John from Cincinnati Posted October 21, 2019 Share Posted October 21, 2019 Happy election day, fellow Canucks. It's almost over. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Any home owners want to tell me their first time nervous as fuck stories about buying? In about a year or so, I'm planning on buying. I'll get the mortgage loan myself and everything, but I'm fortunate enough to have parents that can help me out with any renovations or just money period that I would need to borrow, so that definitely takes some of the edge off. But, still. I love the idea of owning my own house, but goddamn, it makes me a little sick when I think about it too. I've only ever dealt with apartments and duplexes, so this is quite the jump. But I'll be 31 next year, and I want to invest my money into something like a house instead of constantly giving dickhead landlords my money every month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLSigman Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 Way back in 2000 was when I bought mine. Up until then, I had avoided things like cell phones, pagers, etc. because I didn't think I wanted them. The realtor insisted I had to get a cell phone because what if they had to get in touch with me immediately about a house? So I did. I don't think they ever called me on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarrie Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 I have no real stories of nervousness to share, but I bought my condo eight years ago and haven't had any regrets if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSJ Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 3 hours ago, Casey said: Any home owners want to tell me their first time nervous as fuck stories about buying? In about a year or so, I'm planning on buying. I'll get the mortgage loan myself and everything, but I'm fortunate enough to have parents that can help me out with any renovations or just money period that I would need to borrow, so that definitely takes some of the edge off. But, still. I love the idea of owning my own house, but goddamn, it makes me a little sick when I think about it too. I've only ever dealt with apartments and duplexes, so this is quite the jump. But I'll be 31 next year, and I want to invest my money into something like a house instead of constantly giving dickhead landlords my money every month. Mixed experience. We owned a house back in the 1980s, the real estate bubble bubbled and we had lenders literally calling every day to loan us money. We were stupid so we went for it, had we left things alone we would have been paying $600 a month on our mortgage. When we declared bankruptcy and walked away we were paying $2500 a month. I made damn good money, but that was too big a monthly hit to take. So we went back to being renters, and it's probably just as well. The house we owned is apparently beset with all sorts of problems because the stupid neighbor planted trees on the parking strip (something he did the minute we were gone, because I wouldn't let him do it). The roots tore up the sidewalk, street and city pipes. And guess who has to pay for the thousands and thousands of dollars in damages, no, not the guy who planted the trees, but the people on whose property the trees grow. So that's a headache we don't have to deal with. Now we pay $700 a month for a nice 2-BR triplex with a huge backyard for the cats to play in. It's cool, something goes wrong, we call the landlord and he calls the appropriate repairmen. Since he's a Superior Court judge, he tends to get a really quick response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 5 hours ago, Casey said: Any home owners want to tell me their first time nervous as fuck stories about buying? In about a year or so, I'm planning on buying. I'll get the mortgage loan myself and everything, but I'm fortunate enough to have parents that can help me out with any renovations or just money period that I would need to borrow, so that definitely takes some of the edge off. But, still. I love the idea of owning my own house, but goddamn, it makes me a little sick when I think about it too. I've only ever dealt with apartments and duplexes, so this is quite the jump. But I'll be 31 next year, and I want to invest my money into something like a house instead of constantly giving dickhead landlords my money every month. We just got our first house and settlement is next month. It's so far been pretty stressful between selling old shit/packing shit up and getting the required stuff done. I learned a lot more about HOAs and other things I never cared to know about before and it's been a pain setting up stuff like homeowner's insurance. Thankfully my parents have been a huge help and the realtor is an old neighbor of mine who's aggressive with getting a house locked in. But knowing we're moving close to our families and friends will make it worthwhile. I am nervous though about being able to make the mortgage payment on top of everything else we're currently paying. So you're not alone in these feelings but hopefully it works out fine for both of us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nice Guy Eddie Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 On 10/21/2019 at 3:58 PM, AxB said: So the Coffee Machine at work, it has these syrups in, for bonus flavours. The standard two are Caramel and Vanilla, but there's a third spot for seasonal offers and promotions. It had Salted Caramel in for a while a few months ago, but it ran out. As in it literally leaked out onto the floor because some idiot ripped the tube it flowed through. Anyway, that's done now, so they sent a new one out for November. It's called "Irish Velvet". Irish Velvet. Irish Velvet what? Do they even make Velvet in Ireland? Besides which, it's a fabric, not a foodstuff. You don't drink Velvet, you wear it. You'd choke. Be like trying to drink a pair of fancy trousers. Can't be done. Also they had an All Drinks Free day last month, but we're not speaking of that. Bloody nightmare it was. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 3 hours ago, NikoBaltimore said: I am nervous though about being able to make the mortgage payment on top of everything else we're currently paying. I think this is what scares me the most. I only make $15 an hour, and my savings really aren't what they should be, but luckily all it takes is a day or two of an overtime shift per week and my pay check jumps up there. I'm still worried it won't be enough, but given that I'm not even going to start to look for houses until late next year, my finances should be a lot better by then. But, yeah, best of luck to you for sure (and me! ). