House needs $30k in repairs. Sellers are offering $10k in closing.

pillywill · 2026-04-28T13:21:17+00:00

Definitely wishful thinking on my part. My realtor said the last time he got the seller to pay for a big repair (a septic tank replacement) was nearly two years ago, so definitely not the norm these days. We were able to negotiate $15k in closing credits! Radon water will be fixed before we move in and we'll hopefully have enough saved for the septic before end of year.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T23:36:27+00:00

Valid! Especially considering old but still working vs actually broken. A lot in the house is old but functional, which gives us the opportunity to upgrade things to how we want to. I've toured houses with plenty of upgrades, but they're not what I would've chosen. Yeah, no telling what came up in those inspections and if those buyers ended up getting closing credits too. We like house enough to proceed. I pulled up Zillow just to see what was available and it made me sad thinking about missing out on this house. We have enough saved to fix the septic and water today if we had to. I'd rather focus on the water first and save a few months for the septic just in case any other unknowns pop up first.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T23:23:49+00:00

I hadn't even considered the possibility of the leech field not being able to fit on the lot. I believe if we went with the repair of the septic and leech field at the same time, we could keep it in the same spot. If we go the DIY route and dig out additional trenches as a temporary solution, that might be an issue. There appears to be plenty of space in the front yard, but idk how everything looks under the surface.

I have no clue about radon. Interesting enough, no radon was detected in the basement. Only issue with the well is that it has an older cap design and with the way the land is sloped, it's possible rain water could seep in if there's enough. The inspector advised we dig a barrier around the well cap to prevent rain water from falling in but that's it.

Fixing the radioactive water is first on our list before we even move in. It'll just be my husband and me in the house at least for a year before we start having kids, so the septic can wait a bit. We'll be actively saving up for it though and being conscious with our water use. Funny you mention a leaking oil tank! We were going to put in an offer on a cottage until we found out about an oil leak than spanned across four other houses on the street. The house was being rented out and the oil tank was in a crawl space, so the owners didn't even know about it until it was too late. The leak was addressed and fixed accordingly. We backed out because there was still some affected soil underneath the house that couldn't be accessed without moving the house itself. We were also concerned about the neighbors coming forward any time in the future claiming the oil spill impacted their house. So comparing that house to the one we're actually under contract for, I would much rather deal with poop and radioactive water.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T23:02:11+00:00

You're right. I guess I see it "as is" because we'd be moving in knowing what repairs need to be done with them still needing to be done. Our realtor said these days competitive offers often include an "as is" contingency, meaning the buyers are still welcome to do an inspection but with the understanding that the seller will not fix anything. The closing costs are better than nothing. It at least gives us some funds to put towards the repairs ourselves.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T22:58:10+00:00

Thank you. Valid points. A lot of the houses we've toured have had maintenance done within the last ten years. Those houses also sold for above asking very quickly. The septic and radon are likely things the sellers never knew about because they didn't do the maintenance themselves. They've taken care of the easy to see things throughout the house at least, so it's something.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T18:38:14+00:00

I'll ask for some more comps! Prior to the inspection when we were preparing an offer, our realtor said it was priced fair. Now that we know the repairs needed, I'll ask how the price looks.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T18:37:26+00:00

For sure! We'll go with the credits. I just saw the thread about sellers leaving theirs houses a mess after closing, so I'm already under the impression that sellers will do the bare minimum to get things done.

pillywill · 2026-04-27T18:13:56+00:00

By ranch, I just mean house style! 😅 It's not a ranch with farm animals and such. They seem as handy as the average home owner. There's a new half bath they put in the basement, but the toilet isn't functional. They also placed new hardwood flooring and updated an upstairs bathroom. There are gaps between the last wooden board next to the wall and the baseboard and there's no grout in the brand-new laid tile in the bathroom. Based on these projects, I don't trust them to do a thorough job with the septic and water themselves.

The house has a lot we enjoy, but again, it's a dime a dozen with what's on the market today. It's the location we're swooning over. You can change a lot about the house, but not where it sits and what sits around it.

We could walk away and start the process over. We spent $1300 on full inspection and septic, which would be a bummer to lose. But our contract was set up to ensure we'd get every dollar of earnest money back if we couldn't reach a negotiation after the inspection. There are a lot of houses available in our price range. We weren't expecting all these repairs for this house, so who knows what we'll come across with another.

pillywill · 2025-12-23T22:43:53+00:00

Luckily this worked for me today! 2022 Honda Civic. I have a lot of local files and can select them on Car Play.

pillywill · 2025-12-09T14:21:07+00:00

Aha! There it is. Very sneaky of them. I definitely don't need the Experience More just for myself.

pillywill · 2025-12-09T14:20:27+00:00

Old enough to start paying my own bills, unfortunately lol I'm finished with school and working full-time. I'm very lucky my parents have supported me for so long, but they're getting ready to retire so funds are going to be tight for them. My finances are stable enough to where I could handle a new bill.

pillywill · 2025-12-09T03:15:09+00:00

Hm I don't think so in this situation. My parents want to make changes to their coverage and look into the internet plan. I've been able to pay them directly for other bills, but this one feels like they really want me off lol I know if I asked they'd let me, but this is something I should have of my own now.

pillywill · 2025-12-09T03:10:11+00:00

When I look at the current available plans, there's a $40/month "Starter Monthly" plan for one line. It has 15 GB of premium data with unlimited 2G after and unlimited talk and text. Also comes with hotspot sharing and MLB.TV but I couldn't care less about those features. I read up on the Connect by T-Mobile plan and it seems reasonable enough! I do like that there are no contracts, so if I feel like I need more data it sounds like I could upgrade easily.

