Off Topic: As off-topic as it gets.. Moving week!

[youri]

Absolutely! BUT.. the sloping roofline has proven to be a real problem with some items. Most recently I picked up a fully assembled rocking patio bench (seats 2). The lady had it in her Gen2 Ford Escape. There was so much room in there with the 2nd row folded down! I would have been able to fit it in the CX-9 no problem if I didn't have carseats in the 2nd row, but I do, so I had to do some massaging to get the bench to fit, and it was a VERY tight squeeze, but I got it done.

Well, comparing space with the 2nd row up and to a car with the 2nd row down isn’t really fair. . But the roofline sloping and the low ceiling does limit space useability. It is definitely a longer space than the an escape. I find the cx-9 with the 2nd row folded is great for long items, but not so much for tall stuff. I saw your other post about “what can you fit in”. I am moving this summer as well, i will try and post if i have anything interesting in there.

Congrats on your new place! Hope you enjoy it.

Not sure if this is what happened with sm1ke, but to answer 7eregrine, home inspection are also recommended in Canada, but not mandatory by law. The real estate market has been so crazy the last few years ( too many buyers, not enough sellers), that sales often result in bidding wars where an equivalent offer without the condition of an home inspection will often win the bid. (It is less risk to the seller).

It is becoming a problem, and the government is considering making it mandatory by law.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

The real estate market has been so crazy the last few years ( too many buyers, not enough sellers), that sales often result in bidding wars where an equivalent offer without the condition of an home inspection will often win the bid. (It is less risk to the seller).

That is also happening right now in Denver. It's a joke. I have a coworker who went as high as $75k over asking and wasn't even close to being the winning offer. Turned out to be Californians who sold their $3M house in CA and then come and buy three $700k houses in Denver and don't give a s*** how they drive up the prices.

It's a big problem here. Not just CA, some east coast high cost of living transplants here too.

 

[7eregrine]

House across the street from me worth $380K. Listed at $400. I'm like "no way is that selling for that price". Sold 3 days later for $415K.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

House across the street from me worth $380K. Listed at $400. I'm like "no way is that selling for that price". Sold 3 days later for $415K.

Man only way you are getting houses for less than $400k here these days is to live in some ****hole in the ghetto with bars on the window.

Or else a condo unit for like $350k.

It's terrible.

 

[sm1ke]

Sorry guys, just getting caught up here.

It was pretty rough here. The worst of it seems to be behind us since the banks started raising mortgage interest rates, but I remember the first house I had considered offering on about a year ago. It was this beautiful house, slightly older but in a well-established neighbourhood with a prominent shopping mall literally in the back yard. Really nice interior with tasteful renos, but it had older aluminum wiring (prone to corrosion and a potential fire hazard) and a sizeable horizontal crack in the basement foundation. After some thought, I chose not to put an offer in.

That house was originally listed for $429k CAD. It sold for, get this.. $560k CAD. That's $131k over the asking price! Absolutely crazy. My realtor said that that was the first time he's seen something like that, and that usually houses will go for $30-60k over asking if they're priced right.

And yes @7eregrine, no home inspection was done. As @youri mentioned, the housing market is so crazy here that people are waiving conditions left and right to make their offers more attractive to the sellers. In my case, I waived all conditions, including home inspection and financing conditions. I know, that must sound crazy (and it is), but my realtor is very trustworthy and knowledgeable. We walked through the whole house, and he pointed out a few minor things, but mentioned that there was nothing major that jumped out at him (like cracks in the foundation or cheaper/outdated wiring). I was comfortable waiving the financing condition because I had already secured a mortgage approval for well over what I was willing to bid on the house, so there was no risk to me on that end. Anyway, it all worked out, and the house is great so far. Even with a ton of rainfall over the past couple of weeks, the basement is dry. Just gotta deal with some weeds in the lawns, getting the patio stairs up to code, then putting everything away.

 

[sm1ke]

Speaking of the lawn, here are a few before and after pics. The grass was almost a foot high in some areas, lol.

I think this marks a natural end to this thread as I'm pretty much done with the move now. I may start a general "home improvement" thread in the future.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

I think this marks a natural end to this thread as I'm pretty much done with the move now. I may start a general "home improvement" thread in the future.

You know what they say, the projects never end.

 

[7eregrine]

Sure effing don't.

I sill want to see your deck.

 

[sm1ke]

Sure effing don't.

I sill want to see your deck.

I'll try to get a shot at night. I know it doesn't look like much in the photo, but it's actually a pretty nice little spot to have a drink or two at the end of the day.

 

[sm1ke]

@7eregrine, there are better views, for sure. But this is a nice spot to unwind with a little privacy.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

@7eregrine, there are better views, for sure. But this is a nice spot to unwind with a little privacy.

View attachment 310676
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Very nice. Have you tried the Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still? It's basically that, but 48% and non-chill filtered.

 

[7eregrine]

No I meant the part above that? Isn't that a deck?

 

[sm1ke]

No I meant the part above that? Isn't that a deck?

Oh, yes, that is a patio deck. There is a door on the second floor of the house that opens to that area. It's pretty bare right now though, just a toy slide for the kids and that's it lol. Still looking for the right set of patio furniture. I'll try and grab a pic later today.

Very nice. Have you tried the Glenlivet 12 Illicit Still? It's basically that, but 48% and non-chill filtered.

No I haven't, I'll be sure to put that one on the list to try

 

[sm1ke]

No I meant the part above that? Isn't that a deck?

I forgot to take pics, but here's a screenshot from the house listing, and a more recent pic.

 

[7eregrine]

Next question. Is that a sound barrier wall in the back yard?

 

[sm1ke]

Next question. Is that a sound barrier wall in the back yard?

Yep, that's right.

 

[7eregrine]

Is there a freeway there? I've always wondered how good those walls work.

 

[sm1ke]

Is there a freeway there? I've always wondered how good those walls work.

Yep, two lanes in each direction. IMO they work well, though you do hear the odd enthusiast modified vehicles with crackle tunes and loud exhausts. But you don't feel the big 18-wheelers or heavier vehicles as they drive by, and I can only hear them at night when we have the window facing the highway open.