House hunting

[Koronin]

Last weekend we went and saw 6 homes in the neighborhood we are the most interested in. We're going back this Friday to see one of them for a 2nd time. We saw three last Friday (including this one) and three more on Sunday. The neighborhood has no HOA (Extremely important) is actually close to where we are renting, which means it is convient to most things, and we can ride our bikes in that neighborhood. However the main road (that you get on once you leave the neighborhood) is a road neither my husband or myself are ready to ride on. There is a Shell gas station at the corner of one of the roads that leads into the neighborhood. Anyway of the 6 houses we saw we like 3, and have dismissed the other 3 for various reasons. Of the 3 we like we need to find out if there can be another access added to the attic for one of them, otherwise it will get dismissed due to major lack of storage. Otherwise it does have a few minor issues. Another one has a couple of minor issues, the biggest being it is a corner lot and has a very strangely fenced in backyard. The side that is not fenced in is much larger than the fenced in part of the yard. The home we are going back to see is our favorite. We really need to check out the road and getting into/out of the driveway as it is a smaller road. The road is two lanes only, whereas the other houses are roads that are a bit wider (maybe by a half car width). We do need to go back when it's daylight, but from what we saw there are no issues with the house its self.

[redrhodie]

However the main road (that you get on once you leave the neighborhood) is a road neither my husband or myself are ready to ride on. There is a Shell gas station at the corner of one of the roads that leads into the neighborhood.

Is there another way into the neighborhood? Would you be forced to drive any time you wanted to ride? Yes to my second question would take that neighborhood out of the running for me. It's really important to me to be able to get on my bike and ride without having to load up my car, especially since I have to drive part way in order to do my commute. Being able to ride on free days needs to be easy for me, or it would negatively impact my life.

I'm also cautious around gas stations. I was side swiped by a car last summer going into one. People are focused on looking at the prices, and finding an empty pump. Even so, I don't think that the gas station would rule out the neighborhood for me.

[Becky]

I agree with Red...loading up the bikes to ride every time is no fun.

The presence of the gas station wouldn't rule out the neighborhood for me, unless the homes have domestic wells. Then I'd be asking some questions....

Sounds like you're making progress with the house hunt- good luck!

[Koronin]

Even though the neighborhood is not in the city it does have a city water and sewer system. The major road that you turn off into the neighborhood from is more of a country road, not as busy as some of the city roads are, it's just about a quarter mile that is two lanes before getting to where it becomes 4 lanes in one direction, and it remains two lanes going the other direction (which is headed father out of town). I think if we were more experienced with riding it wouldn't be an issue as I do see people riding commuter bikes on that road. Although ride now if we want to ride more than just on no traffic neighborhood roads we're more likely to load the bikes up and go on base to ride just because we feel safer riding on the base roads than on the city/county roads. Just seems that drivers on base are paying a lot more attention to what is going on. (Hubby works civil service, which is what gives us base access.)

[shootingstar]

I couldn't live like that....depending on a car to use a bike.

It makes no sense to me.....car-less and car-free for nearly 3 decades now.

But then I choose not to live out in rural areas or suburban areas. (It's ok, my parents lived out in the suburbs for 10 years, long after I left home. Whenever I visited them, it drove me (figuratively speaking) nuts to be out in the suburbs. Isolating.)

I currently live a 10 min. to light rail train, buses. New place it's an extra 10 minutes more of a walk. Or I walk downtown..because I live downtown.

Or jump onto bike...just 1 block away from signed, protected bike-ped path for 25 kms. with feeder routes. Path runs along a river with multi-storied family dwellings and highrises, several intersecting pedestrian/bike bridges. It's not a lonely path that's all isolated with fields, etc.

[Koronin]

We ride bikes for enjoyment, not for transportation. Can't with the type of work we do. My husband works on base (about a half hour drive to and from). (He's civil service, not military). I am a merchandiser. Closest store I service is 5 minutes away, but I will drive over an hour for the right pay. I also carry all kinds of stuff to stores with me depending on project I'm doing. So as long as we can ride in the neighborhood (which we'll be able to do) is all we're looking for. But you're also very different from me. I love driving and I'll always have a car of some sort or other.

[shootingstar]

I'm sure you'll find a home to buy ...since the majority of North American cities and towns are designed for cars, not for bikes. Yes, your job requires a car. Job is different from personal lifestyle. I know a Federal express truck driver...by the weekend, he is sick of driving the vehicle. And jumps onto his bike happily on days/evenings off.

I would have not been in a position to buy a home (condo) if I had the expense of a car for past few decades.

I bought on my own, had and paid off a mortgage. I did not borrow money from anyone.

Cycling, walking and public transit is genuinely for financial reasons and also for my own health, the best solution for myself. I don't think how unusual my lifestyle is but I'm actually a bit surprised by the reaction of people who live downtown..here in Calgary. They think I'm abit crazy..to have wanted a home without a parking stall. (I will get one with parking..only for investment purposes.)

