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[Homeowner/House] Thread. How long is it going to take? Two weeks!

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Posts

  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    notya wrote: »
    Problem: I have a whole attic's worth of blown-in insulation to remove.
    Solution: I can rent an industrial vac!
    Problem: The cheapest I can find runs $375 per day.
    Solution: Harbor Freight sells a 2HP 1550 cfm dust collection vacuum intended for wood shops and it's only $200!

    It works great too!

    NOJGCrj.jpg?1


    Although when it's full it does kind of look like the Energizer Bunny joined the klan...

    Oh lord. I've been looking into doing the same thing and I'm really not excited about it. Definitely keeping this suggestion in mind if I can't find a cheap rental.
    (I don't love buying things I'll only use once though)

    You just have to set up a wood shop, then you can keep using the vacuum!

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    zagdrob wrote: »
    Simpsonia wrote: »
    zepherin wrote: »
    So it looks like if we refinance now the fees are going to be about ~7800. We will see about ~200 a month reduction in our mortgage, and when our LTV reaches %80 our PMI falls off. So about a 39 month break even. That’s not bad, and if house prices keep being insane the PMI drops off saving us another 180 a month...yeah I guess we should probably do it.

    One thing to keep in mind though is that your 80LTV locks value at whatever your refi appraisal comes in at. But, if your house appreciates another 60k in the next 12-24 months, that won't be a factor for the bank unless you talk to them and then pay for a new appraisal.

    And even then a lot of banks won't drop PMI with a new appraisal. Its definitely something to discuss the details of with your lender if you are taking a loan with PMI.
    It's in the contract. There are two potential possibilities for PMI dropping. It reaches a date in 2026 when the LTV is 80% based on todays valuation, and we can pay for an appraisal. It's part of the loan docs and is very cut and dry.

    But it's so much better than the FHA we are getting out of which our PMI would never leave.

  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    Ugh, our mortgage underwriter is taking forever to get back to us. We need to have our financing in place by Wednesday! If I don't hear from them today I'll have to call and poke at them some more. We were pre-approved for way more than what we need! What's the holdup?! What if they deny us?! AAAAAAAAAH!

    I recommend poking them every day regardless. Not to stress you out, but the house we just closed on I was asking the lender for status daily and being told, "Everything is fine" right up until the day before I was supposed to close. The closing attorney was suspicious because nobody'd contacted them about the title and finally got ahold of someone at the lending company who said, "What? No. This can't possibly close tomorrow; it only went to underwriting yesterday."

    It wound up taking an extra month to close and the original loan officer was fired. We wound up having more problems with them during that month, though, and it was only me contacting them every weekday at least once asking for status that got me informed about said problems in time to deal with them. Your lender probably doesn't suck as much as mine did, since it'd be hard to suck that bad, but they're not going to not give you loan because you asked too many times if they had everything they need from you.

    Well that’s not helpful at all! AAaAAaaAaaah!

    Ok... ok... I'm calm... I'm calm...

    After poking them over and over and over, and comforting my wife who broke down crying when she thought we might lose the house, the bank finally came through for us at the last minute.

    I hated every moment of this experience (and told the bank as much, in the calmest, most "disappointed dad" voice I could muster), but we got our mortgage approved, with some pretty good rates. I double-checked with other mortgage brokers that I've been in touch with, and the rate we got is pretty much the best one we possibly could have gotten. So, despite the harrowing experience, we finally got what we needed, just in the nick of time.

    Papers are signed showing that both ourselves and the seller have met their obligations. Everything is set. All that's left to do now is wait until the closing date which is... *checks notes*... JULY 9th? You mean I just have to sit here and wait for a whole month!? Uuuuuuuuuugh!
    Whenever I hear a story like this I am so thankful for how good my mortgage broker was/is. We were underwritten and everything was just done and ready 2 weeks before hand. The only thing up in the air was exactly how much closing costs were going to be.

  • PailryderPailryder Registered User regular
    we never felt that kind of pressure but we were literally living at an airbnb shopping for a home. It was right when the pandemic hit 03/2020 and that's when i started to sweat a little because our backup plan of going to a hotel got shot down when they all closed up in the area. Fortunately, we had some great people that moved things through real quick (and possibly because of the shutdown it might have gone faster than normal).
    It is remarkable how cumbersome and anxiety inducing this whole experience can be.

  • AngelHedgieAngelHedgie Registered User regular
    So, they're moving the back catalog of The New Yankee Workshop online.

    XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
  • PeccaviPeccavi Registered User regular
    Got a spam credit card offer for the former owner, is this something I'm supposed to forward on or can I toss it like all the junk offers I get?

