Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with homeowner

Apartment blight

generic230 — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:01:24 -0800

A neighbor is trying to get a permit to build condominiums in his back yard. My neighborhood is 70% residential, and I'm afraid of what this will mean. There's a hearing on Wednesday, and I'd like to go armed with information about the negative impact building apartments or condos have on property values and single family home residential areas.

This is in Pasadena, CA. I live in a great neighborhood where many of the buildings in my block, including mine, are Tudor cottages built in the 1920's. We're adjacent to a historic district called Bungalow Heaven.

A few homes, in previous years (like before I moved here 10 years ago), have done that same awful tacky thing, where they build a massive apartment building behind their tiny cottage.

Does anyone know of any studies about the impact of rental buildings encroaching on residential homes? Any and everything will be helpful.

I need to leave Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems

jragon — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 12:33:05 -0800

I signed up for a "pay half your mortgage twice a month" thing and now Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) is a little too involved for my liking. Help me leave them. I got a funny feeling about MERS so I started doing some research. While not 100% scam, they seem to get between a homeowner and their mortgage provider, which can lead to all sorts of trouble. (wikipedia info)

A few days ago, I got an Appointment of Successor Trustee and a Deed of Reconveyance, which I've never seen after 6 years of my loans being sold to people willy nilly.

So now I want to leave, but have to wait until tomorrow when they're open. My concern is that I'll call and they'll basically say I can't leave and dare me to press the issue. And then I'll call MetLife, who I originally got the loan from, who will say it doesn't concern them. At that point I'm not sure what I'll do, so I wonder if anyone has any suggestions.

Thanks.

Will American Home Shield replace my AC? Any good home warranty companies?

roaring beast — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:23:25 -0800

Can I expect American Home Shield or any other home warranty company to replace my A/C when it dies? Are there any other good, reliable home warranty companies out there? My current contract with AHS is about to run out. I have a 25+ year old A/C unit that probably doesn't have much time left. I also have a 12 year old water heater. After reading many reviews like these I am wondering if AHS will actually pay for a new unit. The warranty is supposed to cover these items, but it seems like most people either get excuses or are blamed for poor maintenance. Have you ever actually gotten a unit like this replaced? Should I renew my contract?

It looks like pretty much all the other reviews for home warranties are just as bad. Are there any home warranty companies that are actually good?

Is going through this to own a home worth it?

Anonymous — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:57:08 -0800

Buying a house has been a nightmare. How do we deal with this latest situation? They accepted our offer, and that was the last thing that went well. During the inspection, it was noted that the cesspool had failed. Between that and the presence of fuses, we had problems with our insurance and our financing. There's no sewer in that part of town, so we negotiated the installation of a septic system and upgraded electricity before closing, at primarily the seller's expense. (Originally, the sellers were going to put the money for a septic upgrade in escrow at the closing, but our bank nixed that idea.) We signed a new purchase contract. Three days after that, our bank comes back with a new list of things that need to be done before closing. The main issue here is the raised deck. The bank wants it repaired by a licensed professional before closing. We can't ask the sellers to do it, because we've already signed a new purchase agreement and it's been more than ten days past the inspection. We've had a carpenter out, and the repair is much more extensive than we anticipated - to the point where he said the easiest cost of action would be to tear down and rebuild the deck. We've already stretched our budget to the responsible limit here. I know very little about these things, but the joists are not pressure treated and are uneven. The inspector said it needed to be repaired "eventually" but was still structurally sound. We intended on doing this after closing ourselves.

I don't know what we're supposed to do about this. How are we supposed to make repairs to a property we don't own? What if something else goes wrong and the deal falls through? Then we'll have paid to upgrade someone else's property. What is our best course of action here?

Our bank is my husband's employer, so there are benefits of going through them, otherwise, we would look elsewhere for a mortgage. I am ready to walk away from this house, but my husband really loves it. I do, too, but it's no longer worth the stress to me.

Throwaway email housenightmare at gmail dot com.

All bark so far, but afraid there will be an eventual bite... help!

