Everyone else who’s house hunting these days is probably seeing a lot of foreclosures for sale like we are. We’ll admit we were torn about whether or not we wanted to consider them. It’s one thing to buy a home from a willing seller, but to take a home that someone else didn’t want to lose seems so sad. Especially given all of the recent issues coming to light about houses being foreclosed on when they shouldn’t have been. But we decided to tour this one, even though it was a little outside of our comfort zone, just to see what it looked like inside (since the outside was pretty charming indeed).
THE STATS:
- Age: 1960
- Home size: 2,659 square feet
- Lot size: 0.4 acres of land
- Bedrooms: 4
- Bathroom: 2.5
THE PROS:
- Extremely inexpensive
- In need of TONS of work (which is a plus for us)
- Slate roof and gorgeous hardwood floors throughout
- Nice private backyard
- Great neighborhood (near family and awesome schools)
THE CONS:
- Smells heavily of smoke inside
- Sagging drywall in nearly every room (re-doing drywall isn’t as fun as most DIY projects)
- It’s huge (and we prefer a more modest footprint that’s easier to clean)
- Can’t be purchased with a contingency (meaning we’d have to sell our house before putting in an offer)
- Foreclosures can be a good deal, but they make us sad (and may even be a liability given the murmurings of “foreclosure fraud”).
So even though the pros seemed to balance out the cons (in numbers, at least) we just couldn’t get past how virtually uninhabitable it would be while we tried to fix the drywall and rid it of the heavy smoke smell. It’s certainly not something we’d want to move Clara into before that (and since we’d have to sell our house before even making an offer, we would most likely have to figure out interim housing which seems complicated and unnecessary if we can persue other homes that will accept a contingency instead). But we’re glad we toured it just to know what’s inside and rule it out as an option for us. After all, every house that we enter without getting that “this is it” feeling means we get to cross it off the list, which hopefully brings us closer to The One.
Psst- Help! Over on BabyCenter we’re calling all moving experts for tips and tricks to help keep our upcoming move organized and efficient- especially since we’ll have an under-a-year-old baby along for the ride. Any varsity movers with advice for keeping things as uncomplicated as possible! Share them right here.
Kate says
I live in Michigan & I know a lot of people are forclosing on purpose as a way to walk away from a house that isn’t worth it to them anymore, or becuase they can get a better deal on a better suited house.
I am wondering how you tour houses without a realtor. Do you have a buyers realtor or plan to go through the sellers’?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Kate,
We have been touring a lot of homes with the seller’s agent because we haven’t engaged a buyers agent yet (although we’re open to that possibility if the situation calls for it). We’ll keep you posted!
xo,
s
Denise says
Our house was an interesting forclosure situation. The previous owners had purchased a larger house and since they were unable to sell this one, they just stopped making payments on it.
Hannah says
The Smoke would definitely be a no go for us BUT – we bought a foreclosure 2 years ago and it was a GREAT experience. The previous owners were less than ethical and it was a rare occasion when you felt bad for the bank as they tried to pull a fast one. Our purchase could not have easier and the bank could not have been more willing to work with us both on schedule and price. We got an AMAZING deal and are thrilled. I would certainly not discount foreclosures.
katy says
I’m in Phoenix, AZ and it’s Forclosure City out here. When we were house hunting we discoved in several homes that the owners had removed many features of their homes including: light fixtures, ceiling fans, doors, appliances, copper pipes, remotes for the garage, etc. And oftentimes they DID leave stuff that they didn’t feel like packing with them or deeming their job to throw out. In one room, there was little girl stuff everywhere, like Dora toys…it was so depressing. Like they left with a moments’ notice. My friend recently was house hunting in a neighborhood with 15 foot ceilings…and in one particular home every single door had been removed. She wouldve bought that house, but couldnt imagine the cost of replacing all those tall doors. It’s just complete craziness what some people do.
