Over the weekend, I was back to busting my ass in the house. The shower upstairs was tiled and grouted, doors were sanded/painted, trim was put up, etc etc. Amanda also cleaned a bunch of windows, so that's done. Still a lot more work to be done for the Open House on Sunday, but it's definitely manageable. The biggest project left is cleaning up the basement. Ugh.
In other news, the Realtors are done in the house. A second one toured the place last Thursday and my buying agent, John McCann toured it last Friday, and again this morning. The prices are in:
Doreen (Century 21) - 239,900 - 249,900
Michele (Coldwell Banker) - 200,00 - 225,000
John (Coleman Realtors) - 249,000 - 259,000
Overall, pretty good numbers and I'm a little excited to sell this place. First things first though, I need to choose a Realtor. Each one has some pros/cons, obviously, and each is capable and has been in the business for awhile.
The first two work for big corporations, which is generally a good thing in this case. Everyone knows the two firms they work for and visit their sites frequently. On the other hand, they each have a lot of listings, and thus, their time will be divided.
John works for a smaller, local agency and thus, doesn't have the huge resources and built in infrastructure of the other two. That's not good. On the other hand, he actually invited all of the agents there to view the house this morning. 17 of them showed up for the tour. They are more of a 'team' than the larger corporations, and will collaborate accordingly.
Either way, Amanda and I will chat about it tonight and try to make a decent decision. Either way (again), we're going to choose someone tonight, clean a few rooms, take a few pictures and get this place listed tomorrow.
Hooray.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Realtors and Selling This S-Hole.
So. The place is almost done. I want to sell it as soon as it is. In order to do that, I need to get some advice from Realtors. That process started yesterday.
I reached out to a handful of agencies and am having people take a tour of the house and then provide me with prices/etc. Last evening, the first Realtor, from Century 21, traipsed through the house. Amanda and I pointed out what had been done to the place, she made some remarks and promised to get back to me with her thoughts today.
I just got her email. 239,900 - 249,00. That's pretty good. From the first day I researched the house, after the initial tour, I wanted to get 250k when I sold it. Not too bad.
I have another meeting at lunch today with the second Realtor, and a third will be showing up on Friday.
Since this will be done this week, I am going to sign with a realtor early next week and have an open house on the 17th.
Awesome. Its kind of exciting, even though I still need to finish the stupid house and put in a tub and tile and clean and decorate and etc.
I reached out to a handful of agencies and am having people take a tour of the house and then provide me with prices/etc. Last evening, the first Realtor, from Century 21, traipsed through the house. Amanda and I pointed out what had been done to the place, she made some remarks and promised to get back to me with her thoughts today.
I just got her email. 239,900 - 249,00. That's pretty good. From the first day I researched the house, after the initial tour, I wanted to get 250k when I sold it. Not too bad.
I have another meeting at lunch today with the second Realtor, and a third will be showing up on Friday.
Since this will be done this week, I am going to sign with a realtor early next week and have an open house on the 17th.
Awesome. Its kind of exciting, even though I still need to finish the stupid house and put in a tub and tile and clean and decorate and etc.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Live, Shiver and Learn.
I'm a novice at this home improvement stuff. I never claimed to be anything more. When it comes to plumbing/heating? I'm thirteen steps below novice. I am functionally retarded. I can install a faucet and/or toilet. That's it.
Our heat was not working. I had the system overhauled in the spring and it no longer fired. This is bad with winter approaching. The boiler would fire, run for about seven seconds, and shut down. It was not promising.
I set up an appointment to meet a heating fellow today at lunch. I met him at the house and we went down to the basement to figure out what's wrong with the boiler. Mike the Heating Fellow put on some black latex gloves, put down some padding and went to work.
Two minutes passed.
The heat fired and stayed on.
The problem? There wasn't enough water in the boiler. All that needed to be done was to crack a plumbing valve, allow a few gallons of water into the boiler and turn it back on. God I'm an idiot.
I cut him a check for 85 (!!) bucks and he was on his way.
F.
Our heat was not working. I had the system overhauled in the spring and it no longer fired. This is bad with winter approaching. The boiler would fire, run for about seven seconds, and shut down. It was not promising.
I set up an appointment to meet a heating fellow today at lunch. I met him at the house and we went down to the basement to figure out what's wrong with the boiler. Mike the Heating Fellow put on some black latex gloves, put down some padding and went to work.
Two minutes passed.
The heat fired and stayed on.
