GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
We own a modest home in the suburbs of Illinois on 2 acres and 200 feet of waterfront. We have been trying to sell the home since 2009. The home appraises for less today than it appraised for in 2006, which is not uncommon in many parts of Illinois. The home is super easy to rent and provides a very positive gross cash flow, but every time a tenant moves out, we end up putting in about 10k to get it back to move in condition.
In the basement I have five lifetimes of tools/ spare parts, etc. One example is there are three top end new water well pressure tanks. Thousands of pex plumbing components, etc.
I was late to the market, but finally received an offer on the home. A price I was very happy with. When the home inspection came in, the buyers wanted 10k of work done, and most everything in the basement removed. The expensive stuff in the basement they wanted, but all the other items gone. I was not happy with their counteroffer after the inspection, as now I had to clean out the basement. I offered 6k cash at closing for home repairs and said I would clean out the basement. The problem for their inspectors 10k repair on the home estimate, was the repairs were not itemized, they wanted "their guy" to do the work. No way to measure what I was being charged for, what happened if more items were found that needed fixing, etc. And me living two thousand miles away meant I could not easily go to the home and verify or validate anything.
I picked up a 16 foot enclosed trailer and headed to them home. Enroute to the home I received a correspondence saying the Buyers had cancelled the purchase. I had a lot of windshield time to reflect on why the sale fell through. I think the basement was the center of gravity for the collapse of the sale. The house is in very good condition, except the basement. The buyers didn't want to deal with any issue whatsoever, and the basement was likely the deal killer as I have spent three days (while my SUV transmission is being serviced) straightening up the basement. The 18 foot trailer is full, multiple chain saws, power washers, dozens of shovels, etc. I have given away so much stuff over the past three days to include a dozen boxes of new ceiling tiles, and some very nice furniture.
The basement had a hodgepodge of hanging florescent lights. I removed all mixed bag of lights and replaced them with new LED direct to rafter lights from COSTCO. I did dozen of other things, but one item of note I did yesterday was replace the exposed insulation. The old insulation was 30 years old, some of the insulation was missing, the old installation had a brown paper backing. Pulled out the old insulation and installed Mansfield (from Menards) installation in nice plastic vapor barrier cover. The new insulation really freshened up the look of the basement. Who would have guessed. The replacement the new insulation took under two hours.
House goes back on the market today. I hired someone to tear down the 600 sq foot deck and update it, the deck failed inspection. Not sure if their are many buyers left in the market, especially in Illinois. I may have missed the tiny window of opportunity to sell. But at least the basement is uncluttered and clean.
In addition, sharing a picture of a turtle just walking around in 97 degree afternoon heat I came across bringing items to the trailer.
In the basement I have five lifetimes of tools/ spare parts, etc. One example is there are three top end new water well pressure tanks. Thousands of pex plumbing components, etc.
I was late to the market, but finally received an offer on the home. A price I was very happy with. When the home inspection came in, the buyers wanted 10k of work done, and most everything in the basement removed. The expensive stuff in the basement they wanted, but all the other items gone. I was not happy with their counteroffer after the inspection, as now I had to clean out the basement. I offered 6k cash at closing for home repairs and said I would clean out the basement. The problem for their inspectors 10k repair on the home estimate, was the repairs were not itemized, they wanted "their guy" to do the work. No way to measure what I was being charged for, what happened if more items were found that needed fixing, etc. And me living two thousand miles away meant I could not easily go to the home and verify or validate anything.
I picked up a 16 foot enclosed trailer and headed to them home. Enroute to the home I received a correspondence saying the Buyers had cancelled the purchase. I had a lot of windshield time to reflect on why the sale fell through. I think the basement was the center of gravity for the collapse of the sale. The house is in very good condition, except the basement. The buyers didn't want to deal with any issue whatsoever, and the basement was likely the deal killer as I have spent three days (while my SUV transmission is being serviced) straightening up the basement. The 18 foot trailer is full, multiple chain saws, power washers, dozens of shovels, etc. I have given away so much stuff over the past three days to include a dozen boxes of new ceiling tiles, and some very nice furniture.
The basement had a hodgepodge of hanging florescent lights. I removed all mixed bag of lights and replaced them with new LED direct to rafter lights from COSTCO. I did dozen of other things, but one item of note I did yesterday was replace the exposed insulation. The old insulation was 30 years old, some of the insulation was missing, the old installation had a brown paper backing. Pulled out the old insulation and installed Mansfield (from Menards) installation in nice plastic vapor barrier cover. The new insulation really freshened up the look of the basement. Who would have guessed. The replacement the new insulation took under two hours.
House goes back on the market today. I hired someone to tear down the 600 sq foot deck and update it, the deck failed inspection. Not sure if their are many buyers left in the market, especially in Illinois. I may have missed the tiny window of opportunity to sell. But at least the basement is uncluttered and clean.
In addition, sharing a picture of a turtle just walking around in 97 degree afternoon heat I came across bringing items to the trailer.