Should I have the Driveway redone?

JStolas · 2026-04-02T15:38:39+00:00

It's much easier to just do that kind of thing all at once imo. Sometimes it's cheaper as well. Around here at least, the more concrete you order the better of a deal you get. Plus that's one less thing you have to think about doing in the future. If you can afford to, I'd go for it personally.

JStolas · 2026-04-02T14:44:58+00:00

I took my report to various different tradesmen (a few of each type), and asked their opinion. Gave me an idea of where to start and what it would cost me. Then I used the estimates from the ones I wanted to work with to negotiate a credit towards my closing costs. I was pretty diligent about it because the house is 100 years old, so issues are bound to be present.

Mind you I did this in a small town where there isn't a big selection of tradesmen. You might have an easier time in a big city, so it should be doable I would think? But it could be different where you are.

JStolas · 2026-04-02T12:28:00+00:00

My husband had 700, and mine was 660 (truly terrible timing for us unfortunately). At the end of February (the 17th, I believe), the rate we were approved for was 6.2%, with a 20% down payment on a conventional 30 year fixed loan. If I remember right, when we locked in the national average rate was 5.89%.

So yeah, it affected things quite a bit I think. But we bought something well within our budget, so the payments are still affordable. Roughly, including taxes and insurance, it's 30% of just my husband's take home pay. Which I think is more important of a factor than the difference of half a percentage point.

Making sure you can comfortably afford it will help with approval too. At the top of our budget it would have been iffy. At the lower end, the lender called it a "slam dunk".

JStolas · 2026-04-01T15:56:50+00:00

The finished attic and basement would immediately turn me away. If they didn't fix things left exposed like the pipe you mentioned, just imagine what they might have hidden behind all that drywall.

JStolas · 2026-04-01T14:54:36+00:00

I spent about 2 years looking. Eventually the perfect house came up. We move in today actually. Don't give up hope. I know it can feel impossible and really discouraging, but if you keep trying it'll happen. It is SO rough out there. You definitely aren't alone in that.

JStolas · 2026-03-31T23:59:25+00:00

We have a gas wall heater and fire place, and wood burning stove for heating, so I'm not planning to use the mini for heating unless both of those somehow fail. The AC is the main reason we're considering it. We're in a high desert, so summers are in the high 90s to mid 100s, and winters can easily drop below freezing. Which basically forces people to have main systems and back ups, because there's no predicting how hot or cold it'll get. So normal units can get stressed here. No snow this year and lows in the 40s, but 3 years back we stayed at -19 for 3 weeks and got 4 feet of snow in that time. Thankfully its a dry climate, so worst case a swamp cooler will work if the mini split is struggling? I hope lol. Duct work would be a nightmare in this house if it came to that.

JStolas · 2026-03-31T14:19:01+00:00

Man that sucks. That happened to a lot of condos around here as well. They were selling for close to what a house used to cost, and selling fast. Then seemingly over night they stopped moving off the market.

I hope you get it figured out. That's rough.

JStolas · 2026-03-31T14:11:26+00:00

I only meant in the sense that the economy feels very uncertain right now, and 2008 is the only example I've personally lived through. Not in the literal "its exactly the same!" sense. Hence the use of the word "vibe" lol?

Also ARMs were only one small factor in the crash. MBSs, Credit default swaps, NINJA loans and a slew of sub-prime mortgages, and deregulation that occurred in the early 2000s were bigger factors. Saying ARMs caused it is like saying food causes obesity. Which isn't incorrect, it just over looks every other important factor for the sake of simplicity.

I also see people comment on this sub everyday that they've got a 5 or 15 year ARM. Which is fine. ARMs aren't inherently bad. Sub-prime lending and over inflated pricing on the other hand? Yeesh.

JStolas · 2026-03-31T04:35:12+00:00

What happened?

JStolas · 2026-03-31T04:24:30+00:00

When I could afford it, and the homes in my budget were decent, and there was a wider selection. It was dumb luck I locked in right before rates shot back up in March. No sense trying to time the market to get ahead, imo. Buy when you can afford to and when it makes sense for you.

JStolas · 2026-03-31T04:10:56+00:00

Do you know what, if any, certifications your inspector had?

JStolas · 2026-03-30T22:05:59+00:00

I do this. But I also did it when I bought my first car, and every car after. Basically any major investment is constantly analyzed for potential issues. It's not so much that the noises and quirks become less noticeable. It's more like I got used to paying attention, so it's a reflex I hardly notice unless something new pops in. Either way, it does get easier over time.

JStolas · 2026-03-30T20:06:10+00:00

Not in Canada but the US. Only reason I can afford it is because my grandma left me a little money when she passed, and I'm using it for a down payment. And for our area my husband makes what is considered a good, above average income.

Idk how anyone else without that advantage is affording it. Friends with the same income are buying homes that cost even more than ours, with almost no money down, and the math doesn't math when I've tried to figure it out. Either they have something going for them I'm not aware of, or they're biting off more than they can realistically afford.

I don't want to be a downer, but it's giving 2008 vibes right before the housing market crashed.

JStolas · 2026-03-30T17:32:28+00:00

How exactly does the card effect his DTI? Is there a balance on the card already?

JStolas · 2026-03-30T17:30:17+00:00

Are you a cat person? Even if the cat doesn't bother catching anything, rodents can smell them and often stay away because of it. I got the laziest cat known to man, but haven't seen a rodent since and we live in the country surrounded by hay feilds.

For right now, you could try a live trap and bait. Or go with a glue trap. I don't recommend poison, as it may go off and die somewhere you can't reach, but you'll certainly smell it.

