Anybody here ever bought old farmhouse and fixed it up?

[Dargo]

Am I missing something on the potential value of some "old stuff"? I was making a final 'walk through' with another contractor friend of mine yesterday and he made me what I considered a really high offer for two french style doors with old leaded glass and glass door knobs that separate a family room from a "study" room. Do some old wood interior doors with old leaded glass in them bring good money? If so, I may sell them to him since I'd hate to rent the place out and have them torn up by some renter.

I'm now just waiting for some additional deed and title searches to come back. Although it's been in the same family since the 20's, some of the land had been deeded to children and back etc. I want to make sure all deeds and titles are clear and that I have proper title insurance before I buy the place. I guess I'll tear down several old chicken coops and some other livestock buildings that are in disrepair. I need to look into one odd building yet. It looks like an outhouse but is built with stone and block and has a steel door on it. I don't know what the heck it is. I don't see too many bullet proof out houses.

 

[riptides]

Am I missing something on the potential value of some "old stuff"? I was making a final 'walk through' with another contractor friend of mine yesterday and he made me what I considered a really high offer for two french style doors with old leaded glass and glass door knobs that separate a family room from a "study" room. Do some old wood interior doors with old leaded glass in them bring good money? If so, I may sell them to him since I'd hate to rent the place out and have them torn up by some renter.

Yes! Old stuff has value. Visit a rennovation/parts/restoration web site.

I'm now just waiting for some additional deed and title searches to come back. Although it's been in the same family since the 20's, some of the land had been deeded to children and back etc. I want to make sure all deeds and titles are clear and that I have proper title insurance before I buy the place. I guess I'll tear down several old chicken coops and some other livestock buildings that are in disrepair. I need to look into one odd building yet. It looks like an outhouse but is built with stone and block and has a steel door on it. I don't know what the heck it is. I don't see too many bullet proof out houses.

If you can salvage the wood and tin roof? People will look for boards and metal too.
A buddy of mine keeps asking what out building is coming down next, they make great tables.

 

[BungeeII]

Doors, glass and door hardware are pretty easy to find buyers for.

Depending on the lumber in the outbuildings, there may be an out for them, too. I went so far as to start a thread here at TBN about barn salvage because so many people say that the lumber is good, but you never find a buyer. Well, 2 local builder/neighbors wanted my barnwood and timbers for the exact same reason... To build "an old-looking shed" in the back yards of their clients. One also wanted the beams to build the frame for a sunroom off the back of their house.

I mention all that to say this, your builder could very well want that wood or know of another builder that would use it for an outdoor shed. That's all predicated on it all being "barnwood". If they're just ramshackle old storage buildings with T-111 or metal siding, rip 'em to shreds!

 

[Dargo]

Well, my deal is dead. I'm not buying the old farmhouse. This is the result of two things. The contractor I had go through the home with me the other day told me that something was bugging him and wanted to go back and look at something else. At first the sellers didn't want to allow it. WTH?! That wasn't going to fly. Finally they agreed to let us back in. The contractor wanted to get access to the portion of the house that was over a crawl space and not over a basement. What had bothered him was that the door going into that room just didn't look square to him. It opened and closed fine, but it just didn't look right.

When we got there he measured the door. Sure enough, the top of the door was a full 1/2" narrower than the bottom of the door! When we opened the small access hole to that crawl space we saw why. The crawl was extremely short and whoever installed the HVAC to that room (remember, this home was built in the 1920's) actually cut the floor joists all the way across that room, right down the center, to get the outlet to come out under the window at the far end of that room! Each joist was broken and about every 3rd joist had a piece of 2X4 wedged under it to keep the floor from falling down. OMG!!

When I asked the owners about this problem they apparently knew about it and got very defense and quite nasty. (Yeah, they are actually relatives on my wife's side too!!) Rather than offering to work with me on this problem they told me that they had someone else who'd just offered $500 more than me for the home and they had decided that they were going to sell to him anyway. The closing was supposed to be tomorrow!! Get this, they told me that they hadn't told me yet because the "other buyer" was still trying to get his money.

Needless to say, the entire deal came unraveled immediately. First, there were existing problem(s) they are aware of but failed to disclose. Second, they were low enough that they were going to delay the closing at the last minute, with my wife being a niece, in order to try to sell it to someone else for $500 more. And finally, their attitudes flipped like a light switch all at once when I uncovered this one problem. Their attitude was similar to one you'd expect if you slapped someone's mother. I have to wonder how many other little hidden jewels I didn't uncover.

