Weekend Recap (with iPhotos!)

So, it's 7 AM and I'm at work. Awesome. I am definitely not going to have to be here for longer than 4 hours, though, so I guess I shouldn't complain. That's 4 hours of triple pay, yo.

Other than having to work this morning, the weekend was pretty awesome. It started out with the inspection on my condo. The good news is that the only problem is a minor electrical issue or two, which the sellers will address before closing (which is in 7 days, by the way). Then, of course, the Shnook spent the weekend in SLC. We hit up the club scene, naturally, because she is 18 and they allow that kind of stuff in UT ;-) So we didn't really go clubbing, but we did hit up the craft store and Shnook connected with her inner gangsta:

Bling Blingin' y'all.

And T.J. Maxx is awesome, by the way. I totally scored an awesome yellow purse for $25:

And the nephie-poo, who doesn't like hats at all, held still long enough for me to catch him in one:

All in all, fabulous weekend hanging out with my sisters, eating junk food and goofing off. Honestly, does it get any better than that? I think not!

Evil Herbivore

Nothing to do at work again today, so naturally I have been wasting time watching YouTube. If you didn't already know, I love Eddie Izzard.
What did people used to do at work before YouTube was around?

I've also been wasting time at Cracked.com, thanks to the techie at work who sent me one of their awesome lists. Turns out I might have a real appreciation for sarcastic humor. Me sarcastic? Never!

In other news, the inspection on my condo is happening on Friday afternoon. More exciting than that (surprisingly, but really, how interesting can an inspection be?), the Shnook is going to be spending the weekend with me! I'm not really sure what we'll be doing, exactly, but we'll have a good time for sure. My guess is lots of movie watching, though the only movie watching device I have available to me is the lappy. Of course, we'll probably also hang out with Los Turton and our supremely awesome nephie-poo!

Oh, and the good news is that I finally ordered a solution to the camera problem, and that should arrive in the mail shortly. It's a really good thing too because there are a LOT of pictures on the camera, and there are somethings that can't happen until I am able to move pics from the camera to the lappy.

The Responsible One?

So, they accepted my offer. I'm going to be a homeowner. I think I'm still in shock about the whole thing. I think I might remain in shock until June 1 when we close on the loan and I actually get to unlock the door to my condo and walk in as its owner for the first time. At which point I'll probably scream for joy and cry my eyes out. It's going to be awesome!

An Offer They Can't Refuse

So, you remember this condo in Holladay that is changing their pet policy? Well, my loan officer is going to be able to get the loan arranged by June 1 (yes, that is 18 days away), so that I can take possession on that day and be grandfathered into the pet policy changes. So I put in an offer last night, and they have until 5 p.m. today to accept or decline. I really don't think they'll decline. I offered them full price and asked them to pay the closing costs. I don't really know what to feel at this point. I'm hopeful (I love the unit, after all), but I'm not letting myself be too hopeful at this point. If they accept the offer everything is going to happen really quickly, which is awesome, but is going to be stressful.

In other news, my roommie got a bunny rabbit last night. She's adorable. Candy Cane doesn't really know what to think of the addition. Pictures to come.

Move Along Like You Know You Should

I've been on an AAR kick recently. Ever since this video came out:
Love it. He's hot.

It's another slow day at work. It's been slow all week. As I predicted, though, I have had no opportunity to leave early without pay because my shift is during market hours. So, lame that I have to be here without anything to do, but good that I am getting paid. So anyway. The house hunt, inevitably, continues again today. The HOA for this condo in Holladay is changing the pet policy in the complex, so only existing residents will be allowed to keep pets. I only have two words: UBER LAME. Okay, three: Douchebags. Oh well, right? It wasn't meant to be, I guess, so there's no point in dwelling on it.