Karla @ {TheClassyWoman} says
The smell of smoke would have sent me outside of the house as soon as I walked in. It’s definitely a deal breaker for us. We also like a smaller home to clean too. :)
susan says
You were wise to pass on the smoke smell house. We owned a large house in Florida that didn’t smell like smoke when we bought it but every once in a while I could smell smoke in the family room. Very strange. susan
Nicole says
Go for it!!! As long as you can get rid of the smoke smell! The size won’t seem that big once you get in. We have a 2800 sq ft home built in 1900 and don’t ever feel like there is too much square footage. It’s really not that much to clean either :)
Lauren says
Oh, gross! I can’t even stand rental cars or hotel rooms that smell of smoke – who knows how long it’d take to get out of a house! Especially with winter coming when you don’t want to open up windows.
Nota Supermom says
We bought our house just short of being foreclosed on ten years ago.
I like to think we made the house a happy one again.
An ozone machine gets rid of smoke smell pretty effectively. We used one when I worked for a property management company.
Keri says
I’m loving reading about your house hunt. I’m sure the right house is out there and can’t wait to see what you guys find!!
Misty says
My fiance and I just recently purchased a forclosure home that was a great great deal. I also felt sad about it at the time, but we researched and found that the previous owners lived just down the street. We found the nerve to speak with them about the home and they helped settle our nerves about the whole situation and in the end they were very excited to see our family purchase the home! They have came over and visited their former home and they are excited seeing the changes that we are making. They say they are happy to see a young couple giving the home facelift and really enjoy it! That has helped up tremendously! Good luck with your house hunt…
Michelle says
I definitely have to weigh in on this one! I love your blog, John and Sherry and am a big fan – but have to admit the way this post was written was slightly offensive to me.
We bought a foreclosure last year and even have a blog about it – http://www.ourdreamforeclosure.com. By the time a home reaches the foreclosure status, the buyer is fine. It’s the person who walked away who may need to worry. (It’s short sales that are the scariest prospects.) In our situation, the previous homeowners also owned a small business. They’d taken out several loans against their mortgage to invest in their business – and got to a point where they had to choose – home or business? They chose their business. We don’t feel bad for them at all. We got a GREAT house at a GREAT price that was move-in ready, but has just enough DIY projects to keep us busy for a long time. They got to save their business and are renting another home down the street. Their financial troubles meant that our house was an eyesore – specifically the landscaping – when we took her over. But now, we’ve completely changed it, updated it and she’s among the prettiest on the block – a definite plus for our neighbors and the neighborhood as a whole.
I admit, I’m not the most sensitive person in the world – but I don’t think you should feel bad about purchasing a home that other people weren’t able to keep because of poor financial decisions. You need to put your family first and make the best investment for yourself. Our economy also needs responsible people like you to step up and buy these properties and fix them up. I would love to see you guys get a foreclosure and hope you reconsider (not necessarily this one – but maybe the next!).
Still a fan,
Michelle :)
Meredith K A says
When we were house-hunting, home in a nearby neighborhood that we had looked at when we first moved to PA, but which had then been taken off the market (plus we ended up deciding to rent for a year or so anyway while we saved up more money for a down payment) went back up for sale at $40k LESS than the previous price, which not only made it well within our range, but also much less expensive than the other houses in the neighborhood. We drove by to see it even though it wasn’t the exact neighborhood we were looking at, just because it was SO CUTE from the outside, and the main reason for not looking in that neighborhood was how pricey the houses were for their size.
We weren’t likely to get the house even if we had wanted it, because it was so well-priced that it already had 2 offers, and we were in no position to try to out-bid anyone.
However, once we saw the inside we wouldn’t have offered anyway: we might have worked with the very small size because of the awesome hardwood everything and how quaint it was (plus the full finished basement helped), but the big turn-off factor, and the reason I’m telling you this long story, is that the entire house smelled like 50 years of impossible-to-remove smoke. I am convinced that we would have had to replace all the drywall and remove all carpet AND have it professionally cleaned a few times before we would have been rid of the smell, and we weren’t willing to go through all that hassle and cost, so it was out of the running anyway. I’m almost glad, though, because without that major downside, it would have nagged me what could have been if we had tried to make an offer to compete with the other two!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Michelle,
We definitely didn’t mean to offend you! Our blog is just a place where we share how we feel about things. Of course opinions vary so we don’t expect everyone to agree with everything we say or feel, and we understand that people have different points of view and experiences. To each his (or her) own!
