• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Is it worth wildly overpaying to get a unique/'right' house?

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Zeze said:
@Viper GTS hey you're like 40 min drive from me. Buy it and I'll stop by.

That garbage does not look appealing to me actually. It's worn down considerably and it WILL BE a big money/time sink. I'm surprised you're paying $50K EXTRA just to have this. But I guess that's how everyone's different.
Click to expand...

I'm in Wood-Ridge now. Wife works in Parsippany so it's a huge commute upgrade for her.

The garage is substantially better than it looks from the photos- I went in expecting to want to raze it and rebuild, but it's actually fine for the short term. However - you are correct that what I am buying is not that garage specifically but the right to have a garage of that footprint. That's near impossible to replicate as it is WAY outside modern zoning rules.

Viper GTS
 
Viper GTS said:
I'm in Wood-Ridge now. Wife works in Parsippany so it's a huge commute upgrade for her.

The garage is substantially better than it looks from the photos- I went in expecting to want to raze it and rebuild, but it's actually fine for the short term. However - you are correct that what I am buying is not that garage specifically but the right to have a garage of that footprint. That's near impossible to replicate as it is WAY outside modern zoning rules.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...


Just be careful if you do decide to tear it down as sometimes the city won't let you rebuild it. There's some super run down buildings here and the reason is because if they touch it, they are no longer compliant with zoning, so the owners can't fix them or do anything. Municipal bureaucracy can be a bitch. Wish unorganized townships were more common, that is the definition of freedom.
 
Zeze said:
Based on what I read, you're effectively overpaying $50K+ just because of the 6 garage? Well do you have 6 cars that need garages immediately?

I didn't see any other reason except you're sick of looking (I know how that feels, I saw 30~ houses in person before finally buying).
Click to expand...

Yea me to, my realtor was very patient, was a young guy.
 
Zeze said:
I'm surprised you're paying $50K EXTRA just to have this.
Click to expand...

Since it's also 3bed/3bath, I read it as paying $250k less to be slightly farther from the city (since that part was never quantified as to what sort of distances are involved and how often that trip will be made)
 
Neither of us work in the city. I work in Secaucus, she works in Parsippany. We're basically swapping commutes - Right now she's 45 mins each way any day she's in the office vs my 15. If we got that house it would be 10 for her and 35-45 for me if I time it correctly (or much worse if I don't).

We have been looking in areas like North Caldwell because 1) they are lovely and 2) they are equitable in commute, but I'll drive more to save $250k and have that garage. If anything it's a benefit for me as I drive way too little to really enjoy having the cars. They're barely even warm by the time I get to work.

This was all precipitated by our landlord selling the house we are in. At this point we are expecting that the new owners want us to stay, but the drama of having stampedes coming through the house was enough to make buying for control seem appealing. Neither of us has any particular attachment to home ownership, we were perfectly happy renting. I'm not looking at it as an investment or as a house so much as it is control over our living space. Getting room to fit more cars is just a happy side benefit (was maxed out at four).

Viper GTS
 
Yea, that looks nice, I hope the roof is tall enough so that you could install 6 lifts so you could fit 12 cars in there!
 
Viper GTS said:
This was all precipitated by our landlord selling the house we are in. At this point we are expecting that the new owners want us to stay, but the drama of having stampedes coming through the house was enough to make buying for control seem appealing. Neither of us has any particular attachment to home ownership, we were perfectly happy renting. I'm not looking at it as an investment or as a house so much as it is control over our living space. Getting room to fit more cars is just a happy side benefit (was maxed out at four).

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

In that case, then whatever you pay is what will make you happy if you get the house.
 
It's not tall enough as is, the roof will need to be raised to double stack or proper two post. Future project I'm sure.

Offer is in & deadline is gone, realtor talked me into staying close to the $440k mark. He's pretty convinced I was still the best offer and this was likely gouging. Hope he's right.

Viper GTS
 
Can I stay in one of the garage ports?

P.S. Now that everyone knows exactly where you live, I would recommend posting about your vacations after you are back home.
 
I grew up near Boonton in Wayne, and now live near Secaucus in Jersey City. Cadwell is definitely a step up from Boonton but that's a lot of money to save. If you don't care about having the more tony zip code then by all means, Boonton is a nice place to settle down. Although Caldwell, it's nice being near Montclair and the restaurants and shopping it has. But Morristown is not too far south from Boonton on 287 so it's kind of an even trade off.
 
Got it. Realtor called it, $444,444 (gotta have fun with the numbers). Just have to make it out of attorney review without them bailing since they have demonstrated they are willing to cancel.

On the bright side we have evidence they respond to money, so I now know I can communicate in shared language.

Viper GTS
 
Isn't poaching during attorney review a pretty bad form? At this point they paid at least $1000 for the lawyer and other fees.
 
Zeze said:
Isn't poaching during attorney review a pretty bad form? At this point they paid at least $1000 for the lawyer and other fees.
Click to expand...

Nah I bailed on my first one (actually another six car garage) with no fees. Attorney bills at completion.

Viper GTS
 
Viper GTS said:
Nah I bailed on my first one (actually another six car garage) with no fees. Attorney bills at completion.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...
No wait you're right. My attorney went through 2 sellers with me. Man how fragile is human memory? We gotta digitize this crap.
 
My buddy bought a house with a 5-car detached garage a few years ago. He does drift-racing & works on old cars and the house is absolutely perfect for him.

I say, if you can afford it, buy what you want! From a few posts up, looks like you got it, so congrats!
 
sdifox said:
that is really more advertising. Singapore is notoriously restrictive on cars.
Click to expand...

I was searching for video of that ~5 story tower, single car, Taipei public parking vending machine garage. Couldn't find it...settled on that one.

...sigh.
 
Viper GTS said:
It's not tall enough as is, the roof will need to be raised to double stack or proper two post. Future project I'm sure.

Offer is in & deadline is gone, realtor talked me into staying close to the $440k mark. He's pretty convinced I was still the best offer and this was likely gouging. Hope he's right.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

damn, nice. leaves me hope that there really are some honest blokes out there trying to actually help people buy houses, rather than just jack up the price for the commission. ...I actually think my guy did OK by me, too.

$444.444k....I'd be worried, thinking he'd just add another 4 in there, hoping you would be too distracted to notice that 2nd comma. That sounds like something I would try to pull, though. 😀
 
Real estate agents say that if you build an unusual special room it's unlikely that you'll find a homebuyer who shares your interest and people may make low offers to cover the cost of undoing your special room but a big detached garage may not be as unwanted.
 
I personally think the shortage of cash that you would experience every month would stress you out more than having 6 garages would relax you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top