This minor upset has led to a widening of the net to include bigger fish. And in case the metaphor is not clear, by that I mean single family homes (I'm so clever). I've been moving toward this decision for a few days, actually, because the more I look at condos the more I want to have a house of my own. I was (still am) skeptical about the amount of responsibility that comes a long with owning a house and the land on which it sits, but I think that the benefits outweigh my skepticism by a lot. One of my biggest worries about living in a condo is disturbing my neighbors with all of the giant house parties I want to have (ha! Talk about wishful thinking!), and that's really not such an issue with a house. Well, it might be, but not as bad as it would be in a condo.

So Liz is going to show me some little houses in my preferred areas. The problems now become a)the houses in my range are super small and b)the houses in my range are OLD. A lot of them have had some updating, but that doesn't negate the fact that they are old. Don't get me wrong--I love old houses and old architecture (they just don't do neat stuff like that any more), but houses have to be maintained and not everyone realizes that. So, if I do buy a house, I'll be very careful to get one that is in GOOD condition.

There is another issue with houses in my price range: Location. I can't even begin to afford to buy a house in Millcreek or Holladay, and Sugarhouse is basically a bust. Even the homes in the University area are way out of my range. So that leaves me in the near-ghetto area between 13th and 39th South and State and 7th East. I haven't spent a ton of time in that area, so maybe it's nicer than I imagine. There is a golf course over there. I'm just a little (a lot) biased because I used to live on 4th E and 9th S, and my sister lived on 2nd E and 11th S, and neither of us escaped from the ghetto unscathed by the scariness.

I'm not crossing off condos altogether though. I'm not going to lie and say that I wouldn't be nice to have someone else doing the yard work and snow removal. Why can't it just be easy? Perhaps I'm just too picky...?

Investing is Not for the Faint of Heart

So, I saw several condos yesterday. I don't even know how many I've seen since I began my search a month ago. I do feel that I've seen enough, though, and there are now two places on the short list. True to form, we're going to make a list (yes, I refer to myself as WE. It's easier if we all just get used to it!). So here goes:

Blue Carpet

Pros

Location! Corner of 8th E. and 1st S, perfect downtown location that is pretty much exactly halfway between work and school. Also, in the long term, this unit would be easy to rent out and/or sell because of the location

Washer/Dryer Combo. The idea of putting clothes into one machine and then taking them out dry in 2 hours is very appealing.

Light. The window in the bedroom is awesome! It makes the blue carpet in that room bearable. Plus, the trees outside of the window make it very private even though its so big.

LOCATION.

Parking. Parking is under the building. That means no scraping snow and ice off the car

New Flooring. The kitchen and bathroom were both recently updated with stone tile flooring.

Kitchen is a good size. It's bigger than most I've seen. There isn't a pantry, but there are a million cupboards.

Did I mention LOCATION?

Cons

Price. The listing price is $15K more than I want to pay. This, of course, is due to the location.

Carpet. Blue carpet to be more exact. The seller, however, is planning on replacing the blue carpet in the bedrooms. The carpet in the main living spaces is a neutral color that isn't too bad. But its still carpet, and there is particle board underneath it.

Other updates. The counter tops needs to be replaced, the cabinets need to be refaced (at the least), and the bathroom needs some additional work.

Storage: the lack there of. No separate storage unit.

Amenities. Again, the lack there of. No pool and not much in the way of grounds, yet the HOAs are still $170/month.

And now onto the next option, which I saw for the first time last night.

In Holladay

Pros

Price. $3K less than target is definitely a benefit.

Location, but not for the same reasons as Blue Carpet. This one is close to The Turtons, and in same area that I live now (which I like more and more every day despite the effed up roads).

Space. This unit is over 1000 square feet. (Blue Carpet is 933).

Cabinets. The kitchen cabinets are relatively new.

Bathroom Set Up. The toilet and shower are separate from the vanity, which is a good enough alternative to having two bathrooms I suppose.

Fireplace. These units have awesome fireplaces, but they're in strange places that make it hard to configure furniture. This one has bank seating, though, and that is awesome. I'm going to have to admit, at this point, that the fireplace and its seating area is initially what made me consider this unit.

