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My Realtor Interviews and Fear of Selling Our Home

lynne

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How often do you have to get those tanks filled, especially in the winter?

I am so undecided as to whether to get gas lines for the dryer and stove (would be $800 for the lines), or just stick with electric, especially since I have only ever cooked on an electric stove. All my pots are for the radiant heat stove. Is the propane much less expensive than using electric for those two things?

We love having LP gas for running our 36" stove, dryer and 2 on-demand water heaters. The ability to have all of the hot water you need (after it has run through the pipes and heated up) is priceless. Also, do not need to worry about a water tank that can leak and cause damage. Our on-demand tanks are outside on either end of the house so do not require special venting. Our LP tank takes approx. 100 gallons and we have it filled by the gas company 2x/year. We also have solar so our cost to run the house on electric is $26/month. I am a bit spoiled as I have not had to cook electric for more than 20 years. It is a difficult decision, but having the luxury and cost savings of doing it during your building process is quite a benefit. When building, we put in both gas lines and a 220 electric outlet for both the stove and dryer just in case....
 

GrayFal

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How often do you have to get those tanks filled, especially in the winter?

I am so undecided as to whether to get gas lines for the dryer and stove (would be $800 for the lines), or just stick with electric, especially since I have only ever cooked on an electric stove. All my pots are for the radiant heat stove. Is the propane much less expensive than using electric for those two things?
my husband is saying we get monthly deliveries. If it is extremely cold they come more often. The most we had delivered was 66% = 130 gallons. Some months it would only be 33-50% so 66-100 gallons. This is based on usage when my husband was still working full time and I was retired and vacationing . Now that we are both retired and traveling in the winter, our usage is less.

On Eastern Long Island, the cost of electricity is extremely high. So using propane is the way to go. At our other home 10 miles away we bought it 30 years ago with oil heat. We had propane for dryer and stove. But when they brought nature gas lines to our area we converted the whole house and it is a third to half of the oil costs.

Can’t advise on electric stove. They first thing I did 30 years ago was to pull it out and buy s gas stove. It’s all what you are used to.
 

WinniWoman

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my husband is saying we get monthly deliveries. If it is extremely cold they come more often. The most we had delivered was 66% = 130 gallons. Some months it would only be 33-50% so 66-100 gallons. This is based on usage when my husband was still working full time and I was retired and vacationing . Now that we are both retired and traveling in the winter, our usage is less.

On Eastern Long Island, the cost of electricity is extremely high. So using propane is the way to go. At our other home 10 miles away we bought it 30 years ago with oil heat. We had propane for dryer and stove. But when they brought nature gas lines to our area we converted the whole house and it is a third to half of the oil costs.

Can’t advise on electric stove. They first thing I did 30 years ago was to pull it out and buy s gas stove. It’s all what you are used to.

Thanks. Yeah- the home I grew up in had natural gas, but of course, I was a kid. When I got married, our first house had electric because there were not a lot of natural gas lines in the area. Same with our current home, so when people say they like gas better, I don't get it because I have always cooked on electric.

I actually never liked the idea of pilot lights- they scare me - I remember as a kid my parents sometimes having to "light" the stove. LOL!

We are big oven users, but, maybe the way to go might be for just the dryer to have propane- don't know.

Gas dryers are also more difficult to work on if there is a problem and to install. I think they even might cost a little more. And propane is more expensive in winter.

But from what I understand propane ones dry the clothes more quickly.

Today they do make all appliances much more energy efficient. We have high electric rates in NY but NH's are actually much worse. Decisions. decisions....
 
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geist1223

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Most modern gas heaters/furnaces/stoves do not have permanently lite Pilot Lights but have electric ignition. So if your electrical is out you do have to use a match or barbecue igniter to start the gas burning.
 

pittle

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I also grew up with an old gas range that we had to light the oven and often the burners with a match - it scared the dickens out of me. When I got married, we had electric ranges or cook-tops for nearly 40 years. I now have a gas cook-top and electric wall ovens. Many ranges also have that configuration - gas on top and electric for oven.

