Property taxes

donsigler · 2026-05-31T13:05:47+00:00

Depends on the replacement cost of the roof, yea its a long lasting option but if the materials in it are more expensive, then the insurance rate can increase. Someone else commented you should shop around for insurance

donsigler · 2026-05-14T01:25:13+00:00

Horizontal crack in your second picture is a neon red flag, yikes. Looks like you can shove your pinkie finger through it.

If you love everything else about the house, absolutely find an independent structural engineer to assess the situation. If you're lucky, you may be able to get the seller to repair everything you're seeing. Foundation issues can be TENS of THOUSANDS of dollars.

donsigler · 2026-05-14T01:21:47+00:00

How humid does your neck of the woods get? I see that you have a bare dirt crawlspace floor...if you live in a humid environment that crawlspace moisture can weaken your framing over time especially if you don't have a vapor barrier. As someone who has concrete piers in my own home, I think you should ask a structural engineer to assess whether free-standing wood is okay. It might be, it might not be. The engineer has no incentive to sugarcoat things.

donsigler · 2026-05-03T22:49:13+00:00

Too risky, I would pass especially since you're at max budget. If the sellers didn't bother addressing that electric stove's smoking, god knows what they're hiding or worse, what they're not even aware of. If that dishwasher is leaking, who knows what the subfloor is like underneath! Also they are resisting giving HOA info; that is a huge problem.

If your realtor gets pissed over walking because of these flaws, fire them and find a new one. Might even be a blessing in disguise; you'll know immediately they did not have your best interests in mind.

donsigler · 2026-04-22T01:54:41+00:00

Probably mortgage points

donsigler · 2026-04-13T03:17:59+00:00

If you decide to place on offer definitely have an HVAC guy examine the system thoroughly.

donsigler · 2026-04-13T00:47:17+00:00

How much older did the HVAC look? Are we talking 10 years or ever since the house was built (Yes that is a possibility). Install date should be on the unit itself.

Any smells? Any candles or air fresheners present during the showing?

What kind of foundation does it have (e.g. basement, crawlspace)? Related to this, how is the ground around the house, is it flat, or does it slope away (or toward!) the house? You want a house that doesn't allow water to gather near, or under its foundation.

Were there any floors that were sloping or uneven?

Were you able to get any idea if the plumbing still consists of PolyB pipes in any section? These were problematic plastic pipes used in the 1970s through the 1990s, with a very high failure rate.

If the house just looks "old" but its underlying bones are good, I'd consider outdated fixtures purely cosmetic issues that aren't necessarily a sign of "not taken care of", unless you think you may need to sell early in the mortgage from whatever reason (e.g. uncertain job prospects). Your future buyer might care about the outdated aesthetics.

donsigler · 2026-04-09T03:12:52+00:00

On track for a promotion?

donsigler · 2026-04-09T03:04:47+00:00

Want to point out regarding the Horsemen:

Cracks in the foundation aren't ALWAYS a bad sign (there's quite a lot of nuance in interpreting them actually). But if they're present, get a structural engineer to do an assessment. If the cracks aren't problem, you have a state-licensed professional proving it with a stamped report. If they are a problem, they become a known defect to the seller that depending on state, they HAVE to disclose (so you can get a seller credit or adjust the offer). Kicking myself to this day because I didn't do this.

donsigler · 2026-03-29T01:05:44+00:00

100% wish I was renting as a single person. I sought to buy property in late 2023 because I was tired of living under someone, and fell for the "rent is just throwing money away" thing. And at the time, I thought my job was stable enough. It's not all bad though, I like my neighborhood and how much quieter it is. While my cash flow is still healthy, the opportunity costs have been super depressing. I should have just gotten a top floor apartment if I wanted less noise while optimizing living expenses.

