Opinions wanted. - Update post 84

[rt2dz]

I cook sometimes the kitchen does indeed look a little small to me as well. As far as children are concerned, they aren't planned for another 6 years (no accidents with us, we are a same sex couple), we plan to sell the home around the time dear so gets pregnant.

In comparison to where we are living now, 500 square feet, this place is HUGE and the mortgage will be less than what we pay for renting our condo.

Just be careful, things change and you might not be in a position to move.

Also, I don't have a problem with the dining room in front, it's walking through the kitchen to get to the living room. Moving might give you guys a position to make more friends.

 

[koopa]

I might have my definition of a lanai wrong

If it is enclosed, would you want a door to take you out the back yard or if there is a small porch to put a grill or some chairs on?

 

[we3disneygo]

for your first place it looks good to me, I'd love to have more than 1 bath !!!!!!!!! good luck !!!!

 

[icebrat001]

I might have my definition of a lanai wrong

If it is enclosed, would you want a door to take you out the back yard or if there is a small porch to put a grill or some chairs on?

I think there is a sliding glass door that leads you to the Lanai and there is a small back yard of some sorts too, although I won't know any "real" details until Dear SO's step mom takes a look at the place on Tuesday.

 

[mommaU4]

We haven't purchased the place yet, it's being built and will not get started until April. We haven't seen it yet either, Dear SO's step mother is going to go and check it out with our realtor on Tuesday, if they like it, one or both of us will fly out and give it a look. (I've never even been to Florida before).

I have no idea how much storage is in the kitchen.

As far as guest go, Dear SO and I are not popular people, I doubt we will have guest over. Unless Ilovepcot, southern4sure or someone else from the Dis comes and visits. We've had one guest in our condo that we currently live in and we've lived there for 3 years.

Yeah, I know it's not a done deal yet but whether it's here or another place it sounds like you are for sure getting a new house and that's the cool part. Hard to make the decision though.

You are brave to go somewhere you've never even been! Not even to WDW?

And as far as visitors go, well the less people come over the less you have to keep it clean! I'm one of those who don't mind visitors as long as they call first.

 

[Sparx]

I love it. Its adorable. I'd like to live somewehre like that.

 

[snowwite]

My condo is not nearly as large and there are four of us living here! It looks really nice.The lanai is a great addition as well as extra bath.Go for it!

 

[crazee4mickey]

Very nice indeed...I can't believe how many bathrooms it has! It would be a perfect first home!

 

[disney50fam]

Malaysia-
It looks wonderful!!!!

 

[Southern4sure]

We haven't purchased the place yet, it's being built and will not get started until April. We haven't seen it yet either, Dear SO's step mother is going to go and check it out with our realtor on Tuesday, if they like it, one or both of us will fly out and give it a look. (I've never even been to Florida before).

I have no idea how much storage is in the kitchen.

As far as guest go, Dear SO and I are not popular people, I doubt we will have guest over. Unless Ilovepcot, southern4sure or someone else from the Dis comes and visits. We've had one guest in our condo that we currently live in and we've lived there for 3 years.

I go to Brandon to shop...I love Old Time Pottery! I will definately visit if you ask.

 

[icebrat001]

I think dear SO and I have gone over the floor plan a thousand and one times lol, the Lanai is covered.

I've picked out the washer and dryer already, but by the time it's built there will probably be something new out. I really like the french door refrigerators but I don't even know how large of a refrigerator it can accommadate, I plan WAY to much.

Did you guys notice in the master bedroom that we have her and her closets, I am in heaven.

Crossing my fingers that the last 5 units of the floor plan we like doesn't get sold out before we get there.

Dear SO trust her step mom's judgement, so if there is only 1 unit left and step mom says the place is great, I think we'll be purchasing a place unseen.

I hope I like Florida.

 

[Southern4sure]

Did you purchase the front loader machines? I ask this because if your laundry room is just big enough for regular size machines with sliding/folding doors, the front loaders may not fit (too big) and you will not be able to close the doors.

Your SO mom should ask on Tuesday what size fridge the unit will accomodate they there should not be any problems. You are doing the right thing in planning. It is best to cover all your bases now and know what you need to take care of and buy. Always have backup plans and ideas just in case your originals do not pan out.

I think you'll love Florida....

 

[icebrat001]

Did you purchase the front loader machines? I ask this because if your laundry room is just big enough for regular size machines with sliding/folding doors, the front loaders may not fit (too big) and you will not be able to close the doors.

Your SO mom should ask on Tuesday what size fridge the unit will accomodate they there should not be any problems. You are doing the right thing in planning. It is best to cover all your bases now and know what you need to take care of and buy. Always have backup plans and ideas just in case your originals do not pan out.

I think you'll love Florida....

We are making a list of questions for her to ask, and the fridge question is one of them, as well as what color the appliances that come with the unit will be.

I never thought about the washer and dryer not fitting I've been looking at front loaders online for hours and printed out the ones I like. I guess I better find out measurements for that as well. I really want a front loader.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I love it! Lots of bathrooms; you can't go wrong there! And the hers and hers walk in closets are great!

