The Home Buying Process- Jonathan's Perspective

When Holly and I decided to purchase a home I knew that we would have to be aggressive. Due to the hectic schedule accompanying my occupation(Merchant Marine), we figured we would have roughly 3 months to do everything if we were to be sleeping in a new home before I went back to sea. I got off the ship on Thanksgiving morning and we started looking at homes three days later. We knew we wanted a three bed, 2 bathroom home in the Quincy area. Something that had a backyard area for our crazy little dog to run around in.

We selected a real estate broker who was a good friend of mine, who walked us through the process of what we needed to do. We visited a local bank to discuss financing and we communicated to each other what exactly what we wanted in our new home. After looking at everything in our chosen area, price range and profile, we decided we liked two properties. The home we liked a little better accepted an offer before we had a chance to bid, but not discouraged, we bid on the second house the following day. After a few days of back and forth over the price, we finally settled.

Although it was a hectic few months, it was worth it. Although this is not my first home purchase, I also jointly own a condo with a close friend, it was the first where I was highly involved from start to finish. It was interesting to see how people valued their own homes and to see how homes of similar prices stacked up against each other. Our love shack is now a work in progress. We are taking our time with home improvements and sooner or later it will also come together. My next big project when I come home this May is re-building a deck in the back. Until then...

Flood Watch

Quincy has been one of the top towns in the news lately regarding flooding (as well as Waltham). Thankfully, we have not experienced any flooding at our house. Our street is on a hill which has been saver for us since all the water drains down the away from the house. The one issue we have had is that the water that has collected on top of the pool cover has almost filled to the top! But again if it does start to overflow, it most likely will go down the hill.

I can only imagine how awful it must be for all those people who are dealing with flooded basements. Less than a mile away from my neighborhood, many residents have been hit hard. I am so glad that we researched the flood zones in Quincy and considered it in our house search. Not knowing much about the town or its flooding history or what questions to consider when house hunting could of really been problematic. Note to all who are in the market for a house- put this factor at the top of your search!

The Back Sun Room- Keep it? Or Tear Down?

There is a back sun room that adjoins to the dining room which faces out to the back of the house. We haven't spent much time out there since it is a 3-season room and the weather just hasn't been warm enough. However, now that it is warming up I am starting to venture out to that room more often and am pondering what to do with the room. Honestly, since we need a new deck, what I really wanted to do was tear it down with the deck and re-build a smaller room with insulation so we could use it year round. Unfortunately, there are too many other things the house needs in terms of repairs so rebuilding that room is going to put put on the back burner for awhile.

Right now the room is home to my grandfather's dining room table that he built himself many many years ago. I am in the process of re-sanding and staining the table and since its a messy job, the back room was a good area for this project. Once that table is finished (my next home improvement priority!) i want to start working on the room. Honestly, its a bit of a mess, it is very old and not built very well, the walls have some holes and since the windows have only screens (the previous owners did not even have glass frames for the winter months), which has left the room in not the best condition. The walls definitely need a paint job and the tiles are very 80's. The easy fixes are paint and maybe a nice patio set. I definitely want to get glass window to help prevent rain from coming in through the screens and ruining anything I put out there. Some hanging plants also would help spruce it up a bit. Take a look at the pictures and let me know what you think. I know we definitely will put this room to use over the summer months!

Going Green

After working on a project last semester about sustainability in which I compared products and services that were good for the environment vs. not, I learned a great deal about what "going green" means. I am a big recycler, honestly, I am the one who always offers to take recyclables with me at parties (yes I am the one who will pick a beer bottle out of the trash), however that's only a small piece in the green movement. As much as I try to minimize my carbon footprint through recycling, truly being "green" is a tough project to take on! First of all, its very expensive, environmentally friendly products tend to be higher in cost due to the higher production cost, and no matter how much I wish all of my actions and purchases were good for the environment, I can not afford to be. However, now that I have my own house and can be in greater control of energy conservation, I intend to really take notice and actively seek out how I can conserve energy where I can afford it.