Top floor. No upstairs neighbors to hear through the ceiling.

Amenities. The pool is practically outside the front door.

Storage. The unit comes with a storage closet outside the front door.

Cons

Top floor. Yes, this is also a con because there are three flights of stairs. That may end up being a good thing for my legs and butt, but the prospect of moving furniture up three flights of stairs is daunting.

Location. With so many other units in that exact same location, it may be hard to sell or rent this place in the future. Also, still have to commute to work/school.

Sandwiched. Not a lot of windows in the unit. There's a sliding glass door onto the deck, and windows in both bedrooms in the back of the unit, and that's it. No windows on the sides because there are neighbors in both directions.

Outdoor Space. Present, but tiny. The balcony is probably 4 ft X 4ft.

As I anticipated, making this list has helped tremendously. All things considered, I think that this one is the right one for me. Considering the price, I might even have some money left over to buy furniture! I think that it's a good investment too, because the Cottonwood Mall is going to have to be built again eventually. Maybe not within the next two years, but eventually, and that's going to be good for real estate values in the long term.

It Feels Good to be a Gangsta

I spent the weekend in IF for Mother's Day. Elder Brother got to call home, so of course I had to be there. As much as I love hanging out with my fam, I'm really looking forward to staying home this weekend. Maybe I'll actually finish some projects that have been pending...

I got to see the result of our family picture that was taken in January. The result is me and my family looking like floating heads and arms, which I think is funny and the parents think is ridiculous (they paid for the pictures, after all). I thought it was strange from the beginning that the photographer had us against a black background when we were all wearing ALL BLACK. I'm no professional, but isn't that like a no-no? There is also like six feet of blank space above our heads in the big print that is hanging in the living room. Certain events transpired shortly after the taking of said pictures that caused the big photo to change from what was originally planned (events that were both directly and indirectly my fault...), but the frame was not changed for some unknown reason. Basically, the photog was not only creepy, but he also sucked as his job that day. On the bright side, our faces all look really cute (except for Dad, whose eyes are half closed...Sorry Dad!).

I took some pretty fabulous pictures of the Shnookums in her prom dress (that Mom made) and her date in his tux (Mom also made his vest), but we're still dealing with the camera issue so I'll have to post them later. I've been searching for a solution, trust me, but I am skeptical about buying anything off the internet because what if it doesn't work? I really wish I could just find the cord... Anyway. This was the last prom that the Belnap siblings will see for a while, and the last one for which my parents will have to pay. I find it very interesting that my parents' 28th wedding anniversary is two days before their youngest child graduates from high school. They are either really good at planning, or they got really lucky. I'm inclined toward the latter, but they claim it was the former!

The house hunt continues this week. I find myself wishing that it could just be easy to find something that is perfect, but that's just now how life works, right? Right. The good news is that this condo is back on the market after a two week hiatus. I'm going to look at it again today with Liz (my real estate agent). I'm interested to see if it is as awesome as I remember it, or if the awesomeness was merely the result of it no longer being available shortly after I saw it the first time. In either case, I'm excited that it's available again.

We're going to look at several others, including some units in the complex that houses Condo Number One that I looked at a couple weeks ago. The ones we're going to see today are bigger than Condo Number One, which hopefully translates into more room in the kitchen. I'm not sure specifically which units we're going to see, but I think we'll probably check this one and this one, hopefully this one (which I love for it's outdoor space but hate for its green carpet), and this one. There is another one in the complex that is bigger than the rest and has awesome wood floors, but apparently they won't do an FHA loan on it. Lame. Oh well.