Unicorn on the cob — Thu, 28 May 2009 19:01:59 -0800

[pit bull filter]: Help me sell my house. Caveat: Three large dogs next door are scaring away buyers, including one very aggressive pit bull. I believe the way these dogs are left to roam outside may also be potentially breaking the law. My house is for sale; it's offered at a decent price, kept immaculately, staged daily, and the yard is manicured.

Now, to the problem: I am getting two types of feedback from agents showing my home...

Feedback 1: Awesome house, did not like the neighborhood. Too transitional. (I have accepted that there is nothing I can do about this; location is always a huge factor.)

Feedback 2: Wife/person would not even get out of the car due to barking dogs next door OR love house, neighborhood ok, worried about potential buyer's pet/children and neighbor's dogs attacking said pet/children.

I have a privacy fence around my house except for the one side I share with a neighbor, who own a purebred pit bull, a boxer mix, and a bloodhound/pit mix of some kind. All are large and aggressive and bark regularly.

The dogs are behind a wide-set metal fence that's not even five feet tall you can see here. They run loose all day, every day, and I do not have a real relationship with the neighbors (they are renters). These neighbors are home seldom; I see them only late at night, almost never on weekends.

These dogs know me and will bark once or twice when I drive up, but when I get anywhere near the fence or a stranger pulls up, they go absolutely apeshit. The gate is automated and the dogs could easily run out as the owner is driving in.

My question is truly three-fold:

1. What can I do, on flyers, in emails and through my agent to assuage the fears of potential buyers? Example: Offer to find a contractor that will finish out the privacy fence and add this into the contract, or reduce the price by the amount it would cost to build the fence and include the contractor's information.

2. Is it even legal to have these dogs running loose, behind a minimal, gapped fence, when there are small children and dogs tethered nearby which they could easily attack? My neighbors across the street have three small girls who often cower while trying to retrieve toys and balls in the driveway where these dogs live.

3. What is the best course of action in concern to these dogs? I cannot tell the owners just to put them up when people are looking at my home; sometimes I get 10 minutes' notice about a showing, or the owners of the dogs will be at work and therefor unable to comply.

I feel as though there must be some kind of law in regard to having these dogs living outside, in the Texas heat, alone 70 percent of the time.

Homeowners, neighbors of pit bull owners, Realtors, etc: give me your best advice. I am asking because a friend who does animal rescue stated that there are specific laws regarding pit bulls and fence heights, etc. and I am unsure if I have some legal recourse in getting them properly fenced/put inside during the day/contacting the city about them, not only so I can sell my house, but for their own safety and the safety of the neighborhood.

What happened to PMI?

GatorFan2000 — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 09:50:14 -0800

Why hasn't private mortgage insurance (PMI) softened the blow of the real estate implosion? You can't turn on the TV these days without hearing about the mortgage implosion. People are walking away from their severely depreciated homes and leaving the banks scrambling to make up for the shortfall between the remaining mortgage balance and the current home value. One thing I don't understand however, is why private mortgage insurance hasn't softened the blow. Isn't it supposed to make the lender whole if the homebuyer walks away and stops paying? I know you are no longer obligated to pay it after you have 20% equity in your home, but I'm assuming most of the subprime borrowers defaulting on their loans had exotic mortgages that did not require them to put down large down payments (if any). I'm hoping someone knowledgeable in the mortgage industry can shed some light on this.

The Quote is a Lie

fleacircus — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:19:47 -0800

How binding are homeowners insurance quotes? So we bought a house recently. During the whole process I was given a quote for a homeowner's insurance premium of $X premium + $25 fee. This informed my decision to pick this particular insurer, Farmers.

The deed was done. Now it's a couple weeks later and here come the bills. Farmer's is saying the premium is actually $X + $Y + $25 and escrow and the lender are sending gibberish letters about the difference.

Given that I'm about to call Farmers and say, "You said $X, WTF is with the $Y?", to what extent is this shenanigans vs. the usual business-as-usual gouging? How much should I scream before I meekly acquiesce to bullshit homeowner screwjob #793275.