And there were definitely big deal breakers like the smoke smell and the sagging drywall that immediately made us feel like this wasn’t the house for us- it definitely was a combination of factors!
xo,
s
Debby says
Random question. How did you distort the house photo to look like a painting? I’d love to do that and frame it. We just bought our first home this summer and can understand the emotion of the house hunt. We looked for over a year and finally found “the one.” Be patient, you’ll find your diamond in the rough. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Debby,
We used photoshop to alter the picture. It’s a filter called “paint daubs” which can be found under “filters” and “artistic.” Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Jen says
To those who are saying that the foreclosed properties need to be sold to help get them off the market, I’m sure for every buyer like Sherry and John who don’t want a foreclosure, there are a few more who will only buy a foreclosure so they get the “best deal.” Buying non-foreclosures helps out the homeowners who are current and just want a fair price for their house, which could possibly prevent another owner from losing their house! I think as long as people are buying, the market will benefit no matter what they’re buying.
verucaamish says
And this is the moment I totally heart you two. Your basic sense of decency is totally inspiring. Foreclosures really are a tragedy and the fact you see that is amazing. On the flip side, the longer a foreclosure stays unbought, the bigger the impact it has on house values in the neighborhood (not to mention it keeps on getting more decrepit). But yay empathy!
Suzanne says
There are a lot of pros on this one. Like you said, given the right set of cirumstances, I know you’d move into somewhere else while you got it to a certain point if that was the best decision for all of you. Too many pros not to keep this one on the short list! IMHO.
Blair R says
Are there any websites you are using to find homes for sale; or are you merely driving around areas of interest? My husband and I are going to start looking for our first home in the next couple of months, but we’re not sure what the best way of finding houses on the market is.
YoungHouseLove says
We use realtor.com, a zillow app on my iPhone, and craigslist for the most part. We also love just driving around and exploring new neighborhoods and seeing the exterior “in person” as opposed to on the computer. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Elizabeth says
I would totally love anyone who bought any foreclosed home in my neighborhood and brought it back to life.
Karen M. says
I think everyone is getting stuck on the smoke smell. You are just checking all the options that are out there. You didn’t say you were going to buy the house.
Naomi says
Hmmm…I’m probably the lone commenter that feels this way, but: While I realize that there are sad circumstances surrounding *some* foreclosures, the majority of them are simply because people live beyond their means and refuse to admit it (saving face, dontcha know!) until they’re in arrears.
Clearly that house isn’t for you (sagging drywall and smoke smell), but don’t let capitalizing on a situation make you feel bad.
Sarah says
My husband Mark and I bought a foreclosure in February of this year. It had been sitting empty for almost a year and the neighbors were all extremely happy to have it occupied. It took months of sweat equity before we could move in and it was worth every second. In our city, competition is high for first time buyers in the under 300k price range. We spent a year getting outbid on houses (even when offering up to 50k over asking price). I feel so blessed and happy every time I walk into my house and I want you both to feel the same way. Follow your instincts and intuition and you will find just what you are looking for. I will just pray you don’t experience any of the bidding war situations that we went through. Best wishes and good luck to your family.
Debbie says
As pretty as the house looks, I would never be able to have a house that big. For one, I’m with you guys on not wanting to clean that large of a house. Plus, large house are creepy to me unless you have a large family.
With our house, it didn’t smell like smoke, but all the walls have the residue on them. We didn’t notice it when we first moved in, but it is a pain to get off. Even though we scrubbed the bathroom walls, if we forget to open the window when taking a hot shower we get yellow runs down the walls. Very ugly and gross… We are hoping when we repaint it will get rid of it.
