We had another showing of our house last night so we packed up our dogs and headed up to see our Landon. We were excited because we both believed they would have finally started to frame. I was told framing would begin August 7th and over 10 days later nothing........our visit found no change.
Nothing new was done.
We decided to sit and eat our dinner on the garage floor. A group was at another home site apparently doing their pre-con meeting. The new PM was there and stopped over to introduce himself. He told us they are having a hard time getting a framing crew as everyone is super busy. He did arrange one for us and they will be starting Wednesday.
Looks like the Landon framing might move forward.
On the other fronts, NVR is calling me to start the loan proecss. I'm not sure why they are pushing this since they know I have to sell my current home before we can move forward. I'm also not happy with their rates offered. I'd like to show the loan around just because NVR doesn't seem to be trying to get me the best deal with interest and PMI.
Lastly, our house had a 2nd showing. I'm not sure they will be making an offer, but a bunch of new houses are hitting the market in our price point and I think the steepness of our driveway frightens people. I'll be lowering the price again next week. We have put so much work into this house it breaks my heart that no buyers love the private wooded back yard, the closeness to majors stores, the ability to walk to a market, the hot tub, and the new kitchen and bath.
Hopefully this week has everything more forward.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Friday, August 14, 2015
Come in Tokyo
Basically a week has past since I had a conversation with my PM who noted that framing is ready to begin and could start as early as Friday 8/7/15, but in all realty it most likely wont start until Monday 8/10/15. On Wednesday 8/12/15, nothing really has been done. The I-beams are still sitting on the foundation and the wood frame is still sitting in bundles. Thursday I emailed the PM and got his auto response that he was out until 8/17/15. My fiance emailed the sales team and the site supervisor contacted us back that the reason framing hasn't started was because the sub-contractor is delayed. They noted they were as frustrated as we were. Basically no framing sub-contractors are available so the Landon is at a stand still.
I do wish the lines of communication were open a little more. It's disappointing that they knew it wasn't going to be this week and didn't reach out to update us of the delay.......specially when it conflicts with information they already provided us.
I do wish the lines of communication were open a little more. It's disappointing that they knew it wasn't going to be this week and didn't reach out to update us of the delay.......specially when it conflicts with information they already provided us.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
No, Nadda, Nothing
While my house was being showed last night, I decided to stop past the Landon with the dogs. My PM said last week that framing could start as early as Friday, but he expected it to start Monday. Well, three days later and they still haven't framed anything. The only real change was that they installed the welled window. The I-Beams are still sitting on the foundation walls.
The house next to our received their wood. I suspect they waited to do our until their was a crew available and the house next to our was ready so they could come frame two at once.
I have another showing tonight, so I may drive up again to look. Then again Sunday.
On the home front, we had a couple like our house but wanted to see a few more before placing an offer. They didn't like the driveway and they were the first people to comment on the large amount of tree roots pushing on top of the soil. I looked into it last night, sadly, cutting out surface roots can kill a tree. I'm not sure how to fix that for them but carefully cut out small roots.
The house next to our received their wood. I suspect they waited to do our until their was a crew available and the house next to our was ready so they could come frame two at once.
I have another showing tonight, so I may drive up again to look. Then again Sunday.
On the home front, we had a couple like our house but wanted to see a few more before placing an offer. They didn't like the driveway and they were the first people to comment on the large amount of tree roots pushing on top of the soil. I looked into it last night, sadly, cutting out surface roots can kill a tree. I'm not sure how to fix that for them but carefully cut out small roots.
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Nothing but Flowers
Tonight we had two showings so we had time to kill. Often we kill time by driving out to see our lot, the new build progress, and our new neighborhood. We were excited because we have cleared out back yard and not getting as much negative feedback on our house, our PM noted that they should be framing no later than Monday, and we have two showings.
We got to our Landon to find nothing changed since Friday of last week. The I-Beams were still sitting on the foundation and not put into their pockets. We were so disappointed.
Our home showings both went late. The 2nd one was supposed to be there at 7:30 arrived at 8, so we basically got dinner and sat outside with our dogs. They were still at our house when we drove past so we parked and waited in a back street in the woods. They sounded like they liked the place, excited over how big the yard is, and the trail that leads from the bridge. More disappointment when their agent left me a message they didn't like the hillside. Odd though, they drove back past and parked in front for a while after the agent said they weren't interested.
