On Apr 22, 11:58*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> spermtrap1888 wrote:
>
> > If you're looking to make your house appealing to today's buyers, make
> > a tour of open houses in your area, and note what sort of cabinets,
> > sinks, etc., the developers are putting in.
>
> What good will that do... are you going to rebuild... you'll never see
> any return on that kind of investment. *It's far wiser to spruce up
> what you already have than to replace.

The object is to sell your house quickly. Your competition is the
model houses. Few people want to buy a house out of nostalgia for the
50s or even the 70s (burnt orange shag carpeting? Avocado
appliances?).

> Get out the cleaning supplies,
> wash all walls and woodwork, repaint if need be... even paint is no
> longer cheap, today a gallon of decent paint costs about $50, and
> cheap paint won't cover so you'll need twice as much. *Hire Stanley
> Steemer to spruce up your tired carpeting... have the hosue exterior
> power washed.

Fresh paint, and new carpeting depending how old it was. Do you want
to get a fixer-upper price or a market price?

> It's smarter to price a home realistically than to
> invest good money into a worn out abode.

Good for the guy who buys your house, spends a few K at Lowe's, and
flips it for a nice fat profit.

> Old fashioned elbow grease
> costs very little compared with rebuilding and will actually give a
> return... no legitimate buyers will even look at your new counters
> because to address them at all can only raise the purchase price. When
> selling the best one can do is go down the check list of the
> mechanicals a bank will look at, bring those into compliance to save
> the sale from failing at closing. *No lender will disqualify for old
> fashioned worn counters but they will for a broken heating/cooling
> system, a contaminated well, a malfunctioning septic, a leaky roof,
> bad wiring, etc. *I've seen deals fall through due to broken door
> locks... be sure every door in the house latches properly, that
> bathroom lock emergency entry is operable, and all exterior door keys
> work. *Be sure all stair railings and exterior lights are to code.

Once you have a buyer lined up, you can work on your punch list.
Houses are sold first based on emotional reactions, then on
practicalities.

> There are companys that a realtor will recommend that will make sure a
> house passes the lender's check list, that service is reasonably
> priced and most repairs are nominal, even bringing a slow septic up to
> par costs little... that's a much better investment than granite
> counters... save buying granite for your cemetery plot.

If everybody else has granite, you can no longer skate by with
Formica. If everybody else has central air, you can no longer skate by
with window units. If everybody has a microwave over the stove, you
can no longer skate by with one on the counter. You have to have a
built-in dishwasher, even if you don't use it.

But what does it matter? Brokelyn will die in that house and then the
Cat Welfare Society will have to fix it up for sale.

On 4/22/2012 7:58 PM, mdix wrote:

> If everybody else has granite, you can no longer skate by with
> Formica. If everybody else has central air, you can no longer skate by
> with window units. If everybody has a microwave over the stove, you
> can no longer skate by with one on the counter. You have to have a
> built-in dishwasher, even if you don't use it.

The funny part to me is that there is nothing wrong with anything that
he mentioned. I even have a brand new roof. Again, not done to sell
the house but because it was time.

Mark Thorson > wrote:
> Cheryl wrote:
>>
>> I picked a deep color for the granite called "peacock green" and
>> wouldn't have gone with dark if not for the under-cabinet lighting I had
>> installed. I can't wait!
>
> Has it been tested for radioactivity?
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/ga...pagewanted=all

A radon mitigation person usually does not have access to a Geiger counter.
I might have one that works, but I measured levels above background on my
furnace air filter before installing radon fan. You would have to ask
around for those who might have a Geiger counter. Other than radon from
under basement slab, I have two sources of radiation. An old pentax lens
with uranium oxide coated lens, and an old little ben clock.

Greg

I like your caledonia choice-the "gold" yellow one above it on that
webpage would totally turn me off buying a place regardless of being
able to switch out counters and ditto for the greens on that other
website.