I like how it cooks and when you turn it off, it pretty much stops cooking without moving the pan. It heats up quicker too.

We do have a gas dryer. It did cost a little more, but I like it, it does dry faster. I also have a top-load energy efficient (HE) washer that I hate - there never seems to be enough water to get the clothes clean and the detergent rinsed out. Some of the newer models do have a high-fill option. So if you are not used to the HE washers and like to actually see water in the tub, look for one of those. We did find that ours has a comforter setting and it will actually put in enough water that you see that the clothes are covered with water and can swish around, so we use that setting a lot - but it takes about 90 minutes to wash a load of clothes. Even the Normal cycle takes 1 hour. :(

We also have the recirculating pump for the hot water. We love it. We have a 3850 SF house and the water heater is in the garage and 2 of the 3 bathrooms are on opposite sides of the house from it. We had to replace it a couple of months ago. It took quite a while to get the hot water to the MBR shower - when the water was not hot when I turned it on, I was afraid we needed a new water heater, but it was the pump.
 

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The closing of our office did not happen on Tuesday, as our contract detailed in early February. They buyer asked for extension until tomorrow so she could get more loan funding. As of today, it has still not been funded. When I looked at the contract we signed in February, it is poorly worded and there is very little consequences for the buyer to pull out or delay other than losing her small deposit which would not cover our damages. My point of this is to recommend that everyone hire a lawyer to review real estate contracts. I am most frustrated because I feel like I have no remedies other than to say she is in violation of the contact and ask her to produce immediately.
 

Fredflintstone

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The closing of our office did not happen on Tuesday, as our contract detailed in early February. They buyer asked for extension until tomorrow so she could get more loan funding. As of today, it has still not been funded. When I looked at the contract we signed in February, it is poorly worded and there is very little consequences for the buyer to pull out or delay other than losing her small deposit which would not cover our damages. My point of this is to recommend that everyone hire a lawyer to review real estate contracts. I am most frustrated because I feel like I have no remedies other than to say she is in violation of the contact and ask her to produce immediately.

I hear your frustration and hope all goes well for you. The thing is if she needs more time for loan approval, you are stuck as she doesn’t have the funds yet.

Does your contract allow you to pull the plug on the deal and find a qualified buyer? Maybe do that if you have a time clause of action. Better to cut losses instead of delay.

Yes, totally agree with using a lawyer for all real estate deals....and yes....ahem timeshare contracts too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

WinniWoman

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The closing of our office did not happen on Tuesday, as our contract detailed in early February. They buyer asked for extension until tomorrow so she could get more loan funding. As of today, it has still not been funded. When I looked at the contract we signed in February, it is poorly worded and there is very little consequences for the buyer to pull out or delay other than losing her small deposit which would not cover our damages. My point of this is to recommend that everyone hire a lawyer to review real estate contracts. I am most frustrated because I feel like I have no remedies other than to say she is in violation of the contact and ask her to produce immediately.


Sorry this happened to you. That is just awful! I would be livid! I hear you about the attorney. This is what was making me crazy also- not using one.

I would not dismiss this as you cannot do anything about it. There could be a law that applies to this situation despite the fact there were no details to address it in the contract. Contact an attorney to inquire if there is something that can be done.

It is funny- today the realtor of the NH property called me and said the builder said our home could not be placed on the lot we reserved because it is too long. I am not sure how this could have been missed- but he opened up the last phase of lots now and offered a choice of two other lots. (Who knows what these guys do?- or if they are telling the truth-don't trust realtors or builders). We picked another lot and told the realtor we want no more surprises. (yeah- right- like that is gonna happen).

So now the builder has like 5 houses to build including ours- if/when we sign the purchase agreement on Saturday- (he only has built one house so far there- the spec house- (he is the new builder) and will have 9 more lots left. So I asked the realtor about the timeline for ours to be finished and she said 5 months. So I asked how he will build 5 homes in 5 months and I asked if he has people working on them all at the same time and she said no- he does one home at a time. Ummm...well how can that be then?

