On 3/5/2014 8:42 AM, snipped-for-privacy@optonline.net wrote: ...
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+100,000,000,000,...Put it on the market and see what transpires before committing to anything more than the bare-bones appearance stuff.
Haller notwithstanding his wont for spreading FUD is nothing moreand unfortunately his only contribution to ahr...
On 3/5/2014 9:29 AM, dpb wrote: ...
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And, of course, talk to a good local realtor to get input -- don't have to sign up necessarily to interview one and get their appraisal of market value and saleability with/without work; cosmetic and otherwise...
If you actually get a broker as opposed to simply a salesperson you will be damn lucky. If you do get a broker you will be in a much better position to negotiate the commission. And yes, in most locations it is normally negotiable. Don't let them tell you that if they lower the commission that no other brokers or salespeople will show the property because that is BS! These people, especially the salespeople, are hungry and will show it no matter what the commission is if they think that they can make a sale.
If you interview more than one firm remember that if a firm offers to list the property at a significantly higher price than the others he/she is simply trying to get the listing and probably will come back in about thirty days and suggest that you lower the price. Do NOT tell them what you are expecting to get for the property but rather let them suggest a price based on similar sales and then go from there.
Don (who formerly owned a very successful real estate brokerage firm).
I can attest to the "no charge" work that the power company will do.
Last winter a branch came down and ripped the wires off the side of my house. It ripped the insulated connection point out of the wall and tore some siding. The service wire was still attached at the first clip so I never lost power or had an unsafe condition. Before I had a chance to repair it, they replaced our power poles and moved mine about 3 feet, taking up all the slack in the wires. Now there was no way for me to reattach it to the house.
I called the power company and said that I needed my power shut off at the pole so I could replace some siding and hook the wires back onto the house. I also told them that the wires needed to be extended because of the moved pole. Two guys showed up and the first thing they did was use a limb trimmer like this to cut the wires (live) at the pole.
They looked up at the wires where they were hanging from the house and said "Would it be easier for you to replace the siding if we cut the wires at the house also?" I said "Sure!" Then as one guy climbed the ladder and cut the wires about 2 feet from the house's connection box, the other guy spliced about 4 feet of wire onto the ends that would be reattached at the pole. The guy on the ladder screwed a new insulator onto my house above where I needed to replace the siding, climbed down and said "Call us when you're done."
I replaced the ripped siding, washed the side of the house, replaced all the rusted service wire clips, and lagged the connection box to the side of the house. I called them back, they attached the wires at the pole and at my house and wouldn't even accept a few bucks for coffee.
There was really no need for them to cut the wires at the house, they only did it to get them out of my way while I worked on the siding. They basically doubled their work just to be nice. I was a satisfied customer and called their office the next day to let them know.
Real nice of them. Around here they will also trim branches...no charge....if they are near the wires. I can call them...but they do come around about once a year to inspect things.
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I forgot...One of the guys put a saw on the end of the trimmer after he dropped the wires and trimmed a few branches also. I remember now because he left the branches for me to clean up. Now I don't like them anymore. ;-)
None of the regular posters here says he is from NYC. OTOH, getting the skinny in NYC should be easy, about what is required. The Dept. of Buildings will know. It's probably on their webpage, but they have a phone too. .
I wouldnt' take the word of an electrical contractor unless he was my husband.
I had a 6 or 6 1/2 room 2 1/2 bath apartment in Brooklyn with only 20 amps for the whole thing and I only blew about one fuse a year. Even with 3 roommates.
That incuded the last couple years a small AC window unit. I never used the toaster and the microwave at the same time, but that's because I don't like toast.
There was a 20 amp fuse in the basement, supplying two 15-amp fuses in my apartment. I blew one of the 15-amp fuses maybe 4 times in 10 years.
If I can get by on 20 your new owners can get by on 100. And I have a feeling that 200 is not required, for that very reason.
