Here is the house I just made an offer on

[TJones]

^The trick to buying a house is finding the worst one in the best neighborhood, and spend the little extra making the updates needed, and then after you have lived in it awhile, make your money and do it all over again.

Edited August 1, 2006 by TJones

[TJones]

^The trick to buying a house is finding the worst one in the best neighborhood, and spend the little extra making the updates needed, and then after you have lived in it awhile, make your money and do it all over again.

Well, good news.......good news. I have found my next home and they have accepted the offer. Now how am I gonna pay for it ?

Edited September 1, 2006 by TJones

[Lowbrow]

Congrats TJ! Where at?

[Pumapayam]

Would you like a cookie for that?

congrats!

[sevfiv]

nice! is that carpet in the living area?

i love the philodendron by the pool!

[TJones]

HEE HEE! Sev, believe it or not, I stepped into a timewarp when I walked into that house. That is ORIGINAL 1979 SHAG carpet, in pristine condition. I am not kidding. The house is meticulously kept. I just dropped the earnest money and the $100 to the seller in case I flake, but that ain't happenin'. I cannot wait. New House, meet your new wood floors.

On a cul-de-sac, with a pool, zero paint or foundation work needed. Lush landscaping. TODAY......DAY......DAY, I FEEL........EEL........EEL, LIKE THE LUCKIEST MAN...........MAN.........MAN, IN THE WORLD........ORLD........ORLD !

Edited September 1, 2006 by TJones

[Guest Marty]

Well, good news.......good news. I have found my next home and they have accepted the offer. Now how am I gonna pay for it ?

I like the trees are thay red maple's ?

[Subdude]

Congratulatons man! I have to admit I'm jealous over the pool and atrium!

[TJones]

Congratulatons man! I have to admit I'm jealous over the pool and atrium!

Thanks brotha ! After the 20th house we looked at, we finally found the right one. My wife saw it the day before yesterday at 4am when she was up with our newborn, we did a driveby at 9am, saw the house at 11am and had the bid in at 12:30pm. I was getting a little nervous at this point, because someone had come in with a cash offer, but apparently it was really lowball. But a prayer had produced a sign. My realtor's boyfriend is very very good friends with the neighbors, who are in fact very good friends with the owner. My realtor's boyfriend vouched for me and BOOM, the house is ours.

[TJones]

Just a quick update for everyone. I close on Friday, talk about excitement. No foundation problems AT ALL. I gotta put a few collars around the rafters where they meet the beam, about $150 bucks, add a couple of gutters, and install the jacuzzi tub for two in the master bath, and I am all set.

btw, Sub, that there is a HEATED pool, I got giddy when I found that out. I am STOKED !

Thanks to everyone that congratulated me, this is the 3rd house I've owned, and my wife says it may be the last, I then asked her about our retirement home in Lake Tahoe, and she said "like you are gonna be able to retire."

Edited September 20, 2006 by TJones

[retromodernjeff]

Just a quick update for everyone. I close on Friday, talk about excitement. No foundation problems AT ALL. I gotta put a few collars around the rafters where they meet the beam, about $150 bucks, add a couple of gutters, and install the jacuzzi tub for two in the master bath, and I am all set.

btw, Sub, that there is a HEATED pool, I got giddy when I found that out. I am STOKED !

Thanks to everyone that congratulated me, this is the 3rd house I've owned, and my wife says it may be the last, I then asked her about our retirement home in Lake Tahoe, and she said "like you are gonna be able to retire."

Hey TJones, want to buy my house so I can finally move to Houston, its only 30min to Tahoe Incline Village and 15min to Mt Rose to Ski.

[TJones]

Hey TJones, want to buy my house so I can finally move to Houston, its only 30min to Tahoe Incline Village and 15min to Mt Rose to Ski.

How far from Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ?

Edited September 20, 2006 by TJones

[retromodernjeff]

How far from Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ?

Squaw Valley is 1hr away, over the I 80 into California, same for Alpine. An hour is as far as you need to go for any skiing, there as so many places within that drive time. Really it would be quicker but the winding mountain roads you know.