Earthquake insurance: scam or important safety net?

quinoa — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:22:42 -0800

Earthquake insurance in California is pricey – it more than doubles insurance costs, with a very high deductible. MeFites who live in California, what have you chosen to do, and why? There are decent arguments that it’s a waste of money: with the high deductible (15% of dwelling value) most houses will never have enough damage to trigger an insurance claim, even in a big quake. Plus, with an A-frame house bolted to a slab foundation, my house, built 1979, has a good chance of withstanding a large quake.

But on the other hand The Hayward Fault has ruptured about every 140 years for its previous five large earthquakes. October 21, 2008, marks the 140th Anniversary of the 1868 approximate Magnitude 7 earthquake. Plus, since I am now renting out my home I may be obligated to provide alternate housing to tenants if their home is destroyed.

Previously. Plus seen this, this, this.

Help me learn to buy a house!

sah — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 12:00:06 -0800

How did you learn how to buy a house? First-time homeowner needs some guidance. For the first time in my life, I will be looking at buying a home (either condo or small house). But the problem is that I have no idea how to approach looking for a home, securing a mortgage, what I should be careful about, etc. Should I even be looking in the current market? These are all questions I can't answer, and I'm not the type to leap before I look, so to speak.

I am hoping that people can share their experiences about how they educated themselves about buying a home, which resources they used, etc. How can I make sure that I know what I am about in doing this, and that I don't get screwed over in the process by banks, shady sellers, or anyone else.

If it makes a difference, I will be looking in the west Toronto area, near Pearson airport. Any local knowledge would certainly be a plus!

Sell now, or sell later? Barbie's Malibu Dream House has got to go.

Unicorn on the cob — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:49:11 -0800

I've been getting my house ready to sell and am wondering if I'm crazy. Should I go ahead with it now, or wait until spring? Of course, there are mitigating factors involved. I own a house in Texas (Dallas) and have been working on getting it ready to sell... fixing things up, paint, polishing floors and the like. However, it literally feels like the end of the financial world right now. So my question is, am I doing all this in vain? Different people tell me the housing market's going to rebound at some point next year. Others tell me to get out now before the dollar turns into the peso.

The following factors are important in my decision for selling:

1. I make a decent living, but I do live paycheck to paycheck because of the house. I literally am unable to contribute to my 401k or do anything beyond make token payments against my credit card debt, which is pretty high. Basic subsistence living is it. Please don't suggest roommates, turning off services, etc. I did all that the past two years just to get by and have exhausted those options; I genuinely have tried everything and cannot get financial traction.

2. Originally I had planned to pay down that debt and wait until next year, hoping the market would improve and the value of my house would demand a better return on the investment. Traditionally, fall/holiday season isn't that great for selling a home, correct? Or am I wrong about that?

3. I have yet to pay house taxes for 2008. That means in January, the tax bill will be due. How will that affect me if I decide to sell now vs. waiting until after the first of the year?

4. My house was built in 2003, so it's still pretty new, in great shape, and on nearly an acre of land inside the city limits. Therefore, I believe I should be able to get a good asking price... but my city is also apparently flooded with foreclosures. How do I compete with that?

All of this is stressful and difficult for me to deal with, obviously, and I am totally alone in dealing with the home and yard maintenance, financial responsibilities and finding a realtor/new place to live if it sells quickly.

I feel a bit lost and overwhelmed. I'm trying to make the best decision for myself financially. I realize that jobs go away, illnesses and accidents happen, and were the scale to tip even a little, I'd be in a lot of trouble.

Any advice or anecdotes from people who have recently sold homes or know more about the real estate market than I do would be welcome. I already know to make the place immaculate/remove everything I own/allow anyone access at any time; I'm trying to work out getting a storage unit and all that jazz. I just wonder if I'm doing it at the wrong time.