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    Peccavi wrote: »
    Got a spam credit card offer for the former owner, is this something I'm supposed to forward on or can I toss it like all the junk offers I get?

    Toss. Same with catalogs. To

    We still get the occasional piece for the former guy and he's been gone (in the residential and the living sense) for years.

  • CptHamiltonCptHamilton Registered User regular
    Speaking of mail forwarding: is there any generic way to tell UPS and/or FedEx to forward packages?

    I've backed...a lot of kickstarters and not all of them have the option to change the shipping address, depending on where they are in the fulfillment process. I've done the USPS forwarding stuff (which was a pain because USPS still had my old house listed as a business from when it was the sales office for the subdivision developer 13 years ago) and that seems to catch the UPS + USPS-final-mile deliveries but I've had at least one package end up on the front stoop delivered via one of the box truck services since forwarding took over (that one was my own fault - I updated my shipping address with chewy.com and didn't realize that didn't update the auto-ship subscription address for my cat's food).

    PSN,Steam,Live | CptHamiltonian
  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    If you sign up for UPS MyChoice (it's free) you can redirect packages when they're shipped, either to a new address or a UPS location for pick up. Not sure about Fedex though.

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  • MugsleyMugsley DelawareRegistered User regular
    We've been living in our house for 9 years. We still get a weekly letter from the County for the former owners.

    I keep returning to sender but I may get bold one year and call them directly.

  • zagdrobzagdrob Registered User regular
    We've been here 13 and still get stuff for the former owner, primarily routine HR / retiree benefit stuff - nothing important- but other things occasionally.

    After a couple years of trying / return to sender which did cut down the mail down some we just toss it all.

  • PailryderPailryder Registered User regular
    it doesn't help "you" with getting the wrong mail but for those moving, you can go to the post office and fill out a forwarding address and it works pretty well. The real problem is all the things you might have that store their own address. 401ks, banks, credit cards, online shopping stores, social media stuff that give out your personal information, federal government agencies, state agencies, political parties, etc. etc.

  • Phoenix-DPhoenix-D Registered User regular
    Pailryder wrote: »
    it doesn't help "you" with getting the wrong mail but for those moving, you can go to the post office and fill out a forwarding address and it works pretty well. The real problem is all the things you might have that store their own address. 401ks, banks, credit cards, online shopping stores, social media stuff that give out your personal information, federal government agencies, state agencies, political parties, etc. etc.

    A bunch of these will update their records when your mail gets forwarded, the post office does seem to tell them. Some won't bother though.

  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    Pailryder wrote: »
    it doesn't help "you" with getting the wrong mail but for those moving, you can go to the post office and fill out a forwarding address and it works pretty well. The real problem is all the things you might have that store their own address. 401ks, banks, credit cards, online shopping stores, social media stuff that give out your personal information, federal government agencies, state agencies, political parties, etc. etc.

    How well forwarding works is 100% dependent on the staff of your local post office.

    When we moved about 7 years ago, we kept getting mail for multiple years worth of previous tenants at the place we were renting. There was more mail for people who used to live there than there was for us on many days. We would mark anything that didn't look like junk mail with "No longer at this address" and put it back in the mailbox for the mail carrier, but nothing ever changed. We just assumed that forwarding had expired on anyone who lived their prior to the previous year, and that the most recent tenant hadn't set up forwarding for some reason.

    Until we bought a place 2 years ago and moved. We still get mail regularly for the previous owners. During the first year we would even get mail for them that had the forwarding label on it with their new address! And a good chunk of our mail kept going to our previous address, even though I'd set up forwarding. The new tenants were getting so much mail for us that our old landlord got in touch to ask if we had set up mail forwarding. He and I went to the post office together to try to get some help, but nothing ever improved at either address.

  • PailryderPailryder Registered User regular
    yeah it was just one of those things that we didn't realize until suddenly some financial statements i was expecting weren't getting delivered. I thought my work had taken care of things and realized i needed to go onto fidelity's site and update the addresses my self! What's truly horrible is how some of these places store your address in multiple locations on their site (and i'm 99.9% sure on their backend database). Working on data all day it infuriates me how terrible there system are designed. Had a call from a collection agency because some sub-contractor to an insurance group was using an old address to send bills, even though we had updated our actual insurance company address!

  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    Looking at a multi-hundred-dollar repair bill for a busted part on a dishwasher, which is significant portion of the cost of a new one.

    So what’s the hotness in dishwashers these days?

