Meet what is going to be the new Casa Radiance! We have been sitting on this news for a bit to make sure it was far enough along in the process, but it looks like a done deal! I can honestly say this is about as close to a dream house as I could imagine us being able to afford!
I think I had mentioned that John and I were tire kicking at a new place for us for the past year, but honestly I had thought I would be flipping a house before we found one to move into. We certainly weren’t planning for it this soon.
It was serendipity that I found this property. I wanted to visit a home decor store in Glens Falls and I missed the turn into their lot. So, I kept driving down the street and saw a sign by a realtor who only deals in bank owned properties. I about died when I saw the outside and I talked to our realtor (whom I have bought and sold several properties with). This house had just been put on the market the day I saw it. I thought there was no way this house was going to be in our price range – and it was (thanks to being bank owned)! We set up a showing and put in an offer a couple days later on the day after Thanksgiving. We moved fast on this because this is an amazing house for the price. We had to juggle a lot of things to make this happen and it was kind of like pulling a rabbit out of a hat and a *lot* of stress.
Now, it is bank owned. Dealing with a bank and buying a repossessed property is like a can of worms enveloped in a wasp’s nest. You definitely have to have a stomach for it because dealing with a bank as a seller is not fun. We had to deal with several contract revisions. You also buy a house as is. All utilities are shut off, so you can’t have an inspection test any of those, so it helps to know what you are looking at to see if there are any blatant problems. This house needs some wiring work, but we are okay with that. Honestly, this is the best bank owned property I have seen. It’s mostly cosmetic stuff that is needed. It’s a perfect fit. I get the old home that needs updating that I wanted and we get a house that has business space ready for John without having to sink any money into that part. Win- win!
So, keep an open mind because we will be renovating/restoring this over a few years. Mostly removing a boat load of wallpaper. It is everywhere. Everywhere!
It’s a cottage style home and was built in 1919. The interior walls are all brick and cement, so the layout won’t be changing. Dining room:
Kitchen – which needs the more urgent updating.
Living room with one of 2 fireplaces in the house!
The full bath upstairs. Wallpaper nightmare.
The floors are in great shape and just need a restore coat on them.
One of the bedrooms.
The closets are surprisingly large (and multiple) for such an old house.
My new garden to be:
Boy does this need work. I won’t do much this next summer because I need to see what is already there and what kind of light it gets. Looks all sunny now, but none of the trees have leaves, so it is deceptive.
The house from the back. Now you can see the walkout basement, which is where John’s business will be.
We are all ready to close, just waiting for the bank to do whatever it needs to. They have changed the closing date a few times. Right now it is scheduled for later in January (changed from the end of December), but it could happen sooner. We are funded and ready to go on our end.
John said Casa Radiance didn’t quite fit this house. I suggested Commodore with reference to “Brick House” 😀 . John didn’t go for that idea. So maybe Radiance Manor will be it!
Congrats!!!! What a gorgeous house! I’m excited for you guys (and a big jealous, it looks beautiful!) and hope the bank issue resolves quickly. Looking forward to seeing what you guys do to it.
Wallpaper removal is on the list first LOL!
Seems like our “forever” house… can’t wait to get moving (can’t wait to be done moving, that is)!
You, me and Ms. P!
OMG OMG it is gorgeous – so much character and little things you can do to make it “your own”.
I am SO excited for you guys!!! The yard looks ready for some beautiful flower gardens and bird feeders. I can’t wait to see all your plans!
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Thanks! I love having this much yard to garden with now. Need to save $$$ to build them 😀 – along with a new kitchen.
I am ridiculously excited about this. One of my favorites parts of your blog is following along with home improvements. Congrats!
I am ridiculously excited as well! 😀
oh my goodness…I LOVE THIS HOUSE! congratulations. I cant wait to see what transpires here 🙂
Congratulations!!!!
That house is gorgeous!! And the size of your new garden?! I can not wait to see what you are going to do with that space.
I’m so happy for y’all!!!
Front and back gardens to do – waaaay more than at our current house.
Wow, yikes on the wallpaper! But what an amazing house, good for you! I can’t wait to see what you do with it, especially the yard. I’m dyyyyyying for a yard like that! Congrats!
The manor is so charming! Big big congratulations on this – you guys found a hidden gem!
When you have a moment, I’d love to see a rough floorplan; for instance, what is the area to the right of the front of the house? Is that a mud room, or an eat-in kitchen? I can’t wait to watch this house bloom, both inside and out, under your hands!
We need to map out the house for ourselves, too. That little room is actually off of the living room and is a 3 season porch. You can see the doors to that room next to the fireplace. I assume 3 season because it didn’t seem to have a heat source in it. I picture French doors in place of those wooden hollow core doors.
Oh, I get it now – and yes, French doors would look sweet leading to that room!
Many, many congrats!! I hope the closing is sooner rather than later for you both.
~Molly
Wow!! This is a great house! I’m a long time reader, but rarely comment. What a beautiful home. I can’t wait to see how you make this house your new home. Congrats!
Thank you!
What a fabulous house! I love all the windows. Your garden area is like a blank canvas for you. Can’t wait to follow all your renos. Congrats!
Beautiful! Congrats to you, John and Ms P!
Oh My!! The House will be quite a task, Good Luck, and Congrats.
Congratulations! It is a gorgeous house!
Ooh, I loved seeing all the pictures! The back of the house is almost prettier than the front! And when you start doing your gardens you know that’s going to get me going on that too! The floors are sooo pretty.
It’s going to be hard waiting to see what comes up in these garden beds!
