[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]It depends. My advice would be to hang out during drop off and pick up one day. That way you will know exactly what you are getting into and cand ecide for yourself.[/quote]
This is good advice.

It can be very frustrating to live adjacent to a school. I know the residents of a house next to my kids school got so frustrated with someone parking in front of their house during back-to-school-night this year they vandalized the car. (Yes, they were arrested/charged.) Remember that the public streets have PUBLIC parking – and if you can’t fit the cars in your garage/driveway there will be times you can’t park near your house.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]It depends. My advice would be to hang out during drop off and pick up one day. That way you will know exactly what you are getting into and cand ecide for yourself.[/quote]
This is good advice.

It can be very frustrating to live adjacent to a school. I know the residents of a house next to my kids school got so frustrated with someone parking in front of their house during back-to-school-night this year they vandalized the car. (Yes, they were arrested/charged.) Remember that the public streets have PUBLIC parking – and if you can’t fit the cars in your garage/driveway there will be times you can’t park near your house.

[UCGal]

[quote=sdrealtor]It depends. My advice would be to hang out during drop off and pick up one day. That way you will know exactly what you are getting into and cand ecide for yourself.[/quote]
This is good advice.

It can be very frustrating to live adjacent to a school. I know the residents of a house next to my kids school got so frustrated with someone parking in front of their house during back-to-school-night this year they vandalized the car. (Yes, they were arrested/charged.) Remember that the public streets have PUBLIC parking – and if you can’t fit the cars in your garage/driveway there will be times you can’t park near your house.

[UCGal]

[quote=threadkiller]I’ve had 2 inspections done in the last year and I’ll have to say I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. So I think alot of it depends on who is asking for the inspection. Most people have no clue what is holding up their house, so for most people it is probably money well spent. I personally will never have another one done, one guy didn’t/wouldn’t even crawl under the house. Ask a prospective inspector if he is willing to do this,if not keep looking![/quote]

Wow – how do you assess a house without crawling in the crawl space (if there is one.)

I had inspections on my first two houses. I was single and in a different state that my dad (who would have done just as good of a job.). I didn’t bother with my current house because (a)- we bought from my father so we had the previous 35 years of maitenance records and (b)- my husband’s an architect who worked construction during and just after college – so he was able to assess things from a structural point of view. I did get value from the first two inspections – they gave me an idea of what “big ticket” items were likely to go in the near term (a 40 year old oil furnace for example) and what was more cosmetic. The inspection in WA state – they crawled under the house and caught some joists that needed sistering. The inspection in WA caught a small leak on the water heater. Both medium ticket repairs that were passed onto the seller.

[UCGal]

[quote=threadkiller]I’ve had 2 inspections done in the last year and I’ll have to say I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. So I think alot of it depends on who is asking for the inspection. Most people have no clue what is holding up their house, so for most people it is probably money well spent. I personally will never have another one done, one guy didn’t/wouldn’t even crawl under the house. Ask a prospective inspector if he is willing to do this,if not keep looking![/quote]

Wow – how do you assess a house without crawling in the crawl space (if there is one.)

I had inspections on my first two houses. I was single and in a different state that my dad (who would have done just as good of a job.). I didn’t bother with my current house because (a)- we bought from my father so we had the previous 35 years of maitenance records and (b)- my husband’s an architect who worked construction during and just after college – so he was able to assess things from a structural point of view. I did get value from the first two inspections – they gave me an idea of what “big ticket” items were likely to go in the near term (a 40 year old oil furnace for example) and what was more cosmetic. The inspection in WA state – they crawled under the house and caught some joists that needed sistering. The inspection in WA caught a small leak on the water heater. Both medium ticket repairs that were passed onto the seller.

[UCGal]

[quote=threadkiller]I’ve had 2 inspections done in the last year and I’ll have to say I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. So I think alot of it depends on who is asking for the inspection. Most people have no clue what is holding up their house, so for most people it is probably money well spent. I personally will never have another one done, one guy didn’t/wouldn’t even crawl under the house. Ask a prospective inspector if he is willing to do this,if not keep looking![/quote]

Wow – how do you assess a house without crawling in the crawl space (if there is one.)

I had inspections on my first two houses. I was single and in a different state that my dad (who would have done just as good of a job.). I didn’t bother with my current house because (a)- we bought from my father so we had the previous 35 years of maitenance records and (b)- my husband’s an architect who worked construction during and just after college – so he was able to assess things from a structural point of view. I did get value from the first two inspections – they gave me an idea of what “big ticket” items were likely to go in the near term (a 40 year old oil furnace for example) and what was more cosmetic. The inspection in WA state – they crawled under the house and caught some joists that needed sistering. The inspection in WA caught a small leak on the water heater. Both medium ticket repairs that were passed onto the seller.

