Garages and Bathrooms: Somebody Doesn't Get It

We've been house hunting and hunting and hunting in northern Illinois / southern Wisconsin since May. We're finally going to close on one this coming Monday (OMG. FINALLY. We've been trying to buy this silly house since JULY ... but I'll leave that frickin'-frackin' story for another time.) We've seen lots of houses. And I do mean lots. Now, I've lived in Colorado for the past 30-some years, and many of these midwestern houses confuse me.

First, understand that we're looking in the "starter home" price range. Meaning cheap. Having just gotten out of 26+ year marriages, being newly married, and having 3 kids in college tends to put a bit of a damper on finances. So we look at simple "3 beds, 2 baths, with a garage" houses. Easy, right?

Apparently not. What's with the dearth of garages and bathrooms, you guys? For instance, here's one. The ad reads:

Home is excellent condition. Corner fireplace in Living Room. Spacious deck nicely shaded by all the trees. 4 bedrooms. 2 bathrooms. Extra deep 1 car garage.




A 1 Car Garage? For a 4 bedroom home? Only 1 person in this family has a car? And what's with this 'extra-deep' thing? Is is a tandem garage? "Honey, you pull in first, I'll pull in second, and if you have to leave earlier than I do, we'll just go out and play leapfrog with the vehicles."

Many of the houses in the midwest are 40-60 years old. I know the lots aren't always big enough to accommodate a garage. But, even when they have enough land, they still don't install a garage.

Cottage retreat, first time offered! 4 bedroom, 1 bath, on 3 wooded lots. 940 sq. ft of cozy living space. Lake rights included.




4 bedrooms, but only 1 bathroom? Honey, at my age, if there's more than one person in the house, you need 2 bathrooms. The sprawling 940 sq. ft of living space isn't doing much for me either.

3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths! --- but is this not the ugliest house in existence? It looks like some sheet-metal-sided industrial building. Woof. Strangely enough, the inside is beautiful. Here, quick, go look for yourself before the link expires. Now, the house is built on a hill and has no garage ... and no parking spaces except on the curved street out front (we drove over and looked). The backyard is way too steep for a helicopter landing pad, so I'm not sure what you're supposed to do with your car? Park it in the street for Drivers' Ed target practice? Sell it and parachute in?

Great 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with lake rights. Vaulted tongue and groove wood ceilings in Kitchen, Dining, and Family Room. Granite Countertops, SS appliances, double sided fireplace. Finished Walkout Basement with bar and another fireplace. 2 Large decks on both levels. MUST SEE.

One more garage oddity. My hubby isn't puzzling over this, but I sure am.

On houses ranging from the 1950s -- 1980s, we keep seeing a small garage door built right next to the big garage door. There's already a small door inside the garage leading to the back yard.

What's the purpose of this additional front door, a mere 15 feet from the front entrance?

Great Realtors (Are Tough to Find)

Got a great realtor? It's a challenge, I tell you. Like finding a good doctor, a compassionate dentist, or even a trustworthy lawyer. (Wait. Is there such a thing?)

I'm in the middle of buying a house now in northern Illinois, and the realtor I have currently ... well ... let's just say we refer to him as "The Slug". He's non-communicative, uninformed, uncaring, and does nothing useful that I can see. He didn't even find us the house we're trying to buy: WE found it. He was just the warm body the local real estate office sent out. I can't imagine how the man's stayed in business this long. No, I won't name him. Maybe later -- if and when this house purchase ever goes thru.

However, if you're looking to buy in either Colorado or Wisconsin, I envy you. The Slug makes me really miss these competent gals I had before.

First up is Marianne Smith of Homesmith Real Estate/Metro Brokers. Looking for a place to buy in the Denver metro area? Or all over Colorado, for that matter. She's been my realtor since 1998, helping me buy 2 houses, one of which was a hair-tearing this-is-taking-forever short sale. Just last month she helped me sell that same house to my kids. She got me through all of it and I'm still sane. I love Marianne.

The second is Jane Dulisse of Shorewest Realtors. if you're looking to buy in southern Wisconsin (Rock, Walworth, Kenosha or Racine counties) this is definitely who I would choose. Jane's been helping me and hubby house hunt since last May, from 1,000 miles away no less. Unfortunately, after viewing 89,000 houses, we still didn't find one we liked. :-/

The reasons I love these women: First and foremost, they listen. Isn't that amazing? They will point out the good, the bad and the ugly about the properties you look at, but they won't try to weasel you into something you don't want. Both women are also patient, driving you all over kingdom come to look at homes. They're smart, they're savvy, and they have a lively sense of humor. And we all know a little humor is a essential when you're house-hunting.

Happy Home Search! Tell 'em I said hi!

Hickory Ridge Apartments: Schmucks To The End

Or, as they're now called, The Landings at Buckley. La-di-dah, but a name change isn't going to improve the place. The complex has changed management companies at least 3 times in the past 5 years. None of those helped, either.

I used to live in these Aurora, Colorado apartments, during and just after my divorce. They weren't great, they weren't awful. They've always been pretty slow replacing or fixing stuff. My sons have had a rusted dishwasher and broken closet doors since 2007. (Yes, the maintenance guys have been there. They keep saying "the dishwasher runs" or "the closet's been fixed" and run out the door.) Anyway, I would rate this complex as .... so-so. I've since had cause to retract even that faint praise.

As I said, I've long since moved out, but my sons still live there. It's been nearly 5 years now. They're quiet, pay their rent on time, they're hardly ever home (always at school or work), and they don't own pets; in short, the perfect tenants. In fact, when we went into the leasing office, no one knew who they were. The manager had to look them up on the computer to make sure they really lived there. It was sort of amusing.

We went to the see said manager to ask if there might be any leeway on breaking their lease 1-2 months early? Sons wanted to buy my house (I had to move to the midwest). We wanted to know if maybe we could do something simple, like pay an extra month's rent, because they'd been there so long and been so well-behaved and all that jazz.

The manager, Holly, said: Sure they can break their lease -- for a $1500 early termination fee. Plus since the complex give Sons a discount every year for resigning a lease, they'd also owe us $125 for every month, from the beginning of their last signed lease, until the day they move out. (Feb 1st -- Nov 30th: 10 months x $125 = $1250) I said, now wait a minute. $2750 for breaking the lease TWO MONTHS early? Yes ma'am. She was very firm about it. No budging, no deals, no leeway.

Even if the guys stayed until the 11th month, the same outrageous fees would apply.

I called the district manager. Same answer. Only ruder.

The other issue was the the $800 deposit Sons have on file. The management wouldn't let any of that apply to these utterly ridiculous charges. (Hickory Ridge currently charges a $99 deposit.)

I pleaded with both women. Have a heart. I know these fees are in the lease my sons signed, but your complex has enough crummy tenants, with drunken fights in the parking lot, shootings (in the apt below my sons, summer 2010), noisy evictions, drug dealings, etc., etc. ... yes? They readily agreed. I went on: So if you're trying to change your image, wouldn't you be willing to work something out? Some little bit of consideration for 5 years and no headaches? Get a good word of mouth review, two happy tenants, one happy mother?

But, nope. Nada. No way, Jose. So, I'm writing this to say, Stay Away. Rent someplace else. You'll thank me later.