Well, we did it...... (1 Viewer)

[Joker]

Pam and I bought our first house today! (As long as all inspections are ok)Going to take the plunge into "real" adulthood. I have to say to those in Texas I used Texas Home Loans - Mortgage Loans, Home Equity Loans, Refinance Loans and it was very easy and painless. So if your in Texas, please consider them. The whole process was no wear near as bad as I anticipated. We have looked for a year but just us here and there, nothing hardcore. Then over the weekend we found a house we liked, Monday I called the mortgage company and got pre-approved, we met with the realtor last night and looked at the house and signed an offer sheet, this morning we just haggled back and forth a few times and finally got it all worked out so I'm fixing to be on my way to sign papers!

 

[Alan]

Pam and I bought our first house today! (As long as all inspections are ok)Going to take the plunge into "real" adulthood. I have to say to those in Texas I used Texas Home Loans - Mortgage Loans, Home Equity Loans, Refinance Loans and it was very easy and painless. So if your in Texas, please consider them. The whole process was no wear near as bad as I anticipated. We have looked for a year but just us here and there, nothing hardcore. Then over the weekend we found a house we liked, Monday I called the mortgage company and got pre-approved, we met with the realtor last night and looked at the house and signed an offer sheet, this morning we just haggled back and forth a few times and finally got it all worked out so I'm fixing to be on my way to sign papers!

Congratulations, that is HUGE!! My wife and I need to buy, we could really use the tax write-off, and now is the time, houses around here are down low, but still dropping.

 

[badger]

Congrats on homeownership. Welcome to annual maintenance rituals, etc. etc. Do yourself a huge favor and be pro-active when it comes to maintenance issues. Change the filters often, have your heat and air units checked every year, install smoke detectors, and most importantly watch your usage of electricity and gas.

I haved owned a few homes over the years and I can safely say that some lessons were learned the hard way.

Enjoy!

 

[JRX]

Congrats Justin....welcome to the real world! Termites, yard work, re-modeling, painting/wall papering, clutter....

and replacing the furnace/air conditioning/windows/toilets/doors/roof....

but it sure feels good opening that lock for the first time as a homeowner!

 

[afx421]

congrats, me and the ife bought our 1st house 11 months ago, welcome to poverty i hope you dont have a car that needs work, because there is always something you want to do with the house but its the greatest felling in the world, your own house!

 

[twok4hd]

Yeah, but now ya gonna have a Ga-rage to put all your chit in

 

[BF]

Pam and I bought our first house today! (As long as all inspections are ok)Going to take the plunge into "real" adulthood. I have to say to those in Texas I used Texas Home Loans - Mortgage Loans, Home Equity Loans, Refinance Loans and it was very easy and painless. So if your in Texas, please consider them. The whole process was no wear near as bad as I anticipated. We have looked for a year but just us here and there, nothing hardcore. Then over the weekend we found a house we liked, Monday I called the mortgage company and got pre-approved, we met with the realtor last night and looked at the house and signed an offer sheet, this morning we just haggled back and forth a few times and finally got it all worked out so I'm fixing to be on my way to sign papers!

Congrats Justin. Amazing that you could get it done so quickly. We had been pre-approved for a while after we moved here in 2002 and couldn't find anything we liked. Then the realtor we were working with came up with the house we're in now. It was on the market for all of one day and had two offers on it. Luckily, we got it. After living in a trailer for 6 months with 2 kids and 4 cats, we were happy to pay the asking price. It was, by far, the best house for the money we had seen and didn't want to risk missing out on it. (besides, I had to have that room that for all the diecast)

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

This is awesome Justin! Home ownership is the biggest and best, I might add, investment most families will ever make in their lifetimes. Benefits include, latitude with personal choices, greater security, tax deductions, equity potential, credit stabilization among others but, for me and my family, the best thing is the feeling of being home sweet home. Congratulations on your decision and your timing! Prices are the best they've been in four years and interest rates are now better than they've been for a very long time. Somehow, the current administration should be getting credit for some of this, wouldn't you think? Oh, that's right. It's still the liberal media reporting. Good thing you didn't listen to them about how awful things are. Congratulations are truly in order!

