What is making you happy right now

[Ominous Gamer]

Are there rednecks over there? Bribe a couple with a few cases of beer and park their rust buckets up and down the street.

Good luck with the nightmare of owning a home that old. I got fed up with our last one and it was only 30 years old.

[Hazir]

Gonna check out a house tomorrow... it's 10-15 mins' walk to the hospital, to my wife's office, and to town, and maybe 2 mins to our daughter's daycare. Big-ass house with a big-ass lawn with nice old trees. But it was built almost a hundred years ago and I think there'll be dozens of doctors bidding on it. So it's all a little nerve-wracking but also exciting—these houses are almost never on the market, so this is a huge opportunity.

Be ready to make an offer on the spot.

Here in Amsterdam you get no time to consider, second looksies or technical reporting. And you also have 10% over asking available. If you need a mortgage you better make sure it's pre-approved.

I remember the good old times five years ago when you actually had time to walk back to the metro before putting in a bid the tiniest bit under asking. Nowadays that all would mean that you're not in the market for real.

[Flixy]

Be ready to make an offer on the spot.

Here in Amsterdam you get no time to consider, second looksies or technical reporting. And you also have 10% over asking available. If you need a mortgage you better make sure it's pre-approved.

I remember the good old times five years ago when you actually had time to walk back to the metro before putting in a bid the tiniest bit under asking. Nowadays that all would mean that you're not in the market for real.

I am so glad I could buy mine from the social housing agency using a special scheme - price was just based on an appraisal, I had one day to decide and up to a week before signing, and did not need to outbid anyone. Downside was that it was literally a lottery, and if I sell I have to offer it to them first. But at least I didn't have to stress about bidding in a rush.

Plus the house was already inspected and I got the full reports before the viewing.

[Aimless]

Damn those realtors and their clever plans. What about standing in front of the house all day long, coughing at anyone who tries to get inside?

I'd have to get close to them

Borrow an obnoxious dog and walk it back and forth all day like you're a rude and loud neighbor.

They're all dog people, it's insane

Are there rednecks over there? Bribe a couple with a few cases of beer and park their rust buckets up and down the street.

Good luck with the nightmare of owning a home that old. I got fed up with our last own and it was only 30 years old.

Funny thing is, old houses in town tend to be exceptionally well-maintained... partly because of Swedish culture and widespread knowledge, and partly because the owners are generally well off. Guessing the roof will have to be replaced in the near future though, and we could probably make some minor changes to improve energy efficiency.

Be ready to make an offer on the spot.

Here in Amsterdam you get no time to consider, second looksies or technical reporting. And you also have 10% over asking available. If you need a mortgage you better make sure it's pre-approved.

I remember the good old times five years ago when you actually had time to walk back to the metro before putting in a bid the tiniest bit under asking. Nowadays that all would mean that you're not in the market for real.

Yeah... I live in a smallish town, but it's like that here as well. Bit frustrating but the sellers have been very clear they're not accepting any offers until all prospective buyers have seen the house this week... we can go 20-25% over asking tbh but there's no way to tell what others are prepared to pay atm.

I am so glad I could buy mine from the social housing agency using a special scheme - price was just based on an appraisal, I had one day to decide and up to a week before signing, and did not need to outbid anyone. Downside was that it was literally a lottery, and if I sell I have to offer it to them first. But at least I didn't have to stress about bidding in a rush.

Plus the house was already inspected and I got the full reports before the viewing.

Much more pleasant way to do it fucked up housing markets are the number one social and political problem in pretty much all western countries. People are sitting around hoping for old people to die.

[Hazir]

I'd have to get close to them



They're all dog people, it's insane



Funny thing is, old houses in town tend to be exceptionally well-maintained... partly because of Swedish culture and widespread knowledge, and partly because the owners are generally well off. Guessing the roof will have to be replaced in the near future though, and we could probably make some minor changes to improve energy efficiency.



Yeah... I live in a smallish town, but it's like that here as well. Bit frustrating but the sellers have been very clear they're not accepting any offers until all prospective buyers have seen the house this week... we can go 20-25% over asking tbh but there's no way to tell what others are prepared to pay atm.



Much more pleasant way to do it fucked up housing markets are the number one social and political problem in pretty much all western countries. People are sitting around hoping for old people to die.