So today was nothing new.........nothing but flowers
(Nothing but flowers is an awesome Talking Heads song from the 80's)
We got to our Landon to find nothing changed since Friday of last week. The I-Beams were still sitting on the foundation and not put into their pockets. We were so disappointed.
Our home showings both went late. The 2nd one was supposed to be there at 7:30 arrived at 8, so we basically got dinner and sat outside with our dogs. They were still at our house when we drove past so we parked and waited in a back street in the woods. They sounded like they liked the place, excited over how big the yard is, and the trail that leads from the bridge. More disappointment when their agent left me a message they didn't like the hillside. Odd though, they drove back past and parked in front for a while after the agent said they weren't interested.
So today was nothing new.........nothing but flowers
(Nothing but flowers is an awesome Talking Heads song from the 80's)
Monday, August 10, 2015
It's not all puppy dogs and rainbows
I believe for many of us who are buying a Ryan Home, we are current home owners upgrading to a home for numerous reasons. Regardless of the why, it seems most of us are selling a home why we are building. The sale of our current home is part of this experience.
We had received some negative feedback that the yard was over grown. My property backs up to the woods and with the hillside, it's a pain to tend to. Since I never used it, I let it grow in. Saturday we made plans to start clearing it all out. Friday while at home depot renting a brush hog, I got an email from my agent. The couple at the house was preparing an offer.
I was excited for our first offer, but I was leery. This agent had scheduled to show his clients my house on Tuesday and cancelled last minute when his clients made an offer on the house they were seeing before mine. When he called to arrange another showing time slot, he said the deal for the other house fell apart and he'd like to show them mine. While driving up to our build lot, I wondered why their prior deal fell apart. Was it:
1) Financing issue - If they can't get financing, why are they seeing my house....that cant be it.
2) Home Issue - Maybe a home inspection found something, but then again, hard to get a home inspection that fast.....that cant be it.
3) Low Offer - Maybe they made an extremely low offer and it was rejected. I suspect that must be it.
The offer was 82% of the listing price and included seller assist money back to them. We already lowered our price to something more like what others have sold in my neighborhood, but they still only offer 84% of that and asked for a discount of just under 30,000. I was pretty insulted as they priced my house the same as the townhomes in my neighborhood which have no yard, hottub, or newer kitchen and bath.While I wanted to tell them to go F@#$ Off, my agent said to keep diaglog open, I should give them a counter. We gave them a counter off and then they gave us one. We were still 25,000 off. I decided at that price I could rent the house and make a killing on a single parent who wants their child in a killer school district. My agent even got frustrated with them as it didn't seem like they were basing their price on any local comparable.
We stopped talking to them as we had an open house to get ready for. Saturday I hired some day labors to cut out my brush and clean up my back yard. While it isn't perfect, it is a huge improvement. The day labor wasn't that expensive and we got 80% of what I wanted done complete for the open house.
Sunday's open house was good. We had to stage and sit it ourselves as our agent doesn't sit them and she couldn't find an agent to work it. So we got signs from her, put out the cookies, and my fiance worked the open house while I took the dogs. We had lots of positive people and 7 showings.
While building might seem overwhelming picking colors and options, it's nothing compared to the horrible experience it has been to sell a house.
We had received some negative feedback that the yard was over grown. My property backs up to the woods and with the hillside, it's a pain to tend to. Since I never used it, I let it grow in. Saturday we made plans to start clearing it all out. Friday while at home depot renting a brush hog, I got an email from my agent. The couple at the house was preparing an offer.
I was excited for our first offer, but I was leery. This agent had scheduled to show his clients my house on Tuesday and cancelled last minute when his clients made an offer on the house they were seeing before mine. When he called to arrange another showing time slot, he said the deal for the other house fell apart and he'd like to show them mine. While driving up to our build lot, I wondered why their prior deal fell apart. Was it:
1) Financing issue - If they can't get financing, why are they seeing my house....that cant be it.
2) Home Issue - Maybe a home inspection found something, but then again, hard to get a home inspection that fast.....that cant be it.
3) Low Offer - Maybe they made an extremely low offer and it was rejected. I suspect that must be it.
