Comments:

Ypsidixit - 2007-10-12 23:46:54
Have it carved on your bloody tombstone, already: "Not the Same Floor Plan as the Neighbors."
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 00:07:31
Note: In all fairness, realtors often make a good faith effort to clean meth homes by having them professionally cleaned with what they believe is a professional and appropriate service.

The problem is twofold: meth's toxins are not only insanely hideous, they are extremely pervasive. Think of drywall as the sponge it is. You should have seen the drywall in this house after 7 years of smoking cigarettes in it, before I painted the kitchen and living room. It was absolutely disgusting. I don't smoke indoors any longer. So, similarly, meth toxins seep into drywall, wood, ceilings, closets...it's really impossible to get it all out without razing the place.

The second point is that meth has only been around a few years. There is no standardized cleaning procedure at all. We've never had this problem before, except with lead paint, which is more straightforward and controllable.

(CYA time) I should also note that I am by no means making any allegations about this house. Real estate salesmen are a touchy lot--they insist, for example, that you elevate them above taco salesmen and car salesmen and their other brethren merchants by capitalizing "realtor" (as you do for, say, "Ph.D")--if you can believe that. God forbid I impugn their lofty self-image. I'm just dead curious. The documentary made me wonder, is all. I hope to find out.
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 00:24:43
Boy, that li'l house needs some TLC. Here's what I'd do to spiff 'er up, were it mine:

The ugly addition on the right, with the door, is a problem. It destroys the symmetry of the rest of the house, and the roof line is unattractive. Hack this off and pitch it, and instead make a big screened porch along the whole first-floor side to replace it.

What's that solar panel/skylight in the roof? Put in another one on the right, to make it symmetrical.

What's the deal with the dinky window on the left? Put in a window the same size as the one, on that wall, to the right. Also, put shutters (real) on these poor naked windows.

That tree on the right needs serious pruning. Take off that weak bottom branch and maybe the one above it.

Is that a homebrew hot tub, near the window? Ugg Lee! That's gotta go, along with all the trash on the patio. Plants, plants, plants are needed.
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 00:27:41
One more: change the focal door to the one in the center of the wall facing viewers. Create an entrez-vous here, perhaps only a grape arbor or wisteria arbor to frame that door and make it "pop."
-------------------------------
Laura - 2007-10-13 09:22:49
A couple comments, from a former Realtor: The term Realtor was created by the - big surprise - National Association of Realtors. It's a club, er, organization and as such, when a member is referred to by that name, it is capitalized - like you would capitalize Mason or Shriner. However, according to the law, you do not have to be a Realtor to sell real estate - you have to have a real estate license and either be a 'real estate agent' or a 'real estate broker.' Neither of those terms needs capitalization - just like taco salesmen or car salesmen. For all intents and purposes, you need to belong to the Board of Realtors (and thus be a Realtor) to actually do the job of real estate agent, though, as being a member gives you access to property listings and access to the 'multi-locks' that allow you into the houses you're showing. On the floor plan thing, imagine you're a Realtor (ok, you can wash afterwards) and you've shown your customer a billion McMansions in the same subdivision, all with the same floorplan. And they don't like that floorplan. So when a new listing in that same neighborhood comes up, you would normally ignore it, knowing that your customer doesn't like the floorplan in that neighborhood. But this one is different - so it actually is a feature, at least in terms of trying to sell a house in a cookie-cutter style neighborhood.
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 10:04:49
Laura, that is an informative and helpful reply to my comments. Your point about it being an association makes sense. I did not know there was a difference between the capitalized term and "real estate agent."

I am, however, quite glad there is no National Association of Assistant Editors that I'd be forced to join, and pay dues to, before getting access to first proofs. Sheesh.

I see what you mean about the different floorplan being a feature. That makes sense too. It hints at how exasperating it must be at times for a real estate agent to show some picky-picky home buyers a zillion houses, all perfectly nice, and they find fault with each one. That would drive me bananas. "Look," I'd say, "you have 48 hours to PICK ONE of the five trillion houses you've dragged me to, then you're going to SIGN the paperwork, MOVE IN and BE CONTENT already!" Which is why I'd fail miserably at this job.
-------------------------------
Teaspout - 2007-10-13 11:34:40
I, too, was wondering about the solar panel and as someone with mold issues am happy you raised the issue of meth lab contamination. In my ignorance, I suppose I don't know enough about the process of creating meth amphetamine and wonder how pervasive it is. Have you thought of these Katrina cottages? Could one of those be placed on the site after it is razed and not suffer contamination? One final thing, I used to be a taco salesman (salesperson) and as former Taco Bell employee of the month (lol) hope that you do not mean to denigrate this fine profession.
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 11:43:09
(quickly) Have I ever mentioned that my favorite food in the entire universe is Tacos, and that in my long and dwindling life I've never encountered a Taco Benefactor (that's what I call the estimable folk who bless us ordinary people by making available this divine comestible) who didn't astonish me with their otherworldly combination of impeccable morals, sky-high ethical standards, and Cordon Bleu-like food preparation skills? Yes! Oh, so true. Taco Benefactors! Ypsidixit salutes you!

-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 11:43:35
(mops sweat off forehead with hanky...)
-------------------------------
Anisoptera - 2007-10-13 12:45:15
I believe the "rent a mansion" trend is because right now it is very difficult to "sell a mansion". Or a house of any kind.
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 12:54:34
Indeed, Some of these house bargain prices make me consider--briefly--the possibility of buying a slightly larger one. But then I regain my senses and realize that the market for my tiny 1-bathroom is nil, that I love my house, "as is," and I couldn't bear to leave the yard anyways.

I was struck by the "rent a mansion" trend because I'd never seen that before, and because there is a stereotype that renting is a lower-income situation, so it struck me as incongruous for these high-income homes.
-------------------------------
Murph - 2007-10-13 14:49:41
Check the City / Township assessing records for the house, depending on which it's located in, and see if it was foreclosed on 3-6 months ago. There have been a number of houses coming on the market for ridiculously low prices because the banks want out - often, the banks will be selling them for 50-60% of the foreclosure amount, and the foreclosure amount will be maybe 75% of what the prior sale price was. A house that last sold for $100,000 may very well be up for sale for $35k if there was a foreclosure recently, owing solely to the bank's interest in cutting their losses and unloading property quickly.
-------------------------------
Murph - 2007-10-13 14:52:23
(And, I'll note, it seems to work: a lot of those foreclosures sell *fast*. I've seen a number of them that sold within a week or so of the foreclosure redemption period expiring. As long as you're willing to take a little risk with what condition the house is in, and make the decision to buy very quickly upon the house's hitting the market, there are some pretty excellent deals available right now.)
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 14:54:45
Yow! That is fascinating! Thank you, Murph! Wow, of all times to snap up some properties and lay the ground for a real estate empire...if there were any assurance that the market would recover sufficiently, or ever, to recoup one's investment.

That's really interesting, Murph. It is so nice to hear from people who really know what's going on. Dumb question: where are these records, and can anyone just waltz in and poke around in them? That would be very valuable info to have before initiating a buy...
-------------------------------
Ypsidixit - 2007-10-13 15:15:09
Murph's second comment: Within a week! In this market! Zowie. Hmm....I do note that there is snow on the ground in this house's photo, though...I've got to go check this out.
-------------------------------

add your comment:

back to the entry - Diaryland