I'm optimistic that I'll see enough this week to make a decision. Last week was discouraging, but mostly because I really liked something that was out of my price range. Typical, eh? I'd like to think that I'm smarter than that, though. Plus, considering the fact that I don't have any furniture to my name, I'm going to have to NOT spend every last penny on my mortgage so that I can afford to LIVE in my house, not just live there. Damn HOA fees seem to always be the kicker, but that's what I get for not wanting to buy a lawn mower or to be solely responsible for a building and its land... In any case, I hope that I'll be ready to move forward from the annoying part (looking) to the scary part (making a commitment and proceeding with the financing) by the end of this week so that the rewarding part (being a homeowner) can commence!

And the Search Continues

So, Denver was awesome. I will be posting pictures of the good times had there as soon as I can figure out a solution to my current camera problem. Now that I'm back and school is over (HOORAY!!!!!!!!!), I am focusing on the house hunt! We (my real estate agent and I) looked at three places yesterday. This one was the first, and I have to say that I was not impressed. Kitchen was tiny, like the pictures show, and it needed to be scrubbed down. Also, white cabinets are not bueno. The units in the building do not actually have washer/dryer hookups, but whomever was there before put a set in the second bedroom's closet. That would really be okay if they had not done such a crappy job with the install. The wood floors in the main areas were nice, but the layout was not good. So that one is being removed from the list.

We also went to see this one, which is closer to State St. than I would prefer. The place itself was pretty cute. It's toted as a three bedroom, but the third "bedroom" doesn't have a window and is super small. The kitchen was nice and open to the dining room though, which is something I appreciate more and more as I see more condos with the boxed in kitchens. Washer and dryer in the closet with the water heater, and two full bathrooms (which would be fantastic for having a roommate). It is a basement level, but the windows are big enough that it doesn't feel like a basement. It also has a nice patio. It's right across the way from the complex's pool, which could mean lots of noise during the summer depending on the number of children present. There are others for sale in the complex. This listing has better pictures.

Of the three that we saw yesterday, this one is by far my favorite. It's also in the basement, but once again the windows are big enough that it doesn't feel like a basement. The kitchen in this one really needs updating, but I like the way that it is laid out. The kitchen is nice and big and open to the dining room. The floors in the living/dining/kitchen are some sort of marble tile. There is carpet in the bedrooms, and wood paneling in the second bedroom. Again, two bathrooms (awesome) and a washer and dryer in the hallway. The walls and the floor in the master bath are green, which would have to be changed ASAP, but I could deal with it. I particularly liked the patio on this one because it includes space for a (very) small garden. That'd be awesome. Plus, the complex is pretty close to where I am now and the unit is way back off the street. There's a stream, even, that runs by it and the water noise is fabulous.

Liz and I are going to look at five more today, including Condo Number Two that the listing agent didn't want to show me two weeks ago. It's a short sale now, which is not a good sign, but there are others in that same complex that we could look at as well. Hopefully we'll see enough tomorrow that I'll feel confident choosing one and moving onto the next step: making an offer. Scary, but exciting!

Good News All Around!

So, if you couldn't tell already, it's been rather slow at work. Hence the increase in blogging activity. Said slowness has led to mucho browsing of UtahRealEstate.com. The available options haven't changed much in the last two weeks, but it's fun to look anyway.

The good news is that I am going to meet with a realtor today. After being blown off by three selling agents, I decided that it would be better just to have some experience in my corner that I can rely on. Plus, I won't have to deal with the selling agents directly.

In other good news, this is the last week of school. The final project for one of my classes is due by Thursday, and the final paper for the other is due next Monday. I'm going to Denver Friday through Monday with a girlfriend for a end of school/singleness celebration. So, after Monday I will be free to devote my time to the househunt...very excited about that!

Despite the loads of homework I could (should) have finished over the weekend, I took some time out to tour this condo, which I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. This is in the University area, which is absolutely gorgeous. I haven't spent much time in that area in the past, and I was skeptical about it to be honest (probably didn't help that I stopped at the City Library beforehand and got to encounter downtown at its grittiest), but driving around I realized that the ghetto part of downtown is south of 4th South. The University area, which is east of 7th East and north of 4th South, is a lot of big old homes that have been converted into multiple units. This building is on 1st S and 8th E.