Don't be like friends of mine here in Baltimore. Their house needed some work, I agree, some painting, redoing the hardwood floors, etc. but I told them they should put it on the market right away and if they got the work done, it would sell quicker or maybe they could even raise the asking price. But the real estate agent told them to fix it first. and that took them months, and then the real estate bubble burst and they couldnt sell it at all, let alone for the asking price. And it needn't have taken months for the repairs, just add the time for repairs, the advertising and finding a buyer, and it only needs one day longer than the bubble lasted. NYC isn't in a bubble afaik, but other things can go wrong. A fire that makes the next two houses vacant. Not likely, but I think one should start trying to sell the house as soon as he's sure he's moving. Or as soon as he has another place to live, if that will be hard to find. But not waiting to do repairs, if indeed you do this one.
I just came across this webpage. I don't think the questions apply to you but the address lookup gives a Property Profile Overview that will be interesting
If you move to some address in NYC, I'd defintiely look it up. Anyone considering buying your house should do so too, if he knows about it. And you don't want him to learn things you don't even know about.
"Existing houses are "grandfathered" for the most part. The thing is, any changes you make are required to meet the new standard. "
That is, if you do make a change for whatever reason, your new work has to meet the new code even though it was acceptable that it didn't meet it before you started.
"The upside of the new change is a whole new level of safety when it comes to fire prevention. It also requires the use of child-proof receptacles. The new receptacles actually work really well, in fact they work so well it is hard for me to get a tester into them. At the same time, plugs slide in as easily as ever.
Also most of the circuit breakers in your house need to be "Arc fault circuit interrupters". They are very high tech, and dramatically reduce the chance of an electrical fire. They are required on all 110 volt circuits aside from your, kitchen, bathrooms, unfinished basements, and outdoors. [Where GFI's are still required, I assume, except maybe unfinished basements.] The downside of the new changes is cost. Old breakers started at $3.00, and the new ones START at $35.00. This adds up to $600-$800 more to wire up a whole new house. "
Do they come and inspect the house or just take the owner's word for it?
Or possbibly just go by when the house was built???
I agree but the problem is, your real estate agent may say to do just the opposite. Fix it up!
Read my friend's bad experience with trusting the agent's advice.
I would though, ask anyone who looked at the house and didn't buy it, Why not. if you ask nicely, they'll tell you. Especially in NYC.
I know what those are, but apparently there is more than one meaning, since images for s-type adapter electric shows not a one like we mean.
Here's a better page.
Would you put these in even if you were living in the house yourself?
Maybe for your 8-year old son?
Darn right.
If the underground fails, they fix it too. But if I request/require an upgrade, I pay.
probably a mix of both but they definetely send a inspector out
call some homeowners insurance companies like state farm and ask about a new policy
The new house I bought in 1971 had a 200a fuse panel and it had the type S adapters. It is certainly a good idea since there is really no way to know what size wire you have without pulling the cover off the panel.
I doubt any insurance company you have ever heard of even writes policies in Florida, at least not within 20-30 miles of a coast.
I work in an insurance office every morning - my youngest daughter is assistant operations manager there. The broker ( or agent) asks the questions when you apply for insurance, and the answers are part of your insurance contract. If you lie, the insurance contract is null and void, and if caught you not only have no insurance, you can be charged with insurance fraud - and GOOD LUCK getting anything close to affordable insurance in the future.
Up here in Canada (specifically Ontario) it's been a long time since the insurance companies sent an inspector out to all applicants.
My insurance company sent out an inspector when I bought the house, and has had somebody come by and photograph the property to establish its condition twice since then. They notify me and send me a copy of the report.
Thanks!
Yes, policies are tough in Florida and I will be within 10 miles of the coast.
The new flood insurance risk ratings are really going to make insurance expensive, even if you don't think you are anywhere near the water.
We also see an insurance inspector walking around every couple of years but they don't come in the house. They are looking at your roof, pool slides, pool fences and other obvious risks outside.
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