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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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? for homewoners- I need advice
Since you already own a home can lend some advice my way? 
I'm torn because we have a few options in buying our 1st home
We can buy a bigger home that's all redone or updated, basically no work needed to move in, but at the top of our budget and further from our jobs, but we would be happy in this area because we already have family and friends there
or
buy a smaller house that is redone or updated in a perfect location, and at a lower cost, but could be an issue in 3-5 years because of size
or
wait until a bigger home in the ideal location is listed and we would be willing to pay the max of our budget for it, even if it needs work
what would you do/ or what have you done?
we want to start a family, ideally in a year I would get pregnant, but if we are spending the max it might be 2 years off. I don't mind waiting, but I really am so torn!
Do you have any advice, maybe you picked one and your so happy or miserable and can tell me something I am missing?
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Posted 9/2/09 2:14 PM  |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
to clarify, I can't figure out what is more important
location
size
price
because one thing is going to have to be at the bottom
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:15 PM |
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Aries14
Can't plan life...
Member since 8/08 2860 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
I would go for the first one. When we were looking we were only looking in towns that were good for our jobs. Then our agent asked us to look at something on the total opposite shore! We did and LOVED it!!! It had everything we wanted with no real updates needed - a little more then we wanted to spend but also I better school district... and it was a commute I was trying to avoid. But we decided that if I could be this happy coming home everyday to a house I loved - I could deal with the extra driving time. Plus the fact that I decided I didn't want to base where I lived on where I worked... bc anything can happen and I would hate if we setttled on a house for a easy commute and then I stopped working there.. good luck!
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:21 PM |
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Aries14
Can't plan life...
Member since 8/08 2860 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
Posted by HeatherRose
to clarify, I can't figure out what is more important
location
size
price
because one thing is going to have to be at the bottom
I think you have it in order right there...
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:23 PM |
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Sparkyandang
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/08 766 total posts
Name:
Ang
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
I'd take the first house also.
For me, all three of the things you listed need to go together.
Here's what someone told us...
you can always change a house, or add to it, but can't change the location.
That being said - I wish I had a house I could move into without having to do anything. i'd love a new kitchen etc but the price prevented that from happening.
good luck...it's not an easy decision.
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:28 PM |
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
I would got for #2....if it is in your most desirable area then you can always dormer/expand the home and make it your own if need be.
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:32 PM |
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Selden78
I lvoe the fall :)
Member since 6/06 3543 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
I would go with ; buy a smaller house that is redone or updated in a perfect location, and at a lower cost, but could be an issue in 3-5 years because of size
The locstion is good and the price is good. You can add to the house if needed or in 3-5 years find another house.
This is your 1st home it doenst have to be the house you will live in forever.
I would nto go to close to your budget
get used to being a home owner and get used to all the other bills that come along with it. Your budget might not be where you think it is and then you might be way over budget.
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:33 PM |
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mandasue
LIF Adolescent
Member since 3/09 772 total posts
Name:
Amanda
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
location is number 1 bc you cant change that....
size is number 2 bc i hate moving so i wanted a house big enough for us now and in the future, but that is just me and i really hate moving....
price is third, make sure you can safely afford what ever you plan to buy, you never want to end up house broke
that said if you can swing it and like the location of the 1st house that would be my vote!
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| Posted 9/2/09 2:50 PM |
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Otherme
Square head cutie pants
Member since 3/06 6899 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
Posted by Selden78
I would go with ; buy a smaller house that is redone or updated in a perfect location, and at a lower cost, but could be an issue in 3-5 years because of size
The locstion is good and the price is good. You can add to the house if needed or in 3-5 years find another house.
This is your 1st home it doenst have to be the house you will live in forever.
I would nto go to close to your budget
get used to being a home owner and get used to all the other bills that come along with it. Your budget might not be where you think it is and then you might be way over budget.
This is exactly what i was going to say..
location is key
you can always add onto the house
just because you can doesn't mean you should go to the top of your budget KWIM?
