[dogcom]

You might think it sounds crazy but I believe a house and the right deal will find you if you let it find you.

If you draw a line in the sand as far as the area you are willing to live in and the mortgage you are willing to accept even if interest rates double then you will be a very happy home owner. I also believe you will know this property is yours when you first walk up to the door.

On the other hand if you are pressured to get in and your gut says it is wrong and I know I can't afford it if rates climb, even a little, then you don't have a deal for you.

When it is your house it has to be and feel right or it isn't right and economy or whatever will not matter. And if it does then you will not make the deal unless the pressure pushes you in the wrong direction.

 

[Berubeland]

I find myself agreeing with you dogcom. I have found that deals do indeed find you if you ask around. People sell houses for a number of reasons and sometimes can't be troubled to sell for market price. Sometimes people have an emotional attachment t the home and want it to go to a nice family. Sometimes people want a quick sale. Sometimes houses are just abandoned. There are two houses like this in my neighborhood.

 

[mcu]

are they for sale Berube?

 

[Berubeland]

are they for sale Berube?

They are not on the MLS but if you approached the owner they might sell it to you.

You can find out who the house is legally registered to and where the tax bills go by going to city hall.

In the past I have left notes in the mailbox or even asked the neighbor for the phone number. It takes a while but people do get back to you.

You'd be surprised how many houses are sitting there empty....

 

[Accter]

Well dogcom I kinda have to disagree. Yes those deals can happen but only if you make it happen. I'v helped a couple people do similar things to great success. Go look in the area you want to move into. Find a house that has a terrible front yard. Knock on the door and ask for the landlords information. 50% of the time its the right guess. You might have to do a title search but usually you can get it right from the tenants. Call the landlord and give them a cold offer (say 20-25% below market) after indicating the distress the location is in. Its unbelieveable the number of people that bite just to get rid of the problem.

My personal favorite was when I was looking to buy some land. I heard a rumour that a absentee landlord was selling. I called them and found out that I had been given the wrong name (right last name, but I had assumed wrong on the first name). In the course of the conversation however I found out the guy was interested in selling so I made an offer and he accepted my offer. Next day I found out the original rumour was wrong. So yes deals do sometimes show up but usually it takes work and thinking to make them happen.

Deals dont fall into your lap very often, they are the product of hard work completed in a calculated manner which might amount to absolutely nothing 4 out of 5 times.

 

[dogcom]

Most people start out with an idea of where they want to live and the mortgage they are willing to put up with. If they don't go over their head they will find and know the house they want as soon as they walk in the door. I believe this is also how berubeland feels and I am not talking about a great deal but instead a house that is right for you and you feel it is home.

I read this in an article awhile back and wanted to know if this is true.

 

[HaroldCrump]

Most people start out with an idea of where they want to live and the mortgage they are willing to put up with. If they don't go over their head they will find and know the house they want as soon as they walk in the door. I believe this is also how berubeland feels and I am not talking about a great deal but instead a house that is right for you and you feel it is home.

I read this in an article awhile back and wanted to know if this is true.

Turned out to be true in our case, at least.
We saw several houses, cheaper, expensive, nicer, etc.
And finally when we walked into the one we ended up buying it just felt like home.
Almost 6 years now and never regretted a moment.

 

[Berubeland]

I saw over 50 houses in person. I have very stringent requirements, had to be a construction project, had to have good long term appreciation and a large lot.

All those factors were in place, but it also felt right. I liked it

 

[sprocket1200]

i agree with dogcom. draw the line and stick to it. if i was young right now i would just rent until prices become reasonable again. they may not be dropping, but they sure won't be going up at a significant rate anymore. out pace their growth through savings, then simply have a large downpayment and a reasonable mortgage.

damn, that sounds familiar. 2002 purchase, 2010 mortgage paid off... current, um, price $450,000 (yeah right, this place ain't worth that much. i would never pay that much...)