Aside from the location, which is excellent as far as work and school go, I really liked the condo because it has a big kitchen (biggest I've seen in a condo so far), and the bathroom is a decent size. The deck is kind of closed in, but as long as there is one I'm okay. The awesome blue carpet is in both bedrooms, and the carpet in the living/dining room area is relatively new. The carpet would be the first thing to go. Oh yeah, and there is a washer/dryer combo, which is one machine that does both functions! Pretty neato. It's in the kitchen, which is a downer, but I won't complain because it's so neato.

The unit has been a rental for a number of years, but it's still in really good condition. The countertops in the kitchen and bathroom desperately need to be replaced. Rumor has it that that is relatively inexpensive nowadays. The agent wasn't sure, but there might be concrete floors under the carpet. That'd be pretty sweet because I could paint them instead of having to put anything else down! The cabinets in the kitchen are pretty dark, but they could be painted really easily, or maybe even replaced eventually (thank you for cheap kitchens, IKEA!).

All in all, I really like the place. I'm going to look at a bunch of more places, of course, but I think this one will be a top contender. Since school is done this week and I'll have time to actually focus on the hunt, I will be ready to make an offer on something within the next two weeks! And that is fantastic news =D


EDIT: So, apparently they just barely delisted this condo from UtahRealEstate.com (like, while I was writing this post because I was looking at it right before I started). Sadness :( Oh well. There are others, right? Right. Like I said, I've been looking at URE.com for a long time, and I have a bunch of MLS listings to show my agent when I see her today. In particular, this one and this one which are also in the University area.

A Touring We Will Go

So, I toured Condo Number One yesterday. It's a cute place, but it's kind of small (900 sq ft). The kitchen is not going to work for me, but the floors were really nice and it had a TON of closet space. It has an awesome fireplace, but the front door opens right into the dining room. So, yeah. It's cute and all, but the kitchen is a huge problem for me. There's even less counter space in that kitchen than there is in my old apartment. No bueno. How is this girl supposed to do any fabulous entertaining with like two square feet of counter space? Oh yeah, and the HOA fees on this one are actually $151, and the agent said that the HOA is really good about keeping everything functioning and up to date. So, all in all I'm inclined to say no way, but who knows. I could go look at it again and realize that it's where I'm supposed to be...Lots of other places to look at. The good news is that school ends next Thursday, so very soon I'll actually have the time to focus on doing that!

Little Boxes Made of Ticky Tacky

Bonus points for anyone who gets the title reference =D

So, as I mentioned, I am looking to sign my life away to the mortgage gods. I am going to do my first actual (as opposed to virtual) tour of a condo today, and I'll hopefully also do another actual tour of another condo today as well. I'm still waiting to hear back from the real estate agent for the second one. Which brings me to my first point:

I'm not (currently) using an agent.

I've gotten a couple of conflicting opinions about this so far. A friend of mine from work bought a house about a year ago and has been singing the praises of using an agent ever since he found out that I'm looking to buy. However, while I don't really know how it works when you're on the buying side of the equation, I assume that the buying agent gets some kind of commission off the sale. I have some objections against paying someone for doing something that I can very well do (and am doing) on my own--mainly that I could use the money for other things. So, the question comes down to this: does the buyer's agent get paid and whose money is used to make that payment?

So, for the time being, I am working solo, and so far it has worked out. Obviously I'm going to have to deal with all the selling agents and their sales tactics, but if that means I don't have to shell out any more money than is absolutely necessary, I'm down.

Anyway. I'm going to look (hopefully) at two different condos today, so let's do a compare and contrast before we even look at the place for reals, shall we? Let's.

