Buying a house

[Ladydragon]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:

[SMOKEU]

Depends how many drugs you hustle.

[Gremlin]

About as easy as the perfect bike.

[Edbear]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:

What are you doing up so late young lady? :mobile:

No, there isn't but a good house has a nice "feel" to it when you walk in. It is a very hard and stressful endeavour to buy a house but be assured if you miss out on a house you really wanted another "ideal" house will turn up somewhere else. :niceone:

[Big Dave]

I reckon I could do my perfect house for around $10 million.

[MIXONE]

To me a place with a triple garage is the perfect house.

[Stirts]

To me a place with a triple garage is the perfect house.

+1 on that!! I think that was the deciding factor to sign our souls over to the bank.

[Bender]

a good house has a nice "feel" to it when you walk in. I

^^^^^^^
This

I have a list of the four or five really important things that I want - for example if you have a bunch of bikes, you need a garage. But I am prepared to compromise if other features impress me.

[Maha]

I think we have the perfect house (for us)...its way to big for the two of us but we wont let it go because it cant be replaced.
It has enough garage floor space for 15 bikes....a seperate pool table and bar area. Wonderful views in all directions except south.
Gas heating/ceiling fans/two story/massive back yard (which I dont have to mow) a big deck. Three bedrooms upstairs plus an office/one 7X 3m bedroom downstairs...yeah its perfect....for us.

[Owl]

I reckon I could do my perfect house for around $10 million.

Bloody high roller!

I could have mine for a fraction of that. 50sq metre house and a 150sq metre garage.:D

[Scuba_Steve]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:

There is... You can't afford it
If your willing to take your time however you can find a bloody good suitable house/property at a price you can afford but you must decide on what's really important as compromise will have to be made.

[Ladydragon]

One thing i'm finding hard is the house can't be on the main road (I have to cats) already had one hit by a car couple of years ago dont need another one a big kitchen would be extra perfect and a enteraining area out the back (deck and enough room so I can start up another organic vege garden again)fenced would be extra good to.I'll just have to keep on looking I spose like EdBear said when the perfect house comes along i'll know.

Least I have one extremly large weight of my shoulders the house will be morgage free

[neels]

Decide what the must haves are, after that it's easy, when you walk in you'll know it's the right house

The last 3 houses we've bought, it's taken us about 5 minutes to decide we wanted to buy, the others we looked at it took about 30 seconds to decide we didn't.

Latest purchase I got as far as 7x6 garage + 6x3 motorbike shed = sold

[scissorhands]

Least I have one extremly large weight of my shoulders the house will be morgage free

I would borrow, buy something with a larger yard. Who knows in the future you may want to build on the back and have a new home made to order

More $$ more perfect less work

Wealth and poverty gaps are widening dramatically, could be a riot one day, something to consider. Also The Mount and Papamoa and eastern Coromandel and Northland and and and have a long history of tidal waves..... things like that

Cones may erupt again....

[English Kiwi]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:

As people have said you'll soon know when a house is right...we've just moved house and took us all of 5 mins to out an offer in.

Find the area you want to live in then just go to every open home you find :P



To me a place with a triple garage is the perfect house.

At this rate we'll need a 6 car garage!!


One thing i'm finding hard is the house can't be on the main road (I have to cats) already had one hit by a car couple of years ago dont need another one a big kitchen would be extra perfect and a enteraining area out the back (deck and enough room so I can start up another organic vege garden again)fenced would be extra good to.I'll just have to keep on looking I spose like EdBear said when the perfect house comes along i'll know.

Least I have one extremly large weight of my shoulders the house will be morgage free

You could always buy a piece of land and then build on it, we'll prob do that in the future as really do need a HUGE garage!

Lucky you for being mortgage free...we have 2 mortgages but luckily the tenants pay for 1 of them :wings:

Good Luck with your search :)

[onearmedbandit]

Hmmm...the perfect house? Doesn't matter, as long as the wife can't find it.

