The Benefits of Home Ownership?

[King Postwhore]

Al Bundy?

[Cool Chris]

Harmony, working for a remodeling company, I hope all goes well. Our standard off-the-shelf toilet we install in most homes runs $279 last time I bought one. We have installed some higher end biden units, but the office special orders those so I don't see the receipts for them.

[Harmony]

Harmony, working for a remodeling company, I hope all goes well. Our standard off-the-shelf toilet we install in most homes runs $279 last time I bought one. We have installed some higher end biden units, but the office special orders those so I don't see the receipts for them.

That's funny ^^ 

Thanks.  The one we installed upstairs in early 2022 was around $350.  I can see current pricing for the same one as $450 now but out of stock.  Everything went up in price over the last year, for sure.

Anyone know anything about shiplap?  We have 2 accent walls of wood slats and the designer thought it would look great to carry through to the bedroom on the wall behind the bed and what you'd see as you entered the space.  Well...contractor came in at $3100 for the wall.  He's recommending shiplap but I don't know much about it.

At this point, I'm thinking paint in a nice accent color would be fine based on price. 

[Cool Chris]

Whoops! Long day here!

Shiplap isn't something we've done for the time I've been with the company.

[King Postwhore]

I found it easier to replace a whole toilet then replacing the flush valve.  Oh the war stories there

[Cool Chris]

We have had clients spend $30k+ on a bathroom remodel, completely gutting everything and redoing everything from the ground up, and choose to re-use their existing toilet instead of spend the $250-300 for a new one. Toilets will last a long, long time, but why not splurge and get a brand new one if  literally everything else in the bathroom is brand new?

[Harmony]

Plus as we get older, having a chair-height or taller commode can make a huge difference.  Older toilets seem to be mostly the short ones.

[Orbert]

Taller is easier to onto and off of, but supposedly the lower ones are better to use, as they are closer to squatting, which how we evolved and thus more natural and efficient.  That too becomes more important as you get older.

[jingle.boy]

Taller is easier to onto and off of, but supposedly the lower ones are better to use, as they are closer to squatting, which how we evolved and thus more natural and efficient.  That too becomes more important as you get older.

Squatty Potty 

[hefdaddy42]

I've already told my wife that one of our next projects needs to be replacing all of our toilets with taller ones lol

[TheOutlawXanadu]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

I really hope we're done by the end of the month.

[lordxizor]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

I really hope we're done by the end of the month.

I loved selling our place a year and a half when things were nuts. List on Friday. 6 offers by Sunday. Having to deal with showings over the course of weeks or months has got to be awful.

[Grappler]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

I really hope we're done by the end of the month.

When we originally looked at houses in 2009, there were some houses we booked showings at and didn't even go inside (i.e., there was no garage).  One house smelled so strongly like cat pee when we opened the door that we just turned around and walked out.  So there are some circumstances where showings may not go as well as you'd think, but I agree - don't go look at a house if you think it may not suit your needs. 

When we sold in 2022, our showings went well, but the market was really hot at the time.  We had booked 20+ showings over the course of two days and had 3 offers within 24 hours of that first day of showings.  We cancelled the remainder of the showings then, but it was beyond stressful to try to work from home, keep the house clean as the kids just wanted to make messes, and be in and out of the house those two days.


My summer home headache has been a smelly basement.  Last year, we took care of a basement sewer pipe smell.  This summer, the basement started smelling gross again.  Over a few weeks, we determined the smell was related to the air conditioner, likely the drain pan.  My dad showed me how to access the pan and put little tablets in there that are biocides and kill growth like mold and bacteria that grow in the condensation that wouldn't drain.  It would neutralize the smell for a day, then it would come raging back.  I'd pour bleach in the drain pipe, and would get the same result.  It was so frustrating - then my dad suggested we replace the drain pipe itself, which I had considered.  Fixed the problem - though it was irritating that it took two months to figure that out.

[Harmony]

So it has been a rollercoaster of a week.  Last week we made some big headway by choosing our tile flooring.  I fell in love with our final choice and it really started to feel like things were coming together.

So then yesterday I get a text from my contractor that the tile is discontinued.  It was all I could do to hold it together because every other choice we were making was based off of that tile - paint color for the walls, paint color for the closet doors, paint color for the vanity.  I had semi-picked out light fixtures and hardware to accent the tile choice.  It felt like we had spent literally dozens of hours making choices that now were in the scrap heap because the tile was unavailable.

Today, the tile gods were smiling on us.  I heard from our designer that the discontinued tile WASN'T our tile choice and that we can still get the tile we fell in love with.  I'm doing the happy dance and breathing a huge sigh of relief.

But of course, the tile gods were not done laughing at us.  My contractor just texted me that our tile choice is more than double the budget we had set in place.  If I didn't know my designer and my contractor well, I'd be suspicious that this is all some sort of bait and switch.  But it's not.  It's just that everything is fucking expensive. 