I very much enjoyed looking at all the patterns & colors-azul aran for
example would be neat in a beach house, with its blues and greens.
Anyway, now that I know just how many color choices there are, a granite
headstone in green would surely stand out from all the grays browns and
blacks :-)

People buy houses for personal taste not sensibilities. My parents
downsized after retirement to a lake house, then upsized when old age
and closer healthcare became more important. The house they then bought
was completely inappropriate for their stage in life, but my mother fell
in love with the front door lol.

So much so she ignored the steep driveway needing shoveled, enormous
yard needing mowed, special landscaping needing attention, laundry in
the basement, steep steps, step-in bathtub/shower, etc. They have since
downsized again to an age-appropriate location.

gregz > wrote:
> Mark Thorson > wrote:
>> Cheryl wrote:
>>>
>>> I picked a deep color for the granite called "peacock green" and
>>> wouldn't have gone with dark if not for the under-cabinet lighting I had
>>> installed. I can't wait!
>>
>> Has it been tested for radioactivity?
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/ga...pagewanted=all
>
> A radon mitigation person usually does not have access to a Geiger counter.
> I might have one that works, but I measured levels above background on my
> furnace air filter before installing radon fan. You would have to ask
> around for those who might have a Geiger counter. Other than radon from
> under basement slab, I have two sources of radiation. An old pentax lens
> with uranium oxide coated lens, and an old little ben clock.
>
> Greg

Funny thing, the acceptable radon limit, is the same as smoking 1/4 pack
cigs a Day.

Greg

gregz > wrote:

>gregz > wrote:

>Funny thing, the acceptable radon limit, is the same as smoking 1/4 pack
>cigs a Day.

That's unacceptable.


Steve

"I'll take a glass of megapurple with my pink slime, please"

Janet wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>> "Janet" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> In article >, replyto@inemail
>>> says...
>>>> On 4/20/2012 11:29 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Watch an episode of Million Dollar Listings on Bravo network. Some
>>>>> people insist on granite, certain colors, etc.
>>>>> Then there was the couple that wanted $1.5 million in remodel and got
>>>>> it on the place they paid $16 million for. All cash!.
>>>> Love that show. Amazing what you see, and real estate shows
>>>> bring out just how nutty people really are when shopping for
>>>> or selling a house.
>>> Ask any estate agent; there are plenty of timewasters for whom "viewing
>>> houses for sale" is a weekend social outing. They've got no serious
>>> intention of selling, moving, buying (or the means to do it). Now they
>>> can do it on TV.
>>>
>>> Janet.
>>>
>> I used to do that as a teenager... go to open houses, look around at what
>> was for sale. I was earning minimum wage and couldn't have afforded the
>> paper the deed was printed on. But it was fun looking at the homes. Now I
>> enjoy watching home buyers with minimal budgets and unrealistic expectations
>> get shot down on TV
>
> Me too :-) My favourite at the moment is "Grand Designs Australia" (not
> to be confused with the same concept GD in Britain). The Australian one
> has people with zero taste or sense building their dream home, usually
> without an architect or workable plans, with predictably awful results.
>
> Janet

Sometimes, I wish I watched TV.

--
Jean B.

jmcquown wrote:
>
> "Janet" > wrote in message
> ...
>> In article >,
>> says...
>>
>>> But my house isn't paid for, and I'm not retired. In this job market I
>>> want to be able to sell in a hurry if I have to. With so many houses
>>> out there for sale and not moving I want mine to stand out.
>>
>> It doesn't work like that. In a crowded market, if buyers have
>> choice of
>> several more or less identical homes, they will buy the cheapest and use
>> the money they save for something else.. maybe a new kitchen, but if
>> cooking is not a priority for them they'll spend it on something they
>> like
>> better.
>>
>> If you need to sell fast in a sticky market, set the price lower than
>> the
>> competition.
>>>
>>> I will take under advisement some of the comments about going more
>>> neutral, but I'm definitely going with granite. I just love the way it
>>> looks.
>>
>> That's the only reason to go for it; pleasing yourself.
>>
>> Janet.
>>
>>
> That's absolutely correct, Janet. Got the money? Spend it to please
> yourself. But don't plan on potential buyers to be willing to pay for
> your choices.
>
> Jill
They may not pay for some choices but they will discount for out of date
flooring, counter tops, etc.