There are many energy efficient tax credits to be had for home owners for purchases ranging from appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines to home heating systems and energy saving windows. Lucky, our house currently has the energy efficient windows installed but there are many other ways in which we can actually get money back for being green! We will have to, at one point, install an energy efficient heating system which is on our to-do list since it currently dates back to 1970. I think its great that the government is offering these tax credits but I also take personal satisfaction in doing what I can for the environment. Even if its little things such as buying the new energy efficient light bulbs or building a compost pile in the backyard- all the little things count and I plant to actively seek out the different ways I can be green at my new home! If you have any other tips or advice on ways to be energy efficient, please post below!

Planning a Garden Part Two

I took advantage of the amazing weather this weekend and spent some time working on the flowerbeds in the front of house. I started cleaning up the beds by raking, turning over the soil and getting rid of the fall leaves. I soon discovered that the bushes in the front have thorns and cut up my arms a bit. I am sure they will look nice when they flower but they still look pretty bare and gaunt. I really want to cover up the cement foundation that you can see in the front of the house so I really want to plant some bushes and shrubs that have more greenery and don't lose their leaves throughout the seasons.
When researching what types of shrubs and flowers to plant, I used the bookmarking site www.delicious.com to save all the different types of plants I am interested in. You can search and find my lists under holls421. I did a lot of research on the Better Homes and Gardens website given that they are the experts in the gardening area. I found their website easy to follow and to be very informative. Not only did they cover a wide range of plants and flowers but they also had useful tips and advice such as the growing conditions and size of the plants to help guide me as I start out on my new garden. BHG.com also has a review feature so I can see what other gardeners are saying regarding BHG gardening advice and suggestions. To start out, I bookmarked a general gardening care article (http://www.bhg.com/gardening).
Here is a list of the plants and shrubs that I am interested in: For the front flowerbeds, I really like this Wine & Roses Weigela. (http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/colorful-shrubs-for-your-garden/?page=4). I definitely want to go with a flowering shrub and I really like the look of this shrub. My other option is a hydrangea (http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/hydrangea-guide). I have always LOVED hydrangeas, they remind me of cape cod and the beach.
For the back yard along the fence I have a few options, the first being the Cyprus Vine (http://www.bhg.com/gardening/flowers/annuals/annual-vines-for-your-garden/?page=3). It has foliage and can grow up to 15 feet so it could grow nicely along the fence and provide some privacy from the neighbors. In addition, it says its easy to seed e.g is not difficult to grow and given that I am a novice, I am looking to start with the plants that fall into the easy range of the difficulty scale. I also like the Weigela (http://www.bhg.com/gardening/trees-shrubs-vines/shrubs/best-flowering-shrubs-for-hedges/?page=3)however this shrub appears to be quite wide so I am not sure if the best place for it would be along the fence or somewhere else in the yard. To check out any of my other options check out my delicious bookmarks! I also would love to hear any gardening tips or advice you have! Please comment on which flowers you like from the pictures I posted. The first is the Cyprus Vine, the second is the Wine & Roses Weigela and the last is the hydrangea.

Painting the Room Red Part Deux

After a week of debating what my next steps should be to fix my disaster of a red room, I re-gained confidence and determination to get it right. I headed to the local paint store down the road and spoke to the experts about my problem. They were very helpful and gave me a lot of good information. They suggested that I buy a more expensive paint (same color) with a grey primer in it, so I can just continue to paint over my mess without re-priming and then re-painting. This option would require only two coats or so rather than the 5-10 coats that would be needed had I kept going with my first attempt. So I gave it a go again and.... it looks MUCH better! Unfortunately the walls were not in the best condition, they have some cracks from the house settling and you can see some areas where some plastering has been done to the walls which is more visible with a bold color like red. But I am happy with it. The guy at the paint store also told me that red is a good color for the dining room because red increases your appetite. Good to know, lots of dinner parties to come! Next is completing the sanding and staining of my grandfathers dining room table and curtains for the windows. Soon it shall be coming all together:)