When I hung up, this got me to thinking if there will be a completion date in the contract since this is new construction. For sure, in New York there would! An attorney would insist on it. So I pulled it out and I do see there is a paragraph that addresses it with a blank for a date to be written in upon signing. So I will be sure to be conscious of it and make sure a date is written in.

If I had the opportunity/time to hire a lawyer this week, he/she would be handling all this stuff for us and I would not even have to do all the research and mental gymnastics I have been doing this past week - keeping me up at night.

TravelTime- I hope you can get a new buyer.
 

Panina

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Sorry this happened to you. That is just awful! I would be livid! I hear you about the attorney. This is what was making me crazy also- not using one.

I would not dismiss this as you cannot do anything about it. There could be a law that applies to this situation despite the fact there were no details to address it in the contract. Contact an attorney to inquire if there is something that can be done.

It is funny- today the realtor of the NH property called me and said the builder said our home could not be placed on the lot we reserved because it is too long. I am not sure how this could have been missed- but he opened up the last phase of lots now and offered a choice of two other lots. (Who knows what these guys do?- or if they are telling the truth-don't trust realtors or builders). We picked another lot and told the realtor we want no more surprises. (yeah- right- like that is gonna happen).

So now the builder has like 5 houses to build including ours- if/when we sign the purchase agreement on Saturday- (he only has built one house so far there- the spec house- (he is the new builder) and will have 9 more lots left. So I asked the realtor about the timeline for ours to be finished and she said 5 months. So I asked how he will build 5 homes in 5 months and I asked if he has people working on them all at the same time and she said no- he does one home at a time. Ummm...well how can that be then?

When I hung up, this got me to thinking if there will be a completion date in the contract since this is new construction. For sure, in New York there would! An attorney would insist on it. So I pulled it out and I do see there is a paragraph that addresses it with a blank for a date to be written in upon signing. So I will be sure to be conscious of it and make sure a date is written in.

If I had the opportunity/time to hire a lawyer this week, he/she would be handling all this stuff for us and I would not even have to do all the research and mental gymnastics I have been doing this past week - keeping me up at night.

TravelTime- I hope you can get a new buyer.
Since this is the new builder in the developement , have your checked out if he built in other communities? I was assuming he built the other homes in the community. Since he did not you should make sure he has been in business for awhile and is reputable. Is this a deal that your deposit goes in escrow and the builder only get money at closing? Or does he get part of the money as construction happens? If he gets money throughout the process your risk is greater if he is a builder who goes out of business or builds an inferior product. Talk to you lawyer, glad you got one.

If this is a small company building your house, there is no way he will complete a house a month. At least that has been my experince in RE sales.
 

wackymother

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Sorry this happened to you. That is just awful! I would be livid! I hear you about the attorney. This is what was making me crazy also- not using one.

I would not dismiss this as you cannot do anything about it. There could be a law that applies to this situation despite the fact there were no details to address it in the contract. Contact an attorney to inquire if there is something that can be done.

It is funny- today the realtor of the NH property called me and said the builder said our home could not be placed on the lot we reserved because it is too long. I am not sure how this could have been missed- but he opened up the last phase of lots now and offered a choice of two other lots. (Who knows what these guys do?- or if they are telling the truth-don't trust realtors or builders). We picked another lot and told the realtor we want no more surprises. (yeah- right- like that is gonna happen).

So now the builder has like 5 houses to build including ours- if/when we sign the purchase agreement on Saturday- (he only has built one house so far there- the spec house- (he is the new builder) and will have 9 more lots left. So I asked the realtor about the timeline for ours to be finished and she said 5 months. So I asked how he will build 5 homes in 5 months and I asked if he has people working on them all at the same time and she said no- he does one home at a time. Ummm...well how can that be then?