[TJones]

Squaw Valley is 1hr away, over the I 80 into California, same for Alpine. An hour is as far as you need to go for any skiing, there as so many places within that drive time. Really it would be quicker but the winding mountain roads you know.

Oh I know ! I've nearly gone off of a couple of those curves Xmas of '85 AND '87.

Edited September 20, 2006 by TJones

[Guest Marty]

Do you feel like a kid the day before Christmas.

[TJones]

Do you feel like a kid the day before Christmas.

LOL! Thursday WILL be like the day before Xmas.

[Norhill Dennis]

Congrats TJ! Before you install a Jacuzzi int the bathroom, you might want to look into air tubs. They have no pipes to clog, feel WAYYYYYYY better than a whirlpool type and your wife can do mud baths, oatmeal, oils or whatever in them. I love mine! It's by Bain Ultra.

Dennis

[TJones]

Congrats TJ! Before you install a Jacuzzi int the bathroom, you might want to look into air tubs. They have no pipes to clog, feel WAYYYYYYY better than a whirlpool type and your wife can do mud baths, oatmeal, oils or whatever in them. I love mine! It's by Bain Ultra.

Dennis

Thank You Mr. Dennis, I most certainly WILL look into that, what's the cost difference ? The whirlpools I have been looking at go for about $1000 to $1200. I need a 6' with about a 21" deep and at least 32" to 36" wide.

Edited September 21, 2006 by TJones

[dalparadise]

Thank You Mr. Dennis, I most certainly WILL look into that, what's the cost difference ? The whirlpools I have been looking at go for about $1000 to $1200. I need a 6' with about a 21" deep and at least 32" to 36" wide.

How about adding a spa to the pool area? Since your pool is already heated? I have a whirlpool bath in my bathroom and a spa by my pool -- I use the spa probably 10:1 over the tub. In the winter, when it's 40 degrees, my wife and I turn the spa up to 102 and pop open champagne. It's the best.

[TJones]

How about adding a spa to the pool area? Since your pool is already heated? I have a whirlpool bath in my bathroom and a spa by my pool -- I use the spa probably 10:1 over the tub. In the winter, when it's 40 degrees, my wife and I turn the spa up to 102 and pop open champagne. It's the best.

That may be the way to go, but a little more expensive me thinks. I will look into both.

[gnu]

That may be the way to go, but a little more expensive me thinks. I will look into both.

Seems it would be WAY more expensive...almost like putting in another whole pool - even if you already have the heaters and pumps.

they would have to call out all the subs again...plumbing, electrical, etc. i am thinking 10k minimum and i am being very generous.

[TJones]

Seems it would be WAY more expensive...almost like putting in another whole pool - even if you already have the heaters and pumps.

they would have to call out all the subs again...plumbing, electrical, etc. i am thinking 10k minimum and i am being very generous.

WHOA!, I am not gonna ADD it to the pool, I will get a stand alone. You almost had me crying, but, lucky for me, I can read your mind.

[dalparadise]

WHOA!, I am not gonna ADD it to the pool, I will get a stand alone. You almost had me crying, but, lucky for me, I can read your mind.

Right, that's what I meant. Add it to the pool AREA. Then, when it's cold out, you can set your pool temp for 74-75 and your spa for 100-102. Go back and forth between the two every 20 minutes or so -- it's incredible.

The point I was making was that, in general, heating a pool to comfortable swimming temps will make you go broke pretty quickly. When it's really cold, the spa is the way to go for enjoying the outside in the water. The pool at 74 just kinda shocks you back into normal temp range.

one good thing about a heated pool is the ability to extend your swim season. Remember, anything below 98 degrees or so(body temp) will feel cool to the touch. I can't get in water below 80 degrees for extended periods of time. My ideal is about 87 degrees -- refreshing, but not chilling.

So, in the spring or fall, when the water temp is about 78 or so, I fire up the heater and raise it to 82 and enjoy swimming. 4 degrees isn't that expensive to raise and maintain. When the water is considerably cooler than 78, we use the spa exclusively -- with occasional back and forth nights, as I described above.