  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    edited June 2021
    Being able to find one.

    Edit: but if you're spending over a grand, probably Bosch.

    Shadowfire on
    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • GrudgeGrudge blessed is the mind too small for doubtRegistered User regular
    I can definitely recommend getting one with automatic door opening.

  • ElvenshaeElvenshae Registered User regular
    Automatic door opening … ?

  • That_GuyThat_Guy I don't wanna be that guy Registered User regular
    Elvenshae wrote: »
    Automatic door opening … ?

    A lot of dishwashers these days will crack the door when the dry cycle is complete.

    I have a Kitchenaid dishwasher and really like it. It doesn't kick the door open like some brands but it goes a GREAT job is getting my dishes clean. I can load in days old dried on food crap and it get clean every time. I just rinse off anything bigger than a grain of rice and let the washer do the rest. Bosh is another great brand.

  • Romantic UndeadRomantic Undead Registered User regular
    Well the stresses continue! Our house is bought, our closing date on the way, finances are in order... the rest should be smooth sailing, right? All that's left is to book a mover for the last week of July!

    What's that? Every moving company in town is booked solid through until August?


    ....fffffffffffFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF......

    3DS FC: 1547-5210-6531
  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    edited June 2021
    Finally found a corded drill or two in my Dad's stuff.

    03j377b6f6r9.jpg

    You guys hear of Black n Decker? Is it a good brand - Made in England, so probably OK, right?

    My cordless for comparison. The big chonker is 4.3A, 0-3000RPM. The little guy's cord ends just below the picture - either a unitasker for fixing the outlet it's plugged into only, or possibly a 'repair' by him at some point.

    MichaelLC on
  • DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    I think a lot of old drills have purposefully short cords because you're expected to plug it into an extension cord.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    Sometimes I sell my stuff on Ebay
  • N1tSt4lkerN1tSt4lker Registered User regular
    Easier to keep in a toolbox with a short cord, too.

  • MadpoetMadpoet Registered User regular
    Elvenshae wrote: »
    Looking at a multi-hundred-dollar repair bill for a busted part on a dishwasher, which is significant portion of the cost of a new one.

    So what’s the hotness in dishwashers these days?
    We just went with a Mielle and are very happy with it. We were told the Bosch is quieter, but it's still barely a hum. And they're known to last forever. I've been deliberately putting stuff in that my last one couldn't have cleaned and it hasn't failed me yet.

  • Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt (effective against Russian warships) Registered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Finally found a corded drill or two in my Dad's stuff.

    03j377b6f6r9.jpg

    You guys hear of Black n Decker?

    ...

    Not sure if serious, but one that old predates the models I worked on, so you're probably okay.

  • MichaelLCMichaelLC In what furnace was thy brain? ChicagoRegistered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Finally found a corded drill or two in my Dad's stuff.

    03j377b6f6r9.jpg

    You guys hear of Black n Decker?

    ...

    Not sure if serious, but one that old predates the models I worked on, so you're probably okay.

    Oh yeah just having fun. That Quantum does say Made in England, and the other one I'm guessing is even older but haven't checked yet.

  • nusunusu Registered User regular
    This housing market is wild. Just saw 2 neighboring homes sell for $30 a square foot more than we paid 3 months ago, both similar in size and condition to ours.

  • CorvusCorvus . VancouverRegistered User regular
    The market is bananas, and it is a phenomena across North America. There's a 100 year old tear down for sale in my neighbourhood for 1.7 million. Which is 400k above the assessed value of the land.

    :so_raven:
  • SimpsoniaSimpsonia Registered User regular
    Elvenshae wrote: »
    Looking at a multi-hundred-dollar repair bill for a busted part on a dishwasher, which is significant portion of the cost of a new one.

    So what’s the hotness in dishwashers these days?

    Love my Bosch 300. It's basically so quiet you don't even know it's on. I don't even rinse plates either, just scrape whatever you can with your fork into the garbage, then into the dishwasher. Though in hindsight, I wish I had gone with the Bosch 500 to get the feature that cracks the door when it finishes. Right now I just prop it open afterwards which is really the only real way to get all of your tupperware fully dry (with any dishwasher, I've noticed).

  • schussschuss Registered User regular
    Or you get the 800 with crystal dry that actually works really well

  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    So I am looking to have my roof replaced this fall, and I was doing some quiet inquiry into 30 year vs 50 year architectural shingles, and roofing companies are like yeah our 50 years are the bomb, and I’m like what’s different, are they thicker and the answer gets a bit Klatu Verata Neck<cough>.

    And the internet isn’t much help either.