[UCGal]

[quote=threadkiller]I’ve had 2 inspections done in the last year and I’ll have to say I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. So I think alot of it depends on who is asking for the inspection. Most people have no clue what is holding up their house, so for most people it is probably money well spent. I personally will never have another one done, one guy didn’t/wouldn’t even crawl under the house. Ask a prospective inspector if he is willing to do this,if not keep looking![/quote]

Wow – how do you assess a house without crawling in the crawl space (if there is one.)

I had inspections on my first two houses. I was single and in a different state that my dad (who would have done just as good of a job.). I didn’t bother with my current house because (a)- we bought from my father so we had the previous 35 years of maitenance records and (b)- my husband’s an architect who worked construction during and just after college – so he was able to assess things from a structural point of view. I did get value from the first two inspections – they gave me an idea of what “big ticket” items were likely to go in the near term (a 40 year old oil furnace for example) and what was more cosmetic. The inspection in WA state – they crawled under the house and caught some joists that needed sistering. The inspection in WA caught a small leak on the water heater. Both medium ticket repairs that were passed onto the seller.

[UCGal]

[quote=threadkiller]I’ve had 2 inspections done in the last year and I’ll have to say I didn’t learn anything I didn’t already know. So I think alot of it depends on who is asking for the inspection. Most people have no clue what is holding up their house, so for most people it is probably money well spent. I personally will never have another one done, one guy didn’t/wouldn’t even crawl under the house. Ask a prospective inspector if he is willing to do this,if not keep looking![/quote]

Wow – how do you assess a house without crawling in the crawl space (if there is one.)

I had inspections on my first two houses. I was single and in a different state that my dad (who would have done just as good of a job.). I didn’t bother with my current house because (a)- we bought from my father so we had the previous 35 years of maitenance records and (b)- my husband’s an architect who worked construction during and just after college – so he was able to assess things from a structural point of view. I did get value from the first two inspections – they gave me an idea of what “big ticket” items were likely to go in the near term (a 40 year old oil furnace for example) and what was more cosmetic. The inspection in WA state – they crawled under the house and caught some joists that needed sistering. The inspection in WA caught a small leak on the water heater. Both medium ticket repairs that were passed onto the seller.

[UCGal]

I’m in your friends situation (except we paid for the house – we bought from my dad.)

Your friend needs to make sure the title and prop 13 rate were transfered. Perhaps that’s her concern. Perhaps she hasn’t done that step. Since her father is dead she’ll need to provide death certificate, her birth certificate (showing he’s her father, etc.) Since my dad was living, we had to get him to sign the form and get it notorized and provide my birth certificate. It can take a few months for the property tax rate to be transfered. They tried to stick us with a higher bill – but we were refunded the balance once the paper work went through.

She needs to transfer the title to her name or else she’ll have issues when it comes time to sell. My husband’s Dad and his siblings inherited a Jersey shore bungalow – it’s still in their father’s name. Grandpa Lucio has been dead for 25 years. It’s a mess now that they’re trying to sell. And a bunch of senior citizens trying to unravel what they need to do to get the title straightened out is NOT a pretty sight. (They’re all in their 80’s)

[UCGal]

I’m in your friends situation (except we paid for the house – we bought from my dad.)

Your friend needs to make sure the title and prop 13 rate were transfered. Perhaps that’s her concern. Perhaps she hasn’t done that step. Since her father is dead she’ll need to provide death certificate, her birth certificate (showing he’s her father, etc.) Since my dad was living, we had to get him to sign the form and get it notorized and provide my birth certificate. It can take a few months for the property tax rate to be transfered. They tried to stick us with a higher bill – but we were refunded the balance once the paper work went through.

She needs to transfer the title to her name or else she’ll have issues when it comes time to sell. My husband’s Dad and his siblings inherited a Jersey shore bungalow – it’s still in their father’s name. Grandpa Lucio has been dead for 25 years. It’s a mess now that they’re trying to sell. And a bunch of senior citizens trying to unravel what they need to do to get the title straightened out is NOT a pretty sight. (They’re all in their 80’s)

[UCGal]

I’m in your friends situation (except we paid for the house – we bought from my dad.)