We are still getting that tile.  Because now I can't let the tile gods win.   

[Orbert]

That's the spirit!  Don't let the tile gods win, because if you do, the gods of paint, closet doors, and light fixtures will all figure you for a lightweight and will mess with you as well.  And that would really suck.

[Cool Chris]

Glad you got your first choice, even if it was over budget. Take before and after pictures for us, if you feel comfortable doing so.

[Stadler]

Taller is easier to onto and off of, but supposedly the lower ones are better to use, as they are closer to squatting, which how we evolved and thus more natural and efficient.  That too becomes more important as you get older.

Squatty Potty 

I have little stools in each of the bathrooms I use (one doubles as the stool my grandkids use when they brush their teeth or wash their hands) and they are INDISPENSABLE.  I get the joy of a higher toilet, but it doesn't match - for me - the joy of a full evacuation that the squatting position gives you.  I'm too cheap for actually buying the Squatty Potty, but my real-life hack does the job just fine. 

It's made going in hotels and whatnot difficult, actually.   

[Stadler]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

I really hope we're done by the end of the month.

That whole implementation of the concept of "feedback" bugs the shit out of me.  I was buying lights for my Jeep and one of the ratings was one star.  Why?  The guy didn't like the color of the amber lamp.  It's AMBER.  100% of all cars have an amber lamp, and they don't vary by much (because of federal safety standards).  In any event, you not liking the color isn't a product flaw, it's your personal taste.   Why does that merit one star?    I travel, so I use Yelp! a lot to find restaurants and bars.  I don't have a ready example right now, but some of the criteria on which stars are given or withheld are mind-boggling!  Does using a different brand of ketchup than your personal favorite merit star reductions?  I see the arguments both ways, but for me, I'm not so arrogant that I think the entire world should use MY preferred brand of ketchup. 

[PMSummer]

I had some interesting folks come by when selling a house a decade or two ago. One person was super focused on the potential noise levels around the neighborhood. They asked for a detailed noise report, complete with recordings of typical sounds throughout the day – from the neighbor's lawnmower to the distant train passing by. I didn't know I was selling a soundproof chamber!

[Orbert]

A detailed noise report seems a bit extreme, but if I'm buying a house, I'd like to have some idea what I'm getting into, and that includes train tracks nearby, barking dogs, etc.

Being in the Chicago suburbs, depending on the wind direction, we're in the flight path for O'Hare airport, one of the busiest in the country.  It's rare, but when planes are coming in over our house every few minutes, it's noticeable.  This happens maybe one or two days a month, tops, but if it was every day, I would want to know that ahead of time.  As it happens, when we were looking at the house, we spent a little time outside checking it out, the backyard, etc., and it was very quiet the whole time.  If it had been on one of the days when planes were flying over every few minutes, it might have been a different story.

One of the houses we looked at happened to be near a creek at the end of the street.  We didn't even know it was there, but we happened to be checking out the house in the late afternoon, early evening when the mosquitos were out, and it was brutal.  Just standing out front looking at the house and chatting with our agent, we were getting feasted upon.  We finally looked around and noticed the creek, and wrote off that house.  If it's like that every day during the summer, even if only for a few hours or whatever, forget it.  I'd just as soon find another house.

[Cool Chris]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

Where are people leaving feedback? When we looked at houses, if we didn't find one suitable for us, we just moved on to the next one. We didn't leave feedback anywhere.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

i think the decision to own a home should be based on individual circumstances and financial readiness. while it offers stability and potential financial benefits, the upfront and ongoing costs, along with the risks tied to the market's volatility, should be carefully considered.

[Harmony]

Glad you got your first choice, even if it was over budget. Take before and after pictures for us, if you feel comfortable doing so.

Yeah I will!  Thanks for the reminder.  I need to do a walk through with my camera before we break ground for sure.

[Cool Chris]

This is one of the more fascinating approaches to home "ownership" I have ever seen.

https://www.king5.com/article/money/markets/real-estate/seattle-co-living-situation-200k-shared-home/281-74418541-5d6c-440f-99b0-1c6ad8ff0b35

A new listing advertises a luxury home for only $200,000 in Crown Hill, a few blocks north of Seattle's Ballard neighborhood. It's undoubtedly a sweet deal when you consider how, this summer, Seattle homes sold for a median price of $800,000.

But there is one caveat: you would own only 25% of the home.

Eileen said you would technically own a private room and bathroom for $200,000, and then across the hallway on the same floor, somebody else would own the home's other bedroom and bathroom for $200,000. You would have to be okay with sharing the whole downstairs, which comes furnished with the other occupant.

I can't imagine what the text of these purchase and sale agreements would look like.

[cramx3]

I get splitting rent, but splitting a home ownership seems a bit much.  I got to think this is a way for people to break into the market to build equity for a future home because of how difficult it is right now otherwise.