Vivian says
Hi Youngsters. I am curious why you think 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bath sounds too big. Although 2,600 sq ft is pretty roomy… I think it sounds like you would eventually need that wiggle room. You can use 1 room as the master, 1 as an office, 1 for Clara, and 1 as a guest bedroom again. And then when a second bambino comes along, you can move the guest bed out and have a second room for him/her. And with 2 kids (down the line) and lots of guests in and out, 2.5 baths sounds like a good idea. Unless you plan to move to a larger space again when you have more kids… I wouldn’t mind seeing another project house after this one. :) Best of luck on the search.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Vivian,
I think everyone has different ideals when it comes to house size, but we love living small and simple and cleaning less of a monstrous casa. Of course we might end up with a house this big and love it, but when we walked in we knew this one wasn’t the one for many reasons. So our eyes are peeled for something a bit smaller and less smoky and saggy (in the drywall department). I guess there really are a ton of factors, so size alone wouldn’t be a deal breaker if we fell in love with something that met a lot of our other parameters.
xo,
s
renee says
Looks like a winner to me. The smoke will be gone once carpet and paint are replaced. You will likely need to contract out the drywall, which is not a big deal. You can turn your sad feeling into a better one when you consider that you are actually helping the homeowner, who will be in a much better position if you buy it opposed to the bank taking it. The short sale will help the owners avoid forclosure. I’m sure if you asked them they would be saying “Yes! Please buy it!” I hope this gives you a more positive perspective on this property. Sounds like the location is ideal, being that it is close to loved ones. You’ll have to ponder it some more!
Amber says
My home was a foreclosure. While I do feel sorry for the owners that lost their home, I don’t regret my purchase. It is making a great first home for myself. If it were not due to the fact that it was a foreclosure, I would not have been able to buy a home. Instead, would still be living at home with the family. I don’t think you should rule out foreclosure’s in general. If you find “the one” that is, would you walk away? I see the cons’ in this home, but think it is a great idea to keep an open mind (which I know you guys seem to do).
Nyssa says
QUOTE ME! “That’s what she said” makes me laugh every time.
Nik says
Totally not related to this post…have you blogged about introducing Clara to solids yet? I have a four month old and will be giving solids in the next few months. I am toying with the idea of making my own baby food and was just wondering what some other new parents were doing. If you are making your own, what are some of the resources you suggest (cookbooks, freezer trays, food mills, etc.).
Thanks for the constant inspiration.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Nik,
We haven’t started yet (we’re waiting for Clara to hit 6 months) but we do plan to DIY some babyfood (mashing bananas and pureeing avocados and sweet potatoes although we haven’t purchased any books yet). We might just google around for “recipes” and rely on experts like John’s sister (a mother of three).
xo,
s
Kaitlyn says
My husband and I went through 3 homes before deciding to purchase our current property. The first was being used as a rental property on a very busy road and it was tough to picture ourselves in the house. The family renting the property was there while we toured, and I immediately just felt terrible about the whole thing.
The second was a foreclosure and had been stripped of toilets, copper pipe, faucets, etc. It also had several broken windows in the basement where people were breaking in. And the carpet had been colored by magic marker. It was in our price range, but the bank would never have approved our loan given the amount of money we would have to put into the house just to live there.
The third house was perfect. It was a great size and a great price. After we finished looking through, the agent told us it was a short sale. She had purposely left that detail off the listing, counting on our emotions to carry us through the decision to move forward. She told us that the family before us consisted of a mother, aunt, and daughter and that two of the women had died, leaving the daughter incapable of paying for the house. She insisted that purchasing a short sale was helping her instead of letting it get foreclosed and going to a sheriff’s auction. Well, her plan worked, we were too attached and we decided to move forward. The entire process was horrendous–we had to pay some of the seller’s past due bills to get utilities turned on so we could have the inspection, and there was no room to negotiate on things needing fixed or replaced. The entire process from start to finish took nearly 5 months, and I will never do it again. Sure, we love our house but by the end we were starting to resent it! Buyer beware.
Kristen says
Down the road when we start looking for our *hopefully* forever home, a home that smells of smoke is a definite deal-breaker. The house we own now belonged to smokers. While we have successfully gotten rid of the smells, there are certain rooms in the house (mostly bathrooms) where the walls still “bleed” nicotine, despite using KILZ primer.
Alina says
Our favorite moving tip: pack a box that you take with you in the car – have place settings/paper products for you both and baby, a phone, towels, toilet paper, toiletries, sheets for the bed, water and snacks – if you have it out the last days you are packing, you’ll think of other stuff to toss in, like vitamins for a day or two, etc. Makes it easy to not have to look through a bunch of boxes.
And, as organized as you guys are, this probably isn’t an issue, but NEVER pack a box of things you “aren’t sure you want to get rid of” with the intent of sorting it when you get to the new place – won’t happen!