[Ladydragon]

One thing I forgot to write the house will have to have a garage of course to put the motorbike in

[bogan]

One thing I forgot to write the house will have to have a garage of course to put the motorbike in

Reckon you got it backwards, the garage needs a house nearby for you to sleep/cook in :bleh:

The perfect garages are made, not bought, still, it helps to start off with a pretty good one!

[HenryDorsetCase]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:

EVERYTHING is compromise: unless you're Kim Dot Com (and even then.....)

[RDJ]

As a couple of others have said, I think the best house is the one you like the most, because we sure spend an awful lot of time in it, even if only asleep. Apart from garaging for the bike(s) I've always been to look at the neighborhood both by day and evening and maybe weekedn (I don't want to be in the middle of Noisy Party Central) and I prefer a significant proportion of owner-occupiers in the vicinity. Nothing against people renting, been there and done that, but too many renters with no stake in the neighbourhood long term, changes the character of a neighbourhood and not always for the best. Proximity to schools for the children is a big plus, and it can be helpful to have a convenience store not too far away...., but most of all the house has to be affordable for the budget. Even the best possible house will not be nice to inhabit if it is a nagging every day worry how to get it paid off. In which connection, for me houses are like bikes; I never buy a new one, because a house or bike that someone else has used before me is much better value, has withstood some rigours of time and stress, and generally has got soul compared to the out-of-the-factory-new-this-year product... and I will make it mine over time. But as always, YMMV. Good luck!

[NinjaNanna]

hmmm I'm having difficulty working out how you are going to be mortage free, yet are asking rookie/first home owner style questions?

[avgas]

I have a question when you are looking to buy a new house is there such a thing as the perfect house or is that asking to much:confused:
Stop stealing the good houses out west alright! My bloody misses is pissing me off dragging me all over the show to show me this house and that.

I keep bloody telling her I don't give a fuck so long as it has a garage.

[Indiana_Jones]

I think we have the perfect house (for us)...its way to big for the two of us but we wont let it go because it cant be replaced.
It has enough garage floor space for 15 bikes....a seperate pool table and bar area. Wonderful views in all directions except south.
Gas heating/ceiling fans/two story/massive back yard (which I dont have to mow) a big deck. Three bedrooms upstairs plus an office/one 7X 3m bedroom downstairs...yeah its perfect....for us.

+1 for Maha's house

-Indy

[TrentNz]

I would borrow, buy something with a larger yard. Who knows in the future you may want to build on the back and have a new home made to order

More $$ more perfect less work

Wealth and poverty gaps are widening dramatically, could be a riot one day, something to consider. Also The Mount and Papamoa and eastern Coromandel and Northland and and and have a long history of tidal waves..... things like that

Cones may erupt again....

lol mate, if your gonna worry about that kind of shit you might as well buy a bunker :facepalm:

[hellokitty]

hmmm I'm having difficulty working out how you are going to be mortage free, yet are asking rookie/first home owner style questions?

How is that difficult to work out?
First timer buyer paying cash.

[HenryDorsetCase]

How is that difficult to work out?
First timer buyer paying cash.

Here are some tips, just stuff I have picked up working in the area for a while.

Do your research. Go round the area, look at what is on the market, look at what else is sold, see if you can get a feel for the price/value equation in the area(s) you're interested in. That way you'll get an idea of the "worth" of any particular property. Dont do what my sister did and buy the first house she saw on the first day she started looking :facepalm:

real estate agents are fucking liars. There is the odd good, decent, honest one but they are very few and far between. They are not your friends, they are very very skilled and practiced at railroading people, and getting them to pay more than they want (and sometimes need) to. Remember they are paid by the vendor. Follow the money.

You MUST do proper due diligence on a potential purchase: that includes a conditional contract with subject to's like title, LIM, finance (in Canterbury add insurance, geotechnical and structural engineer). You must get a building inspection from a building inspection company that is working for you. Be very very careful of anything built between say 1990 and 2000.

