tracibobs Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 were thinking of going up look at this house leave friday after work the outside looks small but the inside is huge and the land and the price is realy good i live in s.pete fl and you just cant get a house that size for that price not even come close http://preferredproperties2.tennessee.rema...12917&#aTop this is the other house we would like to look at two a bit more in price but there is an extra bedroom two http://preferredproperties2.tennessee.rema...PX?LID=42360203 would love to knoweveryones opinon thank you Traci Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah91 Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I like the second one better. But it IS more money than the first. I guess it all depends on what you can afford to put out for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracibobs Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 our budget is 180.000 my grand parents are with us so they help with rent/morgage so that why we can afford that price otherwise we could not afford that high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I like the way the second one looks...but I'd probably buy the first one, mainly because it is more in the country, not a "subdivision". The first has some land with it. It depends entirely on what YOU want...and can afford. Do you have job(s) lined up in Tennessee? My brother lives there...and like everywhere else, jobs are pretty scarce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audra Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I like the second one better also. Maybe it has been on the market a while and the sellers would accept a low bid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracibobs Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 there are lowes up there and jay was talking to the main office about a tranfer and there opening at one of the lowes in knoxville for the job he wants and said if he wanted it they would start the paper work. i work in a dr ofice so im sure i can find a job in a dr office somewhere. the second is a bit more then we really wanted but you never know you can always see if they can come down. im npt crazy about moving right now we just moved in this house renting only but still the thought of packing again so soon B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I like the 2nd one. OMG! I guess I do live in one of the most expensive states in the country. The prices and what you get for them are GREAT compared to the same here. A house like the 2nd one here in CT would easily go for $250-300k. Want to get a laugh? We bought our house 10 yrs ago during a big slump in the market..$65k for 3 bdrms/2 full baths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meleah Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 The second one looks like it needs some updating done, and with the price being higher already, would you be able to afford the upgrades? Also, you said that your parents will be moving with you, will they be able to climb stairs? The first one looks move in ready and love love love the yard. It is cheaper, which is a plus. The only downfall I see with the first one is the fact that it is a trailer, and Tennessee is in tornado alley (as well as AR where I'm at). I would look at getting a storm cellar put in. I would probably go with the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninky Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Why the move from Florida to TN?? I am being nosey! But hey they have a mini show coming up in Sept! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrinsicat Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, I like the first one more, but do you want to take care of a pool? Have you visited them or just looked at them online? When I was looking a lot of houses looked incredible online only to be terrifying in person. B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracibobs Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 we have not seen them in person yet but was thinking of takeing a trip up over the weekend. We want to move for many reasons the cost of living for one and the weather jay hates the 10 months of summer weather and i would really like to see the seasons change. I must have missed where it said the first was a trailer not crazy about that i would like a basement. My grandparent cant do stairs so thats why i think its the second one has a nic bedroom on the main floor. And a pol is a huge perk for us we love the pool and swiming and always use to have summer bbq pool parties when we lived at the other house that had a pool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_F Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, I'm not gonna be much help here, but here's my opinion - such that it is B) I like the exterior of house #2 much more than house #1. House #1 looks like a trailer/manufactured home - and while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, I like the look of stick built homes more - just a personal preference. But..... I was far more impressed with the interior of house #1 than #2. Very spacious, open & cheerful. Then there's the matter of all that land that comes with house #1 - that would be a major plus in my book. But then, I like lots of land & privacy - my dream house would be situated in such a way that I couldn't see any neighbors. I'm not anti social by any stretch - but when I'm at home I'd like to feel like I'm out in the middle of nowhere. See, told you I wouldn't be much help! lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 House #1 appeals more to me personally Traci.....but the choice is really yours. Go and see both before you make an offer...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prariegurl Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I prefer the second one because it's a site-built home, and the first is a manufactured home. My brother-in-law has a manufactured home, and they do offer more space for less money, and if you have a small budget and need space it's not a bad way to go. When they are new, manufactured homes are lovely. After they get some years on them, it's had to hide the wear and difficult to fix it. They have a flimsier feel, and my brother-in-law must go to a trailer place to buy replacement parts such as door handles, plumbing parts, etc. While manufactured homes can be loaded with features, they sometimes skimp in unexpected places. For example, for awhile my elderly father-in-law lived with brother-in-law while they waited for a space to open in the retirement home he wanted. FIL has a habit of clogging toilets, and the overflow caused a lot of damage to the house because none of the toilets had a shut off valve! This is a basic feature you almost always find in site built homes! I would go for the sturdier construction, even if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles and may need some updating. You can always upgrade or update a home. You can't however, turn cheaper framing into top quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Very few houses in the south and southeast have basements. My brother, a huge basement fan, had to settle for a house without one, so don't let that be a barrier to choosing a house. Presumably you've considered how much you can put down on a house, too...or have talked with your grandparents to see if they're willing to co-sign with you. I don't expect that you'll actually buy one of these or another house on your first visit..but it helps to have had these conversations first, before even looking, so you really know for sure how much house you can afford. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I would love to have a pool or even a jacuzzi but the thought of the electricity bills make me stop in my tracks. Also I KNOW I would be the one who would have to clean the dang thing every day. I have a lazy bunch of so-sos in my house (Dh included) LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_the_haunted Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Well, both of them have their advantages, and wow! I can't believe the prices of real estate down there! If it did'nt get humid, I might move there myself B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bea Killion Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 I have looked at manufactured homes here in Aiken and if it a "HUD" home is has to be up to code. These days most newer manufactured homes are built with 2x8 beams in floors and 2x4s' in walls the same as stick built homes and they are put permanent foundations. If you go to hortonhomes.com you will be able to see exactly what they built from. They are built to stand up to the same hurricane force winds as are stick built homes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninky Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 Good luck on your find! You might look on the outskirts of town.. Even Oak Ridge is a nice area! I chat with a lady that I meet from here and have meet her and she makes mini's and she lives in Knoxville. If you want her email send me a PM.. You could always move to Kentucky.. We have horses.. hehehehehe B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted July 23, 2008 Share Posted July 23, 2008 What we did was buy a mobile home ( with 2.5 acers) and we plan on building a house on the property. The house is not bad and like someone else mentioned mobile homes are not like they used to be. I would be concerned buying a house ( brick and morter or not) that was so close to your limit and needing updating. You never know when something is going to break and you will need a few grand to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christinee Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 My husband and I did wihat Melanie did. We got a manufactured home when we moved here on 5 acres and are in the very preliminary stages of building our own home. Melanie is 100% right on target. Be careful about getting a home that puts you to the limit. You want to have some extra cash left over for unexpected occurances and expenses that will crop up as a homeowner. For example, in the past month (this is no joke) our hot water heater broke, we have several leaks in our pipes, and just the other day, our central ac unit died when the compressor (literally) exploded and our water pump stopped pumping which ment we had no water (we're on well water). I told my husband I felt like I was living through a hurricane again with no hot water, no ac and no water. Keep in mind a pool and jacuzzi are added expenses that will add to your monthly electric bill (and time and expense maintaining). We have a spa and we shut it off since we were hardly using it during the summer and the electric was getting a bit high. The pool/spa chemicals to keep the spa/pool clean can be costly. Also, when factoring in how much you can afford, keep in mind other expenses like property taxes, insurance, utility bills, things like oil (depending on how the house is heated) and any other added expenses that you may not think of right away. Things like property taxes are usually factored into your mortgage but things like homeowners insurance (which is typically required on any mortgaged house) are not factored in and have to be budgeted accordingly. Owning your own home is exciting and fun, but there are a lot of finer points to keep in mind. Buying a home is a compromise between a lot of different things. Make sure to do full research on the home - talk to the real estate agent, find out the monthly expenses if you can, find out when the major repairs were last done (roof, foundation, appliances, etc.). A home inspection by a licensed inspector will help find any problem areas, but you as a buyer have to be diligent too. Good luck Traci and let us know how it goes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissWhite924 Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 im voting for the 2nd as well. ... you could turn that "extra" room into your mini room! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uppitycats Posted July 24, 2008 Share Posted July 24, 2008 My brother's house (also in Tennessee) came with a pool. It was fun the first year...and then it got to be a real pain to maintain it, not just the cost, but the labor involved. As folks pointed out, the chemicals, the treatments, having to keep it fenced so that stray kids/animals weren't falling in (a real insurance risk). And then the issue of how HOT it was, hanging out there by the pool. After the second year, they dug it up , filled it in, and now it's grass and garden. Saved a bunch of money, and now they're growing vegetables. Yes, home ownership is wonderful...but there are all sorts of financial issues to think about, and in these days of risky mortgages all over the place, you want to be sure you're dealing with reputable mortgage lenders, and that you are really sure of your finances before you even begin to sign the first paper, committing you to anything! It's better to buy less than you can afford in a house, than "just" what you can afford. And you certainly don't want to find yourself with more than you can afford, especially these days when the housing market is so weird. And don't fall for the sales pitch of "the house will only appreciate in value!!!" That's what so many folks "bought in to"...and now they're in foreclosure as they discover their house value fell dramatically, and they are paying on a mortgage for a loan that is much higher than their house is now worth! But look around, not just at these two, but at others you might not have found on line. Houses are going for "pretty cheap" these days, as folks are trying to get out from under bad mortgages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracibobs Posted July 24, 2008 Author Share Posted July 24, 2008 im not to worried about updating things because that can all be done over time not to mention i really like the exra room i want a room of my own so i can go in it lock the door and be left alone for a while. were going up this weekend with my cusin and her hubby jay called to remax dealer on the second house and is setting up a date for mid saturday afternoon to view the house. i get out at five and were leaving from my work. hope we get ther in time wish us luck im so excited. he also spoke to the agent about looking at a few other houses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniwendy Posted August 2, 2008 Share Posted August 2, 2008 Have you looked on realtor.com ? They show the real estate listings from lots of companies. I grew up in Knoxville. You're right about the change of seasons. The spring flowers are beautiful and the fall colors can be spectacular, especially in the mountains. I haven't lived there in more than 10 years, so a lot has changed. But, I do visit about once a year, so I can tell you what I know in general about the area. The prices are lower there than a lot of the country. They are a little higher in parts of West Knoxville and Maryville (a town to the south near the mountains). I don't know where the store is that your husband would be working, but I'd guess you'd want to live somewhere nearby. Traffic is higher in West Knoxville (Farragut, Turkey Creek), around the Univ of TN at home football games, and it seems like hwy 40 is undergoing a series of never ending construction improvements that slow traffic down. One thing to consider- how old are the grandparents that live with you, and how good is their health? The reason I mention it is that you're counting on them for part of your house payment. If the money they're contributing might suddenly have to go toward nursing or hospital care, and you'd no longer have that $ to put toward your house payments. Just something to consider when you think about home price. Also, I agree with the others about the pool- they can be really expensive to maintain. And in TN you aren't going to have the extended swim season you'd have in Florida. Good luck with your house hunting. Its hard work, but it can be fun too! Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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