Good luck – it’s so fun to witness all of this vicariously!
Katherine M. says
My husband and I bought a foreclosure a couple of years ago. Initially, I was hesitant to even look at them for the exact same reasons you are. We bought the house and after doing a little online research (It’s amazing/scary what you can find out about people on Facebook, Linkedin, etc!) and seeing certain pieces of the previous owner’s mail delivered, I felt better about it. We also spoke with a few neighbors who know him. It seemed pretty obvious the previous owner liked living beyond his financial means.
Alyssa says
I’m getting the feeling that you guys have already found “the one” and are further along in the process of selling your house than your letting us know (for now). Since this is your business, I understand not giving it all to your avid readers (like myself :) at once, but I thought your goal was to blog more in real time. Can you blame us for being so anxious? It’s like watching an episode of House Hunters then having to wait till next week to find out which house they picked. Either way, I’m sure the wait will be worth it – as it always is!
YoungHouseLove says
As of today we have definitely not sold our house or bought a new one. We’ll definitely tell you when we do!!!
xo,
s
Jenny says
Just wanted to say that our house was a foreclosure, and it had been vacant for two years. We don’t really know what the story was, but I look at it as a good/happy thing. We got to save the house, which was becoming pretty rundown, and our neighbors sure are happy that we’ve fixed it up and that it isn’t just a vacant house anymore. When I’m outside watering or picking weeds, people always walk by and tell us how happy they are that we bought it. :)
Jeanne says
Wow. All the hub-bub over the mere mention the “F” word.
I don’t think that’s what you meant to do. (But, I think’s it’s okay to have a pang of sadness over seeing a lived in house go)
…so…Focusing back on THE HOUSE HUNT, The smoke thing gagged me. Too bad. Pulling down the drywall and redoing it would be a total drag, and expensive.. smelling the old musty smoke the whole time. Call the realtor and fill us in on the next one!
Lorna says
Smoke is a major problem. Years ago we toured a house that had been owned by heavy smokers. Everything soft had been removed (carpet, drapes, doormats, shower curtains, toilet paper, everything!), the hardwood floors and been professionally cleaned (but not refinished), and every surface that could be painted had been primed and painted. The smell of smoke was still unmistakable.
I would also be very leery of sagging drywall. That’s either caused by damp (think mold you can’t see) or by improper construction (the wrong thickness of drywall for the stud spacing. Both are major headaches.
I think you’re very wise to give this one a wide berth.
mp says
i think you made a good choice when it comes to the smoke smell. i work in commercial interiors/architecture and i once worked on an executive office of an small family business where the woman who previously used the office was a heavy smoker. even after we ripped it down to just concrete and metal studs it still had an intense smoke odor. sometimes that isn’t as easy as new drywall and flooring.
Kathy Z says
I saw from a previous comment that you guys are mostly using Zillow. When we bought our house we used redfin.com
We loved, loved, loved this website. It has a ton of information and I loved how it was organized. I mean, it’ll even tell you the flooring in each of the rooms. I found it to be updated faster than most other sites. My realtor always thought it was funny that I would have driven by a place even before he sent it to me. :) It only covers the area around a dozen or so major cities – but Atlanta is one. We bought about 30 miles outside of Chicago, so it covers all kinds of suburbs. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip Kathy! We’ve heard great things about Redfin.com but it sadly doesn’t cover our area!
xo,
s
Carey Christensen says
The smoke alone is reason to pass this one by. My husband and I almost bought a home with a faint trace of a smoke smell. After consulting with my son’s dr. and the American Lung Assoc. (he has lung issues), they strongly encouraged us NOT to purchase the home. They said nicotine remains can stay in walls/floors, etc. for years and can be a health hazard, especially to small children. Good decision to pass this one up. :) Good luck, guys!
Jaime says
QUOTE ME!!
Love love LOVE this site!!!