Good birthday gifts for homeowner

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:47:11 -0800

Good birthday gifts for someone moving from a townhouse to a single family home? What are some good birthday gifts (in the range of $50) for someone who will soon be moving from a townhouse to a single family home? Gift cards to Bed Bath & Beyond just seem so overdone. Anonymous because said someone regularly reads AskMeFi.

My outside air conditioning unit needs a Karen Silkwood shower

Unicorn on the cob — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 08:56:31 -0800

Help me de-gunk my outside air conditioner. Last year, I had a great guy replace my air conditioning unit in my five-year-old house. Being not the best homeowner in the world, I had no idea there was a vast series of weekly and monthly steps to be done to keep things nice (with the house in general), which led to me spending three grand putting in a whole new unit.

The guy told me that my outside air unit needs to be cleaned regularly to keep debris (leaves, bug bodies, crap in general) out of the blades surrounding the fan. He said the occasional high-pressure spray down with an outside garden hose would do, and that's what I've been doing. But he also mentioned that every 5 years or so, the blades in the vents would get so clogged I should do an "enzyme clean." He specifically said it was for the blades on the outside unit, NOT a duct cleaning or coil cleaning. Well, I tried calling the guy this summer and his number is disconnected, and googled "enzyme clean" and all I get is services for cleaning air ducts.

Does anyone have any experience with this? I looked at my unit yesterday and it looks pretty gunked up and I would love for it to be running as efficiently, cleanly and coolly as possible now that the 100+ degree days have started. Ideally, I would love to just do it myself, if that were possible, and he mentioned you could buy the product yourself and do it without professional help or hire an HVAC person to come and do the cleaning for you... but now I don't know who to call or what to ask for. If it helps, I'm in Dallas.

Don't make me gravel.

eafarris — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:54:03 -0800

Other people have decided to do some work on our road and bill us later. We were not consulted at all. What can we expect? Four households, one road/driveway. The newest people to move in have decided that the whole road needs new gravel. We've come to find out through other neighbors that they are planning go ahead with this project and bill the other households for a "share" of the cost. We have not asked for this; we were not consulted; we have not agreed to any maintenance. How should we handle this when the bill comes due?

Compounding this is that the people who have decided to do this are close (*very* close) relatives of the local magistrate. It would seem reasonable that, if it were me deciding to do this and billing others, that I would have checked with someone in authority to see if I could get away with it. It also seems that, if ours and the other households do end up before the magistrate with this issue, that it could cost us just as much in legal fees as it would to just go ahead and pay the bill.

Landslide 6 months after first home purchase...

slowtree — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:25:02 -0800

What is a young couple supposed to do when 6 months after purchasing their first home a landslide occurs in their back yard? Landslide is increasing in severity each day. Neighbors have lost sheds, porches, and complete back yards already. Only a matter of time until it affects our house's foundation.

Insurance doesn't cover land movement, city says its a private property issue. Estimates to fix problem for a retaining wall exceed $40, 000. Can''t put house on market with backyard sliding off hill, can't afford to fix it, no help from city or insurance. Can't sue previous owner bc all neighbors claim there was never previous signs that indicated land instability.

What the hell are we supposed to do? How do you financially recover from a situation as devastating as this in the beginning of a marriage?

What should a homeowner know about electricity in the home?

Brandon Blatcher — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 12:09:18 -0800

What should a homeowner know about electricity in the home? Just looking for a general guide to electricity and an explanation of how it works and its use in homes. Basic stuff like why the outlet for the 'frig is different from a regular outlet (beside the obvious "it needs more power"), how much electricity should you plug into an outlet, the difference between volts and amps and their impact on the various circuits in the house, 15 vs 20 amp circuits, things to check for, things not to do and especially anything I'm too ignorant to even be aware of.

Yeah, I know to map the circuits if they aren't already mapped.

Note: this is not about doing any electrical work, but just a general guide for someone who knows nothing about electricity.

How to get out of a listing agreement in Ontario

liquado — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 18:49:59 -0800

Can someone who knows about Ontario real estate listing agreements help a homebuying n00b? Here's the sitch:

A friend owns a house that I've been taking care of since he moved away. He was trying to sell privately, but his price was too high, and has finally dropped the price to the point where it's in line with the current sketchy market. In the meantime, however, my wife and I have fallen in love with the house -- and, it's now in a price range that we can afford.

