[blparent] Advice: buying a house
Jo Elizabeth Pinto
jopinto at msn.com
Wed May 9 20:07:04 UTC 2012
> I think our society defines the word "need" rather broadly. It would be
> nice for Sarah to have a backyard, but so far she's done fine with a
> fenced-in patio where she has a sandbox and a water table, and sidewalks
> where she can ride a tricycle. We go to the park often, and occasionally
> she plays in her Nanna's yard. Still, if that's a must-have feature, then
> by all means, find a home with a yard.
>
> If you choose a condo, go there more than once and listen. If you hear
> the neighbors, chances are good they'll hear you. Many apartments and
> condos are well-built these days, so neighbor noise might not be as big of
> a problem as you think. I hardly ever hear my neighbors, except the one
> who seems to think the best place to argue with his girlfriend is on his
> front porch, and I've never gotten a complaint from any of them. I've
> never tried to keep Sarah quiet because of the neighbors, except that if
> she is crying and carrying on outside, I make her go in till she's ready
> to stop. I would probably do that in a house with a yard anyway. I
> baby-sat several large cockatoos for a friend of mine when she was moving.
> By the end of the month, I was ready to run screaming down the street
> because of the noise, but neither of my connected neighbors heard anything
> out of the ordinary.
>
> Still, there are unique issues. The guy next door is really into hunting
> and barbecuing. Before Sarah was born, my guide dog found the leg and
> hoof of a deer in the yard and brought it in, dropping it in the middle of
> my living room carpet. Now that was a gross-out. The neighbor also had a
> meat smoker, which he used incessantly. I had to complain to the
> management company because the smoke would fill my condo, even with the
> doors and windows all closed, and give me migraines to the point where I
> was throwing up. I had to go to the emergency room once for a shot of
> Demerol because of one of the smoker headaches. Ever since we made the
> neighbor give up his smoker, or at least take it elsewhere, he's been
> openly surly with us. It didn't help that my stepson threw hard-packed
> snowballs at his bedroom window one night. The neighbor got an order from
> the homeowners' association saying that my stepson couldn't be out in the
> community without me or his dad, but we challenged that because nobody
> delivered the ruling to us in writing, and because a homeowners'
> association doesn't have the right to put a kid on house arrest. So
> anyway, there can be issues with neighbors in a condo, but that's the case
> in single family homes as well.
>
> Jo Elizabeth
>
> "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young,
> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant
> of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been
> all of these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 1:42 PM
> To: "'Jo Elizabeth Pinto'" <jopinto at msn.com>
> Subject: RE: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>
>> Also, think about where your life will be especially if you have
>> kids.
>> My parents told me that "kids need a backyard" and my dad took it a step
>> further and said that kids need to be able to be outside away from adult
>> supervision.
>>
>> A backyard is perfect for this. I think my dad was right. Others may
>> not, and that's fine. Realize though that you won't have an eternal baby
>> or an eternal toddler.
>>
>> Also, I like that we can be loud and don't have to worry about the
>> neighbors.
>> A few nights ago at like ten at night, my daughter wanted Daddy to come
>> upstairs. So we yell "come upstairs daddy!" as loud as we could. Then we
>> heard the bathroom door close so we yelled "Flush the potty, Daddy" again
>> very loudly. Then we just started yelling silly stuff. It was fun.
>> I'm glad we didn't have to worry about neighbors.
>> With condos, some of rules about what you can and can't install in the
>> units. I have a friend with a condo and it wasn't built with a
>> washer-dryer in mind. This was fine before kids. Now, she hates it.
>> She's also said that she spends a lot of energy keeping her kids quiet
>> for the sake of the neighbors and that when one of them gets into a
>> scraming jag, she has occationally wondered what if anything the
>> neighbors will do.
>>
>> Going back to Sean's post, I'd love to see a study done on a family that
>> owns and a family that rents. I'd be very interested to see how each
>> family did after 20 years, finantially and emotionally. I don't know
>> that such a study could be done, but if it could, I'd love to see the
>> results.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jo Elizabeth Pinto [mailto:jopinto at msn.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 3:30 PM
>> To: Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>
>> Very good point. When I bought my condo, most of the owners lived in the
>> community. In the last five years, the ratio of owner-occupied to rented
>> units has dropped so that two thirds of the units are either empty or
>> rented
>> out. That's a warning sign of a struggling community. Owning a condo
>> suits
>> me well in most respects. I enjoy the playground, the pool, the
>> clubhouse,
>> and the exercise room. I enjoy the fact that the grounds are fairly well
>> kept, and I don't have to take care of a yard. I also don't have to pay
>> for
>> water, sewer, or trash removal except that those fees are wrapped in dues
>> to
>> the homeowners' association. Those were big advantages for me when I
>> bought, though they might not be for other people. The reason the
>> community
>> is struggling now is that the homeowners' association has not been well
>> run,
>> and if people need to get out of the condos, they have little choice but
>> to
>> leave them empty or rent them out.
