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Dilemma


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2012 Sep 20, 1:29am   12,356 views  41 comments

by nw888   ➕follow (0)   💰tip   ignore  

I like this house. It's a total fixer, but it has a lot of potential. To save a lot of writing, here's my email to the realtor I'm working with that also has links to some comps:

----------------------

Hey Tracy!

I wanted to touch base with you because I just looked at a
real fixer with great potential, and I wanted to get your opinion on it.

Here's the listing:

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Altadena/1301-Rubio-St-91001/home/7260109

And this home just down the street lowered their asking price, which
matches the previous homes price per square foot of $322

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Altadena/1401-Rubio-St-91001/home/7260197

Now I know the second home is in better condition, albeit dated, and it
does have a lot more square footage, and an extra acre of land.

The closest comp I can find is this, but it's in the iffy area of
altadena:

http://www.redfin.com/CA/Altadena/2991-Olive-Ave-91001/home/7252753

You'll notice the price per square foot is $179, and this home needs a
ton of work just like the first one.

What do you think would be a realistic price for the first home at 1301
Rubio?
-----------------------------------
In reply she touched base with the listing agent and they're expecting multiple offers tomorrow and that it should go above asking price. I like the property, but considering that the one down the street slashed the price and has nearly another acre more makes me feel like this property isn't worth $322 per square foot.

Of course my realtor wants me to bid more more more, but my gut says no.

Does anyone with better knowledge of how to price a home have any insight on if this seems like a decent price? Am I off base?

Thanks!

#housing

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1   nw888   2012 Sep 20, 1:39am  

That is unfortunately not the reality in LA, and especially not for larger plots of land.

2   bubblesitter   2012 Sep 20, 1:52am  

Darrell In Phoenix says

Of course my realtor wants me to bid more more more, but my gut says no.

Hmm. Doesn't seem like the realtor is working for you.

3   nw888   2012 Sep 20, 1:53am  

So do you think the fair price for this house would be $261,000 then? What if it was on an extra acre of land? How would you factor in the extra acre to the price? I'm trying to gauge this home's real value based on the current market.

4   nw888   2012 Sep 20, 1:55am  

bubblesitter says

Darrell In Phoenix says

Of course my realtor wants me to bid more more more, but my gut says no.

Hmm. Doesn't seem like the realtor is working for you.

DO YOUR MATH

Of course she's not! No agent is going to work to get the buyer a lower price I'm sure.! She told me to submit my best offer, as it couldn't hurt, but to expect that it will not be a winning offer.

5   ELC   2012 Sep 21, 12:07am  

nw888 says

Of course my realtor wants me to bid more more more, but my gut says no.
Does anyone with better knowledge of how to price a home have any insight on if this seems like a decent price? Am I off base?

The thing with "total fixers" is there's usually more fixing than meets the eye.

6   zzyzzx   2012 Sep 21, 12:26am  

nw888 says

In reply she touched base with the listing agent and they're expecting multiple offers tomorrow and that it should go above asking price.

7   KILLERJANE   2012 Sep 21, 1:23am  

How much would it rent for? That is your answer.

8   nw888   2012 Sep 21, 9:06am  

Another realtor said this to me

" This home will likely go above asking. The comp on Olive isn't really a good comp, as you noted, because of the area. In fact, it's become difficult to find comps for a lot of homes these days as the market is so hot and any comps would have to have been sold very recently to accommodate for the recent rise in sale prices to be any good.

There are a lot of buyers out there who have been waiting for a good 4 or 5 years for the market to hit bottom and now their is a frenzy for desirable homes. Lots of all cash offers and multiple offers are the norm.

They have received about 7 offers so far on 1301 Rubio. Would you like to see it again or make an offer?"

9   nw888   2012 Sep 21, 9:22am  

yep i'm not going to be caught up in some bidding war nonsense because the market is "red hot"

10   zzyzzx   2012 Sep 21, 12:47pm  

nw888 says

Lots of all cash offers and multiple offers are the norm.

11   MAGA   2012 Sep 21, 2:26pm  

All Realtors should be fixed so they can't breed anymore.

12   JG1   2012 Sep 21, 5:27pm  

Darrell In Phoenix says

When we build it new for $60/sq foot, why would you pay more than $60/sqft?

Because in L.A. the land is worth something, for starters. Unless that was calculated into your PPSF?

13   37108605   2012 Sep 21, 10:16pm  

nw888 says

That is unfortunately not the reality in LA, and especially not for larger plots of land.

Oh please, another one on the LA bus. JEEZ.

14   37108605   2012 Sep 21, 10:16pm  

JG1 says

Darrell In Phoenix says

When we build it new for $60/sq foot, why would you pay more than $60/sqft?

Because in L.A. the land is worth something, for starters. Unless that was calculated into your PPSF?

And another on the LA bus.

15   37108605   2012 Sep 21, 10:18pm  

nw888 says

" This home will likely go above asking. T

Who today listens to such complete CRAP today and right then and there doesn't BARF in their face?

16   37108605   2012 Sep 21, 11:36pm  

Darrell In Phoenix says

JG1 says

Because in L.A. the land is worth something

oh... I see....... so "it's the land!"... lol

I know it's that game now.

Off topic, well not so much, but in LA you can sell people anything or make any sale seem reasonable. There was an old joke in LA when I was a teenager, "Are you changing careers in LA? become a shrink you'll have a client on every corner."

17   ELC   2012 Sep 21, 11:59pm  

Reader says

Who today listens to such complete CRAP today and right then and there doesn't BARF in their face?