The problem is this: he has now listed it with an agent. I know that as soon as I mention to him that we're interested, he'll be wanting to get out of the listing agreement and sell privately, because we had actually not-too-seriously inquired about the house before. Bluntly, he'd rather sell for a lower price to a friend, and not have to pay the realtor commission. And, he would rather someone he knows -- and who knows how much work went into fixing it up -- get the house.

His current exclusive listing agreement runs out on Feb. 15, and has a 90 day holding period. My question is, does the agreement become null if he takes it off the market before the 15th of Feb? If so, how long until he can sell it privately? (We never spoke with the agent about the house, so there is no problem with commission on that front) We're trying to figure out what dates we're looking at to finish the deal if we decide to go ahead. If he attempts to cancel the agreement for nonperformance (there are a few things that weren't done that would likely justify this), what timeframes are we looking at?

Any help at all would be most graciously appreciated. We're not trying to hoodwink the realtor necessarily, but don't want to see him get a commission for selling to someone who knew about -- and was interested in -- the house long before he ever listed it.

What's the Dr. Spock of home repair and renovation?

condour75 — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:39:22 -0800

What's the Dr. Spock of home repair and renovation? We're closing on our first house, and I'm wondering if anyone has a reference book for repairs that they swear by. I see offerings from Home Depot, Readers Digest, and of course Time-Life used to sell those multivolume sets, but I'm hoping the hive mind can steer me towards the cream of the crop. Is there one book to rule them all?

The closest ask.MeFi post seemed to be this answer to a slightly different question. Have you tried any of these? Are they the answer?

And of course if there are great sites for this, I'm interested to hear about them too.

What should I look for in homeowner's insurance?

hazyspring — Thu, 10 May 2007 10:59:48 -0800

Just bought my first home! What should I look for in homeowner's insurance? I know nothing about this. What should I be on the lookout for? Does anyone have a positive experience to share about their insurance company? My house is pretty basic, not on a flood plain or anything unusual.

These damn bugs make me sick. Please help me destroy them.

jbickers — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 13:47:25 -0800

Has anybody had success with DIY termite treatment? Six years ago, we had our first termite swarm. I investigated the professional exterminators, and decided to do it myself - after all, none of them were willing to guarantee that they could actually get rid of the buggers, only that they would come out and re-treat if they returned. Which doesn't seem like much of a guarantee to me.

Anyway, I researched online and ended up buying some industrial-strength killer from a now-defunct website called Bugsmart. It was the little things that go in the ground with wooden baits, and when they get halfway chewed through, you replace them with the poison ones. I also got the foaming spray stuff that went around the perimeter of the house, in holes, etc.

Well, we didn't have any swarms for three years, and I felt proud of myself. Last year, though, they returned, because I had gotten lax in my smug self-satisfaction. But finding that Bugsmart is gone, I went to Home Depot and bought those Terminate stakes, which I now believe are absolute wastes of money.

So, the question is this: Is there any DIY termite treatment that actually gets the job done? Was I fooling myself? Do termites swarm, then disappear for three years, then come back? Does anybody know where I can buy the industrial strength stuff once again?

Why Don't I Rent Anymore?

toddst — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:15:12 -0800

A pipe in the basement is dripping. It goes to the boiler. What can I do to make it stop? Do I need a plumber? (Pictures inside) Here is a picture of the part that is dripping. The water seems to be coming from this piece. Here is a picture of the entire apparatus. Thanks! As a new homeowner, any info is appreciated.

Searching for homeowner blog

starman — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 09:48:46 -0800

Homeowner blogs? I'm going to be a first-time homeowner soon (woot!) and am on the lookout for some good homeowner blogs. Could include content for newbie homeowners, funny or interesting homeowner musings, and of course useful tips.