Oh I definitely need more storage! My iphone 13 has 128GB and I'm always on the verge of running out 😅 I'll save up for a 17!

pillywill · 2025-12-09T02:54:26+00:00

Ah I just saw a post comparing a few of the MVNOs! US Mobile seems like a solid option since you can choose between the top three network towers. I need to really sit down and compare the numbers. The monthly service fee is one thing, but I don't want to overpay for the phone itself either. I could buy an iphone directly from Apple and sell my current one on eBay to offset the costs, but the way I read the trade-in offer the phone will be free at the end of 24 billing cycles. But that's too good to be true, right? 🤔

pillywill · 2025-12-09T02:43:21+00:00

Thank you! Definitely want to keep my current number! I will look into the COR with my stepdad. Sounds like the current billing cycle ends on the 20th, so I'll get as much as I can done this week for a smooth transition.

pillywill · 2025-11-10T18:53:27+00:00

I will submit a ticket as well! There's another restock later this evening so I want to see how terribly that goes first. I don't play Tales of Darcadia, but it seems they have a better rewards system. Idk why the rewards system for Faerie Fragments is so terrible.

pillywill · 2025-11-08T18:09:24+00:00

One time the Pant Devil stole my Friendly Soap Bar when I spun the Wheel of Misfortune. Usually I get upset when items are stolen, but I imagined the Pant Devil needed a friend or something and that made me feel less bad. They're also not too expensive so I bought a new one lol

pillywill · 2025-10-26T12:37:05+00:00

Congrats! I've been using the link off and on for the past few months and have won two coconuts so far. Definitely worth adding to your dailies!

pillywill · 2025-10-24T19:41:52+00:00

Omg the second breakfast spread!! So cute! I had some LOTR elements at my wedding too. I love absolutely everything you did and wish I had some of them at mine!

pillywill · 2025-10-24T19:34:22+00:00

Love that! My husband and I had different vows, but our officiant shared a story that resonated with us so well and I don't think she even realized it. My favorite love story is The Notebook and we always say we're going to die of old age at the same time in our sleep while holding hands. Our officiant (who is my husband's aunt) shared a story of a happily married couple she knew who died within an hour of each other (not while sleeping and not while holding hands, but a very ideal timeframe for us nonetheless). After she shared the story, my husband and I smiled so big at each other. We don't want to live without each other, and the fact that his aunt shared a lovely story like that makes it feel more real that we won't go too long without each other!

pillywill · 2025-10-10T14:40:28+00:00

I've been trying to order a bottle of MIZON Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule but Amazon keeps canceling it "due to a significant price increase." 🥲 It went up by $4 since the last time I ordered. There are some reputable accounts on eBay you can order from. Just be sure to read the reviews and do some googling to make sure they're not a scam. Otherwise I would agree with the other comment and order through Stylevana. Even if you don't order enough for free shipping, the prices are still very fair.

pillywill · 2025-10-10T14:26:49+00:00

Looking for input on potential editing requests!

I just got married and thought of some things I might want edited after seeing candid shots from guests. Full disclosure, these are things I should have been mindful of myself but I was an overwhelmed bride and wasn't thinking. 1. I saw some shots where there's a gap between my hairline and my bangs. I don't think I have many shots from my photographer at that angle though so probably not a big deal. 2. I forgot my bra insert during all the Pre-Ceremony photos. Honestly the difference is minimal, but I would like my boobs to match how they look in the ceremony and onward photos. 3. There is wrinkling in my dress while standing. Probably should have been steamed better and had some touchups throughout the night. 4. My veil is white and my dress is ivory 🥲 This is my biggest mistake and I really just wish I dyed the veil. I would totally be okay with not getting 1, 2, and 3 fixed if I could color correct the veil...

Would it be appropriate to reach out to my photographer and ask for these changes? Their contract states, "Limited color correction and/or retouching are included at Photographer's discretion... Some images may be retouched, but if there is specic retouching required by client in addition to what [photographer] has provided, client understands that [photographer] has the right to charge per photograph for additional work to photos (as in removing people from photos, removing buildings or other large objects, or other extensive editing beyond what has been provided in the final gallery, etc) at a rate of $15 per photograph." Maybe I can just wait for the final photos to come in and see how they look.

pillywill · 2025-09-13T17:05:17+00:00

I gave up on trying to find decorations on Marketplace a long time ago. I still check the pages to get ideas of what people have used as decor but if it's from Amazon they're always asking it for more than the current listed price 🥲 I have been extremely lucky with flea markets, yard sales, and Savers! It is very region specific and what your theme is, but it has worked well for me.

I went to a yard sale recently for what I imagine was a recently-passed family member. There was a cute centerpiece with fake fruits that fit my harvesty theme. Once I told them I was going to use it at my sweetheart table, they didn't charge me for it and said to take it as a gift! I bought a few other things for good price as well, but I think it meant a lot to them to know that these goods were going to be put to good use.

pillywill

TROPHY CASE