lot and building on it. That would take most of 2023 probably.

[Horace]

@George-K said in Bad timing:

@Horace said in Bad timing:

@George-K said in Bad timing:

@Horace said in Bad timing:

Some unwelcome things have become apparent now that the fencing is in

Like....?

The yard is too small. The back yard, and the side yards. The windows in the bedrooms that face the side of the house, make those rooms feel like jail cells, with the privacy fence an arm’s length away.

I’m surprised that wasn’t obvious from the listing or sale documents.

It should not have come as a great surprise. But it’s all good. I’m excited to be free if this contract and re-enter the market in some months.

Then again we might find something tomorrow. Or we might decide to go with this current place at a substantial price reduction.