Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

The house was nice. It had a great, roomy floor plan with lots of storage. The wine cellar was emptied. Apparently the late husband of the current owner held wine tastings with his friends in there. There were two main problems. First of was that it was at the top of our budget and needed some work done immediately; wall paper, flooring and painting the internal doors throughout. The current owner must be tiny since the kitchen counters came up to mid thigh (80cm or thereabout) and I'm not that tall (though both my sister and I want a higher than average worktop). My sister thinks she could live with the low worktops but I think you'll want to change it sooner rather than later because it will kill your back. Then there is the central heating boiler which needs to be replaced before 2026 (from then on those aren't allowed to be installed anymore and you'll need to install a much more expensive heat pump) and the fuse box needs to be replace since it's one still using the old fashion porcelain fuses, which are harder and harder to get (especially since our store is now closed). The bathroom isn't to our taste either, but with some adjustments we could make it work for a couple of years.

However, the biggest problem was the busy road outside. I could have lived with the road, but there are plans to divert the heavy traffic with a bridge diagonally across from the house and a roundabout almost in front of the house. The council was already buying up houses along the canal that need to be taken down. Such projects always take a long time, longer than planned and the residents are submitted to noise and dust and probably inconvenient road closures. The real estate agent assured us that after it was done it would be a huge improvement. My sister looked at the council's plans and seriously doubt it will be an improvement (it's a really big roundabout).

In other words, if it was €20,000 cheaper and at a different location (in one of the nearby side street for instance) we would probably put an offer in. But the road really is a deal breaker unfortunately. Which sucks, because we both loved the house.

Yes, I really liked it in the images but a) lower counters, trust me, gurls, as you "cough cough mature" it gets worse--I won't tell you what I undergo with the damned countertops here and teh sink, doing dishes for the disshwasher--gods forbid I was doing the cursed things by hand; the noise. I'm all for creative gardening and hardscape and all that, as I mentioned--I've fixed a lotta problems with tall Italian Cypresses, but that sounds unlivable and YES, it absolutely was at the very top range. I do like Greg's suggestion though--but I'd lowball them even more.

Sure, they might find some other sucker that would think "oh, it won't take them long to do roadworks," (famous last words--I once recall waiting nearly 20 YEARS--yes, YEARS--for a promised freeway here that was allegedly going to be completely done in 6, when they first started yammering about it) some young inexperienced couple that still believe in the tooth fairy, but that sort of ignorance of the regular life things has gone out the window, with the advent of the net, by and large. I'd try to really get 'em down, or get them to replace the boiler and all that BEFORE the transaction is closed. Funnier things have happened. As he says, what's the worst that can happen--they say no? Meh.

OTOH, you can do a lot with 60KEU for reno (the other house). Just sayin'.

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Greg Anos

Well, you could put a low-ball bid in at 20K less than asked, if you could handle the street location. All they could say is no.

The building works is the biggest problem. Looking at the council's plans they plan to start work in 2026 and finish by the end of the year (though in the Netherlands those projects tends to run well past what they've scheduled for).

This is the website for the project. You can see a row of houses to the right of the red roof, the house we visited is the most right on that row. That roundabout is huge. The bridge will be a shortcut to the highway, the street to the top right corner is the road to the city center. I think it will reduce the traffic to the city center a little bit, but with the roundabout so close to your front door I don't think it will make much difference and you spend a year with all the trouble such a building project brings.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

The building works is the biggest problem. Looking at the council's plans they plan to start work in 2026 and finish by the end of the year (though in the Netherlands those projects tends to run well past what they've scheduled for).

This is the website for the project. You can see a row of houses to the right of the red roof, the house we visited is the most right on that row. That roundabout is huge. The bridge will be a shortcut to the highway, the street to the top right corner is the road to the city center. I think it will reduce the traffic to the city center a little bit, but with the roundabout so close to your front door I don't think it will make much difference and you spend a year with all the trouble such a building project brings.

Yeah. I get it. Been there, done that, got the wrinkles and irritable hearing syndrome (me being grouchy for a few years) from it.

You should keep looking. IF when you are getting sorta sad about not being able to find THE house, if it's still on the market, it may be serendipity. See if the price goes further down (as I said, we're seeing a softening in the sellers' market here and IME, as the USA goes, housing-prices wise, so too goes the EU, typically) , and between that and the noise, etc. it MAY go down further yet, making that year of agony or so worth it. You have recession and interest rates and all that possibly--possibly--working in your favor, in that regard. Not so much in others, obviously.

Just a thought. OR, the perfect house may yet come on the market. I'm still voting for that 200-year-old spot on the canal, but I already know that's a NoFlyZone for you two. :-) My hubby is the same way (as you ladies).