[Norhill Dennis]

I paid about $1100 for my air tub which is a 5' alcove tub. I don't think a bigger one would cost much more. Check on-line for them. I truly recommend them - they are amazing!

Dennis

[TJones]

I paid about $1100 for my air tub which is a 5' alcove tub. I don't think a bigger one would cost much more. Check on-line for them. I truly recommend them - they are amazing!

Dennis

Thanks my friend. Good news, my existing tub is a 5.5' tub. I won't have to be pushing any walls back. I spent my first night at the house last night, and it was amazing how refreshed i felt waking up in that house. I was gonna jump in the pool, but I was running late for work.

[Guest Marty]

Thanks my friend. Good news, my existing tub is a 5.5' tub. I won't have to be pushing any walls back. I spent my first night at the house last night, and it was amazing how refreshed i felt waking up in that house. I was gonna jump in the pool, but I was running late for work.

That's nice to here did you jump in the pool yet. have you Bar B Que yet. have you sat on the front porch and drank a beer yet. come on tell us. You lucky devil you. >

[TJones]

That's nice to here did you jump in the pool yet. have you Bar B Que yet. have you sat on the front porch and drank a beer yet. come on tell us. You lucky devil you. >

All the above, except sit out front. I was loungin' under the back porch though drinkin' some Budweisers. I cooked Fajitas yesterday, some of the best I've made, IMO. I had put the heater on the pool for about 4 hours and it had already climbed to 92*, the water was perfect when I jumped in at about 7am yesterday. I swam 20 laps, alot harder than I thought. Then my newborn woke up about 30 minutes later and Momma brought her out to me, and we swam for a little bit, then my 4yr. old heard the commotion, and jumped in with us. It was a good day.

[Gary]

All the above, except sit out front. I was loungin' under the back porch though drinkin' some Budweisers. I cooked Fajitas yesterday, some of the best I've made, IMO. I had put the heater on the pool for about 4 hours and it had already climbed to 92*, the water was perfect when I jumped in at about 7am yesterday. I swam 20 laps, alot harder than I thought. Then my newborn woke up about 30 minutes later and Momma brought her out to me, and we swam for a little bit, then my 4yr. old heard the commotion, and jumped in with us. It was a good day.

Tj, hows the house?

[TJones]

LOL! Funny you should ask. The pool is a beautiful GREEN, because I have a busted pool pump I will have to replace, $330. I have to replace the sheetrock in my daughter's bedroom because of the weird drainage of the front flowerbed has let water into the weep holes and..........well, it is tought o explain, but about a $200 job, pain in the butt to do also. I have pulled the carpet and just looking for the right wood to put down. The wife just couldn't handle the shag anymore. I have a funky thing going on with my sprinkler system, that I can't figure out, and a light fixture that seems to want to work when it feels like, but it is in the wiring. ALL these are easy fixes I just don;t have enough time for, so they have all piled up on me. OH YEAH! I forgot I have 6 palm trees that are in dire need of trimming, but everyone want $600 to $700 to do the work, guess I will have to bite the bullet on that one. Oh the joys of owning a home. Thanks for asking Gary.................grumble,grumbble,grumble.

[rapturematt]

LOL! Funny you should ask. The pool is a beautiful GREEN, because I have a busted pool pump I will have to replace, $330. I have to replace the sheetrock in my daughter's bedroom because of the weird drainage of the front flowerbed has let water into the weep holes and..........well, it is tought o explain, but about a $200 job, pain in the butt to do also. I have pulled the carpet and just looking for the right wood to put down. The wife just couldn't handle the shag anymore. I have a funky thing going on with my sprinkler system, that I can't figure out, and a light fixture that seems to want to work when it feels like, but it is in the wiring. ALL these are easy fixes I just don;t have enough time for, so they have all piled up on me. OH YEAH! I forgot I have 6 palm trees that are in dire need of trimming, but everyone want $600 to $700 to do the work, guess I will have to bite the bullet on that one. Oh the joys of owning a home. Thanks for asking Gary.................grumble,grumbble,grumble.

It is amazing how much work it is to have the American Dream. Hope everything works out for you.