There are always added expenses to owning a house that you don't expect - no matter how new or updated a house might be, you have to be prepared for some sort of repair or replacement of something that you won't know about until you're actually living there.
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| Posted 9/2/09 3:30 PM |
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Nik211
my little monkey<3
Member since 5/08 3303 total posts
Name:
Nik
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
location and price are really important to me - you cant change the location and i am conservative with money - i want to spend as little as possible  even if i loved loved loved a house i wouldnt want to get in over my head....i rather have a smaller house in a great location and be able to afford my payments and live comfortably than have a huge house that i can barely pay for......
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| Posted 9/2/09 3:38 PM |
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JBmommy
LIF Infant
Member since 8/09 252 total posts
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
If you think it is going to be too small in the next few years then I would not recommend going with that option. Especially since the market being what it is you could have to stay longer in the house.
I would wait until you find the bigger house in the ideal location that needs work.
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| Posted 9/2/09 3:49 PM |
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rkoenke
my little piggys
Member since 3/08 4315 total posts
Name:
rachel
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
Posted by Aries14
Posted by HeatherRose
to clarify, I can't figure out what is more important
location
size
price
because one thing is going to have to be at the bottom
I think you have it in order right there...
I thought the exact same thing!!
after you have kids, the commute is a HUGE deal! imagine the nurse calling you at work telling your DC broke his / her arm and needs to goto emergency room and it is going to take you an hour or more to get to him / her.
THis is why i sold and moved closer to my job and DHs job and also my family... God forbid an emergency happens, i don't want to be further than 20 minutes away from my two boogers.
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| Posted 9/2/09 9:00 PM |
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shoegal68
LIF Toddler
Member since 6/08 422 total posts
Name:
Sandy
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
location is the most important. we held out for a bit to make sure we ended up in a good location for both our commutes, school district, & proximity to our families
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| Posted 9/2/09 9:28 PM |
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HeatherRose
Life is Good :)
Member since 11/07 6605 total posts
Name:
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
thanks for all of your advice everyone, it seems that location is really the most important. we felt that way too but I wasn't sure if it was something I should hold out for 
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| Posted 9/3/09 4:37 PM |
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diva7531
My Peanut
Member since 2/07 5199 total posts
Name:
Ryan 3 boys EDD 11/6!
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
DH and I know how busy we both are and as much as we would love a fixer upper (cause I would love to do all that type of work) we knew we would NEVER have time for it. So we decided to wait and find the perfect house in a perfect location. It's at the higher end of our budget, so I can't wait to see how broke we are! 
As far as the family goes, you know how long we've been trying and we may (after this month) put it off for a few months to see how the bills are and everything. I am glad about the house and willing to put off epanding the family for a minute. I think with a house you have to be 100% happy.
Think of all of the people who "settled" a few years ago and are stuck because they owe more money than the house is worth. That thought was WAY too scary for me to even entertain.
Good Luck
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| Posted 9/3/09 6:11 PM |
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TheDivineMrsM
2 girls 4 me!
Member since 8/08 7878 total posts
Name:
Mama mama mama....
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Re: ? for homewoners- I need advice
Posted by Otherme
Posted by Selden78
I would go with ; buy a smaller house that is redone or updated in a perfect location, and at a lower cost, but could be an issue in 3-5 years because of size
The locstion is good and the price is good. You can add to the house if needed or in 3-5 years find another house.
This is your 1st home it doenst have to be the house you will live in forever.
I would nto go to close to your budget
get used to being a home owner and get used to all the other bills that come along with it. Your budget might not be where you think it is and then you might be way over budget.
This is exactly what i was going to say..
location is key
you can always add onto the house
just because you can doesn't mean you should go to the top of your budget KWIM?
There are always added expenses to owning a house that you don't expect - no matter how new or updated a house might be, you have to be prepared for some sort of repair or replacement of something that you won't know about until you're actually living there.
Exactly.
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| Posted 9/3/09 7:43 PM |
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