house hunting funiies for a reefer

[Vilas]

So, my fiance and I NEED TO FIND A PLACE to buy within the next month. We've seen 17 in the last 3 days, had 5 morgages approved..you know the scoop. If I say, "so, is that water damage there...?" ONE MORE TIME!
On the lighter side..
- Every place we see, we mystify the realator with a 4" tape measure, asking the max weight a floor can support, and picking the PERFECT place..for the couch, they ask? The Bed? Nope. The tank. It befuddles them all, you should SEE the looks on their faces!
- I'm bad with certain words. I still say "heateator" and "costed" when my education screams at me.
I keep asking if the complex has heat and hot water included, along with the other anemones.
:D

I need a stiff drink after today's homebuying hell, despite the amusing bits. Did you know that most morgages require a 60 percent owner occupancy on apartment buildings? This is Boston, for chrissakes! The highest we've seen - in SEVENTEEN PLACES! - is 33%.
Time to get some #@$%$%$##% SLEEP!
C

[Niven]

Vilas,
See if one of your bankers deals with Ohio Savings Bank. Are these condos??? OSB has programs for non-warrantable condos. I'm not sure what they would have for apartments like your talking about though. I could check though.

Don't settle for anything you're not positive about. This is normally a long term investment, so why not get the one you want.
HTH,
Gareth

[Vilas]

We actually found that local banks have completley different rules, most likely due to the fact that finding 60% owner occupancy in Boston is roughly as probable as finding the lone reef safe shark who does well in a 10g.
The national morgage company we were dealing with, Cendant, would have screwed us over - apparently, that's one of the last things they check, and they didn't mention this to us. So we'd be SOL, a week to go before our lease was up, with no where to go..
Lovely. Thankfully, my mom's a realtor and is only to happy to look out for gotchas like this for us!

[nk57]

Ugh...I feel your pain Vilas. After searching for a while, we found the condo of our dreams. And now wouldn't you know it, we go to the reading of my parents' will last week and they left us their house. I have mixed emotions about this. I would really like to have the big house and dedicate one room to aquaria. On the other hand the thought about having to sell this unit and move is making me sick. Moving....no matter how you slice it...stinks.


Nancy

[hesaias]

We're in the same boat, sorta. We wanna sell, and build a new house, but dont wanna move 2 times. Why not? you ask. Because of the stress on the reef:D

Our agent has gotten used to us asking the "tank" based questions when we look at new houses, and actually points out where the reef might look good.

Vilas, we feel your pain. We lost a couple of thousand in "loan application fees" when my Credit union turned us down for a loan when we bought the house we have now. Mortgages are just ways for the business folks to sock it to folks who aint got business sence.
:uzi: Real estate brokers and mortgage sellers(banks and others)

[Kat]

Nancy, why don't you just rent out one of the places, either the house or the condo, and live where-ever it is you want? You've got a potentially good thing going there IMHO...

Anyhow, purchasing a home (of any sorts) isn't too much of a problem IMHO. It's pretty simple and straightforward, just look for what you want. If you communicate cleary, and don't get some hidden thrill out of mystifying the realtors with unexplained demands, you should find the buying process pretty easy. Ask for the house plans, get an engineer or a contractor to check out the weight-bearing capacities, and if it gets a favorable review, you're good to go.

Just try RENTING with a tank in mind (or pets of any sort for that matter). The second you mention you have a tank, you'll find doors slammed in your face by landlords and managers who don't want to rent out to somebody who may potentially cause water damage (or whatever) to the property.

[nk57]

You know Kat, we've been kicking that topic around all weekend. I think what we will end up doing is renting out the condo and moving into the house. At this rate though, I think I'll just sit on it for a month or so. Its funny the house is in the same neighborhood but a different school district. My 11 year old will have a heart attack when we tell her she will be switching schools.

Nancy

[Vilas]

yeah, a 55 gallon reef, a 20 gallon cichlid tank, and 2 cats were tough to find a place for when we were looking at rentals.
We made an offer. We're one of SIXTEEN OFFERS RECIEVED TODAY on this place, listed for sale by owner yesterday at about 50k below market price. If we don't get it, we have another place to offer on.
The REAL problem now is that we have to sublet for a month - our leases is up here, and the places are all occupied until a month after we have to move out.

Any boston reefers have room for a 55 gallon for a month? Otherwise, it's to the LFS for a month..