[lordxizor]

I can't imagine doing that. I guess it's kind of like owning a condo with a shared common space. Who gets to decide about new furniture, or home improvements, or which insurance to carry? Sounds like a nightmare to me

[Stadler]

I have a LOT of questions about that.   it's one thing to bear the risk of your neighbor across the street moving, and perhaps the people that move in will be loud, or untidy, or whatever.  But across the HALL? 

[Chino]

I'd move back in with my parents before I ever shared equity in a home with other people/strangers. That sounds like a nightmare at every turn.

[Orbert]

Ditto what everyone else is saying.  It's back to the days of sharing an apartment with relative strangers, which I'm thrilled to know I left behind me years ago, only worse because you actually co-own the place.

If you're really, really lucky, you split the place with a sibling or cousin and their family, and you happen to all get along.  That's the only scenario that even makes sense to me.  Otherwise yeah, total nightmare scenario.

[Chino]

Ditto what everyone else is saying.  It's back to the days of sharing an apartment with relative strangers, which I'm thrilled to know I left behind me years ago, only worse because you actually co-own the place.

If you're really, really lucky, you split the place with a sibling or cousin and their family, and you happen to all get along. That's the only scenario that even makes sense to me.  Otherwise yeah, total nightmare scenario.

Based on what I've seen happen to families over the verbiage in wills, I still don't think I'd chance it. Money makes people weird.

[TheHoveringSojourn808]

count me outta the group that's sharin' a home ownership situationship with a stranger!!

[Train of Naught]

We are currently in the process of selling our house and it is very stressful lol. Holy cow, are some people inconsiderate. We even had one person book FOUR showings on the same day because they couldn't make their mind up when they wanted to come (our real estate agent made them just pick a time ). And then people will leave feedback like, "Not interested... Too far from work", in which case I'm not even sure why they came by in the first place!

I really hope we're done by the end of the month.

When we originally looked at houses in 2009, there were some houses we booked showings at and didn't even go inside (i.e., there was no garage).  One house smelled so strongly like cat pee when we opened the door that we just turned around and walked out.  So there are some circumstances where showings may not go as well as you'd think, but I agree - don't go look at a house if you think it may not suit your needs. 

When we sold in 2022, our showings went well, but the market was really hot at the time.  We had booked 20+ showings over the course of two days and had 3 offers within 24 hours of that first day of showings.  We cancelled the remainder of the showings then, but it was beyond stressful to try to work from home, keep the house clean as the kids just wanted to make messes, and be in and out of the house those two days.


My summer home headache has been a smelly basement.  Last year, we took care of a basement sewer pipe smell.  This summer, the basement started smelling gross again.  Over a few weeks, we determined the smell was related to the air conditioner, likely the drain pan.  My dad showed me how to access the pan and put little tablets in there that are biocides and kill growth like mold and bacteria that grow in the condensation that wouldn't drain.  It would neutralize the smell for a day, then it would come raging back.  I'd pour bleach in the drain pipe, and would get the same result.  It was so frustrating - then my dad suggested we replace the drain pipe itself, which I had considered.  Fixed the problem - though it was irritating that it took two months to figure that out.

I totally can relate to what you are saying. I was searching a few months ago for a new place, and all what I've seen was disastrous. Bad smell in every kitchen I entered, and all the backyards I saw were like a jungle.

Anyway, I bought one in bad condition and renovated it. It was a big headache for me, but no alternatives.

[Orbert]

Oh man, that brings back memories of some of the houses we looked at when we were shopping...

One absolutely reeked of fish.  It hit you in the face the second you opened the front door.  There was a Korean family living there and they were preparing dinner at the time, but man, the way the smell seemed to permeate the entire building seemed to indicate that the smell was permanently embedded into the very walls and floors.  Also, there were three bedrooms, but we couldn't even check out two of them.  One had a sleeping child in it that they didn't want to disturb, and the other... I don't even remember.  Doesn't matter, since we weren't going to buy that one anyway.  Our agent was pretty disgusted and said he'd have words with the selling agent.  This was an arranged, scheduling showing, and a complete waste of our time.

One house seemed okay until we got to the basement.  Unfinished concrete slab, which wasn't a deal-breaker since the house I grew up in was like that.  Lay out some rugs, or get it carpeted, and the kids'll have somewhere to play.  The deal-breaker was that the slab had a huge fissure in it with actual water and dirt visible underneath.  Again, our agent could not believe that someone had listed the house in this condition.

Another one had the characteristic smell of "dampness" (water damage) in the basement.  You can tell.

These were houses that people were trying to sell.  It hadn't occurred to them that they might want to make them, you know, presentable?

[faizoff]

After one year of home ownership, the AC coil went kaput. Unit is only 2 years old so part is under warranty but will have to pay labor cost.

Going to spend one night without an AC in this blistering Florida 90 F.

At least the guy has a spare and will replace tomorrow.

Yay more repairs

[King Postwhore]

Fuuuuck.

Gotca quote to replace all my gutters with the leaf shields.  $2100.00. Not bad.