Quasi-humorous tale of Ye Olden Days:

When we first started house-hunting--as a young couple does, back when we went house-hunting on Brontosauruses, you understand--I saw this house that I just LUVED. LUVED it. So, I show it to Mr. Hitch, and I'm like "OMG, look at that brick, look at those oak floors, look at that lovely cook's kitchen and the quarters in the back..." and the look of sheer horror on his face was...well, then not so funny, but alll these decades later, funny-ish now.

His mouth opened and he said "OMG OMG, that house is TWENTY YEARS OLD!" I was like...and...what? And, so what?

Remember, I'd grown up in a 400+-460 year old house; had renovated and cleaned 500-y.o. brick and scraped and cleaned and refinished oak from before the founding of America, ffs. I earned (ha) my $5.00/week allowance stipend by hand-waxing the foyer floors of oak, each Saturday. LOL (I may be the only kid of the time that was relieved to be remanded to boarding school. The whole "work ethic" thing in my family was no joke. No work, no chores, no dough, no after-school activities, any of that stuff.)

To me, a 20-y.o. house is brand-bloody-new, for crying out loud (and I still feel that way to this day). To my husband, that's getting ready to fall down any second.

What slays me is, out here, where he was raised (New Mexico/AZ), there are PLENTY of older houses that age. PLENTY. This is on the old Spanish Trail! Viejo Sendero Español. I mean, people settled here before they knew that they were people, for heaven's sake. (Admitted hyperbole here.) 1500's and all that rot. Sigh. But apparently, his folks always had "new" homes, not sad old 'used' homes like my family, snort.

Funny thing--anyone wanna guess just how old THIS house is, the one we're in right now? The one we bought back in '08? Duh...I'm shocked that he's not making "we gotta move before the whole thing falls down on our heads" noises...

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

Cool places to view from afar here! I moved 18 months ago to a place about 100 ft from a major highway. I no longer notice the traffic when in the house. It has two, maybe three, drawbacks: (1) I can’t host people in my backyard. You have to yell to talk. (2) I can’t open the bedroom window at night. I love to sleep cool, and open the window in the fall. But the traffic lessens at night — so when a huge truck does go by, I notice it and am awakened, if the window is open. (3) Less bothersome: things outside get coated with dust from the road. I noticed that years ago at a boyfriend’s. My car is shielded by my house, so it’s less noticeable here, but his cars were beside the house, and very dirty.

A thought re helping your Dad to sort through what he can’t bear to get rid of: At least this way, when he eventually passes, you’ll know whether you need to sort his storage areas or can get rid of them with no further sorting!

It’s fun looking at your possible places!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

It’s fun looking at your possible places!

It is. It is making me seriously think, hmmm...maybe we DO need a new (cough) house...oh, Rumpel, my husband may be the one flying there to beat you, lol!

(n.b.: oh, yeah, right, like I would willingly pay for the privilege of packing again, at this age. NOPE, would not. No matter how much I'd love, just once, to have a true cook's kitchen before I pop my clogs...)

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

A new house I'm in love with. Very spacious and the attic would be plenty big enough to combine my bedroom and hobby room (especially if I can put a wardrobe in the spacious hallway. The garden is plenty big enough. It's at the top of our budget, I'm not too enthusiastic about the design of the kitchen. But unless it turns out to be a very low one it's something we can live with (especially since it's in a separate room and mostly out of sight). Despite the black floor I do like the bathroom (no shower curtain or glass sliding doors!)

There are three things that I'm hesitant about, first of all the central heating boiler is rental, so we have to look into how that works. Second, I suspect the table in the kitchen is build in (same table top as used in the kitchen counter), if it's build in how easy will it to be removed. Third is the laundry situation. It's now in the attic, right up against the wall of the bedroom. Which isn't ideal, and we should make a plan when we do laundry. Or see if we can move it somewhere else (which will probably be difficult since it needs be somewhere with access to water and a drain and the electrics will probably need to be changed).

On the 30th it's Open House Day, where a lot of houses up for sale are open for walk in viewings. This house participates in that day, so I think it might be a good idea to visit it then.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

A new house I'm in love with. Very spacious and the attic would be plenty big enough to combine my bedroom and hobby room (especially if I can put a wardrobe in the spacious hallway. The garden is plenty big enough. It's at the top of our budget, I'm not too enthusiastic about the design of the kitchen. But unless it turns out to be a very low one it's something we can live with (especially since it's in a separate room and mostly out of sight). Despite the black floor I do like the bathroom (no shower curtain or glass sliding doors!)

There are three things that I'm hesitant about, first of all the central heating boiler is rental, so we have to look into how that works. Second, I suspect the table in the kitchen is build in (same table top as used in the kitchen counter), if it's build in how easy will it to be removed. Third is the laundry situation. It's now in the attic, right up against the wall of the bedroom. Which isn't ideal, and we should make a plan when we do laundry. Or see if we can move it somewhere else (which will probably be difficult since it needs be somewhere with access to water and a drain and the electrics will probably need to be changed).