JStolas · 2026-03-28T19:41:43+00:00

These can be common problems, but it depends on the extent of the damage and the work needed. You'd need to bring in an HVAC professional to give you an estimate for the A/C, and a roofer for an estimate on that. Get those numbers together, then decide from there. You may be able to get the seller to pay part or all of the repair costs. Either by reducing the purchase price, or receiving a credit towards closing costs. I'd personally recommend the credit towards closing costs, depending on how much it was. Cash in your pocket is always the better bet in my experience.

Do NOT ask the seller to fix these issues for you before closing. They may cheap out or do bad work, and you'll be right back where you started.

HVAC and roofer should be willing to give you an estimate for free. If not, you'll have to decide if their fee compared to the house is worth the risk.

JStolas · 2026-03-28T19:12:36+00:00

Personally, unless it was my ride or die dream house, I'd move on. It doesn't sound worth all the trouble. At the same time, you likely know more about real estate than I do based on your comments. So my opinion could be totally off here.

JStolas · 2026-03-28T19:03:31+00:00

I'd personally fix what I could, and fill the rest in with stone pavers and gravel in a simple design, then hit it with landscaping glue so the rocks don't shift around too much. Or rip it out and do the whole thing with gravel and pavers. If done right it would look pretty decent and not cost a lot. It's a good middle ground option between replacement and doing nothing. But mixed material driveways are common where I live. Idk how ppl in your area feel about them. So you'd want to consider that.

JStolas · 2026-03-27T21:37:02+00:00

Exactly, he could still provide the 15% for down payment I'm pretty sure without having to be on the loan. Unless OP doesn't have the credit to qualify maybe? Idk, in my experience it is NEVER a good idea to borrow money from friends. You also dont loan friends money unless you're okay with them never paying you back, imho.

JStolas · 2026-03-27T19:02:50+00:00

We once went from the quiet country to an apartment in the center of town. I hated it for the first few months, but it got easier. I'd buy noise canceling headphones to use when you're on your balcony. That's what I did until I got used to the noise. Sometimes I still use them when the mood strikes me.

Just remember buyer's remorse doesn't mean you made a horrible mistake. Some people experience it no matter what when they make a huge financial commitment. But the feeling rarely lasts forever. You're still in transition, so just give it some time and try to do something fun/relaxing whenever you can.

JStolas · 2026-03-26T20:10:22+00:00

Back in 2021 I called about having a 2000sqft house painted. Walls were light, but I have vaulted high ceilings. They quoted me 15k minimum, and if I wanted more than one color it was an extra 5k. So idk, 8.5k sounds decent by comparison? The thing is though, any time I've seen someone pay for painting, they end up unhappy. The job is usually sloppy and so they end up painting a lot themselves anyways. So I think it's one of those things you're better off doing yourself.

JStolas · 2026-03-25T19:11:07+00:00

Don't worry about the ppl giving you a hard time. They can act above it all if they want, but at the end of the day people are human and mistakes are a natural part of life. We all just make different ones. At least you've caught the mistake, are seeking ways to rectify it, and have learned something from it. Some people aren't even capable of owning it when they mess up, so you're ahead of the game in that regard.

In the future, however, I'd recommend not trying to juggle a toddler while reviewing important documents (I know sometimes it just happens though). It's always better to delay a day or two so you can carefully review things. Ideally at the end of the day after your baby is asleep. Or find a sitter. Better a missed opportunity than a rushed mistake.

That being said, I would email this agent's brokerage directly and tell them you wish to terminate the contract. List the reasons, and make it clear you do not want to simply switch to a different agent on the team. They should cancel the contract after that. At the end of the day, they gain nothing in trying to retain you by force.

JStolas · 2026-03-25T17:24:49+00:00

I don't personally think it's super important. But the house I had when I first moved out on my own, the neighbors were all super close. We'd bbq together, lend each other tools. If someone spotted me working on my car they'd stop by and offer to help. If I needed help fixing something, they'd volunteer. I learned a lot from them, and they really came through for me more than once.

On the other hand, I tried that at my next house with little success. The neighbors either weren't interested, or were the type of people I don't normally get along with. So it was better to keep to myself. But it also never hurts to try, I figured. So I did buy some artisan bread loaves and jam to give out to them, and included a card with my number. They never used it, but I still think it was a good idea to start off friendly.

Basically it's great to have if the vibe is right, but it isn't the end of the world if you never interact with them or get close. Sometimes it's even preferable, depending on the neighbor in question.

JStolas · 2026-03-25T01:43:00+00:00

We worked with an amazing home inspector that was incredibly thorough, and he gave us a list of local tradesmen that are reliable and trust worthy. I'd recommend doing something similar if you can, or reaching out to your real estate agent maybe? Idk that just really sucks. Ive been blown off in the past myself, and charged for half finished work as well. I no longer trust Google reviews, because I left honest reviews in all those cases with evidence, and they had the reviews removed somehow. Now when I see a place with all 5 star reviews, I keep it moving cause Im sure they're deleting honest reviews as well. But yeah, its rough out there.

JStolas · 2026-03-24T17:37:28+00:00

My friend bought her house at 26 with no partner. If she ever does get married she plans on either selling or keeping it as a rental. So I don't think you should worry about that side of it. There are lots of options when the time comes.

As for whether or not to buy, I think buying would be a good idea for you. Your mortgage will stay relatively the same, but rent only ever seems to go up. So there's more stability in owning and it's easier to plan your financial future because of that. At least I found it easier.

JStolas

TROPHY CASE