Planning a Garden Part One

Now that the snow has finally melted away, I am getting my first good look at the shape of my new yard. The winter certainly took a toll on the yard and since it is still pretty early in the season, the trees and shrubs are bare and the grass is in rough shape. I know its barely even spring yet, but I am excited to start planning my garden and flowers! I really want to revamp the front garden area bordering the front side of the house, as well as start a flower garden and vegetable garden in the back yard. I have started looking at types of flowers and shrubs I would like to plant in the front using my delicious online bookmarking account to save everything that I like. I also used the Better Homes & Gardens website (http://www.bhg.com/) which gave me some good advice on what types of plants and shrubs do best in areas that are in both the sun and shade and the degree of maintenance different types of plants require.

There are currently no real large shrubs in the front and after inspection they appear to be flowering bushes that do not hold foliage/greenery over the winter. I would like to plant something that is not so bare come the fall and winter months. I am seeing some green bulbs pop through the soil already and I can't wait to see what type of flowers those are! Other than replanting some new shrubs in the front, I would also like to re-mulch the flower beds as well as outline the beds with new grey brick to separate it from the grass. As for the back yard, there are currently two gardening plots in the middle of the back yard area to the right of the pool. We plan on removing those are replanting grass in that area to open up the yard. I would like to move the garden to the side along the left fence which still gets a good amount of sun. As for the the right side of the yard, I am researching some good flowering vines that could grow up along the fence. Stay tuned for part two where I will detail what specific types of flowers I have narrowed down on my list to plant, as well as the vegetables I will be growing. Any suggestions in the interim would be much appreciated:)

Painting the Room Red

I have always loved red rooms and so I decided to go for it this time around. The dining room is currently a baby blue color which is quite strange for a dining room in my opinion. After sampling many different shades of red I decided to go with a cranberry which complemented the dark woodwork well. And then I painted. However I should of done my research first. After just one coat, the walls were very streaky and I could see all the roller marks. I kept thinking that it would get better when it dried but it didn't. I decided to go online and google painting a room to red to get some information to help me figure out if I am doing this correctly... and no, apparently I was supposed to prime with a grey. I primied with a white as I usually do when I paint. Ugh what a nightmare. I am seriously thinking of hiring someone to help me with this mess. I think I am going to attempt another coat first though. Wish me luck.

What To Do First?

Well I have to say, I feel as though we have already started a lot of projects but there is still so much to be done! We have been living here for approximately a full month now and are on our way to getting settled. After unpacking, it is a bit overwhelming on where to start first on our list of projects. Organization was important for us to tackle first and I am definitely grateful for all of the walk-in closets and open basement area.
As for the fun activities, I feel as though I have gotten the decorating underway! I am starting with the downstairs since that is the area where we will be entertaining. The living room is coming together. We have painted the walls a tan color "stone house" and are going with earthtone colors for the entire first floor of the house. I have bought some floor plants to liven up the room and the green goes well against the tan background. The brown leather sectional couch also goes well against the tan. I have my bookcase put together and have started putting up pictures. I also bought a mirror with gold trim to go over the fireplace. I am happy with how it looks so far.
My next room to tackle is the adjoining dining room. I have picked up a few sample colors which I have tested- I want to go with a red for the dining room and I am not quite sure I love any of the reds I have tested so far. I know painting a room red calls for quite a bit of work but I love how red rooms look. I have ordered some door panel curtains (white) for the room to match the white trim (baseboards). Also for the window seat in the living room I have bought a long curtain rod and am planning on finding one of those sweeping valances to go across the top. I need some ideas of what to put in the window seat. I was thinking some pillows but I really like the idea of getting one of those fake grass plants. If anyone has any ideas on what to do with window seats, please post a comment! One last project for the dining room is that I am currently trying to restore my grandfathers dining room table that he built back in the 1950's. I am in the process of sanding it down and once that is done I will re stain it to match the woodwork in the dining room. Its a big project, but I am glad I have kept his table:)
The kitchen was just re-built by the previous owners the year before. Not much has to be done there but I do think we need to re-paint the walls. Jonathan attempted to do some touch-ups without checking the actual color and of course it didn't match:( haha - one of our first major lessons learned! The color is close but doesn't match 100% so we will mostly likely have to repaint. I have searched for the exact color at many stores and we have yet to find it!
Next steps are re-staining all the woodwork, the baseboards and doorway's (which I did not realize was so shotty until we were actually in the house). I have found the correct stain color and hopefully I can get started on that in the new few weeks. One other project that I hope to get started on in the near future is starting my garden! My mom is going to help out with this since she has a lot of experience gardening. It is still early in the season, so I am going to have to start growing inside but will replant outside once the weather starts getting warmer. If anyone has any gardening advice, please comment below. This will be my first attempt at growing so I could certainly use any tips! I am thinking of growing herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini for starters.