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StretchMediatedHypertrophy Posted October 30, 2019 Share Posted October 30, 2019 I moved to Budapest. Sort of because Brexit, though that's not happening yet. Anyways, Budapest is awesome. I watched some doctoral piano students play Beethoven Sonatas (that was free) then I drank cheap amaro in a 'neighborhood bar' (It was actually full of young Americans lol). I then actually had a deep fried chicken liver roll (!), but suffice it to say there's a lot of good food here even if that doesn't sound appetising. You should come, Airbnb apartments cost fuck all. I have a lease for a year at least - shout me and I'll try to show you around. Apparently Putin was the guest of honour here today. The street near me was closed off lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted October 31, 2019 Share Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) On 10/30/2019 at 8:40 AM, Casey said: Any home owners want to tell me their first time nervous as fuck stories about buying? In about a year or so, I'm planning on buying. I'll get the mortgage loan myself and everything, but I'm fortunate enough to have parents that can help me out with any renovations or just money period that I would need to borrow, so that definitely takes some of the edge off. But, still. I love the idea of owning my own house, but goddamn, it makes me a little sick when I think about it too. I've only ever dealt with apartments and duplexes, so this is quite the jump. But I'll be 31 next year, and I want to invest my money into something like a house instead of constantly giving dickhead landlords my money every month. 20 hours ago, Casey said: I think this is what scares me the most. I only make $15 an hour, and my savings really aren't what they should be, but luckily all it takes is a day or two of an overtime shift per week and my pay check jumps up there. I'm still worried it won't be enough, but given that I'm not even going to start to look for houses until late next year, my finances should be a lot better by then. But, yeah, best of luck to you for sure (and me! ). Is your monthly mortgage much higher than what your rent was previously? I always tried to keep it similar both times I bought homes. Some other dubious nuggets of wisdom: Learn how to do shit: general plumbing or electrical is not hard at all. Painting walls or replacing a window screen aren't hard. Get some books or Youtube that shit. One example: your HVAC's capacitor costs $35 and can be replaced in 15 minutes. Your HVAC company will charge you around $200 for that. Learn to paint, caulk your tub, replace a light fixture, etc. Get some tools and get handy with them. BUT don't be afraid to hire a handyman for stuff that's way outside your comfort zone. If you have external spigots, find out where the shutoff for them is and definitely shut them off in the winter. A cracked pipe inside a wall just sucks and can be a pretty expensive repair. Find out how old your roof and HVAC are and figure out how you'd pay to replace them. Don't trust a dude going door to door who tells you "we're fixing your neighbor's roof and noticed some damage on yours. We can fix it for you and handle everything with your insurance company, all at zero cost to you." That's a scam that will get you a shitty roof and higher insurance rates. Find out what your HOA's guidelines are. Some HOAs don't care at all , some micromanage everything. With my first house, we took a rototiller to the whole front yard and changed everything. The new place? They have specifics about what bushes you can have and I'm scared to change shit. Anyway, changing something about your house and getting fined for it would suck, but it happens. Change the locks. You don't know how many copies the previous owners had or who they gave keys to. Swap incandescent bulbs/fixtures for LED ones. So much cheaper. Get a good plunger Rent or buy a powerwasher. Using a powerwasher is really, really fun. Hang on to your mortgage statement when it comes in the mail. Mortgage interest is tax deductible. I'm sure I'll think of more but essentially, all the shit you used to call your landlord for is now on you or someone you can hire. Edited October 31, 2019 by Technico Support 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 On 10/31/2019 at 12:38 PM, Technico Support said: Some other dubious nuggets of wisdom: I know you were saying this to Casey but since I'm moving in a couple weeks thanks for the tips. I'm not a handyman by any means but to save money I'm already starting to go down the "Check Youtube and do it yourself route" And all else fails my dad owned a construction company and can help me figure it out as well. I'll need to look for external spigots but in our old place the upstairs neighbor forgot to shut them off and sure enough it cracked and led to a leak. They weren't the smartest bulbs in the bunch but it got taken care of. As for HOAs we haven't talked about bushes and it's not likely something we'd do anyway (not a huge front yard and we'd rather put holiday decorations over bushes) But there's a community pool we can walk to that's part of the HOA so I'll need to get into some kind of shape for next year. And the other points make tons of sense and stuff like powerwashers and changing locks is in the plans as it is. It's also nice to have a shed so I'm almost looking forward to using that which me even ten years ago wouldn't care one bit about. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gatling Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 You can also replace an external spigot with a frost proof spigot and use a cover over it. If you have a crawlspace, check the vents--shut them in winter, open them in summer. You may want to cover them with foam insulation blocks in the winter too. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 (edited) On 11/4/2019 at 7:39 AM, NikoBaltimore said: As for HOAs we haven't talked about bushes and it's not likely something we'd do anyway (not a huge front yard and we'd rather put holiday decorations over bushes) I used bushes as an example. Your HOA would typically govern any "outside the house" changes you might make. It might seem limiting or draconian or whatever, but a good HOA will keep your neighbors from putting a chicken coop or cars on blocks in the front yard. Unless you're in West Virginia. Then the HOA mandates at least one car on blocks. Preferably two. Edited November 5, 2019 by Technico Support 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Magnificent 7 Posted November 5, 2019 Share Posted November 5, 2019 I know we’re all likely in the same boat and have to work hard for a living with little spare time, but youtube keeps recommending a video titled “Can you walk a bowl of stew across the entire map in Red Dead Redemption 2?” and I don’t know why this is the thing that is haunting me. Who has the fucking leisure time to do that and do they know how awesomely easy their life is? I won’t click on it out of principle. Will make me feel like a sucker even more. Also, kidney stones can fuck right off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Fowler Posted November 7, 2019 Share Posted November 7, 2019 I had a kidney stone that tried to kill me a few years ago. Worst experience of my life. Had to be surgically removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 Jeez, the new people across the street already have their Christmas tree up. I can't stand that shit. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Natural Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 (edited) On 11/5/2019 at 8:34 PM, The Magnificent 7 said: I know we’re all likely in the same boat and have to work hard for a living with little spare time, but youtube keeps recommending a video titled “Can you walk a bowl of stew across the entire map in Red Dead Redemption 2?” and I don’t know why this is the thing that is haunting me. Who has the fucking leisure time to do that and do they know how awesomely easy their life is? I won’t click on it out of principle. Will make me feel like a sucker even more. Also, kidney stones can fuck right off. On 11/7/2019 at 10:26 AM, Brian Fowler said: I had a kidney stone that tried to kill me a few years ago. Worst experience of my life. Had to be surgically removed. I had 30-40 kidney stones. Worst physical pain ever. At it's worst, I could barely walk. I went for them removing to find I'd already got rid of them because it took so long waiting for that appointment. Edited November 8, 2019 by The Natural Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eivion Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 15 hours ago, Swiftian said: Jeez, the new people across the street already have their Christmas tree up. I can't stand that shit. You and my older brother would get along greatly. He is bothered when holiday decorations are sold and put up early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swift Posted November 8, 2019 Share Posted November 8, 2019 There's kind of an unwritten rule in Canada that it's crass to do so before Nov 11th (Remembrance Day). For me growing up as a Catholic, anything before Dec 8th (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) was a no-no. I'm not religious, but I stick to the latter date personally, but have no problem with other people doing it a week or so prior to that. But the beginning of Nov? Ugh, piss off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technico Support Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 On 11/7/2019 at 7:51 PM, Swiftian said: Jeez, the new people across the street already have their Christmas tree up. I can't stand that shit. There were 2-3 houses in my neighborhood that had Christmas decorations up BEFORE HALLOWEEN. Fuck right off with that shit, people. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zimbra Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I'm fine with people putting up their Christmas decorations whenever because, you know, live your life. But one of the radio stations in Madison has already gone to 100% Christmas music and that is unacceptable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSJ Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 Well. I don't want to get the thread closed by talking religion as it has been demonstrated a time or two in the past that we can behave ourselves and not sink into name-calling for at least a couple of pages. I don't identify with any particular organized religion, though if pressed for a description , I'm probably closer to Buddhism than anything else and being self-employed I find holidays more of an annoyance than anything else. Yeah, I get that the steady 9-5 shit needs to be broken up from time to time, but I see no reason for it to occur on the same day for everyone. All that means to me is an excuse for me not getting paid on time . The banks and Post Offices have a number of people who are cross-trained to perform the same tasks, there's absolutely no reason for shutting the place down for the day when a little bit of schedule manipulating will keep everyone happy and give people a shot at days that they would rather have off. Let me see a show of hands of people who would prefer Super Bowl Monday or Wrestlemania Monday off as opposed to Columbus Day? Or let's be real pragmatic, you aren't Irish, you aren't Catholic, but you do like the idea of getting blasted out of your mind, French-kissing the new Director of Marketing, so carrying on like a lunatic and taking the following day off has a lot more appeal than sitting in the weeds and waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear or appearing at the door to dispense candy to a bunch of snot-nosed brats who will likely TP your house anyway. But I digress... early celebration of holidays sucks; forcing that shit on your fellow peoples sucks even more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbarrie Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, OSJ said: Yeah, I get that the steady 9-5 shit needs to be broken up from time to time, but I see no reason for it to occur on the same day for everyone. Well - sometimes people like to do things with other people. That's easier to arrange if everybody gets the same days off. Edited November 12, 2019 by tbarrie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NikoBaltimore Posted November 12, 2019 Share Posted November 12, 2019 I still maintain that we should get off either the day of or after Halloween. And if I was President (HA!) not only would I make that happen but I'd push for a standard day when it's okay for businesses to go nuts with Christmas stuff (it's sure as shit not October) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo Posted November 26, 2019 Share Posted November 26, 2019 On 11/7/2019 at 4:51 PM, Swiftian said: Jeez, the new people across the street already have their Christmas tree up. I can't stand that shit. The people that live down the street from us still have their Halloween inflatables in their yard. Leaving your stuff out way too long is every bit as ridiculous as putting it up too early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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