Good luck by the way. I'd love to have one of those old houses. Thank God I got over my burn out 20 years ago. Otherwise I'd be living in a decaying French Chateau with a million dogs.

[Aimless]

Have seen the house now They won't take any bids from anyone until monday or tuesday, which is good. Bottom floor and upper floor are wonderful massive yard with an old garden. Light and airy rooms with high ceilings and a nice indoor climate. Facade is in relatively urgent need of renovation, we'd probably want to change the roof + improve insulation soon, and we'll want to add a toilet to the bottom floor, but all would seem to be within budget, and would probably let us put off switching to ground source heating for a long time. The basement is gonna need a lot of work, but not urgently. Anyone who stays on for the bidding rounds are likely to be rich or good at renovating homes, which we aren't, so we've tempered our hopes accordingly... and if this doesn't work out, we have a solid plan B to pursue (sowing discord in wealthy families in a 1km radius).

Good luck by the way. I'd love to have one of those old houses. Thank God I got over my burn out 20 years ago. Otherwise I'd be living in a decaying French Chateau with a million dogs.

Thanks, and you still have time to steal enough from the public to become an English lord

[littlelolligagged]

Good luck!

[Aimless]

Good luck!

Thanks! Sadly, it didn't go our way. After looking more closely—and spending days getting quotes from contractors—it began to look like we'd need to put in 1.5msek over the coming 2 years on necessary repairs and maintenance. Even weighed against the prospect of renting out a nice house on the property, that meant we had to limit ourselves to 10% over the asking price, which is where we tapped out. Bidding was still going strong at 15%+ over asking, and I have a sneaking suspicion we've been bidding against my colleagues... so I'm gonna have to find a new job so I don't have to attend the moving-in party

Anyway, with this house off the market, there are no other comparable prospects likely to pop up within the coming decades in that part of town. So we're trying to game out 4 different scenarios—large 5-room duplex 5 meters from here (we get more space, a large porch, all the advantages of our current place); a townhouse nearby (no yard, just three candidates and one of them was purchased recently); a rowhouse with a large yard slightly further away (15 mins' walk from work); a proper house within 20-25 mins' walk from work, in one of two very tranquil but dull neighbourhoods. Option 1 we can (have to) take right now; options 3 and 4 more appealing, but will take more time. Rationally, those options are probably the best.

It's been a pretty stressful week, and we're both pretty gutted—and knackered—so we've celebrated our reprieve from this experience with a very fancy dinner. Which brings me to what's making me happy: I opened a bottle of retsina that'd been lying around in a storage room for a few years, and something magical has happened to the flavour because it tastes amazing.

[GGT]

Got to spend a full week (off and on) with both of my adult sons! We hadn't been together for so long, including holidays, since Covid ruined so many plans. They got to camp and hike with their dad at a state park for a couple of days -- something they've been trying to coordinate for years -- then learned how to make authentic Spanakopita from my sister's 91 yr old Greek mother-in-law in Philly. We had slumber parties at my place where we cooked dinner, baked brownies, sang to music, watched movies, walked in the snow, stared at the stars, played Dominoes until 3am, and laughed a lot. So much fun!

[rille]

So I have started to visit the stables on Fridays. Horses are funny soothering in some ways. The big ones scared me in the beginning but they have been the easiest to handle. I can definitely see myself buy my own saddle.

[wiggin]

Any serious rider has their own saddle. Of course.

[rille]

Any serious rider has their own saddle. Of course.

”A saddle is a very personal thing. It has to be broken in, used, cared for.”
My wife is just laughing at me!

[Aimless]

”A saddle is a very personal thing. It has to be broken in, used, cared for.”
My wife is just laughing at me!

Unlimited supply of free fertilizer

[wiggin]

”A saddle is a very personal thing. It has to be broken in, used, cared for.”
My wife is just laughing at me!

I really love that episode. Remember that he pretended to be Mot?

[rille]

Unlimited supply of free fertilizer

Aka. Sh*t. But you should see the boots I want…

[rille]

I really love that episode. Remember that he pretended to be Mot?