Condo Number One
Pros: Location! This place is literally two blocks away from my sister. Not super convenient as far as getting on the freeway quickly at the moment, but as soon as the construction on 1-80 is finished (if that ever happens), it will be close enough. Also, it's a ground level unit so there would be no hauling things up the stairs. Covered parking and a patio are also bueno. Laundry hookups are a must. The floors may or may not be real wood, but they look fantastic anyway. I'm vehemently against carpet, so I'll take whatever naked flooring I can get.

Cons: Ground level unit is not so good for the Candy Cane. Ideally I would like a deck as opposed to a patio so that she can hang out outside. She might do okay with a patio, but that is yet to be seen. Who am I buying a house for? Me, right? Wrong. The joys of having a pet ;-) Anyway. Second con is the kitchen set-up. As you can see from the pictures, the kitchen is behind a wall that separates it from the living room area. Not only is the wall blocking off the other room, it is also blocking out a lot of the light from that big sliding glass door. That's annoying. It doesn't help that the previous occupants painted the kitchen a dark color. The second bedroom looks a bit small and the master bedroom looks like it's got some weird thing going on with the ceiling.

If I remember correctly, the HOA fees on this place are like $170, and that covers pretty much the standard things--maintenance, pool, water, sewage, etc.

Condo Number Two
Pros: This one is two levels. The master bedroom and bathroom are on the top floor, and there's a second bedroom w/full bath on the bottom floor. That's an awesome set up for having a roommate. The price is obviously a bonus as well. The location has its own pros and cons. It's easier to get on the freeway, and it's closer to Costco while still being far enough off State St for my liking. It's also still close to Eryn and Paul. It's not in the zip codes I most prefer, but at least I know my way around that area and the streets are still relatively organized (unlike where I am now, which is the "ritzy" area but the streets are totally messed up!). It's also a block away from Murray Park--not my favorite city park but a park nonetheless. Total square feet on this one is over 300 more than Condo Number One, and who can ever complain about having too much space? There is a deck and from what I can deduce from the photos there are two sliding glass doors--one in the second bedroom and one in the living room.

Cons: The listing does not have a picture of the kitchen, which is uber annoying. There is another unit in the complex that is on the market, and the pictures of that kitchen show that it's a small one with lots of cupboard space but hardly any counter space. The listing price for that one is $30K more than Condo Number Two because it's been updated with granite counter tops and what not. I'll do that on my own and build the equity, thanks very much! The HOA fees on this one are $180, covering the basics. That's a bit higher than I prefer, but hey--the listing price is under $110K, which means I can probably get it for around $100K (making it the least expensive place that I have been able to find so far), and that comes out to be less than $600 per month for mortgage....I can handle $180.

So that's today's endeavor. I have a feeling I'm going to fall in love with Condo Number Two when I see it, and then I'm going to want to buy it like now without looking at anything else. I am setting up appointments with other agents to look at a few other condos next week, though, so I'm going to TRY to keep an open mind. I have a little way to go as far as saving up the down payment goes too, so it's not like I can buy tomorrow anyway. Besides, I might get there today and find that the complex is ghetto. That'd suck, but that's life in the city, right? Right.

EDIT: So, the real estate agent for Condo Number Two just called me back, and he won't show me the place until I've been pre-approved by the bank. Remind me next time to just go ahead and say "YES" when asked if I've been pre-approved even though I haven't been yet. Eff!

Moving On...;-)

So. Bad news is out there and the good news is just in: I'm buying a house. Well, you know. A condo. Maybe a townhome. I've got my eye on some in my desired area that look promising. Fortunately we are both rational people and this is not going to get ugly. After everything is said and done I'll actually be in position to move on with my life in a very exciting and challenging way. So I'm buying a house and I am investing some time and money into yours truly. My goal is to be in my own place before September. Maybe even by my birthday. I have my birthday weekend off, so that'd be perfect.

That means school's going to get put on hold (I am very sad about that, believe me!) I still have quite a bit of vacation time to use at work...hmm. Anyway. So that's the low down yo.

Word.