Lets move the bus out of the garage so that we can take pictures of it and sell it!
OK.
We have to dig it out first.
So we moved all this stuff that was on top of it, under it, leaning against it, in it, etc. and the tires were deflated. SO we fired up the compressor and filled up the tires and then tried to push the thing out. The wheels were frozen. I volunteered to steer. The wheels broke free and the bus lurched backwards down the hill with me inside. I couldn't see the direction that the wheels were in. The steering wheel unmounted from the frame and fell into my lap. they threw blocks of wood behind the wheels. The bus had moved a total of two feet, but I was already terrified. I had the door open to try to see which way I was turning the wheel. They pushed the bus backwards another two feet, but it rolled a little further and I was not paying enough attention to my hand and got my hand pinned between the door and the basement pole. Ouch. We got me unpinned and there was no damage to my hand. Light truck. Tried to get it out but it got stuck on the garage door. Tall van. Pushed the garage door further up and it lurched backward again. I steered it (with direction and help from others) to back into the driveway. They had to push it uphill forward and then back again to straighten it out so it wouldn't tumble down the hill.
I was steering, but I had no brakes and no clutch nor transmission. Terrifying! I hope somebody wants this bus and can love it and make it nice again.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I have insurance now
State Farm just called! They can insure the house! They have that information back to the mortgagor, too. I'll be happy to tell you what I am paying for insurance if you email me. ;) It is about what I thought I would be paying. :) It ended up being lower when I provided pictures to the insurance company because it has modern utilities. A breaker box and good wiring, namely... ;) Thank goodness for small miracles. Actually this whole thing seems to be a series of small miracles...
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Getting There
I'm getting there. We finally have a contract back from the bank selling the property! Thank goodness for small miracles. They were very, very late, but my agent is still pushing to close by the end of the week! I am really impressed! Home Inspections are checked off, etc. The appraisal was done yesterday and the results are in! It passed and appraised for exactly the amount I am paying for it (who'da thunk it? Now just how does that happen to just happen that way EVERY time??? I'm not complaining... but LOL) The appraisal was sent to my insurance agent who is working on getting it insured, the title search is underway and my Realtor is setting up the appointment with the closing company! She'll call me back when she has an appointment. WOW is all I can say!
The place is smaller than advertised, as I suspected. I guess I'll have to be ingenious with my storage. IKEA and naked furniture, here I come!
Last night I went to my South Woodlawn Neighbors meeting. Nice folks! I think I ended up on the social committee to help plan the get-together in October. I was nominated for Governor at large. Cool! Be active in your neighborhood!
This is the home stretch! One foot in front of the other - I'm getting there! I am so excited!
The place is smaller than advertised, as I suspected. I guess I'll have to be ingenious with my storage. IKEA and naked furniture, here I come!
Last night I went to my South Woodlawn Neighbors meeting. Nice folks! I think I ended up on the social committee to help plan the get-together in October. I was nominated for Governor at large. Cool! Be active in your neighborhood!
This is the home stretch! One foot in front of the other - I'm getting there! I am so excited!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Solid Foundation
It is OK!
So I'm going through with it. :)
A good house starts with a steady foundation, right? Well, the foundation may be steady or it may not. The recommendation is to watch, measure and see, but if it is repaired, it will take three piers at a cost of only $2700. The Olshan guy is sending me the information in the mail. He also walked over the rest of the house. He noted the sagging lintel (is that what that is called??? I had no idea. I lintle is the front porch roof) and said in his opinion, they took out two columns (mine, too!). He said he would put another beam in the basement with new basement jacks (and they can provide that service, too, lol). I think it doesn't look too hard to do myself though to get a beam and Ellis screw jacks for the basement.
All in all, though, he said it looked like a "solid little house with lots of potential".
YAY! Proceeding...
So I'm going through with it. :)
A good house starts with a steady foundation, right? Well, the foundation may be steady or it may not. The recommendation is to watch, measure and see, but if it is repaired, it will take three piers at a cost of only $2700. The Olshan guy is sending me the information in the mail. He also walked over the rest of the house. He noted the sagging lintel (is that what that is called??? I had no idea. I lintle is the front porch roof) and said in his opinion, they took out two columns (mine, too!). He said he would put another beam in the basement with new basement jacks (and they can provide that service, too, lol). I think it doesn't look too hard to do myself though to get a beam and Ellis screw jacks for the basement.
All in all, though, he said it looked like a "solid little house with lots of potential".
YAY! Proceeding...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Structural Engineering
I'm meeting the Olshan guy at the house at 5pm. He's close by and he's doing me a favor by coming out to inspect it and give his opinion. No charge. Last night I stayed up waaaay too late learning about PEX plumbing and how to repair house foundations. These folks use a pushed preformed pile system - kinda like a string of beads pushed down into the earth to the point of stable ground. Then the house is jacked up under the existing foundation and set on top of the pilings. Underground. Hopefully it doesn't need much/many. We shall see! The idea is that I would then follow up myself and seal the cracks with injection epoxy - "set and forget".