The offer was 82% of the listing price and included seller assist money back to them. We already lowered our price to something more like what others have sold in my neighborhood, but they still only offer 84% of that and asked for a discount of just under 30,000. I was pretty insulted as they priced my house the same as the townhomes in my neighborhood which have no yard, hottub, or newer kitchen and bath.While I wanted to tell them to go F@#$ Off, my agent said to keep diaglog open, I should give them a counter. We gave them a counter off and then they gave us one. We were still 25,000 off. I decided at that price I could rent the house and make a killing on a single parent who wants their child in a killer school district. My agent even got frustrated with them as it didn't seem like they were basing their price on any local comparable.
We stopped talking to them as we had an open house to get ready for. Saturday I hired some day labors to cut out my brush and clean up my back yard. While it isn't perfect, it is a huge improvement. The day labor wasn't that expensive and we got 80% of what I wanted done complete for the open house.
Sunday's open house was good. We had to stage and sit it ourselves as our agent doesn't sit them and she couldn't find an agent to work it. So we got signs from her, put out the cookies, and my fiance worked the open house while I took the dogs. We had lots of positive people and 7 showings.
While building might seem overwhelming picking colors and options, it's nothing compared to the horrible experience it has been to sell a house.
Concrete!!
Friday night the lovely fiance and I headed to check out our lot. When I spoke with the PM mid week, he suggested they might have started framing on Friday, but most likely it would be Monday. The floor in the basement and garage was poured and smoothed. I-Beams arrived also and laid on the foundation but not installed. I found the steel shims but no posts to support the I-Beam that will go along the steeps.
We took some pictures and rushed home to clean and grab the dogs as an agent was showing the house. (Separate post on the home selling experience)
Enjoy the pictures
We took some pictures and rushed home to clean and grab the dogs as an agent was showing the house. (Separate post on the home selling experience)
Enjoy the pictures
SOMEONE LOST THEIR BELT
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Change, Change, Change
Yesterday I received an email from our PM asking for a good time to speak today. We set up a call for 9am to discuss my foundation concerns and questions. (See this blog entry for the problem: http://thelovelyladieslandon.blogspot.com/2015/08/foundation-concerns.html)
Our new PM basically told me the variance in my foundation is because of the HVAC change. Our Landon has a 1 furnace 2 zone system compared to the prior 2 furnace 2 zone Landon models. The prior model had 1 furnace in the basement and one in the attic which required less ductwork. Since we have 1 furnace that has to cover 2 zones, we have extra ductwork coming up from the basement. This requires more space and why our I-Beam structure support ends and doesn't sit on the foundation wall. Basically that space is needed to run a ductwork up to the 2nd floor. Ryan Homes makes sure the pipe support sits in a hole left in the concrete and is bolted to the I-Beam. While I would have rather had the I-beam sitting on the foundation, I confirmed with one of our architects that this is fine.
The diagonal wall was removed in the basement because it made the 3rd car garage too small to actually fit a model sized car. I know it is smaller and we planned to store our motorcycle there and our lawnmower. We lost a small amount of internal square footage but gained some usable space in the garage.
The new PM took his time to answer and explain things to me. It was much appreciated. Our sales rep noted that the marketing floor plans don't always match that of the actual floor plan. I think this is something Ryan Homes should work on, or at least point out differences in the pre-construction meeting.
Our new PM basically told me the variance in my foundation is because of the HVAC change. Our Landon has a 1 furnace 2 zone system compared to the prior 2 furnace 2 zone Landon models. The prior model had 1 furnace in the basement and one in the attic which required less ductwork. Since we have 1 furnace that has to cover 2 zones, we have extra ductwork coming up from the basement. This requires more space and why our I-Beam structure support ends and doesn't sit on the foundation wall. Basically that space is needed to run a ductwork up to the 2nd floor. Ryan Homes makes sure the pipe support sits in a hole left in the concrete and is bolted to the I-Beam. While I would have rather had the I-beam sitting on the foundation, I confirmed with one of our architects that this is fine.
The diagonal wall was removed in the basement because it made the 3rd car garage too small to actually fit a model sized car. I know it is smaller and we planned to store our motorcycle there and our lawnmower. We lost a small amount of internal square footage but gained some usable space in the garage.
The new PM took his time to answer and explain things to me. It was much appreciated. Our sales rep noted that the marketing floor plans don't always match that of the actual floor plan. I think this is something Ryan Homes should work on, or at least point out differences in the pre-construction meeting.
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