The Home Inspection

The housing inspection definitely caused both Jonathan and I some major anxiety. Not having much experience or knowledge of all the features/construction of a house or building structure I was shocked at how many things the inspector wrote up as having problems in the house. Although it is their job to find everything that has issues, it was quite overwhelming to read and then attempt to make a decision upon whether to move forward with the house or not. Keeping in mind that the house is 90 years old, built in 1920, there was a long list of problems.

The old heating system and asbestos in the basement were a major concern as well as some water damage found upstairs along the sides of the roof, suggesting a new roof would be needed within a few years. The fireplace had never been used by the previous owners and the inspector did aware us that there was no lining. The front room appeared to be on a slight slant which suggested that there was some “sinking” as the house settled. Additionally, cracks on some of the walls and ceilings were also the result of the house settling. There were a few minor electrical and plumbing issues as well. Externally, the back deck was very unstable and would need to be ripped down and rebuilt. Cosmetically, the house needed a major paint job as the white trim was peeling in several spots. The in ground pool in the back was covered for the winter and we were unable open and inspect due to the weather conditions so that feature was a complete gamble on our part (will update you on the status come spring)! What a nightmare to see this list and then try to make a decision whether to move forward with the major purchase or not. We had to seriously question if we could afford some of the more immediate repairs (heating system and roof) as well as some of the cosmetic fixes that we also found important (painting of the exterior and rebuilding of the deck). Thanks to the house tax credit we came to the conclusion that we should be able to afford some of the more major repairs this year as we continue to save our money for the other repairs. The hardest thing in the process is overcoming the immediate desire to fix everything immediately when realistically it just cant be done. It will take us years to fix and renovate everything to how we want it but at the end of the day, that’s really the fun of it all!

Deciding Where to Live- What Town?

After growing up on the North Shore, living in Boston, then moving to New York, I wasn’t sure on what area I would want to live in when moving back to Massachusetts. A few important features to consider were location, neighborhoods, proximity to stores/shopping centers and public transportation. Jonathan is from South of Boston and knew the south shore well having grown up just outside of the city. I definitely knew I was interested in living in a more urban area as convenience is important to me, particularly after previously living in New York City where everything I could possibly need was no more than a few blocks away. In addition, prior to living in New York City I had lived in downtown Boston while I attended Northeastern for my undergraduate degree.
Jonathan had been living in a town called Quincy which is 8 miles outside of Boston. When compared to the area where I grew up, Quincy has smaller yards due to closer proximity of other houses, older style houses and a more city like atmosphere vs. my suburban upbringing. However, I liked that it was near the ocean, close enough to Boston to have access to the T and that it was considered a smaller “city.” Ultimately, I decided that at this stage of my life (late 20’s, full time professional) that Quincy is a convenient location that fits my current lifestyle.
As I started familiarizing myself with the different neighborhoods in Quincy I quickly was able to narrow down the areas that I could see myself living in. Near the ocean was my preference; however the housing costs were much higher near the water. I also liked the area near the boarding town of Milton called Wollaston. I knew I didn’t want to live on a main road and that I would like to be close to public transportation.
Reflecting back on my decision to live in Quincy, I am happy with it. Although it’s a bit far from my family and Bentley, I love the closeness to Boston and to the ocean. I love all the parks and hiking areas such as Blue Hills. I feel as though I am centrally located to many of my favorite stores and shopping centers and that I can enjoy a downsized version of city life without the craziness of it all.