The only person in the whole deal who is looking after you and your interests is your lawyer. Get one onside early. Don't shop purely on price. Get a recommendation from family, friends, work colleagues etc. Talk to them early in the piece. If you are feeling uncomfortable find another lawyer. I am happy to chat to someone for half an hour free of charge before starting the eggtimer just to talk about the things I've just mentioned.

Never EVER pay a deposit before confirmation of a contract. (the contract should say "$X payable on confirmation to XYZ Realty trust account". You dont have to pay 10%. In fact you dont have to pay a deposit, or if you do $1 is legally as effective as $100k (as an "earnest of good faith, and that the contract will be duly completed"). But guess who gets paid from your deposit, and might get paid even though the fucking deal never settles? I always try and get clients to make the contract deposit "payable on confirmation to the vendors solicitors trust account and to be held as stakeholder until settlement occurs" but agents are very good at talking people out of that. Always try and make all the conditions confirm on the same day: its a pain in the arse if some are on one day and others on another.

Dont be scared of buying a house privately. Again, due diligence is the key, and getting someone (your lawyer) to draft a contract is a worthwhile exercise. Be a bit wary of private seller's expectations: sometimes they have tried to sell a property at a way OTT price and been unsuccessful, so they think well I will sell it myself and this is my price. Also if you need finance and have bought privately, often a bank will require a registered valuation.

Banks are fucking arseholes too. Dont use Kiwibank. Their frontend the clients see is OK, but i intensely dislike their back end that I have to deal with.

I know you've said you dont need finance and will pay cash (and good for you) but consider adding a finance clause anyway: it is the easiest way to bin a contract if you need to. Never ever tell the agent you're paying cash even if you are, unless you are going to get a HEFTY discount.

Good luck. Welcome to your second job for the next few months :) Happy to field any questions if you have any.

[HenryDorsetCase]

lol mate, if your gonna worry about that kind of shit you might as well buy a bunker :facepalm:

bunker no good in a tsunami. Gurgle gurgle. just saying

[TrentNz]

bunker no good in a tsunami. Gurgle gurgle. just saying
you completely waterproof it, and add your own air supply (enough for days without having to leave)

[neels]

Good luck. Welcome to your second job for the next few months :)

At least you're not in chch, getting out of the red zone and buying a house here is a full time bloody job. :brick:

And definately get a recommendation for a lawyer, one like HDC says who will have a chat with you without sending a nasty bill for the privilege, and who will tell you the cost up front for handling your house purchase. Friends of friends got a bill for $12k for processing red zoning/insurance stuff and buying a house, that's the wrong sort of lawyer.

Deposits, yeah, real estate agents like deposits to secure their fee & nobody else really gives a shit.

[Edbear]

Hmmm...the perfect house? Doesn't matter, as long as the wife can't find it.

Bit like child-proofing your home only to find they can still get in, eh?


+1 for Maha's house

-Indy

+2! :niceone:

[CookMySock]

A perfect house is one you don't lose money on when you re-sell it.

[HenryDorsetCase]

and who will tell you the cost up front for handling your house purchase. Friends of friends got a bill for $12k for processing red zoning/insurance stuff and buying a house, that's the wrong sort of lawyer.


well, on the face of it that is a lot of money but the "Friends of friends" thing is a worry. And that $12 might have gotten them another hundred grand out of their insurer, hmmmm? it is impossible to have an opinion without knowing the facts.

and my experience in christchurch is there are no quick or easy or painless or profitable deals anymore. Everything is a hassle!

[Swoop]

Stop stealing the good houses out west alright! My bloody misses is pissing me off dragging me all over the show to show me this house and that.
Good luck out west. The local estate agent has only 30 houses on the books when they normally have around 150.
The "for sale" sign is only out for a week or so before "sold" appears, as well!