 

[Bad Rat]

That is great Justin...the Doc is right you made the right move at the right time.

So now for the important stuff, how big is the Garage? 220V? AC? Heated? Cable/Dish? Hoist? Fridge?

I am on the other end, my Wife and I are planning on listing our house since we are building a new one when the Road Restrictions are lifted some time in May. So if you know anybody who wants a Garage with all the fix'ins with a House attached in Minnesota have I got a deal for them...

Congrats!

 

[Joker]

Thanks everyone.* Yall are right, we bought it at the right time no doubt.* Its totally a buyers market right now.* The house we bought was custom built in 2000 for an older couple in there 70's and the wife has come down with cancer and they are moving in with there son out of town to help care for her.** So the house is in really great shape.* And the price we paid was awesome I think.** Ofcourse like everyone is saying, the prices are down right now.* They originally wanted $144,900 for it and they came down to $137,900 and then to $129,900 and Pam and I finally got them to $126,900 and they pay closing costs.* Trust me, there is nothing in our area that you can touch for that price thats half the house we just bought.* Its 1469 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath, wash room, big 2 car garage, and the best part you ask?* It has a custom built 350 sq ft sun room added to the back off it.* It cost them $8k last year to add it on.* Poker party's here we come!* We are excited.

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Wow! That's a deal!
As you may know (or not) Buzzz, Paul and I sell land and we have custom home lots that start in the $600K range so to get a complete home with all the goodies for that price, you win all the way around!
Way to go Leagues!

 

[Mike]

AWESOME MY BROTHER! A move that will make you happy for years to come.


When the open house party!

 

[Jenn]

Wow! Congratulations Justin and Pam!

Sounds like you got a bargain too!

 

[G'ginna]

Congratulations on the buy! Owning your own home is the best! I know!

 

[.]

Justin, congratulations, man!
This is awesome.

I'm with Pat, tell us about the garage!

Make sure to carry Pam across the threshold!
(but don't bonk her head into the door frame or drop her after)

You the man Justin!

 

[Joker]

The garage isint anything fancy but its nice. Plus we have a decent size shed out back that they left as well so I wont have to keep the lawn mower etc in the garage which is nice also. Bobby, I know you guys are realtors. Thats one great thing about living in Texas, our home prices here compared to other places are bargain basement prices. My cousin in South Carolina bought a house a few years ago that would sell for probably $110k here for $250k and ofcourse we all know little homes in New York and California are in the 500k and up range. For what you spend $600k on in Arizona I'm willing to bet that house here is probably $200k to $250k probably but I'm not sure how Arizona's price scale is.

Now I just have to go buy a washer, dryer, new fridge, bbq pit, etc etc etc. Fun times!

 

[Kelly]

That is awesome Justin! Congrats to you and Pam! So, where'd y'all end up buying?

 

["Dr. Dirt"]

Now I just have to go buy a washer, dryer, new fridge, bbq pit, etc etc etc. Fun times!

Craigslist & eBay baby! Let someone else pay full price then have to sell them when they move.

 

[Joker]

That is awesome Justin! Congrats to you and Pam! So, where'd y'all end up buying?

We actually winded up in Deer Park. We really like it there and the drive to and from work isint bad at all. We liked the Humble area and stuff and the real reason we were out there looking is b/c the same house, same builder, same floorplan there was in the $140's and in Deer Park its $170k. And I just couldnt bring myself to buy a new home for $30k more just b/c of where its at and then we found this house and couldnt pass on it. We just got lucky really. I will try and take some pics Monday night during the inpsection and I will show you guys.

 

[The Swegian]

Great news Justin! For some reason, I had assumed when I met you in Houston you already owned one. Oh, well, good for you. Sounds like you got a great deal. I am in my third house now and will stay in this one until I retire and move somewhere warm, at least for the winter.