I thought you might like to see a few photos of the house. A lot of them were in a weird animated form that I couldn't save, but there are a few I can show.
See the beautiful kitchen? It's even nicer in person.
You can't tell in this photo, but the dining room is painted purple. Bonus!
Part of the reason why the living room is so bright is that there's a huge bay window just to the right of this photo. Also, note the fireplace. It's one of two.
And here's the foyer, with the lovely tile floor, and you can also see the wrought iron railing on the stairs. Which lead to another level of hardwood floors, with giant bedrooms, spacious closets, and two lovely remodeled bathrooms.
Plus, it's not just the floors and whatnot that have been redone. The house has two new furnaces, a new roof, a new electrical panel, new paint inside and out, and new pipes. Really, it's great. I'm only sorry I can't show you more photos.
We're going to take another look at this house, as well as at a similar house a few blocks away that costs $114,000 more, this weekend. We're in no rush, especially as our understanding is that nobody else is currently considering buying this house. We just want to get a feel for it and whether or not it should continue being a contender. We're going to take a lot of your advice and check out the house at different times of day, and talk with the neighbors. We're also going to look into measuring decibel levels and finding out more about possible air pollution.
Also, we talked to the real estate agent again and made it a bit more clear that we were still interested in the house, and she was very accommodating and also got us the contact information for the next-door neighbor, whom I will be calling. So perhaps I painted her in too negative of a light? I will always inherently be suspicious of any realtor, or anyone who works on commission, because they all have a vested interest in selling you this vs. that, and it's hard to know what to trust. But she is knowledgeable and helpful and now that she knows that we're interested in this house, she's being very useful. So for now, I think we'll likely stick with her.
We are definitely taking our time with this, and we're going to keep exploring other options as we go. But do the photos help you see why we love the house? Because really, we LOVE it. And the rooms not pictured are more of the same. I HEART.
Wow, the house is beautiful!!! I'm surprised it's still on the market.
ReplyDeleteI see why you love it. It's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
OMG what a fab house! I love it and I'm not even there! I understand the love for it even more now! Enjoy your house hunting!
ReplyDeleteRemember whatever you choose to get a good home inspector. We also had lead testing, radon testing, and termite inspection before we bought which helped with peace of mind. Especially with wanting kids in the near future.
It is BEAUTIFUL! Really REALLY nice :o)
ReplyDeleteThat's a gorgeous house! I know nothing about house hunting, but I wish you all the best.
ReplyDeleteIts gorgeous! Really and if its something that you both love, than you should go for it. Its good that you can take your time and look around so you dont have to rush into anything. But I think the bottom line is you're gonna have to go with your gut and look at how well that turned out with the dog. :-)Good luck in whatever you decide!
ReplyDeleteWow, that house is gorgeous! The kitchen is enough to sell me on it!!
ReplyDeleteThe house is really lovely. But, can I give you some additional, unsolicited advice from someone who has gone through the buying process a couple times? DO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH THE HOUSE. Until the keys are in your hands, this is a business transaction. There are entirely TOO MANY things that can go wrong. Your financing situation could change (no matter how set it looks now, the market is in flux, changing everyday). The inspection could turn up some huge red flags. The sellers could be bat crazy and not agree to your terms. Seriously, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. The first time I purchased a condo, I put in an offer and negotiated on a condo I didn't wind up buying. The second time around, Sweets and I really liked a condo enough to get our paperwork together - we didn't get that condo either. So, try to stay level headed about this process. There's a lot that goes into it and putting that much emotional weight on it is risky. Having said that, I'm pretty darn confident you and Torsten will wind up with SOMETHING that you love. =)
ReplyDeleteThis house looks great and it might be the right time to buy. Sometimes life nudges us to make big decisions. On the otherhand you have only lived in Denver for a month or less. You might want to wait a year to purchase a house. By then you would have lived in Denver and be more familiar with the city. Right now you are experiencing the honeymoon of moving to a new place.
ReplyDeleteOH! That is a lovely, lovely, LOVELY home. What a fantastic first buy... honestly, I'm at a loss as to what you'd have to DO, other than move your stuff in.
ReplyDeleteAnd the dining room is PURPLE? Girlfriend, that is FATE TALKING TO YOU.
I am drooling all over your pictures... you have more restraint than I because I probably would already have offered.
Good luck with whatever you decide... but I can SO see you guys there with Montana. Have fun with it!
A purple dining room?! C'mon, Jess, it's fate!
ReplyDeleteJust read all the other comments and am glad that there are rational people here in addition to my crazy, in-love comments.
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't fall in love with a house... but I sucked at that rule when shopping for my own and apparently suck at it for the experiences of others as well. :)
it looks amazing! i think it's good that you're not rushing into anything though.
ReplyDeleteWow, they've really done quite a bit with that house! The flooring and kitchen work looks really nice.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought, but, there might be other reasons why that house is particularly low-priced that has nothing to do with the freeway. Perhaps the heater is electric? Or the windows are really cheap and leaky? or they're in foreclosure? Anyway, I'd think it'd be worthwhile to see whether other houses next to freeways are also discounted so steeply.
I'm inclined not to paint your realtor as some evil, money-grubbing person either; I think the information she shared was real, and I think I'd value that a heck of a lot more than a realtor that doesn't have any opinion about anything, because dude! they have some experience!
Am jealous. It is beautiful, Jess. Just breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteDid I mention I am jealous? Because I am so jealous.