The problem? There wasn't enough water in the boiler. All that needed to be done was to crack a plumbing valve, allow a few gallons of water into the boiler and turn it back on. God I'm an idiot.
I cut him a check for 85 (!!) bucks and he was on his way.
F.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Horray.
The electrical work passed inspection today. Fantastic.
Now I get to rip out a shower and install a tub.
Then sell a house?
Now I get to rip out a shower and install a tub.
Then sell a house?
Friday, September 25, 2009
Electrical Inspection
No. Good.
Apparently, a few more things need to be done with the rats nest of wires and receptacles. Super.
The electrician is going in tomorrow to fix everything up and the inspector will be back on Monday to hopefully sign some permits.
Crap.
Apparently, a few more things need to be done with the rats nest of wires and receptacles. Super.
The electrician is going in tomorrow to fix everything up and the inspector will be back on Monday to hopefully sign some permits.
Crap.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Update
Quick update:
The plumbing passed inspection. Here's how the inspector took care of things:
Rang the doorbell.
Greeted me kindly.
Asked me if Joe Merritt, Plumber did OK work.
Turned on the hot water in the kitchen.
Stuck his finger under the stream.
Turned off the water.
Walked to the bathroom.
Repeated finger under hot water test.
Walked to the basement.
Looked at one pipe valve.
Signed permit.
Left.
What? Is that it?
The plumbing passed inspection. Here's how the inspector took care of things:
Rang the doorbell.
Greeted me kindly.
Asked me if Joe Merritt, Plumber did OK work.
Turned on the hot water in the kitchen.
Stuck his finger under the stream.
Turned off the water.
Walked to the bathroom.
Repeated finger under hot water test.
Walked to the basement.
Looked at one pipe valve.
Signed permit.
Left.
What? Is that it?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Inspections and Bowling.
It's been awhile, as usual. There isn't much going on, so there isn't much to write about. I only have two tasks remaining: Put two coats of polyurethane on the thresholds, and tear down and rebuild the second floor shower. The first of those will be finished after work today. The second will have to wait. And wait. And wait.
I've been waiting to get the house inspected for close to two weeks. Last Friday, one of the three inspections actually took place. The house passed. Hooray. Next up? Electrical inspection and plumbing inspection. Only after those have been completed, can I start on the second floor bathroom.
Due to all of this waiting around, I actually have free time. It's a little weird, but welcome. I work at a slower pace, but am looking forward to going full out again once these inspections are done. I'd like to sell this s-hole so I can move on.
With this new found free time, Amanda and I decided to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon at the super nice, extra elegant East Providence Lanes. We bowled for a few hours. As mentioned earlier in this blog, we also make stupid bets on things. Saturday was no exception.
A little background: When it is time to turn my leased Mercury Mariner back in, I will have many many miles available to burn (I have 15k miles per year or something, which I don't come close to). With these extra miles, we've decided that we're going to take a road trip. Across the United States and back. That should help burn some miles...
With this in mind, we decided to think up wagers for each game we played. After 10 frames of warm up, we got to business. Here's a rundown of the bets:
1st game: If Amanda wins, I have to attempt to complete an eating challenge (90 oz steak, 47 hot dogs, etc.) of her choosing, somewhere in the United States.
If I win, at any point in the trip, I can stop the car and tell Amanda to roll down a hill of my choosing without objection.
I won the first game. She will have to roll down a random hill like a 7 year old.
2nd game: If Amanda wins, I will pay for our stay at any hotel chosen by Amanda on any given night on our trip.
If I win, when we stay at friends houses across the country, if there is only a couch to sleep on, I get the couch and she gets the floor.
I won the second game. She will have to sleep on some cold floor boards somewhere in Oakland.
3rd game: If Amanda wins, the two previous losses are wiped out. In other words, if she wins, the two previous bets are forgotten and Amanda doesn't have to roll down a hill or sleep on any floors.
If I win, and I admit that I poached this wager, Amanda has to attempt to complete an eating challenge of my choosing.
Amanda won the third game. Her previous gaming loses are forgiven. Crap.
4th game: We agreed on the same wager, no matter who won. I thought of a great one.
The winner of the fourth and final game of bowling will conceive a dance routine that the loser must perform in a random American city or town of the winner's choosing. The loser will be dressed by the winner and the accompanying music will be chosen by the winner. The winner will film the loser and post the footage for the world to see on the internet.
High stakes.
From the beginning of the fourth game, Amanda was killing me. She had found her bowling groove, and I was wearing down. Everything I rolled was drifting to the right, but I was able to pick up a lot of spares to keep me in the game. She however, was rolling strikes.