In Toronto and Vancouver,it's more common to know more people who actively choose a car-free lifestyle. Or sometimes they have no choice, for financial reasons.
Over the past few decades, for the different jobs I've had, my average commute one-way, was around 1 hr. or less. I knew alot of other car-driving employees who also spent 1 hr. driving one way.

Right now, it's a 45 min. walk or 15 min. by transit rail. I walk in winter. Of course by bike, it will be shorter..or longer, I might have to devise a longer route to build in more fitness/mileage...which I have done so for several jobs in Vancouver for a bike commute. Living near cycling routes, makes route design easier because after work, I can naturally extend a bike ride route from workplace.

[indysteel]

For many of us in the Unites States, it's just all that easy to go car-free. Large part of the country simply do not have the public transportation infrastructure needed to make that very viable, including where I live and work. I used to be able to walk to work when I lived in downtown Indianapolis, but I still needed a car to get around for other things. Indianapolis's public transport is a good 20 years (or more) behind where it needs to be for a city of this size and population. While it is possible to get around by bike, the downtown is surrounded by a ring in nearly every direction of crime ridden neighborhoods. Safety issues aside, the roads are in horrible shape and extremely congested. Even the MUT that goes from downtown to the northside of the city isn't a great option--although I've used it many a time--as their are regular attacks along it and is home to packs of stray dogs. The current plan is to build a light high-speed rail network, but I'll believe it when I see it. The city's bus system is otherwise the pits.

Now I live 25 miles south of where I work. While I have a higher tolerance than some for riding on busy roads, there is no safe way for me to commute by bike (even if I could handle a daily 50-mile bike commute, which I can't). We moved to the town where we now live because it's equi-distant from my job to the north and my husband's job to the south. I don't like having a commute that long, but the alternative was for one of to have one hell of a commute or to find different jobs. Neither was appealing in the least. We both are well settled at our current employers, and I could have easily taken a 50 percent decrease in salary had I taken a job in the city where my husband works.

[Koronin]

indysteel, Charlotte is also pretty much the same way. Where I now live is a much smaller city with very minimal public transportation if there actually is any. For the most part public transportation outside of major cities is pretty much non existant and even if it's there the safety is pretty poor. Plus most major cities do not have the public infrustructure that NYC has. The only real cycling routes that are not just signs on two lane narrow roads, are either one right by the base or two that on base. If you are not military you have no way of living close to any of those trails either. (The other trails are in a national forest). Most of the off base route in a business area, not really close to any residential areas that are not military housing. Charlotte, NC built a light rail line (completed just before the economy tanked). This is only one line and only south of the city into downtown. What they discovered between then and now is if gas is under $3.00 per gallon that it does not save people enough to bother using it. Once gas gets over $3.00 per gallon some people will start using, but people for the most part do not see a worthwhile saving to using the public transportation until gas prices get over $4.00 per gallon. Plus you still have to drive to the terminal and park there. They have plans for two more lines (one for the north east and one for the north west sections), but no idea if either of those lines will get built.

[Koronin]

We went back to see the house we're the most interested in yesterday. We have decided that we want to move forward with putting in an offer. There are a couple of minor issues on the outside of the house. The back corner has a small area where more dirt is needed to prevent water from pooling right against the house during a rain storm. Where the cable/satellite box and other lines are that go into the house is a bit of a mess. That is not an issue as my husband can easily fix that area up with very little cost. (At one time he worked installing satellite dishes, he hasn't done that work in years, but know how to do it very well. Whoever did it at this house did not know what they were doing). Then there is a piece of siding that looks like it was hit with a weedeater, definitely needs patched. The only more major issue is a crack in the slab/foundation that is near the corner of the garage (opposite side to where the house is). There is no evidence of it in the garage, but definitely something an inspector needs to look at.

[redrhodie]

Oh, how exciting! The inspector will probably find some stuff, too. You'll most likely be able negotiate (some of) the cost of repairs off the agreed upon price, or walk away if they there's something big.

I hope you get a great deal!

[jessmarimba]

Maybe you'll get really lucky like I did, and the seller's realtor will accidentally send the home inspection reports to the underwriter. I got a TON of stuff fixed for free that I didn't really care about. Oops!

[Koronin]

I'm sure the inspector will find other things well. Plus we're doing a VA loan, so they will be checking very carefully. There are some issues they will require to be fixed if they are found. I know things like mold must be taken care of by the home owner if found and the buyer using a VA backed loan.
When I sold my home last year the buyer had a few things she wanted fixed, however, I got lucky with that as she asked for the washer, dryer and lawn mower to be left in lieu of doing any repairs.
jessmarimba, That is cool on your part for that to have happened. At least now that stuff is fixed and you won't or shouldn't have to worry about it.