  • StarZapperStarZapper Vermont, Bizzaro world.Registered User regular
    edited June 2021
    zepherin wrote: »
    So I am looking to have my roof replaced this fall, and I was doing some quiet inquiry into 30 year vs 50 year architectural shingles, and roofing companies are like yeah our 50 years are the bomb, and I’m like what’s different, are they thicker and the answer gets a bit Klatu Verata Neck<cough>.

    And the internet isn’t much help either.

    It's probably mostly a bunch of trade lingo bullshit. If you want a 50 year roof get metal. I have to replace my roof too pretty soon, but I'm hoping prices get better next year. Last time I got a quote prepandemic it was 20K, I shudder to think what it is now...

    Edit: Note my house is an A frame and 90% Roof.

    StarZapper on
  • ShadowfireShadowfire Vermont, in the middle of nowhereRegistered User regular
    Corvus wrote: »
    The market is bananas, and it is a phenomena across North America. There's a 100 year old tear down for sale in my neighbourhood for 1.7 million. Which is 400k above the assessed value of the land.

    The lumber in that house still has value on the gold market.

    WiiU: Windrunner ; Guild Wars 2: Shadowfire.3940 ; PSN: Bradcopter
  • zagdrobzagdrob Registered User regular
    We bought like a $1500 Bosch dishwasher in 2009 at the outlet store for $500 because the $20 handle mount was cracked. Quiet, almost too quiet. I'd recommend Bosch as the last dishwasher you ever buy.

    We bought the lifetime roof where the warranty transfers once because we dont plan to move ever and if we do it doesn't hurt the first sale. Also we are ok with doing the random bullshit inspections that we need to schedule 10 / 15 / 25 years down the line to keep the warranty valid.

  • matt has a problemmatt has a problem Points to 'off' Points to 'on'Registered User regular
    Blown in insulation is the devil. Twenty 55 gallon bags later, and the attic is clear.

    wWKjSOD.jpg?1

    nibXTE7.png
  • SiliconStewSiliconStew Registered User regular
    zepherin wrote: »
    So I am looking to have my roof replaced this fall, and I was doing some quiet inquiry into 30 year vs 50 year architectural shingles, and roofing companies are like yeah our 50 years are the bomb, and I’m like what’s different, are they thicker and the answer gets a bit Klatu Verata Neck<cough>.

    And the internet isn’t much help either.

    They'd be thicker and less likely to peel up in high winds. But its a bit irrelevant as that's a limited warranty against manufacturing defects, and pretty much any roof replacement is not going to be because of a failure in the material. However, you might check if your insurance potentially offers better coverage for 50 vs 30.

    Are you going to be in the house over 20 years? If yes, it's probably worth going for "50 year" shingles since you'd realistically be replacing a "30 year" roof again in about 20 years, so barring damage, you could be saving the difference in labor cost of that second install vs the larger upfront cost of the "50 year" shingles. If you'll be selling sooner than that, having 30 vs 50 most likely isn't going to make any real difference in market price.

    Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
  • zepherinzepherin Russian warship, go fuck yourself Registered User regular
    StarZapper wrote: »
    zepherin wrote: »
    So I am looking to have my roof replaced this fall, and I was doing some quiet inquiry into 30 year vs 50 year architectural shingles, and roofing companies are like yeah our 50 years are the bomb, and I’m like what’s different, are they thicker and the answer gets a bit Klatu Verata Neck<cough>.

    And the internet isn’t much help either.

    It's probably mostly a bunch of trade lingo bullshit. If you want a 50 year roof get metal. I have to replace my roof too pretty soon, but I'm hoping prices get better next year. Last time I got a quote prepandemic it was 20K, I shudder to think what it is now...

    Edit: Note my house is an A frame and 90% Roof.

    I would love a metal roof. I like the sound when it rains, I like the look and the durability is top notch, but the HOA requires architectural shingles.

  • AbsoluteZeroAbsoluteZero The new film by Quentin Koopantino Registered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Finally found a corded drill or two in my Dad's stuff.

    03j377b6f6r9.jpg

    You guys hear of Black n Decker? Is it a good brand - Made in England, so probably OK, right?

    Just keep it away from your pecker.

    cs6f034fsffl.jpg
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    MichaelLC wrote: »
    Finally found a corded drill or two in my Dad's stuff.

    03j377b6f6r9.jpg

    You guys hear of Black n Decker? Is it a good brand - Made in England, so probably OK, right?

    Just keep it away from your pecker.

    I feel like this is good advice for all power tools.

This discussion has been closed.