North Carolina Tar Heels

[AlabamAlum]

I don't think credability is an issue. I would have never known about it unless you had said something and you only knew because you heard it from them. And what the new owner does with his property doesn't make Chip and Joanna or the show less credible imo.

As far as lost viewership, I cannot imagine thinking to myself, "I would watch that show with Chip and Joanna where they flip houses, but I heard that some of the houses they once flipped are now being rented out. RENTED OUT??!! Fuck them, fuck that show, and Fuck Waco! I'm gonna watch 'Cutthroat Kitchen' instead as a protest!"

whatever...its their premise. If they feel its necessary then more power to them.

I'm not saying they don't have the legal right to add it, I'm saying it is shitty to do so. But, yeah, whatever.

[sardis]

the wife and I are thinking about selling the house next year and getting a smaller nut.

while I like the burbs and really like our location, we're kind of at a point where the things we want to do to our house to make it more enjoyable for people entering their 50's (mainly first floor master/first floor laundry) would end up costing more to renovate than we'd get back and we'd still have a big ass house that I don't want to keep maintaining. The other part of the equation is with no kids there is no reason to keep paying the tax base we are to be in a good school system.

so we're trying to decide - move further out in the country or move back into the city - find a brick 4/2 ranch with new mechanics.

initially we thought country and just recently we bought some land within spitting distance of the ohio river near Chilo but turns out I don't want to live with white trash neighbors when I'm an old man so we're probably going to sell it or see if the boy wants its.

Now I'm leaning toward living in a buffer neighborhood to the nice ones - like Fairfax, Linwood or Bellevue. Hard to find a first floor master in these old neighborhoods built in the 1920's but you can pick up 1500 sq ft renovated cape cods all day long for less than $175K.

I'm also thinking about flipping a house with a guy at work. While I was looking for house I found one that seems to be ideal for flipping. We've been talking about it for a few years now.

Anyways....I'm ready to mix things up and kind of get out of the routine I have.


I realize most of you don't have any idea of the locations I mentioned but you get the gist of what I'm talking about.

Before we moved to Greenville, we decided we would downsize. Two of the three kids are going to college now. I was looking forward to getting that urban home where I could walk to work, stores, restaurants, etc. The 6 months I was doing preliminary work in setting up the office, I rented a small downtown apartment there so my wife and I could get an idea what it would be like. She didn't like the noise aspect of traffic and occasional sirens every night. So we ended up buying north of the city in a trendy little town of Travelers Rest. Its only a 15 minute drive to downtown Greenville which was still about 20 minutes better than my commute in Charlotte, and I am 20 minutes from mountains and 40 minutes from Asheville which I go quite often. I will sell the house in Charlotte and buy my urban condo (or rent) in Charlotte so I have my urban living fix when I work at the Charlotte office. If you have the wherewithal to rent a little something while your house is up for sale, you can get an idea of whether urban living is for you or not.

My brother-in-law, the attorney, started buying foreclosures and rehabbing when the recession hit as something for his unemployed brother to do and earn some money. He now does about 20 a year and has kept some as rentals. He also now employs his son (a realtor) and nephew (handy man)in the business and it now pretty much runs itself. The only thing he does is show up at the bank auctions and makes the purchases.

[Owlman]

All I can say is check the flood zone. There will be a lot more 500 year floods.

[Cletus]

Downtown Greenville =\= urban living

[hedge]

You ever watch any of the flipping shows on HGTV (I swear I'm not gay) - looks like fun.

That's not surprising, they punch a lot of holes in the walls on those shows...

[eCat]

I've lived in what I would consider the urban side when I first moved to Cincinnati - had a little cape cod with a postage size stamp yard, a parking lot next door and a bus stop at the parking lot. Across from it was a CVS, an IGA (which is now a Porsche dealership) , a bakery and a bar. In a 6 block radius we had an ice cream shop, an art theater, a hotel, a starbucks, 2 more bars, a hardware store and a butcher shop.

it was awesome. Then we had kids and had to face either sending them to a $6k a year private catholic school- which was not an option - or a cinci public school that meant they would get a subpar education. At the same time a recruiter called me with a job in Austin, TX so I moved and sold the house.

Next year both kids will be full time college and I want that back. Unfortunately I didn't realize how lucky I was to land that house in that neighborhood. I still drive by that house occasionally and look at the douglas fir I planted that is about 30 feet tall now.

I didn't mind the occasional siren or even the arrest out on the sidewalk. What I did love was sitting out on the porch on the cool evenings and watching people just go about their thing. I was also close with the neighbors and one couple would bring us weed which made the evening porch sitting after the babies were in bed that much better.

I've started looking at houses in that area again but its kind of hipster now. I don't want to be in the middle of that nonsense.

[eCat]

All I can say is check the flood zone. There will be a lot more 500 year floods.

when we first moved in this house, that summer I had 2 - 6 inches of water 3 different times in my basement.

I spent a small fortune putting in french drains, a sump pump and a concrete drain with 2x3' grates.

Now I have hard wood floors in my basement.

I remember our realtor trying to talk us out of the house saying "I'd be worried about flooding if I lived here"

[Owlman]

My son found a google picture of my neighborhood last week. It looked like an island

[hedge]

"I've started looking at houses in that area again but its kind of hipster now. I don't want to be in the middle of that nonsense."

Embrace your inner hipster...

[Jungle Rat]

I love the location of my house. Smack dab in the middle of both downtown Montgomery and Blue Ash. Easy walk to both. What part of town e?

[eCat]

I love the location of my house. Smack dab in the middle of both downtown Montgomery and Blue Ash. Easy walk to both. What part of town e?

I don't know yet - we're just getting started with the idea. It will take a year to get our shit in order and get rid of 19 years worth of stuff

[Jungle Rat]

Tell me about it. I've got 2 house of shit in 1 and keep putting it off.

[eCat]

The suburbs served 1 purpose - and it was kids/school/convenience.

while I like where I live - its a nice little town, I'm ready for a change - especially with the kids in college

[AlabamAlum]

One of my friends bought an entire floor in a renovated warehouse downtown. 20- ft ceilings, huge. Could put a basketball goal in it. Bar on the corner.

It's pretty cool.

[crashcourse]

you're not

[AlabamAlum]

Correct. I am not a renovated warehouse.

[hedge]

What are all those links at the bottom of your info box, AA?

[AlabamAlum]

I'm very connected.

[Jungle Rat]

Big decisions. Met with my contractor today. Looking at 120-175 in renovations to update this place for future sale. Because of where I live he expects an immediate 60% return on investment by the end of year 2. Gets better after that but im only interested in 3 max. I could sell it today as is for 400 even with all the demo I've done. I can get a good home equity loan to cover it all since the house is paid. Manageable monthly payments. My folks bought this house for 75 back in 76. Updated in 80 I believe so yes, its needs a shitload of work. Me doing my own demo will save 10. Opinions?

[sardis]

Is this your current residence? Was the place inherited or gifted to you? If inherited, what was the value on the estate return?