 

[Aidensmom]

I think the plan looks good.

I have worked for years in the construction industry here in the Tampa area, if you want to know anything about the builders reputation, PM me who they are.

 

[Southern4sure]

I just thought of another thing you might want to consider. First, are you fond of the slider to the lanai? If not, see if you can upgrade to french doors and if your budget will allow it. We have sliders to our lanai and Im having the hardest time deciding how to "dress it up." We have the vertical blinds but it just doesnt look right to me. I do not like the sound they make when you open and close them. We are looking into french doors to replace our slider.

 

[icebrat001]

good question about the sliding doors, I'll add it to my list. I've already decided that I don't want blinds in the house, they offer some sort of blind package, I'm going to find out if we get a reduction if we don't choose to have the blinds.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

OK, can I be the voice of second-guessing here?

I think the layout seems good and the square footage is good as well. The fact that it's new means you won't have many unforseen expenses.

But I have to wonder...if you're planning to purchase and turn a profit (or at least not lose any money) in 6 years or so...would it not make more sense to purchase a detached home in the same area?

If you're sold on the idea of living in a townhome, ignore what I'm going to say here. If you're not altogether sure, do some research on the resale of these townhomes (if they've been around awhile) or on similar townhomes that are about 6 years old. Compare what they were originally purchased for to their current resale value.

Things may be different now than they were when I did mortgage loans. But what we experienced was that after the initial sale of townhome/condo properties, the developers wouldn't maintain the properties as they did in the beginning. That's not a problem in the first couple of years of a new development, but after that, it becomes more difficult: the developer moves on to new and more profitable properties, and then owners can't sell because the development doesn't look new and nice. After that, the seller(owner) has to resort to renting out his unit to make the payments while trying to sell.

This sort of spiral continues until the majority of the development is no longer owner-occupied...and then no one can get a mortgage loan on properties in the area because of the percentage of non-owner-occupied properties in the development.

I'm not saying this is the case with all townhomes and condos, by any means. It's just one of those things I found with condos/townhomes in Little Rock.

I think you two seem like a great couple and will be happy together wherever you live. If you lived near me, I'd visit you all the time!

 

[icebrat001]

OK, can I be the voice of second-guessing here?

I think the layout seems good and the square footage is good as well. The fact that it's new means you won't have many unforseen expenses.

But I have to wonder...if you're planning to purchase and turn a profit (or at least not lose any money) in 6 years or so...would it not make more sense to purchase a detached home in the same area?

If you're sold on the idea of living in a townhome, ignore what I'm going to say here. If you're not altogether sure, do some research on the resale of these townhomes (if they've been around awhile) or on similar townhomes that are about 6 years old. Compare what they were originally purchased for to their current resale value.

Things may be different now than they were when I did mortgage loans. But what we experienced was that after the initial sale of townhome/condo properties, the developers wouldn't maintain the properties as they did in the beginning. That's not a problem in the first couple of years of a new development, but after that, it becomes more difficult: the developer moves on to new and more profitable properties, and then owners can't sell because the development doesn't look new and nice. After that, the seller(owner) has to resort to renting out his unit to make the payments while trying to sell.

This sort of spiral continues until the majority of the development is no longer owner-occupied...and then no one can get a mortgage loan on properties in the area because of the percentage of non-owner-occupied properties in the development.

I'm not saying this is the case with all townhomes and condos, by any means. It's just one of those things I found with condos/townhomes in Little Rock.

I think you two seem like a great couple and will be happy together wherever you live. If you lived near me, I'd visit you all the time!

Great questions, the community in which the townhouses are located is in a gated community that also has villas, and detached homes of various sizes. Only about 1/3 of the community is built up, they plan to add more upscale homes into the community. I do not know the resell value of the townhome we plan to purchase, as they are not yet built, but the resell value in the area for townhouses in nearby developments are very good, of course the market is beginning to level out, so you never really know. I've heard that Florida and parts of California are great places to purchase condo's and townhomes. The community in which we plan to purchase does not allow anyone to sell or rent out the property until they have lived it in for at least a year.

I am not really worried about them maintaining the property so much because we are in the same community as the other houses and some of these houses are upward of $500,000 (low for California, high for this area) and I doubt these people will allow the community to turn to rubbage, so I figure as long as those houses are there, our investment is safe.

Also, as our first home, I think a townhouse would be easier to maintain, as we have some type of "help", we fear that if something major happened to the house, we wouldn't have a clue what to do. We originally started looking at houses and the more we read up on things and heard horror stories here on the Dis, the more we leaned towards townhouses. I also think that we will feel safer in a townhouse, I think once we make baby steps until we feel comfortable. But if this place isn't available anymore when Dear SO's step mom visits on Tuesday, we will probably change our mind again and go back to wanting a house if we don't see any other townhouses that we like.

If these townhouses are anywhere near as good as the condo we are currently renting from the owner, I have no worries at all.

 

[icebrat001]

Update in post 1.