On Apr 21, 10:14*am, Gary > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
>
> > Wallpapering is a fun project,
>
> Your mileage may vary there! *

Agreed, and I only did it once with rather straight walls...

On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:24:49 -0700 (PDT), Bryan
> wrote:

> On Apr 22, 11:21*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> > *If you want to do a kitchen
> > up-grade add a small walk-in pantry, that will return your investment
> > twice over and actually help sell your house, granite counters will be
> > a total loss and won't help sell your house even a little bit... used
> > granite has the value of used panties.
>
> Well, there are used panties, and there are used panties. One
> person's used panties is another person's *used panties* Assigning
> value or the lack thereof of used panties is a very subjective thing.
> Now I'll be thinking about used panties even more than usual.
>
As usual, he has no idea what he's talking about.


--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.

In article >, angie-
says...

> People buy houses for personal taste not sensibilities


My parents
> downsized after retirement to a lake house, then upsized when old age
> and closer healthcare became more important. The house they then bought
> was completely inappropriate for their stage in life, but my mother fell
> in love with the front door lol.
>
> So much so she ignored the steep driveway needing shoveled, enormous
> yard needing mowed, special landscaping needing attention, laundry in
> the basement, steep steps, step-in bathtub/shower, etc. They have since
> downsized again to an age-appropriate location.

Three housemoves cost a lot of money down the drain. Money she could
have spent on the kitchen /bathroom front door of her own taste and
choice.

Janet

In article >,
says...
>
> On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:24:49 -0700 (PDT), Bryan
> > wrote:
>
> > On Apr 22, 11:21*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> > > *If you want to do a kitchen
used
> > > granite has the value of used panties.
> >
> > Well, there are used panties, and there are used panties. One
> > person's used panties is another person's *used panties* Assigning
> > value or the lack thereof of used panties is a very subjective thing.
> > Now I'll be thinking about used panties even more than usual.
> >
> As usual, he has no idea what he's talking about.

But it's interesting to know Sheldon's panties are made of granite .

Janet

On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:45:21 -0700, sf > wrote:

>On Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:24:49 -0700 (PDT), Bryan
> wrote:
>
>> On Apr 22, 11:21*am, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
>> > *If you want to do a kitchen
>> > up-grade add a small walk-in pantry, that will return your investment
>> > twice over and actually help sell your house, granite counters will be
>> > a total loss and won't help sell your house even a little bit... used
>> > granite has the value of used panties.
>>
>> Well, there are used panties, and there are used panties. One
>> person's used panties is another person's *used panties* Assigning
>> value or the lack thereof of used panties is a very subjective thing.
>> Now I'll be thinking about used panties even more than usual.
>>
>As usual, he has no idea what he's talking about.

We've all heard of the cast iron bitch... meet sf, the granite bitch!
LOL-LOL

Sh-sh-sh-shelley bitched:

> >As usual, he has no idea what he's talking about.
>
> We've all heard of the cast iron bitch... meet sf, the granite bitch!

Truth hurts, eh?

On 4/23/2012 4:34 AM, Janet wrote:
> In >, angie-
> says...
>
>> People buy houses for personal taste not sensibilities
>
>
> My parents
>> downsized after retirement to a lake house, then upsized when old age
>> and closer healthcare became more important. The house they then bought
>> was completely inappropriate for their stage in life, but my mother fell
>> in love with the front door lol.
>>
>> So much so she ignored the steep driveway needing shoveled, enormous
>> yard needing mowed, special landscaping needing attention, laundry in
>> the basement, steep steps, step-in bathtub/shower, etc. They have since
>> downsized again to an age-appropriate location.
>
> Three housemoves cost a lot of money down the drain. Money she could
> have spent on the kitchen /bathroom front door of her own taste and
> choice.
>

Some people you just can't talk out of anything. I know many of them.
The only lesson is when they want to learn it themselves.