I forgot that wordpress has far superior capabilities than Blogger. Sorry Google, but you're being trumped!
Please go to http://thishousewasugly.wordpress.com for all future entires. There's one there now, so go check it out.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Photo #1
Here is a screen capture from Google Street View so everyone can get an idea of the exterior. Bonus points since the Street View was done in the summer time instead of now when everything is brown and dead. Respect to the previous owners and their low riders.
We got our measurements done yesterday but the battery in my camera died so no photos of the interior until Thursday. Last night we made blueprints and tracings and got the overhead layout looking the way we want it to. Yarko has been sitting at the computer with his rendering program all day today. The interior looks awesome. We will take some JPEGs from that and show how an ugly duckling can be turned into the raddest house on the block. All without the help of design consultants or HGTV!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Obvious, yet so genius
This morning while the cats were going through their usual bout of total insanity at the ass-crack of dawn, I was struck with inspiration:
The bathroom on the main level is directly above the laundry room. I am not the type who is into going up and down the stairs all the time, and I'm also not the type who enjoys piles of dirty clothes scattered about or seeing my hamper full of soiled garments every time I open the closet. Plus Yarko's happi coats can get mighty ripe with raw fish and rice vinegar smell.
Solution: Laundry chute in the bathroom!
I am probably more excited about this than anything else because really, how many houses have this? I haven't been to one that does. Garbage chutes yes, laundry chutes no. There is this implied sophistication to something like that so dammit, I must have it!
This also branched off into having a compost chute in the kitchen since that will be situated above the front end of the basement where we will be doing our hydroponic vegetables and worm boxes and [possibly] home brewing.
We are driving down today to take photos and measurements and draw up accurate layouts so we can mess with them. Hopefully I can get ahold of my broker - I know the lock box combination but don't think I am supposed to and don't want to invite unnecessary negative attention if anyone catches us in the house when we have no authority to be there.
The bathroom on the main level is directly above the laundry room. I am not the type who is into going up and down the stairs all the time, and I'm also not the type who enjoys piles of dirty clothes scattered about or seeing my hamper full of soiled garments every time I open the closet. Plus Yarko's happi coats can get mighty ripe with raw fish and rice vinegar smell.
Solution: Laundry chute in the bathroom!
I am probably more excited about this than anything else because really, how many houses have this? I haven't been to one that does. Garbage chutes yes, laundry chutes no. There is this implied sophistication to something like that so dammit, I must have it!
This also branched off into having a compost chute in the kitchen since that will be situated above the front end of the basement where we will be doing our hydroponic vegetables and worm boxes and [possibly] home brewing.
We are driving down today to take photos and measurements and draw up accurate layouts so we can mess with them. Hopefully I can get ahold of my broker - I know the lock box combination but don't think I am supposed to and don't want to invite unnecessary negative attention if anyone catches us in the house when we have no authority to be there.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Everything has to start somewhere
Since this is the first entry, here are some basic statistics on the house:
1,428 square feet of finished space + 1,428 square feet of unfinished basement
Attached 2-car garage with separate climate control
Forced air gas heat
Ranch-style, brick with wood siding
Corner lot, facing North, on a circle that is 1 block from major thoroughfare
This is the first week of the house officially being under contract. I sent all the appropriate paperwork into the loan officer to have him send it to the underwriters, and I should hear back from them by the middle/end of next week. As a fail-safe I went to another mortgage lender and they were able to provide me with a Good Faith Estimate so that will do if the other lender rejects my paperwork for some reason. They already gave me a pre-approval and I doubt there will be any issues.
I want interest rates to go back down. Ultimately 1% = appx $80 per month. Last week it was at 4.875; this week it's up to about 5.375 or 5.5 . Yikes! That is a lot of money over a 30-year fixed rate.
Thursday the inspector comes at noon which means I get to go inside and take PHOTOS! The hideous 70s shag pile carpet that is roughly this color will look absolutely radiant in the midday sun.
I am currently following a blog that keeps tabs on an ordinance in Longmont that is under review by the City Council about whether or not to allow residents to keep backyard hens within the city limits. There are a lot of valid arguments both for and against. It looks like the City Council may impose restrictions on the number of hens as well as require permits and fees. I guess that will be effective in weeding out the crazies. The big question is allocation of effective enforcement. The backyard of the house has sufficient room for a chicken coop as well as the garden so I have my fingers crossed that it passes.
A few people came to look at our house this morning and one couple seemed very enthusiastic about it. They are shooting for a move-in date of February 15 which is later than I would like but is better than nothing, and better than February 1. Either way it is probably going to deteriorate into a mad scramble to get everything into storage and clean the place because inevitably that's what always happens.
Random: Yarko found out the oldest blacksmith school in the country is in Santa Fe and still holds courses! Something new and interesting to add to our 2010 agenda.
1,428 square feet of finished space + 1,428 square feet of unfinished basement
Attached 2-car garage with separate climate control
Forced air gas heat
Ranch-style, brick with wood siding
Corner lot, facing North, on a circle that is 1 block from major thoroughfare
This is the first week of the house officially being under contract. I sent all the appropriate paperwork into the loan officer to have him send it to the underwriters, and I should hear back from them by the middle/end of next week. As a fail-safe I went to another mortgage lender and they were able to provide me with a Good Faith Estimate so that will do if the other lender rejects my paperwork for some reason. They already gave me a pre-approval and I doubt there will be any issues.
I want interest rates to go back down. Ultimately 1% = appx $80 per month. Last week it was at 4.875; this week it's up to about 5.375 or 5.5 . Yikes! That is a lot of money over a 30-year fixed rate.
Thursday the inspector comes at noon which means I get to go inside and take PHOTOS! The hideous 70s shag pile carpet that is roughly this color will look absolutely radiant in the midday sun.
I am currently following a blog that keeps tabs on an ordinance in Longmont that is under review by the City Council about whether or not to allow residents to keep backyard hens within the city limits. There are a lot of valid arguments both for and against. It looks like the City Council may impose restrictions on the number of hens as well as require permits and fees. I guess that will be effective in weeding out the crazies. The big question is allocation of effective enforcement. The backyard of the house has sufficient room for a chicken coop as well as the garden so I have my fingers crossed that it passes.
A few people came to look at our house this morning and one couple seemed very enthusiastic about it. They are shooting for a move-in date of February 15 which is later than I would like but is better than nothing, and better than February 1. Either way it is probably going to deteriorate into a mad scramble to get everything into storage and clean the place because inevitably that's what always happens.
Random: Yarko found out the oldest blacksmith school in the country is in Santa Fe and still holds courses! Something new and interesting to add to our 2010 agenda.
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