On the 30th it's Open House Day, where a lot of houses up for sale are open for walk in viewings. This house participates in that day, so I think it might be a good idea to visit it then.

Well, hell, it's easy tosee why you're in love with it--that is really darling. Landscaped, the wee pond, the roominess and all that...yeah, I'd be running hard at that one too. Vis-v-vis the table...maybe you don't care if it's built-in? Maybe you try it for a while, if it IS built-in? You may like/prefer it that way.

I've never heard of renting your heat, really so...I cannot speak to that.

On the laundry--what wee outdoor area/room, I wonder if that little double-decker machine could fit THERE, instead of the attic?

It really IS cute. And so nice that you remembered, and got some nice visitor bedrooms! Can't wait. :-D

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

Originally Posted by Hitch

Well, hell, it's easy tosee why you're in love with it--that is really darling. Landscaped, the wee pond, the roominess and all that...yeah, I'd be running hard at that one too. Vis-v-vis the table...maybe you don't care if it's built-in? Maybe you try it for a while, if it IS built-in? You may like/prefer it that way.

I've never heard of renting your heat, really so...I cannot speak to that.

On the laundry--what wee outdoor area/room, I wonder if that little double-decker machine could fit THERE, instead of the attic?

It really IS cute. And so nice that you remembered, and got some nice visitor bedrooms! Can't wait. :-D

Hitch

I knew you could rent solar panels. I didn't know you could rent a water heater/boiler. I assume the new owners can take over the rental agreement. If not it isn't too expensive to get you're own and have it installed (the friend I used to dog sit for does that type of thing)

For the washer/dryer you need water, drain and a fuse big enough. I suspect that that outdoor area (officially the scullery) will be on the fuse of the kitchen. It would be doable, but then you have to be careful which heavy appliances you can switch on at the same time. Putting in an extra fuse isn't to difficult, but putting in extra wiring is. There's also the storage area, which could be a possibility. But there's no picture of that room so I have no idea what the water/drain/electric situation is in there.

The table isn't a huge problem. I don't think we would use it much, though. Neither of us love cooking, so we don't need the extra prep space. It might come in handy when you have a (dinner) party; you could use to put snacks and drinks on. The kitchen is fairly closed off, so it won't be an eyesore. And I expect that we'll replace the kitchen within a couple of years (though my parents loved the kitchen, it's a bit too old fashioned for my tastes and I don't like black counter tops).

I fully expect this one to go well over asking price. For a while (half a year) the house prices were dropping, but they're now going up again. We'll have to wait and see what's going to happen.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I knew you could rent solar panels. I didn't know you could rent a water heater/boiler. I assume the new owners can take over the rental agreement. If not it isn't too expensive to get you're own and have it installed (the friend I used to dog sit for does that type of thing)

Hunh. We have a shared well, four houses. I get that sort of thing, but paying rent for your water heater, that's a new one on me. Oh, well...(not an intended pun!)

For the washer/dryer you need water, drain and a fuse big enough. I suspect that that outdoor area (officially the scullery) will be on the fuse of the kitchen. It would be doable, but then you have to be careful which heavy appliances you can switch on at the same time. Putting in an extra fuse isn't to difficult, but putting in extra wiring is. There's also the storage area, which could be a possibility. But there's no picture of that room so I have no idea what the water/drain/electric situation is in there.

Yup, yuup but...and I'm having some trouble orienting myself, with the images and the floorplan--as you said, it's hard to tell where/what that wee storage area is, the one off the kitchen. When I spoke about the spare Fridge/Freezer (?) room, with what seems to be pantry (?) storage too, that little outdoor space that was converted, somehow, is IT or not. IF that wee room has the room, no dreadful English intended, that might be the answer and yes, I can see that circuit routing could be a major hassle. We have that here, in ye old casita, ourselves--we have this one small circuit and heavens forbid you plug in 3 lamps and a vacuum cleaner. You're doomed. LOL. A perfectly modern house--the idiot that built it just undercalculated that circuit.

The table isn't a huge problem. I don't think we would use it much, though. Neither of us love cooking, so we don't need the extra prep space. It might come in handy when you have a (dinner) party; you could use to put snacks and drinks on. The kitchen is fairly closed off, so it won't be an eyesore. And I expect that we'll replace the kitchen within a couple of years (though my parents loved the kitchen, it's a bit too old fashioned for my tastes and I don't like black counter tops).