Not until you mentioned it. I have to watch it later. But indeed, the saddle is one of my best Picard memories.
A group tried to steal Enterprise or some part of it… while a cleaning sweep was ongoing…

Other trek memories are from Voyager, the Doctor and opera - ”la donna è mobile”.

[Being]

Welcome to California. Bring a wet suit, the water is cold.

[littlelolligagged]

Can't wait to live through the same season four times a year.

Probably an improvement on four seasons in a single week.

[Loki]

But you get to try on multiple outfits each day!

[Ominous Gamer]

Got a new video card, 6900xt, and can finally use the 240hz refresh on my monitor!

[Ominous Gamer]

The completed PC. That video card is only a few mm shorter than the case



Inside without the lights: https://imgur.com/gallery/T0UjspL

[Loki]

Now you finally have the graphics to play Minecraft.

[Ominous Gamer]

Now you finally have the graphics to play Minecraft.

With ray tracing!

[Aimless]

Found another potential place: https://www.husmanhagberg.se/objekt/...er=true#bilder

Feels better this time, because we don't really want the house unless it's a great deal. Absolutely wonderful inside, and very well maintained wrt the foundation, walls, roof, etc.—but it's just outside our preferred radius, in the wrong direction, and the layout of the yard is pretty annoying. If we get a good deal, great; if we don't, we now know exactly which houses we're after, and we'll have plenty of time to pursue those. The large sauna is very appealing though anyway, bidding will commence during the final exam for a course I'm taking this week so that'll be fun.

[GGT]

Beautiful interior pics - there's even a sauna?! Not enough pics of the outside spaces or garden potential, tho. You'd probably have to spend all your weekends and time off making it just right, or spend your weekends somewhere else. Hard call, but good luck choosing!

[Hazir]

Found another potential place: https://www.husmanhagberg.se/objekt/...er=true#bilder

Feels better this time, because we don't really want the house unless it's a great deal. Absolutely wonderful inside, and very well maintained wrt the foundation, walls, roof, etc.—but it's just outside our preferred radius, in the wrong direction, and the layout of the yard is pretty annoying. If we get a good deal, great; if we don't, we now know exactly which houses we're after, and we'll have plenty of time to pursue those. The large sauna is very appealing though anyway, bidding will commence during the final exam for a course I'm taking this week so that'll be fun.

The inside looks nice, but could use some color. The outside lacks kerb appeal; utilitarian to excess.

[Aimless]

Signed the contract today, so, unless the official inspection tomorrow turns up something unexpected, we're stuck now on the bright side, we have plenty of time to sell our current place, and move without any major stress—after a couple of major projects and the board exam are done. Price went up 13%, fair deal for this location.

The inside looks nice, but could use some color. The outside lacks kerb appeal; utilitarian to excess.

Yeah, even by Swedish standards... tbf I like boring low-maintenance exteriors (eg. Swedish sand-lime bricks), but this one is unusually unappealing. The garden is one of the least interesting ones in the entire neighbourhood, and it'll take a couple of years to make it productive, and there are no fruit-trees! But biggest issues are distance (20min walk for me but ~40min for my wife) and poorly planned yard (photos don't show it clearly but the whole plot is just weirdly elongated, so when we add a sun-room it'll almost cut the yard in half, with one useful area and one shaded and boring area where it might be possible to squeeze in a decent tiny house we could let. The other option is to modify the garage to incorporate a 1½-2 floor apartment, which would be more costly than we'd like, and a hassle to get approved. And that ridiculous driveway .

Read a book a couple of years ago that said the most effective regret-minimization strategy in these situations is to take about a third of the time you have for making a decision, and just look at what's available in order to clearly establish exactly what you want, and then take the first candidate that's better than all the ones you've seen previously. This house isn't that, but I think we're gonna enjoy living here

Feels weird. My wife—like most Swedes, I guess—grew up living in houses, but I've only experienced the apartment dweller's occasionally cramped but otherwise carefree life. About to have an identity crisis now.

[rille]

I need to paint our house soon >_<
(hire someone to do it)

Otherwise I know the feeling.
Welcome to the byggahus.se forum
https://www.byggahus.se/forum/thread...-taget.444609/

[Ominous Gamer]

I no longer qualify for free e-file with the IRS.

[wiggin]

Free file fillable forms are the way to go... Unless your taxes are horribly complex.