I have no helpful advice seeing as I'm a poor student who will likely be renting forever but I wish you luck and I hope you get whatever you want and what works best for you!
ReplyDeleteThat is a gorgeous house.
ReplyDeleteIf you're up for more advice, here goes. I've owned 3 homes, so I come with a bit of experience, and I was a real estate lawyer for 7 years. :)
Find out why the price is so low and it's still on the market. The listing agent can tell your broker that much. Maybe it's a short sale and buyers aren't interested in waiting around for the bank to approve it. Maybe it is a location thing for people (I have always lived where I could hear the highway until this house). Maybe it has a back history that is turning people off-at my last house, there had been a fire at one point and that turned a potential buyer away because she'd been in a fire as a child.
Get the details. Don't rush into anything. Make sure the house has what you need. The house that we're FINALLY selling after 3 years we bought because we had friends in the neighborhood, not because it was THE house.
There, my two cents.
GORGEOUS house!! haha, i can't believe the dining room is actually purple :-) are you not locked into a lease w/your apt?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you better buy that house quick before I come snatch it out from under you. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, this may just be the ridiculous California housing market talking, but OMG I'm moving to Colorado. A house like that here would cost in the millions. Are they hiring teachers there? Because that would confirm my decision.
That house is GORGEOUS!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! BUT - like others have said - stay at arms length from it until you have signed on the dotted line. All the best!!
ReplyDeleteWow! You better hurry up and buy it before I snap it up for myself! Oh wait... I live in Pittsburgh. :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, it's just lovely.
It's gorgeous! So now I'm like, who cares about the interstate? You can totally live with it!
ReplyDeleteIt does indeed look lovely. Which only makes the fact that it hasn't sold yet more baffling... What's WRONG with that house?? Odd. Anyway, I hope the additional research you're doing will help you out. The fact that the dining room is already purple for you does sort of seem like a sign, no?
ReplyDeleteOhh, it's lovely! I'll cross my fingers that everything works out for you.
ReplyDeleteWould you like opinions? I think you should buy it. There. That's my opinion.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'd stick with the realtor, too. I think that anything that's "wrong with" her (i.e., being in this job for money as opposed to for dear love) will be wrong with everyone else too.
I am Little Miss Opinions this morning, apparently.
Oh my God, I absolutely LOVE it! So beautiful. That kitchen, is just, there are no words... Good luck with the whole process - no matter what you decide to do. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful house!
ReplyDeleteOh my god I WANT. THAT. KITCHEN!!!
ReplyDeleteI know myself well enough to know that if I'm ever in the market to buy a house (or even a condo), the kitchen will totally be the selling point for me. When I drool with jealousy over my BFF's adorable old farm house, it's her kitchen that gets me every time.
The iron railings aren't too shabby either :)
WOW!
ReplyDeleteno pressure...
hahaha
Wow, I love the house. Especially the kitchen. I hope it all works out for you in the end!
ReplyDeleteIn case you didn't know, the government is giving a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers if you buy a house in 2009. That's always a huge incentive to buy - free money!
That kitchen. Wow. I have no words.
ReplyDeleteI see why the house has such appeal, despite it's potential pitfall. Good luck with the house hunt.
ReplyDeletethe house is beautiful!! i love it too.
ReplyDeleteIs the front entry door unusually wide? Or is that an effect from a wide-angle lens? Just curious, as it looks like a 5-6 ft wide door! Beautiful house :-)
ReplyDeleteTracy
The house is gorgeous. I think I could fit mine into the first floor. LOL
ReplyDeleteMy thought on houses -- now that I know what I like more anyway. I prefer ranch. I don't like having to go up and down the stairs for laundry. We don't have a basement so our laundry closet is first floor in the kitchen (and actually I don't mind that so much), but I hate having to lug it around on the stairs. Second, I don't ever want a big house. I don't like to clean and I don't want to be a slave to doing it. With two kids our 1200 sq. ft. place gets messy quite easily. I can't even imagine having something double or even triple this size to manage and I'm at home all day. (Of course, that's probably just me and I do procrastinate a lot!) Hardwood floors are wonderful. I very much prefer them with kids and dogs underfoot. I think the only other thing I would do differently is to have another full bath. We have 1.5. It's nice, but not quite enough.
Overall though, I don't think you could wrong with that house. I certainly think it would accomodate a family very nicely and be one of those homes that you could grow into for many, many years and quite possibly stay forever. :)
Can i live there? Really nice:)
ReplyDeleteI can totally see why you love it. I'm in love with those floors!
ReplyDeleteCan I have your house? Please? It's gorgeous, the kitchen especially!!!
ReplyDeleteLove that kitchen. Should not have looked at these pictures, as all day I will be in a state of House Want. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteOh, that kitchen is awesome. The kitchen is the only room I care about!
ReplyDeleteI would pay more for location and less house; A. would pay more for more/better house and crappy location.
We are going to have a BLAST house hunting later....
That house looks great. I really like the kitchen.
ReplyDeleteAck, it is BEAAAUUUTIFUL! *I* am considering buying it, and I don't even LIVE in Denver! That KITCHEN!
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are BEAUTIFUL! THAT KITCHEN!
ReplyDeleteLOVE the house!
ReplyDeletethat house is GORGEOUS!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Sounds like you're in a good place - not desperate and in a market that allows you to take your time. So exciting!
ReplyDeleteCan't think of any post as great as this one! Good job!
ReplyDeleteOkay, I seriously gasped when I saw that kitchen! If it were me it would've been one look at that and love at first sight!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!