Wags & Wits, Lend Me Your Tongue!

spacewrench — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 09:55:23 -0800

MeFite wags & wits, lend me your tongue! I bought a house in a small, funky neighborhood (it's like a gated community, but no gate, and built in the 70s before they figured out how to make everything sterile and nasty). About 50 homes total, and almost everybody's friendly.

Unfortunately, we've got a nutjob in the mix, with an axe to grind against the HOA Board and anybody who disagrees with the nutjob and is foolish enough to say so. NJ has been spamming the homeowners (via a mailing list I set up for announcements and general neighbor chatter) and spewing invective, innuendo, and abuse (e.g. Board members are dishonest fools who incompetently run the neighborhood with an iron fist of control, stifle dissent and steal from the HOA dues). AFAIK, none of this is true, and in any case, the NJ's approach admits of no dissent. A couple of people have said "actually, I don't think those people are that bad," or "could you please just shut up?" and they've been targeted in subsequent attacks.

So...it's Annual Meeting time, and two HOA Board positions are up for election. And -- you guessed it -- NJ is running! I'd like to send out a comical anti-campaign flyer: "Vote for NJ! Or else, you stupid cow!" with about 10 reasons to vote for him. It's got to be funny and not too snarky. The homeowners are mostly older, fairly well educated, liberal, and ... well, nice. So it can't be too over-the-top. Think The Onion written by your hip-but-civil grandmother.

Why should people vote for Nutjob?

Because civility is overrated!
Just imagine what your email inbox will look like if you don't!
Just imagine what your email inbox will look like if you do!
(Face it, you might as well just change your email address now.)
...

Are home warranties worth it?

zzztimbo — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 07:22:08 -0800

Does anyone have an opinion on home warranties? I know I had one when I first bought my house. That lasted for one year. I did not renew.

In the past year I had a two leaks in my plumbing. I'm assuming this would have been covered in a home warranty. The plumber was not cheap and was definitely more expensive than the one year of warranty from American Home Warranty ($444/year).

Do most people have home warranties? Is it worth the price? On a handiness scale of 10, I would rate myself a 6.

Dealing with what is not mine but in my house

MysticMCJ — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 14:49:01 -0800

Dealing with "permanent" artwork from the former homeowner: Is there an easy way to replace just a few tiles in a shower? What about some of the more "creative" concrete work? I just purchased a house. The former owner was a bit of an artist, and some of the things that were done with the house are really great. Others are a bit too personal for my taste. An example of this would be the tilework in the bathroom- The tilework itself is incredible, but there are a few tiles that are handpainted with line art depicting their pregnancy and then glazd over. I'd rather not have any such personal statement make it feel like I'm not living on my own place. They were originally going to replace the tiles, but claim it was impossible w/o being very destructive to the rest of the tiles.

In addition, some of the sidewalk in the back has "mememtos" that were included in the concrete - some of these are simple stones, and look nice, but there are also things like doll heads, and various and sundry objects that would present tripping hazards.

Are both of these going to have to be entirely redone?

How do I Remove the Bypass from a new GE Refrigerator ?? It's super tight.

seinfeld — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:45:07 -0800

Bought a brand new condo that came with a GE Refrigerator with built-in filtered water dispenser. The new fridge came with a bypass in place of a filter -- How in the world do I get it out so I can replace it with a real filter?? It is SUPER tight. The bypass is screwed in so tightly I cannot, for the life of me, get it out so I can install a filter. Any suggestions for getting it out? I called the GE Help Line and they told me to dispense some water to relieve some pressure before turning. I tried that -- I tried pliers -- I tried everything.. Any suggestions?

The dispenser is exactly like the one in this fridge:
http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SPECPAGE&SKU=PTS22LHSWW&SITEID=GEA

I've read the manual.. It says to turn it counter-clockwise.. I just want it out!!

(And bonus points if you can help me get a mark off the wall of non-washable paint. We got a scratch on the wall, and accidentally tried washing it off with a RED bath towel. Now the wall has a reddish tint. Any way to fix it without repainting the area??)

Thank you!!