Melissa says
Smoke (like animal smells) is nearly impossible to totally get rid of. Our house had a slight smokey aroma when we moved in. The previous owner (93 years old) smoked in the kitchen and screen porch, but the smell was definitely there. Even after pulling out all of the carpet, taking down all of the window treatments, painting every inch of the house, redoing all of the floors, and even adding an addition doubling the size of the house – we STILL smell it a teeny tiny bit after coming back from a long vacation. But, I would take that smell any day of the week over an animal smell. Both nasty though. Good choice to walk away! As you said before, you’ll know it when you see it. Don’t give up on the foreclosed homes becuase
Wehaf says
As Cati said, TSP will work wonders on the smell of smoke clinging to paint. Remember that the ceilings will need to be scrubbed as well as the walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trisodium_phosphate
Ashley @ A {Blonde's} DIY Life says
Oh that is such a charming picture of the outside! But totally would have nixed it too, nicotine can cause such bad health problems!
Ashley T says
I highly recommend a foreclosure but find one in fair condition unlike this one. :-) I purchased my first home as a foreclosure, single female, 20s and redid most of it by myself. There isn’t an inch of the walls I didn’t paint or floors I didn’t paint (urine), baseboards replaced and/or painted, floors replaced, all new appliances, etc. It looks nothing like when I bought it and you’d never know it was a foreclosure by looking at it or how little I spent to redo it.
And I would do it all over again.
Mer says
I know it’s wrong of me, but I want you guys to get a huge house just so there’s tons and tons and tons of renoing!
GreenInOC says
I don’t think I would have even toured the house with a nicotine smell!!
I understand your sentiment about buying a foreclosure.
On the other side of the coin, one foreclosure can beget additional foreclosures, as the foreclosure reduces the appraisal value of the other homes – especially a foreclosure not selling – making them hard/impossible to sell. So, buying a foreclosure gets if off the market and helps start the process of increased home values for the neighborhood.
I did buy a foreclosure 14 years ago. The previous owners showed up about 6 years ago and they were thrilled that I got a good deal. They had bought, sold and bought again since them. They said that at the time it was stressful but that in the end it was the best thing for them.
If I ever by another house, I will look into purchasing additional Title Insurance in light of the foreclosure title issues coming to light. Even in you don’t purchase a foreclosure you could be buying one a couple of sales back.
Good luck in your search!
Lauren says
I remember reading before that you guys want a relatively flat, fenced backyard but do you have any requirements on the lot size? Is there anything you would pass over as too small (in your opinion)?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lauren,
John actually would prefer less lawn to mow so we would definitely go for a modestly sized yard. We do like privacy from our neighbors (just so they can’t look out their yard and see what we’re grilling up for dinner on the patio, hehe) so we care more about layout and privacy than size.
xo,
s
laura says
Hi Guys! I can see your fear at sagging drywall but don’t let smoke smell scare you away, a good primer should be able to fix it and you can get a good deal because of that. We bought a couch that stunk like smoke, but with some deep-cleaning we ended up with a beautiful comfortable couch for $80!
Jessica says
I have to say…. Very few homes have been foreclosed incorrectly. The majority of problems with the foreclosures is that they had incorrect bank officials signing documents. The homeowners would have been foreclosed upon regardless. I spend my days investigating loans that have been foreclosed upon. 75% of them involved some sort of misrepresentation by the borrower. I can’t tell you how many people have falsified their mortgage documents, lied about being owner occupied, made up employers, etc. It’s no wonder they lost their homes. If you lie about making $100,000 a year, that’s your problem. I can’t tell you how many people just walk away from their homes. They have been using the current economic situation as an excuse. I work for a VERY large bank and the amount of borrowers who have been offered loan modifications is enormous. The majority of those who have been offered them either turn them down or make a payment or two and go right back to not paying their loans. Everyone wants to blame the banks but there are A LOT of deadbeats abusing the already backed up system to live rent free for up to two years.
There are certainly hard luck stories out there but I don’t want you to continue thinking that you are taking over something that somebody loved so much. Foreclosures are a great way to get a good deal and help restore neighborhood’s appearance and value.
Em says
Such a bummer that it smelled, especially since you liked the location so much.
With regards to foreclosures/short sales…I know people that are trying to reach foreclosure or short sale their house simply because “it isn’t worth what we paid for it”. Ridiculous. You signed your name, you agreed to pay the amount. So much for financial responsibility, huh? Not all people who do a foreclosure or short sale are innocent.