Your friend needs to make sure the title and prop 13 rate were transfered. Perhaps that’s her concern. Perhaps she hasn’t done that step. Since her father is dead she’ll need to provide death certificate, her birth certificate (showing he’s her father, etc.) Since my dad was living, we had to get him to sign the form and get it notorized and provide my birth certificate. It can take a few months for the property tax rate to be transfered. They tried to stick us with a higher bill – but we were refunded the balance once the paper work went through.

She needs to transfer the title to her name or else she’ll have issues when it comes time to sell. My husband’s Dad and his siblings inherited a Jersey shore bungalow – it’s still in their father’s name. Grandpa Lucio has been dead for 25 years. It’s a mess now that they’re trying to sell. And a bunch of senior citizens trying to unravel what they need to do to get the title straightened out is NOT a pretty sight. (They’re all in their 80’s)

[UCGal]

I’m in your friends situation (except we paid for the house – we bought from my dad.)

Your friend needs to make sure the title and prop 13 rate were transfered. Perhaps that’s her concern. Perhaps she hasn’t done that step. Since her father is dead she’ll need to provide death certificate, her birth certificate (showing he’s her father, etc.) Since my dad was living, we had to get him to sign the form and get it notorized and provide my birth certificate. It can take a few months for the property tax rate to be transfered. They tried to stick us with a higher bill – but we were refunded the balance once the paper work went through.

She needs to transfer the title to her name or else she’ll have issues when it comes time to sell. My husband’s Dad and his siblings inherited a Jersey shore bungalow – it’s still in their father’s name. Grandpa Lucio has been dead for 25 years. It’s a mess now that they’re trying to sell. And a bunch of senior citizens trying to unravel what they need to do to get the title straightened out is NOT a pretty sight. (They’re all in their 80’s)

[UCGal]

I’m in your friends situation (except we paid for the house – we bought from my dad.)

Your friend needs to make sure the title and prop 13 rate were transfered. Perhaps that’s her concern. Perhaps she hasn’t done that step. Since her father is dead she’ll need to provide death certificate, her birth certificate (showing he’s her father, etc.) Since my dad was living, we had to get him to sign the form and get it notorized and provide my birth certificate. It can take a few months for the property tax rate to be transfered. They tried to stick us with a higher bill – but we were refunded the balance once the paper work went through.

She needs to transfer the title to her name or else she’ll have issues when it comes time to sell. My husband’s Dad and his siblings inherited a Jersey shore bungalow – it’s still in their father’s name. Grandpa Lucio has been dead for 25 years. It’s a mess now that they’re trying to sell. And a bunch of senior citizens trying to unravel what they need to do to get the title straightened out is NOT a pretty sight. (They’re all in their 80’s)

[UCGal]

I’ve had experiences with banks and with brokers.

My first purchase – back in the early 90’s (yes, I’m old) I financed with WAMU – back when WAMU was a local bank in the NorthWest states. (I lived in WA at the time.) It was a good experience, good communication with the bank, etc.

I’ve had 1 ‘meh’ experience with a broker, when I bought in PA. He got it done, but wasn’t super communicative.

I’ve had 1 AWFUL experience with a broker – when we bought our current home. She lost our paperwork multiple times, she tried to not honor the agreed fees noted on the truth in lending statement. I found out afterwards she had a drinking problem and was on a bender when my loan *should* have been closing.

I’ve had one pain-free excellent experience with a broker… that’s my refi from earlier this year with Sheldon (HLS). He got it done. He communicated. He didn’t push (we had a lien issue to clear up first.)

but to me – it comes down to price… The total costs – fees, the interest rates, etc. I’m cheap.

[UCGal]

I’ve had experiences with banks and with brokers.

My first purchase – back in the early 90’s (yes, I’m old) I financed with WAMU – back when WAMU was a local bank in the NorthWest states. (I lived in WA at the time.) It was a good experience, good communication with the bank, etc.

I’ve had 1 ‘meh’ experience with a broker, when I bought in PA. He got it done, but wasn’t super communicative.

I’ve had 1 AWFUL experience with a broker – when we bought our current home. She lost our paperwork multiple times, she tried to not honor the agreed fees noted on the truth in lending statement. I found out afterwards she had a drinking problem and was on a bender when my loan *should* have been closing.

I’ve had one pain-free excellent experience with a broker… that’s my refi from earlier this year with Sheldon (HLS). He got it done. He communicated. He didn’t push (we had a lien issue to clear up first.)

but to me – it comes down to price… The total costs – fees, the interest rates, etc. I’m cheap.

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