>>
>> So there are a lot of considerations to make when you buy a home. I
>> would
>> recommend writing a list in three parts--must have features, would be
>> nice
>> to have features, and unacceptable features. That may clarify your
>> thinking
>> and narrow your search.
>>
>> Jo Elizabeth
>>
>> "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young,
>> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant
>> of
>> the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all
>> of
>> these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 12:39 PM
>> To: "'Jo Elizabeth Pinto'" <jopinto at msn.com>; "'Blind Parents Mailing
>> List'"
>> <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Subject: RE: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>
>>> Yes, be careful when buying a condo. Know what you can and can't
>>> do. Make sure you know what you can't change and that you can live with
>>> it, literally.
>>>
>>> My personal view is that condos are a nasty form of ownership.
>>>
>>> Also be aware of how many condos are rented out in the development that
>>> you're looking at. That can impact your ability to buy, sell or rent out
>>> your own.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>> On
>>> Behalf Of Jo Elizabeth Pinto
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 12:13 PM
>>> To: Blind Parents Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>>
>>> If there's a homeowners' association, get a copy of the covenance rules.
>>> Get a copy of the HOA budget if there is one, broken down by how the
>>> money
>>> is spent. Many banks are hesitant to finance condominiums or town homes
>>> if
>>> the HOA doesn't have sufficient money in reserve to fix common areas,
>>> roofs,
>>> paint jobs, broken pipes, etc. Talk to board members and neighbors
>>> about
>>> how strict the HOA rules are and how they are enforced. I've had
>>> nothing
>>> but problems with the HOA where I bought, getting nit-picky about some
>>> rules
>>> but not upholding their maintenance responsibilities, and I can't
>>> refinance
>>> my mortgage for a lower interest rate because the HOA is all but
>>> insolvent.
>>> However, one thing about buying a condo or a town home is that wile I
>>> can
>>> own--which is better on your taxes, by the way, at least till the IRS
>>> gets
>>> rid of the tax credit for interest on mortgages--I don't have to do a
>>> lot
>>> of
>>> yard work or pay somebody to do it.
>>>
>>> On another subject, make sure your realtor looks into programs for first
>>> time home buyers, if you fit that category, and disabled buyers. I say
>>> that
>>> because I took advantage of a special program through HUD for disabled
>>> buyers, but not all realtors may know about the program if you don't ask
>>> them to look into it.
>>>
>>> Jo Elizabeth
>>>
>>> "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young,
>>> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant
>>> of
>>> the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all
>>> of
>>> these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist
>>>
>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>> From: "Peggy" <pshald at neb.rr.com>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 10:01 AM
>>> To: "Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>>
>>>> Definitely blindness related because you have to consider the bus
>>>> route,
>>>> what your house is in walking distance of, what may or may not be wrong
>>>> with it that you won't notice.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Gabe Vega Via Iphone4S
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 10:39 AM
>>>> To: Jo Elizabeth Pinto ; Blind Parents Mailing List
>>>> Cc: Blind Parents Mailing List
>>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>>>
>>>> There are other appropriate list servers hosted by the nfb that are
>>>> more
>>>> appropriate for these topics. This is a blind, parenting list it is a
>>>> list
>>>> for parents were blind or have blind children in regards to parenting.
>>>> Simple as that. Are you saying just because a bunch of wine people
>>>> agreed
>>>> to talk about the topic, that makes it blindness related? Pitiful.