I haven't bought the house yet, but I am nervous. I guess I want this to work out and make sense. I don't want a money pit. A project, yes, a money pit, no...
Keep your fingers crossed for my foundation and please send steady solid thoughts for non-shaky foundations or inexpensive repairs my way!
I did find this site that I thought was pretty cool: http://www.basementanswers.com/
I haven't bought the house yet, but I am nervous. I guess I want this to work out and make sense. I don't want a money pit. A project, yes, a money pit, no...
Keep your fingers crossed for my foundation and please send steady solid thoughts for non-shaky foundations or inexpensive repairs my way!
I did find this site that I thought was pretty cool: http://www.basementanswers.com/
Monday, August 18, 2008
Inspection Happens...
I had the inspection today! There was good stuff, bad stuff and ugly stuff.
I'll touch on the highlights.
There is a stair step crack in the foundation. He is not sure if this is a terrible thing or not. Honestly couldn't tell me. He said I needed to get it looked at by a structural engineer. SO, I called around and found one and gave them a call. They can maybe come out to give it a looksee tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully it is nothing too horrible and they can anchor it with their cable system for not too much trouble and expense.
The plumbing. Ohhh. It is bad. Pretty much it leaks everywhere there is a pipe that brings water to a faucet or back from a drain! But he gave me a tip. He said to look into PEX plumbing. WOW! I can do that. I could replumb the whole house in a day or two using pex. It is flexible tubing with special fittings. No elbows. They even have special manifolds with separate shut-offs so you have the water come in from the street to the water heater and then to the manifold and then there is a separate shutoff for each new connection - like a breaker box for your water lines! Running up the costs associated with replumbing the entire house with PEX (including that new bathroom I want) and replumbing the whole drainage system with PVC - totals about $800 and this suddenly becomes do-it-herself-able. Wow, wow, wow.
The roof. It needs one very soon-like. Sooner, rather than later. They never used flashing. It has two teeny tiny vents. That's it. It needs a ridge-vent or something. The chimneys are not doing well, either. They need to be rebuilt or removed. The rafters need to be tied. They are just toe-nailed together.
There is water damage in the basement, but it is water damage that can be fixed. Oh, a few 2x6s. No big deal.
Heat and air work fabulously!
Floor in bathroom is sound and nice!
Wood looks good!
Good bones!
Under the asbestos, there is wood siding... The house used to be red. How about that!
He agrees that there are two columns missing from the front.
The electric service is good! Modern 200 amp service with good looking wiring.
So the next step is to get the foundation looked at.
The plumbing is a non-issue to me.
I'll touch on the highlights.
There is a stair step crack in the foundation. He is not sure if this is a terrible thing or not. Honestly couldn't tell me. He said I needed to get it looked at by a structural engineer. SO, I called around and found one and gave them a call. They can maybe come out to give it a looksee tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully it is nothing too horrible and they can anchor it with their cable system for not too much trouble and expense.
The plumbing. Ohhh. It is bad. Pretty much it leaks everywhere there is a pipe that brings water to a faucet or back from a drain! But he gave me a tip. He said to look into PEX plumbing. WOW! I can do that. I could replumb the whole house in a day or two using pex. It is flexible tubing with special fittings. No elbows. They even have special manifolds with separate shut-offs so you have the water come in from the street to the water heater and then to the manifold and then there is a separate shutoff for each new connection - like a breaker box for your water lines! Running up the costs associated with replumbing the entire house with PEX (including that new bathroom I want) and replumbing the whole drainage system with PVC - totals about $800 and this suddenly becomes do-it-herself-able. Wow, wow, wow.
The roof. It needs one very soon-like. Sooner, rather than later. They never used flashing. It has two teeny tiny vents. That's it. It needs a ridge-vent or something. The chimneys are not doing well, either. They need to be rebuilt or removed. The rafters need to be tied. They are just toe-nailed together.
There is water damage in the basement, but it is water damage that can be fixed. Oh, a few 2x6s. No big deal.
Heat and air work fabulously!
Floor in bathroom is sound and nice!
Wood looks good!
Good bones!
Under the asbestos, there is wood siding... The house used to be red. How about that!
He agrees that there are two columns missing from the front.
The electric service is good! Modern 200 amp service with good looking wiring.
So the next step is to get the foundation looked at.
The plumbing is a non-issue to me.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Inspection
I called Knox Utilities Board and they will be turning on the electric and water for the home inspection tomorrow. No deposit needed - this was easier than I thought! I'll call them again to turn it off. Funny thing is that I have to have the utilities turned back off again for the week and a half before we close on the 29th, then I'll have to call them again to set up for them to have the utilities turned back on again the 28th. I have a feeling someone is entertained by this...