While it's not Architectural Digest, that's a nice amount of space and countger space for a smaller home. And having kitchen space and cabinet space and a table that you can use to work on (if you and Sis ever taken up baking bread, let's say (stop throwing rotten fruit at me, Rumple...), you'll be grateful. it's like the old "no fewer bathrooms than butts" thing--you will NEVER regret having MORE kitchen space. You just won't, even if you're not a mad scientist Julia Child. You aren't cut off from deciding you want to be the MSJC (Mad Scientist Julia Child) if you get a wild hair up your tuchus and decide you want to perfect Tangzhou, for uber-soft bread. NOT having a workspace, NOT having cabinets, etc. can be...woefully frustrating. This is definitely one of those "errs on the good side" things, IMHO.

I fully expect this one to go well over asking price. For a while (half a year) the house prices were dropping, but they're now going up again. We'll have to wait and see what's going to happen.

Yeah, I suspect you're right about that. You and Sis may be knocked out of the running early on and if so...hell, keep looking in that area. Sometimes, synchronicity works.

Hitch

[badgoodDeb]

And maybe don’t wait for the Open House. View it asap and get a bid in early. You might just win, if others wait for the Open House. . Now I’ll go look at the pics.

Yes, very lovely! Don’t wait!

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by badgoodDeb

And maybe don’t wait for the Open House. View it asap and get a bid in early. You might just win, if others wait for the Open House. . Now I’ll go look at the pics.

Yes, very lovely! Don’t wait!

Right? Yes, that's what I think too. It's pretty flipping adorable unless it has a fatal flaw.

Hitch

[Rumpelteazer]

My sister's got a conference all week next week, which she has organized. So she can't take a couple of hours off to visit. We might see if we can get an appointment for the week after, before the 30th.

During the night this house came online. I really like it. Again we could each have a floor. But my sister thinks Gouda is too far away. Also it's got energy label D, we're aiming for C or up, but at €375,000 you've got room to improve that.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

My sister's got a conference all week next week, which she has organized. So she can't take a couple of hours off to visit. We might see if we can get an appointment for the week after, before the 30th.

During the night this house came online. I really like it. Again we could each have a floor. But my sister thinks Gouda is too far away. Also it's got energy label D, we're aiming for C or up, but at €375,000 you've got room to improve that.

OOOKAY, are you kidding? That house and you keep €75K of your dough? That's a lovely spot, really. Gouda...besides meaning "cheese," what does that mean to the rest of us? How "far" is that? (I will no doubt be scathing, because IME, European and US-East-Coast concepts of "far away" and "close" and all that are wildly, massively different than those of us who live in the US West/Southwest. Not making fun of people, really but, it's true, it's all what you're used to.)

I recall well my siblings telling me that for them to drive 17-20 miles to go to my mother's house, to put in some time cleaning it and all that was "too far," but hey, it wasn't too far for me to fly 2500 miles, each way, to do the same thing.

So, how far IS Gouda? And think about it--that distance from newly-retired Mum and Dad, with whom you now need to establish all new boundaries and all that--that might be very very very handy.

ETA: Wait, 25 klicks? Is that right? That's how far away it is? OR is Google letting me down? If it's only 25k GURLS, don't be silly. I literally drive that far to run to my drugstore, for crying out loud.

LOVELY little place. Leap on it, Rumpel!

Hitch

[Greg Anos]

Originally Posted by Hitch

OOOKAY, are you kidding? That house and you keep €75K of your dough? That's a lovely spot, really. Gouda...besides meaning "cheese," what does that mean to the rest of us? How "far" is that? (I will no doubt be scathing, because IME, European and US-East-Coast concepts of "far away" and "close" and all that are wildly, massively different than those of us who live in the US West/Southwest. Not making fun of people, really but, it's true, it's all what you're used to.)

I recall well my siblings telling me that for them to drive 17-20 miles to go to my mother's house, to put in some time cleaning it and all that was "too far," but hey, it wasn't too far for me to fly 2500 miles, each way, to do the same thing.

So, how far IS Gouda? And think about it--that distance from newly-retired Mum and Dad, with whom you now need to establish all new boundaries and all that--that might be very very very handy.

ETA: Wait, 25 klicks? Is that right? That's how far away it is? OR is Google letting me down? If it's only 25k GURLS, don't be silly. I literally drive that far to run to my drugstore, for crying out loud.

LOVELY little place. Leap on it, Rumpel!

Hitch

Assuming, of course, you have a car. . .

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Greg Anos

Assuming, of course, you have a car. . .

There you go with all that practical stuff again, Greg!!!!!

Yes, he's right, of course. ASSUMING you have a car. (Do you?)

(I do get that many urban lifestyles eschew the auto. I lived that way myself for a while, in NYC "back in..." OTOH, I've always found that when the cow eats the cabbage or things go horribly wrong, like "need ER," a car is a pretty important thing to own.)

Hitch