>>>>
>>>> Gabe Vega
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>> (623) 565-9357
>>>>
>>>> On May 9, 2012, at 8:26 AM, "Jo Elizabeth Pinto" <jopinto at msn.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Blindness related. I rest my case.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jo Elizabeth
>>>>>
>>>>> "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young,
>>>>> compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and
>>>>> tolerant
>>>>> of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have
>>>>> been
>>>>> all of these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American
>>>>> scientist
>>>>>
>>>>> --------------------------------------------------
>>>>> From: "Melissa Ann Riccobono" <melissa at riccobono.us>
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 8:14 AM
>>>>> To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>>>>
>>>>>> I think it is very normal for a real estate agent to take perspective
>>>>>> buyers
>>>>>> from house to house. At least that's what we did, and it worked out
>>>>>> so
>>>>>> much
>>>>>> better because we could see multiple houses in one day. I think the
>>>>>> research you might want to do would be to learn a little more about
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> buses, which ones are the "best" for you to be near, and where those
>>>>>> buses
>>>>>> stop. Then you can tell the realitor you want to look in this or
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> specific neighborhood or area of town, instead of looking at houses
>>>>>> simply
>>>>>> "near a bus stop" and then finding out it's not a good bus. It might
>>>>>> also
>>>>>> be nice to talk to friends and/or other blind people in your area to
>>>>>> see
>>>>>> what neighborhoods they live in, what they like about those
>>>>>> neighborhoods,
>>>>>> etc. If you can walk to a lot of places like a grocery store,
>>>>>> library,
>>>>>> park, etc. from a particular area, then it's possible you might trade
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> off for the availability of a bus... Although that's a very tough
>>>>>> ddecision
>>>>>> to have to make.
>>>>>> Just some thoughts. The best of luck!
>>>>>> Melissa
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>>>> On
>>>>>> Behalf Of jan wright
>>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 09, 2012 7:53 AM
>>>>>> To: blparent
>>>>>> Subject: [blparent] Advice: buying a house
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi All,
>>>>>> First, I want to thank everyone who responded to my questions about
>>>>>> bottles
>>>>>> and johnny jumper things.
>>>>>> We have a pretty consistent group of parents and child care providers
>>>>>> who
>>>>>> --- may not always agree, but give wonderful advice for each season
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> our
>>>>>> lives. And, we are as diverse as any other parent group:
>>>>>> from spiritual to not; from crunchy to progressive (those might not
>>>>>> be
>>>>>> opposites, but you understand what I mean); from babies to adult
>>>>>> children;
>>>>>> from stay-at-home parents to working parents; ... etc.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, I thought that I might post here about our "house buying" and ask
>>>>>> for
>>>>>> any tips and advice. I have done research, but, there isn't much from
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> blind person's prospective. Maybe there doesn't need to be:
>>>>>> because maybe it is not any different from sighted people buying a
>>>>>> house.
>>>>>> But, I did have a couple of questions:
>>>>>> 1. How did you choose your realtor? We have one of these, already,
>>>>>> but
>>>>>> wonder if we shouldn't have looked farther. DH's boss said that his
>>>>>> realtor
>>>>>> would transport him to and from the prospective houses. Is that
>>>>>> normal??? We
>>>>>> find that this is one of the most difficult things to do because
>>>>>> paratransit
>>>>>> takes so long, we can only see one house per day.
>>>>>> 2. Public transportation is not very good here in Indy. People from
>>>>>> other
>>>>>> cities have commented on how fragmented it is. And, there aren't many
>>>>>> sidewalks in residential areas or down busy streets and ... ... a
>>>>>> good
>>>>>> shoulder is hard to find. [ARe those words to a country song?????]
>>>>>> (smile)
>>>>>> But, we are trying to find a house that is close to a bus stop ---
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> a
>>>>>> bus
>>>>>> stop that would take DH to work and us downtown. Sometimes we find a
>>>>>> house
>>>>>> close to a bus stop, but the wrong bus stops there.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Any other advice????
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> blparent mailing list
>>>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> blparent:
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/melissa%40riccobono.us
>>>>>> -----
>>>>>> No virus found in this message.
>>>>>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>>>>>> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2425/4985 - Release Date:
>>>>>> 05/08/12
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> blparent mailing list
>>>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>>> blparent:
>>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/jopinto%40msn.com
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> blparent mailing list
>>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> blparent:
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/theblindtech%40gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> blparent mailing list
>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> blparent:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/pshald%40neb.rr.com
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> blparent mailing list
>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> blparent:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/jopinto%40msn.com
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blparent mailing list
>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> blparent:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
>>> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files
>>> transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for
>>> the addressee and may contain information that is privileged,
>>> proprietary
>>> and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the
>>> intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the
>>> Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard
>>> copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are
>>> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the
>>> Message is strictly prohibited.
>>>
>> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files
>> transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for
>> the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary
>> and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the
>> intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the
>> Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard
>> copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are
>> hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the
>> Message is strictly prohibited.
>>
More information about the BlParent
mailing list