When I hung up, this got me to thinking if there will be a completion date in the contract since this is new construction. For sure, in New York there would! An attorney would insist on it. So I pulled it out and I do see there is a paragraph that addresses it with a blank for a date to be written in upon signing. So I will be sure to be conscious of it and make sure a date is written in.

If I had the opportunity/time to hire a lawyer this week, he/she would be handling all this stuff for us and I would not even have to do all the research and mental gymnastics I have been doing this past week - keeping me up at night.

TravelTime- I hope you can get a new buyer.

Ask your realtor for a recommendation for a lawyer who deals in real estate. Realtors all have lawyers they work with. If the realtor's New York lawyer says he/she can't help with a New Hampshire contract, look for a respected New Hampshire realtor online, one who is very close to your new home in New Hampshire. Then call that realtor, explain the situation, and ask for a lawyer recommendation.
 

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If you were told 5 months for completion I would guess 10 to 15 months.
 

Quiet Pine

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This talk reminds me that a cousin recently discovered a letter my mother wrote about the house she & my dad bought in August, 1950. It was the house where I grew up--sold a year after my college graduation. My mother was so excited because the house was all-electric. The kitchen had a Crosley Shelvador refrigerator. There was only a 1-car garage because they couldn't afford $800 for a 2-car garage. Didn't matter, because most families had only 1 car in 1950. I remember Kentile floor tiles (turns out they were 25% asbestos!) and radiant heating. It cost $880 to refinish the attic, so that didn't happen. The house is on Long Island, New York. My parents paid $15,000; the house has been remodeled and enlarged, and now would go for over $1 million (per Zillow).
 

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My son's house was supposed to be completed by Dec, some 8 months after he put a deposit on it. It was completed 3 months late, in March. Developers do not ever provide a firm date of completion. The verbiage always give them leeway so that buyers cannot sue them or get compensation for delayed completion.
 

lynne

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I know that I am the anomaly - Our builder was wonderful and worked with us and our architect with meetings weekly. Our house was built in 6 months with only change orders. We had an open book contract where I did my own procurement. None of our friends who have built homes can believe our luck. We have now been in the home for more than 4 years and can still reach out to our builder for help with trades that do not respond to us. He sends his crew over when they are in the area. It was not an easy build as we also had to deal with our HOA and many CCR requirements that needed to be signed off by the Ranch Architect. It was a positive experience that probably is 1 in a 1000. We did not use an attorney.
 

VacationForever

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I know that I am the anomaly - Our builder was wonderful and worked with us and our architect with meetings weekly. Our house was built in 6 months with only change orders. We had an open book contract where I did my own procurement. None of our friends who have built homes can believe our luck. We have now been in the home for more than 4 years and can still reach out to our builder for help with trades that do not respond to us. He sends his crew over when they are in the area. It was not an easy build as we also had to deal with our HOA and many CCR requirements that needed to be signed off by the Ranch Architect. It was a positive experience that probably is 1 in a 1000. We did not use an attorney.
is this a custom home?
 

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You need to get a lawyer. This closing started in January and we signed the contract on Feb 7. I should never have agreed to a long closing. Then the water accident happened in mid-May, 2 weeks before the closing. Now the buyer is expressing cold feet about stuff and has postponed the closing. Our contract does not protect us against this and my insurance policy will not cover any repairs because it was a water intrusion and that is excluded from the policy. This has been like the perfect storm. We did not need lawyers involved by law in California but now I can see the value of tightening up real estate contracts to protect you the seller from any lawsuits or losses from buyers.
 

WinniWoman

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Since this is the new builder in the developement , have your checked out if he built in other communities? I was assuming he built the other homes in the community. Since he did not you should make sure he has been in business for awhile and is reputable. Is this a deal that your deposit goes in escrow and the builder only get money at closing? Or does he get part of the money as construction happens? If he gets money throughout the process your risk is greater if he is a builder who goes out of business or builds an inferior product. Talk to you lawyer, glad you got one.