It wasn't looking good.
I chipped away for a few frames and her lead stayed pretty comfortable throughout. I was resigned to the fact that I'd have to wear a leotard somewhere in San Francisco while doing the Running Man to Kool and the Gang.
Luckily for me, Amanda started to fade at the end. Still ahead by 20 pins or so, she left the 10th frame open. I still had a spare to fill in the 9th, and the 10th frame to try to make up the ground.
Strike.
Strike.
Spare.
Game Over.
In the most clutch bowling frames of my life (and I bowled in a weekly league when I was much younger), I pulled it off. Not only did I win the game, but Amanda will have to, somewhere, probably in Texas, dance around like an idiot. In public. And on camera.
Next year, sometime in November, keep your eyes peeled for a 5'2" girl in neon Spandex attempting to Crip Walk with Another Bad Creation blaring from a boombox nearby. It's going to be hilarious.
On a related topic, while looking for footage of the Crip Walk, I found the following. I enjoyed it.
I've been waiting to get the house inspected for close to two weeks. Last Friday, one of the three inspections actually took place. The house passed. Hooray. Next up? Electrical inspection and plumbing inspection. Only after those have been completed, can I start on the second floor bathroom.
Due to all of this waiting around, I actually have free time. It's a little weird, but welcome. I work at a slower pace, but am looking forward to going full out again once these inspections are done. I'd like to sell this s-hole so I can move on.
With this new found free time, Amanda and I decided to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon at the super nice, extra elegant East Providence Lanes. We bowled for a few hours. As mentioned earlier in this blog, we also make stupid bets on things. Saturday was no exception.
A little background: When it is time to turn my leased Mercury Mariner back in, I will have many many miles available to burn (I have 15k miles per year or something, which I don't come close to). With these extra miles, we've decided that we're going to take a road trip. Across the United States and back. That should help burn some miles...
With this in mind, we decided to think up wagers for each game we played. After 10 frames of warm up, we got to business. Here's a rundown of the bets:
1st game: If Amanda wins, I have to attempt to complete an eating challenge (90 oz steak, 47 hot dogs, etc.) of her choosing, somewhere in the United States.
If I win, at any point in the trip, I can stop the car and tell Amanda to roll down a hill of my choosing without objection.
I won the first game. She will have to roll down a random hill like a 7 year old.
2nd game: If Amanda wins, I will pay for our stay at any hotel chosen by Amanda on any given night on our trip.
If I win, when we stay at friends houses across the country, if there is only a couch to sleep on, I get the couch and she gets the floor.
I won the second game. She will have to sleep on some cold floor boards somewhere in Oakland.
3rd game: If Amanda wins, the two previous losses are wiped out. In other words, if she wins, the two previous bets are forgotten and Amanda doesn't have to roll down a hill or sleep on any floors.
If I win, and I admit that I poached this wager, Amanda has to attempt to complete an eating challenge of my choosing.
Amanda won the third game. Her previous gaming loses are forgiven. Crap.
4th game: We agreed on the same wager, no matter who won. I thought of a great one.
The winner of the fourth and final game of bowling will conceive a dance routine that the loser must perform in a random American city or town of the winner's choosing. The loser will be dressed by the winner and the accompanying music will be chosen by the winner. The winner will film the loser and post the footage for the world to see on the internet.
High stakes.
From the beginning of the fourth game, Amanda was killing me. She had found her bowling groove, and I was wearing down. Everything I rolled was drifting to the right, but I was able to pick up a lot of spares to keep me in the game. She however, was rolling strikes.
It wasn't looking good.
I chipped away for a few frames and her lead stayed pretty comfortable throughout. I was resigned to the fact that I'd have to wear a leotard somewhere in San Francisco while doing the Running Man to Kool and the Gang.
Luckily for me, Amanda started to fade at the end. Still ahead by 20 pins or so, she left the 10th frame open. I still had a spare to fill in the 9th, and the 10th frame to try to make up the ground.
Strike.
Strike.
Spare.
Game Over.
In the most clutch bowling frames of my life (and I bowled in a weekly league when I was much younger), I pulled it off. Not only did I win the game, but Amanda will have to, somewhere, probably in Texas, dance around like an idiot. In public. And on camera.
Next year, sometime in November, keep your eyes peeled for a 5'2" girl in neon Spandex attempting to Crip Walk with Another Bad Creation blaring from a boombox nearby. It's going to be hilarious.
On a related topic, while looking for footage of the Crip Walk, I found the following. I enjoyed it.
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