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In A Tessa House

Catia

Well-Known Member
I loved Dr Seuss's "In a People House"

I've had a bug up my ass lately to get the heck out of this crappy neighborhood--which IS the HOOD.

It is the 1st house I ever bought & it was seedy back then, but I was younger, my dog was big & what OTHER people thought as scary or mean looking...
And people thought I was crazy.
...A neighbor once walked into my house without knocking, at night, & he got one hell of a scare, with a 9mm-so neighborhoods being what they are--news travels-no one bothered me, or would even walk up my steps :)
Moving back was temporary, got me slightly closer to work, but sometimes I feel like I am going to get stuck here if I don't fight my way out with everything I've got.





So it's had me thinkin--What's in a Tessa house???

I'm thinking it's a tiny house, bungalow like, but-with a decent yard.
But it's got to be an easy yard to maintain.

I've been running around for the past month looking for a better place for Tessa, & a better place for me.

Google maps is a killer tool to use when house searching/neighborhood sleuthing.
You can find nooks from the satellite view you never knew existed.

So that's what I've been looking for--a nook-a house in a spot no one really would look to buy a house.
On a dead end, on the side of a country road, abutting a cemetery, down in a a ravine--the places no one mainstream looks.

I've looked in bad neighborhoods in nooks & crannies no one goes & good neighborhoods too.
In the city, the borough, the country...

I've got a system, not sure how to explain it, but it's there.
I'm looking for an old house CHEAP that needs little, in a place that isn't at risk for gentrification, cuz I don't wanna be taxed out,
I want to be close enough to walk to some 'action' or park or trails
somewhere I can walk my pooch without hood rat mongrel pitbulls everywhere.
Tessa doesn't seem worried, but *I* am...too many attacks have happened around here.
And lately there's been gunfire, within walking distance from my house, & both occurred while I was out walking Tessa.
So, the bug is planted firmly in my ass to move.
A neighborhood with few welfare recipients, & no projects, & little or no section 8 neighbors, that isn't gonna cost me out the whazoo.
Also, I want to be closer to work, which makes this task REALLY difficult.

So I need to be on the edge of something.

Right now I'm on the edge of sanity.
I'm offering ridiculously LOW prices, cuz I don't have much to work with.

I've got someone who is biting on an offer, sort of...
They came down quite a bit, but countered my offer, but keep sticking just a few thousand out of my range.
I'm sticking to my guns...calling their bluff, because, well, it's all I got.
& I'm sick to my stomach because I've had quite a few houses slip through my fingers lately.
Each one has been a little better than the last too, & I feel like this one ***IS IT***

It's a Tessa House.

The yard isn't huge, but it's 1/3 acre

What's in a Tessa house????
4 1/2 rooms of ***LOVE***
2 cats & me...

It was the tiny house of a sweet little old lady, who died at the ripe old age of 97.
She was quite active, was widowed young, never remarried, raised her daughter in this house, & then lived there for 70 yrs.
When I was researching the house, I found her obituary.
She was active in her church, & community, people loved her baking, she cared a lot for others & lived simple, & lived long.
Reading the obit made me really want to see the house, in person, because if it was good enough for her for 70+ years,
there was no reason it wasn't good enough for me.

Seeing the house only made me want it more.

She kept it immaculate, lived a simple life, it has no extras, but has everything you need.
It is a solid little house with good bones.
A little house on the side of a country road on a mountain, no neighbors for over 100 feet, & I can't see them from inside of the house, or outside in the yard.
I have to cross the street to get to the mailbox, which is also on the side of the road, next to a stream with wild flowers.
It doesn't even have natural gas lol--has a pretty new oil furnace.

I can walk 1.5 miles down the mountain to a town nestled on a beautiful river, there are trails everywhere.
Tessa can swim to her heart's content.

Before viewing the house, I was worried it was too isolated, all by itself on a country road.
My mindset, from living in the hood & the stuff going on around me was 'home invasion', & ...no one would hear me scream...

So I saw it Saturday. Was the last house I viewed that day, because, while I was curious, I was still in the city hood mindset, & worried about being too isolated.

We arrived at the house, the real estate agent opened the lock box to get the key to the front door...He had never been in the house before.

*****************IT IS A SKELETON KEY****************

The original lock from when the house was built.

For 70+ years--no issues.

Something in me moved.

I crawled into ever nook & cranny of this tiny house, & couldn't find fault, it just kept feeling more like home.


I'm stressing about losing the house over a lousy $4500, that's what I need them to come down in price.
I suspect that is not much $$ to them, they're pretty comfortable people the family settling the estate.
But it makes a world of difference to me.
It's a standstill right now.
Quite unsettling.
I've got a thousand reasons why they should just sell it to me for my price.
Namely because it's all the cash I've got...

I need some good ju-ju, prayer, karma, energy, collective consciousness--whatever-
I really need them to come down in price, to just give in--not for me, but for Tessa...

So send your energy BIG TIME--I need it.

There's no way to get this out of my head. If you've ever been there with a house--you know what I mean.
 

NYDDB

Well-Known Member
A skeleton key AND a wall phone. This house just sounds like a very special find...

I love the fact that the woman lived there for decades, and kept it simple. I also love old houses...simple houses, with a history.

Sending all the ju-ju house/buying, deal-making energy your way.

It really sounds like the perfect Tessa home. :)
 

Catia

Well-Known Member
Yeah, I had to post those pics.

Both are staying if I get this house.

