House Hunting....Ugggg

[JandC]

Been looking for a house for 2 weeks anywhere between Punta Gorda and Ft. Myers. Teamed up with a really good Realtor that has shown us about 15 homes.

OMG! It is a NIGHTMARE! Probably one out of three houses are bank owned, some of which have been sitting empty for years. The realtors handling some of these will put old photos on and the home looks pretty good, but then you go look at it and you can't even make it look like the same home that the photos show. Broken windows, water damage, all the light fixtures, kitchen cabinets, and everything else missing. And then probably one out of six or seven houses you walk in and immediately smell the chemicals from the defective Chinese drywall. Or in the case of one home in Cape Coral listed, about 20 photos on line of a perfect interior...go in house and all the drywall and everything else has been taken down to the studs! Well, at least the Chinese drywall is gone!

Out of the hundreds of homes for sale in this broad area, there are probably only 20% that the normal retired person would even consider purchasing. Out of that 20% there are maybe only 10% that are priced according to market values and don't have a sex offender living in the same block. And out of that small number of houses that are left over that we would consider, they are either sold just before we can even go look at them, or a couple buyers get into a bidding war right away on them and end up giving over market value.

Yes my friends, the housing market is trying to come back in this great state of Florida. I hope we only have to go through this process once!

[Tom S.]

If you had a "really good realtor" you wouldn't be seeing all those misfit houses.

[kdeiss]

I would look at New Maybe move your search a little further North even Englewood

I highly recommend a community with maintenance so when you head North for the Summer Grass and landscaping and irrigation is taken care of.

[DarMar]

A housing nightmare that we can't possibly imagine ever being a part of(we live in the boonies I guess). This situation just seems so fictional to many of us northerners but at any rate we wish for you a whole bunch of good luck.

[mhs4771]

Interested in a Home in the boonies of Western NY?? We're thinking of getting rid of ours.
Anyway, back to Florida, how about moving inland a little? I know near the coast is great but homes there come with increased insurance payments also.

[Artemus Gordon]

Joe! My friends Mother, has a nephew, who's grandson has a neighbor, who's aunt is selling her house in Colorado! Let me know if I can hook you up? Lol sorry could not resist!

[cdaniels]

Sorry to hear yur 1st plan did not work out. It sounded very interesting. Good things come to those who wait so I am sure we will hear of a new purchase soon! Good luck!

[commish]

Thanks for the update on home purchasing. We bought the house we are in now way back in 1968 and after reading your comment I don’t expect to move soon.LOL

[pineranch]

I thought you bought a lot and was putting a manufactured house on it, did I miss a post?
You are in house flipping country and many got caught holding the proverbial bag.
We thought about down sizing, DW soon tired of looking at CRAP. Thank the Lord.
Mike

[WeBeFulltime]

Tired of full timing already?

[PackerFan]

Hang in there Buddy. Sorry about the troubles you are running into in your search. If it helps, I have an old army pup tent I'll give you and you can pitch it up on the beach there!

[JandC]

Pineranch, you are sooooo correct, this is the House-Flipping capitol of the world! It is so different than what we are used to in central Illinois. The regular realtors listing down here shows 90% of the information on a house, like its sales history. It is amazing that a 1700 square foot home built in 2000 could have sold for $275,000, then in 2008 the bank took it back, then in 2012 someone bought it for $90,000, rented it for a couple of years, painted it, and then has it on the market for $180,000.

But even though prices are starting to get inflated again, the truth of the matter is if you purchase a home down here, for example, and pay around $160,000, your annual expenses will be around $10,000 to $17,000 depending on how much you would finance. We are in a really nice RV resort this year for 4 months, plus we had a week in a different Florida CG. If you add up all of our lot rent for a total of 5 months being gone this winter, plus the diesel to pull the Montana back and forth from our summer base in Illinois, it cost us a little over $8,000 for this winter stay. Of course, that is money you will never get back.

So in my mind we will not be full time anymore. We knew all of our winter stays would be in this area of SW Florida. It just seemed like a waste of money to tow the Montana back and forth on the same route to the same place every winter.

Finally found what we hope will be our future Florida home. Making offer today. Now the game really gets serious!

[Tom S.]

Good luck with the purchase! Hope it all goes well.

[Montana4two]

It sounds like. a nightmare.. Are you sure you want to buy in Florida? Have wheels will travel sounds much more relaxing

[JandC]

quote:Originally posted by Montana4two

It sounds like. a nightmare.. Are you sure you want to buy in Florida? Have wheels will travel sounds much more relaxing

Well, I couldn't agree more, the hunt was a nightmare. For having a population of around 150,000 with tons of homes for sale you would think it would have been easy.

Just signed contract agreeing to everything an hour ago!

I guess what it boiled down to for us is that we really like spending the winter in this part of SW Florida. We have four other couples that live within 20 miles that are really good friends. Even if you don't consider the financial side of it, buying this type of home just made sense to us. Newer, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 2 car garage, 1 month old pool with lanai and new cage over pool.

We still want to travel and live in our 3725RL, but for 5 or 6 months in the winter this Old Dude will become one of Blue Hairs from Florida!

Artemus Gordon: Michael, my new neighbors brother-in-laws cousin works with a guys who has a sister, her grandma plays bingo with another grandma who has a neighbor who may be selling her second home out there in your neck of the woods.....All kidding aside, if you sold you home in California at those prices you could probably come to this area and buy 6 or 7 homes for the same price! May even cut your fuel, grocery, and tax bill in half! Just sayin......

[PackerFan]

Congrats you guys on the new home. Wishing you lots of sunshine and happy times. (Now we have another place to visit! )

[Annaoinga]

Wow! Congrats you guys!! Hope you enjoy it!

Will you keep the fifth wheel and still travel?

[Montana4two]

Well, hopefully you can relax now you have found your winter home. Good luck to you both, we wish you nothing but happiness

[DarMar]

Congrats as well!

[JandC]

Thanks so much! The only hard part left now will be towing Montana back to home base, emptying what little we have left in storage, and hauling all that right back down here. We may not be able to travel much this year.

Scott, you and Sue are welcome anytime!