Category Archives: house buying

The New Casa Radiance!

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!

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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:

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Kitchen – which needs the more urgent updating.

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Living room with one of 2 fireplaces in the house!

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The full bath upstairs. Wallpaper nightmare.

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The floors are in great shape and just need a restore coat on them.

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One of the bedrooms.

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The closets are surprisingly large (and multiple) for such an old house.

My new garden to be:

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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.

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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!

Crazy busy day

You know those days where you have some things planned, and you end up doing everything but those things? The plan was for DH and I to go on a long bike ride, have some frozen yogurt and go to the library.
Instead, we got groceries, then my parents found a house they really liked, and needed us to take them to the realtor’s office to put in the offer. So then we went out to lunch (Panera bread, where I had healthy choices), and by the time all was said and done – it was 5PM.
Now it is stormy, so no bike ride. And no frozen yogurt either! Oh well, there is always tomorrow.
Just a brisk walk today, and probably a bowflex workout that I didn’t get in yesterday.

Panera bread looks scary on the surface, but they really have some excellent choices to get for a meal. For around 500 calories, you can have 1/2 a sandwich and 1/2 salad with a side of fruit. I got the cafe turkey sandwich (mustard only, no mayo), and a 1/2 fandango salad. Yum!