They've already come down to a ridiculously low price IMHO, but I have no choice but to push the envelope. I'm all in & praying for a miracle.

This house isn't special to anyone but me, & the previous owner's daughter.
Everyone has passed it by.
It *is* a tiny country house, a salt box, technically a 1 bedroom.

I even crawled into the crawl space in the partial basement & inspected the foundation & the oil tanks myself, replete with headlamp & camera
I thought I knocked all the cobwebs out of the way-camera doesn't lie...

181.jpg

Furnace is about 5 years old & quality model/brand, & is in the basement proper, which is clean & normal bsmt

132.jpg

I take Tessa with me to house hunt.
She loved the yard, but was not allowed in the house--she had been allowed in all of the others so far...
Agent said he couldn't because this house wasn't his listing.
 

cinnamon roll

Super Moderator
Super Moderator
Everything is crossed for you!!

I love that is still has a skeleton key so does my grams house. The door knob is the same as your house too. lol
 

Mooshi's Mummy

Well-Known Member
Sending ++ vibes your way. I hope you get your price but maybe, just maybe, at the end of the day how much does a dream cost? Is there any other way you can get your dream house and be rid of your old haunt by selling it without the $4500.00? I know its a lot of $$ but what is worth more in your heart and to your life down the road? Tessa's house or your existing?
 

DDSK

Well-Known Member
Heres hoping you can pull this off!!
Sending my strongest vibes for success.
 

Catia

Well-Known Member
I'm in the thick of it.

They came down another $1k this afternoon.

I countered their offer & came up 1k.

I just placed the counter at 8pm...

I just cashed in every piece of gold jewelry I owned at a gold exchange.

It's getting so close.

Really, they should just give in, it's for a good cause...If they met Tessa, they'd understand.

Wish this was an FSBO, I haven't met the people, just working through an agent.

Once we come to an agreement on price, I made the actual closing contingent upon the survey, because old drawings are showing the property line coming right through the center of the house---UGH!!!!
Surveyors say those drawings & GIS maps are very inaccurate especially in mountainous regions, which this one is.
I am hoping the surveyors are correct.



Lot is 125 x 123...
 

Kelly

Well-Known Member
ooooh i hope it comes together for you! are there many stairs? not sure if thats a concern for you re Tessa?
 

Catia

Well-Known Member
House is a saltbox bungalow, built around 1941. It does have stairs, to the basement & to the attic which is the 2nd floor.

These types of houses were common in the region back in the day--They were originally built as tiny 2-3 room houses with full basement under original house, which is where the original bathroom usually is, & an attic space that could be finished later, as families grew & people saved $$ to do so, they'd add to the house.

So to give a better idea, the original house foundation was literally a 12' x 25' footprint-2 rooms, an attic & a basement--that's tiny by todays standards!
Foundation was added making it a 25 x 25 footprint.

From what I can gather after crawling around under the house crawl space & in attic crawl spaces, this is exactly what was done with this house. 1st they finished the attic for a bedroom, early on.

It looks like they added the rear addition to the 1st floor sometime in the 50's-maybe 60's-, based on the materials they used for foundation & such, adding 2 rooms, & they also added a dormer to the attic & added a small bath in the attic--& I mean a small bath-but it has a tub.

From what I can tell, but I'd need an engineer to confirm, it appears the foundation to the addition that was added was built specifically to support a 2nd floor later, which is great if I ever want to add space to the house.
It's always cheaper to build up, than out--the foundation being the most expensive part of an addition.

There are no 'extras' in this house, every bit of space was utilized for function. It is a solid built little house.
It has updates though, all wiring was redone probably in the 80's, & done right, though it could use a few more outlets.
Steel plumbing was replaced with copper, probably when they added the attic bath.
A new forced air oil furnace was added about 7 yrs ago , & whatever company performed the work did a beautiful job with the supplys & returns, was well thought out.

I've seen some serious hack jobs looking at old houses, this place was done right through & through.
 

Catia

Well-Known Member
********************My offer was ACCEPTED!!!!!!!!*********************

YAY!!!!!

Got the phone call at work on my lunch, agent showed up after work, met me in an industrial park on the side of the road & we signed papers in his car & I gave the checks for hand $$ & survey :)

And I also get to keep the old 50's diningroom set, mid-century modern--HA! I think it is either teak or walnut. Totally matches my MCM Danish sofas :)

Now the biggest hurdle in making this ALL come to fruition is the survey--As long as those damn lines aren't through the house or garage I should be fine.

Oh ya, it also has a garage.

I'm gonna be eating rice & beans a LOT !!!

**************So--thank you all for sending your good juju my way!!!! I need some for the survey as well--so don't stop now.**************

Tessa is really wanting to be walking distance to the Youghiogheny River! She told me--in her own way-cuz she just can't pronounce it.

So far, this darn pooch manages to get her needs met!--She gets her own room, an air conditioner, a 50 inch TV, and the recliner in front of it,--all of which I did not have for myself for the past 10-15 years!

And for her 1st birthday (god willing)-because that's the day we went to see it & I made the 1st offer--a house with 1/3 acre in a beautiful neighborhood, walking distance to rivers & trails!
 

NYDDB

Well-Known Member
So excited for you! See, it was meant to be...some things are.

I would not worry about the survey; seems like a non-issue, or something that can be solved somehow, if it is an issue. (But, then again, I live in the city---what do I know about buying houses, LOL.)

But I do feel happy when someone gets happy news...yay!