They are so brash as to now relay to me that they may be willing to work with me if their other buyer can't get the money. Give me a break!! I'm more horrified that some of my wife's relatives are this low and dirty than anything. They literally feel that $500 more on the sale of a house is more important than their 45 year relationship with their niece. And to think, these people have been over to my home for family gatherings at least twice a year for the last 20 years! I'm in shock. It's more of how these people are than the old farmhouse. Heck, there's thousands of old farmhouses around. These are people I've not only had over as guests, but have done untold favors for and helped out. One had an illness a couple of months ago and I went out and spent an entire day mowing and trimming 12 acres for them and never asked for (nor would have accepted) a dime. I guess I'm glad I found out now how these people are before they got me for something really big. Man, can you believe such a thing?!

 

[Sigarms]

Glad things worked out for you.

I guess I'm glad I found out now how these people are before they got me for something really big. Man, can you believe such a thing?!

Don't feel alone. My wife cousin tried to sell me an AK. Asking price $600, his "buddies" gun. He knew nothing about the gun. He brought it over, nothing special about the gun, and then he admitted that the guy would take $350 or so for it after I told him the gun wasn't worth more than $400 (a couple of years ago needless to say). Kicker was, when this guy (wife's cousin) was out of work, I pulled some strings and lined up an interview for him. He blew off the interview off without even a phone call and pretty much made me look bad. Then he tries to bend me over on a gun sale?

Family, got to love them.

And to think, these people have been over to my home for family gatherings at least twice a year for the last 20 years!

Somehow I get the feeling that if they come over this year, you better not be there

 

[BungeeII]

Man, can you believe such a thing?!

Yes. They're there in every family, some you just have to dig further to find than others.

When the shock of it is over, I'm sure you'll be grateful that you dodged a bullet. I'm sorry the sellers were dishonest, but I'm glad you have a builder that is obviously concerned for you. Buy him a nice dinner.

 

[Dargo]

... but I'm glad you have a builder that is obviously concerned for you. Buy him a nice dinner.

Very good point! I'll be sure to do that.

Here's the real kicker, I just found out the rotten bastard who came in the day before the closing and offered $500 more for the home. You ready for this....











my wife's brother!! Gees! What a scumbag!!!

Now that I know what I do about the house, I hope the worthless deadbeat actually can get some bank to loan him the money. The rotten relatives sure won't tell him about the known problems and you sure as heck know I'm not about to. I suppose if gets it, it will be sweet revenge. Still, I don't know which I hope for the most; the rotten sellers get stuck with it or my scumbag BIL gets it. What's a guy to hope for??

 

[BobRip]

Do the right thing and tell your Brother-in-law. This problem needs to be fixed before they sell it.

 

[EddieWalker]

Dargo,

Interesting turn of events. I've seen allot of that chopping whatever is in the way to fit the ductwork in place on older homes. It's not so much the home, but the use of stiff ducts. The new, flexible stuff just goes around all the framing and there's no need to chop anything out of the way. I've spent allot of time rebuilding and coming up with ways to support the loads on those chop jobs. It's big money for me, but of course, the homeowner is always in disbelief to find out that the reason their sheetrock is cracking is because their roof is caving in on them.

What has your wife said about all this? Is she defending them or hinting that they will still be welcome at your home?

I've never been taken advantage of by family, but had an ex who's parents were big time thieves and at out at least twice week without paying for dinner. It was always too cold, didn't taste right or it was the wrong order. They always ate the meals, but the alsoa always come up with a reason why they shouldn't have to pay for it. After seeing this a few times, I refused to go out to eat with them. It was just too much for me.

While I'm sorry that you didn't get the house, I'm happy to hear that you got out of it and won't have to deal with the stress of finding everything wrong with the place, fixing it up, and then renting it to people who will just destroy it again. I just go through with a three week flea issue on a rental for a client. I tore out everything and cleaned, vacuumed, painted and sealed it up. She vacuumed and bug bombed it every day. Teminex and two local exterminators were out there twice a week spraying and dusting the place. With everything that had to be replaced, my pay and also paying Steph the same rate that I charge, materials and the treatments, it cost her ten grand to get it back into livable condition. It's real hard to make a profit on a rental when you get hit with a really bad problem caused by the last renter who snuck dogs into the place and then took off without paying the rent for two months.

Eddie

 

[riptides]

Here's the real kicker, I just found out the rotten bastard who came in the day before the closing and offered $500 more for the home. You ready for this....

I am sorry, but I busted out lauging, after following this thread. Not at you, for you are truely smarter than the rest of the lot. You just have to laugh it off, and let it go.
Which, I am sure, you already have......

That contractor you teamed with... smart guy. Now that is one person I'd like on my side.
Very smart of you...again.

All I can think of, 500 clams for all this grief. Incredible. Oh well... It worked out for YOU.