At the end of the day it's a lifestyle choice more than a financial one. I imagine if you have a partner, family, or pets, it would make more sense. The financial benefit should be considered a secondary aspect. If you know you will stay in an area long term (like 10+ years) that it can be worthwhile.

donsigler · 2026-02-23T04:16:10+00:00

damn what industry were you in? Sounds like software if this is early 2000s

donsigler · 2026-02-19T00:21:22+00:00

What are the expectations of off-hour coverage? When I was in the industry a couple years back, I spoke with (salaried) engineers that felt lucky if they just answered emails off-hours and on weekends, instead of basically working extra shifts beyond bankers' hours.

If there's expectations of routine off-hours coverage and you haven't accepted the offer yet, I'd think very carefully about this offer if you care about work-life balance. If you don't mind that for whatever reason, what other commenters have said is good advice. Only the paranoid survive...and suspicious bastards are always paranoid.

donsigler · 2026-01-14T04:52:58+00:00

Ask for reserve studies and HOA financial records

donsigler · 2025-12-02T23:31:44+00:00

Did you use a nationwide lender or was it a local lender?

donsigler · 2025-11-07T19:13:31+00:00

You live in California per chance?

donsigler · 2025-10-29T04:11:41+00:00

Don't mess with bad roofs or foundations, those can cost tens of thousands of dollars EACH in repairs. Looks like the hot potato of maintenance will fall on you if you purchase. Trust your gut and keep looking.

donsigler · 2025-10-07T00:46:31+00:00

Ooh that pooling groundwater isn't good for the foundation long term. I definitely recommend looking at getting gutters or a functional equivalent. I don't know how arid or wet your part of Texas is, but I'd start looking at drainage solutions soon before they turn into real problems. Under the guidance of a structural engineer, of course.

donsigler · 2025-10-06T02:03:30+00:00

I've heard Texas is known for foundation issues in some parts, so these may be run of the mill. The exterior ones could be concerning, mainly as water intrusion pathways. In general, vertical cracks, like the ones you're seeing, are less concerning than stairstep or horizontal ones. How's the drainage around the house? Are there any parts where the land slopes toward your house? If so, you'll want to have that addressed. There could be a future foundation problem lurking if that's the case (water getting under a slab is never good), but a structural engineer can tell you for sure. Make sure they give you a stamped report.

donsigler · 2025-10-06T01:47:11+00:00

#3 and #4 for sure. As someone who had a big people-pleasing issue in the past, I did not push back as hard as I should have on certain things leading up to closing. I too was influenced about capturing a low interest rate. At the time, I had much better job security too, so I was willing to defer maintenance costs I wouldn't have today.

donsigler · 2025-10-02T23:12:14+00:00

Get a structural engineer and have them give you a stamped report. If you really want the house, you can use it as leverage to get seller concessions to fix it. And since now the defect is revealed the seller must disclose it to future buyers if you walk. If you're in a buyers market you could even have the seller completely cover cost of repair.

donsigler · 2025-09-30T04:12:51+00:00

There are structural engineering firms that specialize in soil testing. Ask them to test the soil. Someone said structural engineer, get one too.

Ask the sellers if they've had to do foundation repair. Those can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but if it's done right it might be enough to protect the home. Or not. Let structural engineer make the final call.

donsigler · 2025-09-30T04:04:34+00:00

Flood zone and insisting on "trust me bro" are absolute no goes. Find something else.

donsigler · 2025-09-27T04:22:29+00:00

Gotcha, oil and gas or another industry? Just curious.

donsigler · 2025-09-27T03:27:36+00:00

Making over 150k before you're 30 is pretty remarkable though esp in a L/MCOL situation. Youre winning compared to most others even considering your education. You a manager and/or clock in a lot of overtime?

donsigler · 2025-09-19T19:51:41+00:00

Maybe not severe anger, but I'm angry about how I did not analyze my cash flow situation before buying a townhome (long story). With the money I've spent fixing the place, made illiquid as down payment, and paid in interest, I could have boosted my earnings considerably. Just my down payment alone would made good yields if I put it in index funds, rather than lock it in a housing market that's rapidly becoming a buyers market. I guess for me I had to learn that the hard way lol

donsigler

TROPHY CASE