In any case, I don't mind, I'll do it. I have Bentley and Associates coming over to inspect on Monday at 2pm. I've just taken the afternoon off from work so I can be there and take pictures to share with you! Oh excitement. I'm entering the home stretch, er, bungalow stretch. Hyuk hyuk hyuk.
In any case, I don't mind, I'll do it. I have Bentley and Associates coming over to inspect on Monday at 2pm. I've just taken the afternoon off from work so I can be there and take pictures to share with you! Oh excitement. I'm entering the home stretch, er, bungalow stretch. Hyuk hyuk hyuk.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
How this came to be
In a nutshell. Ok, I never write anything in a nutshell and it just isn't how my life works... So, not so much in a nutshell, here is how this came to be.
I was thinking about the economy. I was thinking of how someday I'd love to be my own boss, work my own job, be in charge of my future. I was getting into this whole do-it-yourself stage by baking bread, making my own soap and laundry detergent, etc. I was saving money and being frugal. I thought about how nice it would be if my entire job was just to ensure my own self sufficiency. I thought I'd open a bed and breakfast. I looked into it and was encouraged to explore this possibility. I looked into properties that could become bed and breakfasts and then I realized that I could not afford them and bed and breakfast owners all counseled me to have some other source of income or at the very least have my debts paid off. I am far from that...
But I noticed that there were some real deals out there. And I thought maybe there was something that could help be increase my cash flow and that later I could turn into a bed and breakfast. Later after the mortgage was paid. The plan was to look for a rental. I looked at the MLS. I saw a triplex close to Maryville College and thought it might work. The location was good, the size was great and I like the craftsman houses. We went and saw it and it was falling apart, a den of hazards, lawsuits waiting to happen. I felt sorry for the residents. I also found out that the mortgage crisis has had a negative effect on obtaining a mortgage and that I would have to plunk down 25% of the purchase cost of any property with more than two residences. I modified my search to look at less expensive places and looked at another small house that was also falling apart. The real estate agent seemed shocked that I would expect more and she didn't really have time for me, so I switched agents. My new agent showed me a lot of houses! It narrowed my focus still more until what I thought I was looking for was a single family small residence to fix up and rent out.
Some were better than others, but I was getting tired and it was time to go home. She said, "just one more? It's the one you sent me last, but we might as well since it is on the way home".
OK.
We went and it was perfect. Sure, it is worn and it needs work, but it has great bones, it is not falling in and it is actually pretty big. Cute as a button, too! I fell in love. Then we went inside. Two bedrooms. Original things such as moldings, fireplaces, cabinets with art deco hinges, a claw foot tub in great condition, nice straight flat floors, good size bedrooms, original windows, sleeper porches, and a full basement!
So, I decided I have entirely too much stuff anyway, it is time to clean out. I decided to take a leap, make a change and I'm moving in.
I was thinking about the economy. I was thinking of how someday I'd love to be my own boss, work my own job, be in charge of my future. I was getting into this whole do-it-yourself stage by baking bread, making my own soap and laundry detergent, etc. I was saving money and being frugal. I thought about how nice it would be if my entire job was just to ensure my own self sufficiency. I thought I'd open a bed and breakfast. I looked into it and was encouraged to explore this possibility. I looked into properties that could become bed and breakfasts and then I realized that I could not afford them and bed and breakfast owners all counseled me to have some other source of income or at the very least have my debts paid off. I am far from that...
But I noticed that there were some real deals out there. And I thought maybe there was something that could help be increase my cash flow and that later I could turn into a bed and breakfast. Later after the mortgage was paid. The plan was to look for a rental. I looked at the MLS. I saw a triplex close to Maryville College and thought it might work. The location was good, the size was great and I like the craftsman houses. We went and saw it and it was falling apart, a den of hazards, lawsuits waiting to happen. I felt sorry for the residents. I also found out that the mortgage crisis has had a negative effect on obtaining a mortgage and that I would have to plunk down 25% of the purchase cost of any property with more than two residences. I modified my search to look at less expensive places and looked at another small house that was also falling apart. The real estate agent seemed shocked that I would expect more and she didn't really have time for me, so I switched agents. My new agent showed me a lot of houses! It narrowed my focus still more until what I thought I was looking for was a single family small residence to fix up and rent out.
Some were better than others, but I was getting tired and it was time to go home. She said, "just one more? It's the one you sent me last, but we might as well since it is on the way home".
OK.
We went and it was perfect. Sure, it is worn and it needs work, but it has great bones, it is not falling in and it is actually pretty big. Cute as a button, too! I fell in love. Then we went inside. Two bedrooms. Original things such as moldings, fireplaces, cabinets with art deco hinges, a claw foot tub in great condition, nice straight flat floors, good size bedrooms, original windows, sleeper porches, and a full basement!
So, I decided I have entirely too much stuff anyway, it is time to clean out. I decided to take a leap, make a change and I'm moving in.
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