The Home Buying Process

Taking a step back from the current ongoings of the house, I thought I should give you all some background on my road to home ownership. Jonathan and I started looking for houses at the beginning of December of 2009. Our criteria was a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home with a fenced in yard for the dog. Some of other features we were interested in were a garage, a front porch and a yard. Lucky Jonathan had a friend who was a Realtor who helped us out with the whole process. He gave us advice on several issues on what to look for in the house and what to avoid. In addition he helped us find the local bank to get our mortgage through and insurance company.
Most of the homes we saw in Quincy, which was our #1 town of choice, were very old and we soon found out that within our price range a lot of repairs would need to be done internally and externally. However we were ok with this as long as the price was right as we wanted to make the house our own. After seeing about 8-10 houses we found two that we were very interested in. One house, the second that we viewed, we fell in love with which I will call the Green House. It had many unique features such as two window seats and an open floor plan with a newly renovated kitchen. In addition it had an in ground pool. However, the heating system was very old, there were several cracks in the walls/ceilings due to sinking and some water stains. The other house was about 40k more than the green house but it was a block from the beach and would need no work with all rooms newly renovated and in good shape. However it was at a fork in the road and it had little to no yard. It was a tough decision for both of us but before we were able to put a bid in on either house, the beach house accepted another offer. We found out the news 2 days before Christmas and decided to take a few days off to think over our options. We decided to put in a bid on the green house which needed more work then the beach house but was less money and negotiated the price with the owner soon coming to an agreement.
We originally had thought that when going into this process we would have the negotiating power due to the poor economy and sluggish house market but we certainly felt the heat as we saw many offers being put on the houses we were interested in even during the holidays. Overall we didn't get the bargain we had thought we would but we both felt really good about the house. The owners of the green house agreed to a quick closing as they had already purchased another home but we were waiting on the bank to approve us for a loan. This was quite a stressful waiting process. We had some issues getting approved for PMI which is required for new home owners who are putting down less than 15%. At the end the bank decided to up our interest rate and go without the PMI which we were fine to as we were eager to complete the whole process. The actual closing was stressful and overwhelming with the amount of paperwork that we had to sign. But we were DONE and it felt great :)

First week in house

It has been a full week in the house and we are almost unpacked. We closed last Thursday January 28th at 10pm. We were so excited to move into our house on Pine St in the Wollaston section of Quincy. Being from the north shore, I am still new to the south shore area but am super excited about exploring the area and being closer to Boston.
Jonathan and I started moving some small stuff in on Friday and slept here over night on the new areobed (thx rob & mb) our first night in the house. Despite all the excitement we ran into our first home owning issue, the heating system stopped working our first day in the house. It was the coldest weekend of the year so far in 2010 and we tried to make do with space heaters but it wasn't doing enough. Afraid of the pipes freezing and the creation of a huge problem our first night in the house we had a friend of the family's who works on heating systems come by and help us out. Thankfully it was fixed by the afternoon and didn't tap into our dwindling bank accounts after the closing. We knew that the heating system was old from the home inspection (dating back approximately 30+ years) but we decided to take a chance on it knowing that it would have to be replaced within the next few years.
Saturday was the big move in which both Jon and I moved all our belongings from our houses with the help from lots of friends. We ran into a few slight issues e.g the couch we purchased not fitting through the front door, and the refrigerator delivery guy dropping the fridge on his finger and screaming in pain (eek!) but other than that, we made out ok.
Over the past week we have been adjusting well to the house. We are almost unpacked and are now picking out paint colors for the living room and dining room. We also have a lot of staining to do since the woodwork needs quite a bitof TLC. And finally there is a lot of decorating to do which i plan to use the help of twitter (HGTV, home depot) and online browsing to give me some good ideas! Wish me luck!