If this is a small company building your house, there is no way he will complete a house a month. At least that has been my experince in RE sales.

Yes. I know. From what I could find over the internet he has been in business for 20 years. But it is another company he formed in 9/18 and somehow is affiliated with an organization called Catch Housing- which is a not-for profit.

The broker/realty company holds the deposits in escrow form what I see on the purchase agreement.

We did NOT get an attorney, but I am thinking of doing so even though we are signing tomorrow without one. There is a 5 day rescind period so I am calling the attorney's office again today and then asking about it once more. It is going to cost more for the title search and everything but at least we would have an attorney representing us involved in the process. I would think they could work long distance with us.

With the deposit, we have to give a few thousand down and any upgrades have to be paid for in advance (and along in process).

Right about the building of the houses. I know he uses subs. Heck- our house took like a year to build. I don't know how it is with developments- how big of a crew, etc.
 

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We did NOT get an attorney, but I am thinking of doing so even though we are signing tomorrow without one. There is a 5 day rescind period so I am calling the attorney's office again today and then asking about it once more. It is going to cost more for the title search and everything but at least we would have an attorney representing us involved in the process. I would think they could work long distance with us.

I'm not a "go hire an attorney" guy. I think I have only hired one once outside of my business career. But in your case with all the variables you are dealing with I would make an exception here. If you do, make sure he knows that getting his work done within the 5 day rescind period is critical...

George
 

WinniWoman

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You need to get a lawyer. This closing started in January and we signed the contract on Feb 7. I should never have agreed to a long closing. Then the water accident happened in mid-May, 2 weeks before the closing. Now the buyer is expressing cold feet about stuff and has postponed the closing. Our contract does not protect us against this and my insurance policy will not cover any repairs because it was a water intrusion and that is excluded from the policy. This has been like the perfect storm. We did not need lawyers involved by law in California but now I can see the value of tightening up real estate contracts to protect you the seller from any lawsuits or losses from buyers.


I feel for you. Having been through several real estate transactions in our lifetime, I know all to well the "other" issues like yours that can arise. An attorney would have explained this to you- about having a deadline for your buyer to come through with the money. In fact, he/she would probably have told you not to accept this buyers offer unless they were pre-approved for the loan.

I am hoping in our case the attorney might know of this builder or other things about the develoment. With the condo investment we made many years ago and signed without an attorney- because we were young and stupid- when we went to our attorney to complete everything else involved (required in NYS), he said if we had not done this he would have told us not to buy from the developer. Being a local real estate attorney he knew all the dirt in the area and knew this was going to be a bad deal for buyers, But it was too late for us as we had signed the contract.

There is more to real estate transactions behind the scenes than just what is written in the purchase agreement and the title search.
 

WinniWoman

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You know, we are paying thousands of dollars for this- what is another $1000 if not just for peace of mind. It is insurance- to a point. Even with an attorney- things can still go wrong later on and in our case builders still have a lot of room to- well you know--sc$%*w you.
 

WinniWoman

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So I did call the attorney's office and spoke with the paralegal. The attorney is away until Monday.

I explained about the 5 day rescind period and she said we could just get a copy of the signed purchase agreement to them via email by Monday and the paralegal could have the Atty review it.

I am also thinking since we cannot have the lot we initially reserved (of which we had a 10 day period (which is this Sunday) to sign the purchase agreement or it would be released; AND the lot we CAN have has been reserved only verbally, I wonder if we can sign the reservation form for the new lot and would again have another 10 days to sign the purchase agreement, giving the attorney more time.

But- I do not want to tell the realtor today that we have now changed our minds and are using an attorney simply for the fact that we do NOT have a written reservation for the new lot. And realtors generally do not like having buyers attorneys involved- especially in a state where it is not required. My point being we don't want her to give away the lot because of this(which she could do being there is no signed purchase agreement or lot reservation for the new lot).
 
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