I’m so very happy for both of you! I look forward to watching how you make this house into your dream home. You are so good at picturing the final results. I wish I had that talent.
I think next year’s Christmas Even dinner will be pretty neat in this house with a nice fire and the table and all that jazz 😀
LORI!!!!!! So happy for you and John!! Congratulations!!!
I am SO excited!! (Is that crazy? what can I say, I love beautiful old houses, and houses built around that time are the BEST 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you do in the house–floors are beautiful, and actual working fireplaces! You were meant to go down that street.
I love old houses, too. They can be money pits, but you just can’t find the wonderful character in newer homes.
I am catching up and saw on the comments on your blog that I’m subscribed too the title of this post and first thing I did was read this one.
OH MY GOODNESS! What a beautiful, beautiful house! Something I would totally love to live in myself. But since we want to eventually move to a smaller house, I will enjoy looking at your house instead of wanting something like for myself.
I look forward to all the renovations in the future.
For now big congratulations to you and John for finding and buying this beautiful house.
You can move here – we have the room LOL!
Well I know I have a place to stay if I ever win the lottery and can book a trip to visit my favorite blogger friends 🙂
Congratulations!! This is so exciting! I can’t wait to follow along as you make it your own. Also anxious to see what Pixie thinks! 😉
Pixie is going to get lost in this house. She has never lived anywhere else (other than outside before she came to us).
Lori, what a beautiful home! I love Glens Falls, too. This certainly looks like a perfect property both for your gardening and your love of remodeling! Congratulations!
Thanks! We like GF as well and spend a good amount of time there, so it makes sense.
Oh my GOODNESS.
HUGE CONGRATS!!!!!!!!
Wow, knock me over….didn’t see that coming! Especially after all the work you’ve done in your current home. Which, speaking of your current home, what in the world are you doing with it? Has it sold or on the market? Guess having just been through that transition, I’m pretty in tune with that aspect of a move! Funny how going in your direction makes me shudder as we couldn’t wait to get OUT of that old house we loved so much into something that required zero updating and zero maintenance! Can’t wait to follow along with the renovations. Guess this calls for another trip to New York!
We will put our current house on the market in the spring. I do like this house, but it was not meant to be our permanent home. We were not in a hurry to find the right house, but knew we would move on it if we did find it.
Oh, this is uber exciting Lori! The “manor” looks very good to me, and the garden is big. 🙂
When are you going to move in? Are you going to live there while you fix it? Sorry my ignorant questions, I don’t know about house flipping..
I wonder what Pixie will think. 🙂
Some of that is up in the air. We have a couple of trips planned this winter, so moving will not be settled until later on. We will be working on the place while living there – like our current house 😀
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You just did the work at the other place – I guess you can sell for more. 🙂 It is beautiful!!! Congrats!! Now to see what Pixie thinks!!! 😉
Congratulations! So very happy for you both!
Ok, so for my Saturday morning walk/jogs that is a bit far for me to manage. Now everytime I pass your current house, it will be a reminder of the encouragement and inspiration you have been. Congratulations and what a truly great find.
Just BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations. This will be so interesting as we all watch the renovations come along.
Congratulations! The house is gorgeous. I love all brick homes and I can’t wait to see how you update the inside.
Oh My Gosh Lori! Its amazing!! I’am sooo happy for you!! I can
barely contain it. 🙂 That place from what i can see has such
good bones! And you are gonna make it incredible! Hugs! and
congratulations to you both!!! Hugs! deb
Whhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! How exciting!!!
Ooh, I like “Radiance Manor”! Perfect name for it!
Congratulations! That is a beautiful house! I am sure it will be a lot of work, but it will be worth it. I love the wood floors and fireplaces! I don’t mind wall paper in small amounts, but I never understood those people who put it on every wall/room of the house. It will be so fun to decorate. We’ve lived at our house for 4 years and I am still doing things here and there when we can afford it. We’ve replaced all our appliances since we moved in!
What a beautiful house, I can’t wait to see all the cool things you do to it. Congratulations to you and your hubby!
It definitely looks like Radiance Manor- very fitting, Downton Abbey-ish 🙂
I am excited for you. It looks like a very nice house. It will be fun to see what you do. Congratulations of the find.
Weeee!!!!!!!!!!! So excited for you guys! It’s absolutely gorgeous. Our house was built in 1922, so I get the old world charm.
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations! Is this a house you are planning on flipping or staying long term?
I’m not being funny here, I come from Europe and I genuinely don’t know the answer to this question.
Does buying the house from the bank at a low rate mean that you are profiting from the eviction of someone? Is someone homeless now? How does the bank come to own these properties?
I suppose you could look at is as my profiting from someone losing their home. The bank owns this house because the person who took out the mortgage stopped paying it. They surrendered the house in bankruptcy to the bank. Once the bank takes back a property, they put it on the market to sell it for usually around the range of what the other person owed on it.
The foreclosure process is a very lengthy one. A bank does not really want to take back homes at all. They are not in the real estate business. They are in the mortgage business. Many times people can work things out and not lose their homes. Sometimes people just walk away.
Congratulations Lori! I love, love, love this house! I can’t wait to see what all you do to it. What a lovely home it’s going to be.
Woohoo, congratulations to you both!
Thanks Lori. I hope you’ll be very happy there.
Oh, it’s gorgeous, Lori!!!!! Seeing how handy you two are I know you’ll have it looking like Radiance Manor in no time. What a nice Christmas blessing for you. 🙂
Beautiful home, and you are just the couple to renovate! I love it–congrats!
How did I miss this? Congratulations! Fantastic bones, you are going to have a real palace when you are done putting your stamp on it!