You're right. Barfing's the way to go. If you spit on someone it's intentional. If you barf on someone it's an accident. Genius!

Bush knew what he was doing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XnOnDatqENo

18   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:10am  

Reader says

nw888 says

That is unfortunately not the reality in LA, and especially not for larger plots of land.

Oh please, another one on the LA bus. JEEZ.

Reader

Los Angeles, CA is more expensive than some small town in Kentucky, or Phoenix for that matter. That's a fact and it's the reality of the situation. I'm not hyping LA or anything like that, but it is what it is, whether it should be or not.

To take this back on point--

I know these realtors don't have my best interests in mind, but for some reason I believe the home was getting multiple bids. The open house was packed with 50 people running around like ants. I believe that the masses really do think this is a bottom, and I believe they will overbid on a property when they should be pricing it based on some comps. Should this be happening? NO. But it does. Sheeple do what they want.

Now I find it very hard to believe that cash offers are the norm. Who has 1.5 million bucks CASH in a bank account? Maybe some, but I don't believe there are THAT many rich people in LA.

19   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:15am  

Darrell In Phoenix says

JG1 says

Because in L.A. the land is worth something

oh... I see....... so "it's the land!"... lol

If you build a 1000 sf house @ $60 per sf for $60,000, you'll need to buy a piece of land to put it on.

If you buy 1 acre for $5000, the home will cost $65,000.

If you buy 100 acres for $500,000 the home will cost $560,000.

If you buy an acre of land on the beach it will cost more than an acre in the ghetto of Detroit.

20   37108605   2012 Sep 22, 1:15am  

nw888 says

The open house was packed with 50 people running around like ants.

As I said before, in LA the joke is become a shrink you'll have a client on every corner. You just proved that old saying true.

Did it ever occur to you that those 50 may have been actors?

21   B.A.C.A.H.   2012 Sep 22, 1:20am  

nw888 says

my gut says no

Who do you trust? A Realtor® or your gut?

22   KILLERJANE   2012 Sep 22, 1:21am  

Don't forget they need to get approved for financing.

23   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:24am  

Reader says

Did it ever occur to you that those 50 may have been actors?

KILLERJANE says

Don't forget they need to get approved for financing.

Haha, everyone is an actor out here, didn't you know?! It was a wide range of people. Mostly in their 40's and 50's with kids. Maybe they all cashed out in 2006 and have large chunks of cash to put down now? On that house, you'll need $280K down minimum, and would most likely need to earn $400K per year. I wonder how many people really earn that much a year? Maybe it's the norm now and I just didn't realize it.

24   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:30am  

B.A.C.A.H. says

Who do you trust? A Realtor® or your gut?

Always my gut. I was hoping to find a fair price given the market and make an offer. maybe 1.1, or even 1million. I'm not paying full price for that place. I'll continue to wait it out. I know that the place will be 700K one day if we wait.

Waiting, by the way, is getting increasingly tiring as I watch the FED do everything it can to manipulate interest rates further and further down into eternity. At this rate it will take years for property to bottom, just like in Japan. Maybe 2025 will be a market bottom? Yay!

25   KILLERJANE   2012 Sep 22, 1:41am  

Best time to have an offer accepted... Probably dec to jan. People are dazed by the holidays and weather. A realtor told me if they get an offer or interest from someone during the 2 weeks surrounding Christmas/New Year, they jump on it because they know the buyer is serious.

26   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:47am  

Thanks that is good advice!

27   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 9:32am  

Darrell In Phoenix says

nw888 says

If you buy an acre of land on the beach it will cost more than an acre in the ghetto of Detroit.

Ya see folks? "It's the land!"

I really appreciate your well thought out and pertinent thoughts on the subject of this thread!

28   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 9:58am  

No one can substantiate these outrageous prices, but there are more expensive places to live and cheaper places to live. It's not cut and dry equal pricing for land everywhere like you're implying.

29   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 10:08am  

Then what is it?

30   Raw   2012 Sep 22, 10:16am  

nw888 says

Then what is it?

Be careful NW, he can drive the most sane person crazy. Maybe even to their death.

31   Raw   2012 Sep 22, 10:17am  

Darrell In Phoenix says

Raw says

Be careful NW, he can drive the most sane person crazy. Maybe even to their death.

Liars are sane people?

arrrgghh.

32   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 10:37am  

Darrell In Phoenix says

The fact that you're asking demonstrates your intent.

Again, thanks for your helpful comments...it must be fun for you to troll the internet and throw out meaningless discussion. The fact that you can't back up your comments means you have no clue as to what you're talking about. It's unfortunate.

33   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 11:44am  

No no...good try on your part for trying to deflect the fact that I just called you out. You lose.

34   Eman   2012 Sep 22, 11:53am  

nw888 says

..it must be fun for you to troll the internet and throw out meaningless discussion.

Of course it is fun for him. Why do you think he's doing it...... :)

nw888 says

It's unfortunate.

For whom? His parents? :)

35   Eman   2012 Sep 22, 12:13pm  

Darrell In Phoenix says

And E-man The Realt-Liar fails to substantiate inflated prices.

Neither of you clowns are on the ball.

So how much did you lose during this housing bubble Darrell? How long have you been out of your construction job? I heard it's booming again so you shouldn't have any problem finding another construction job. Unfortunately, the employers are only paying $10/hr and not $35/hour union wage this time. :(

36   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 1:07pm  

E-man says

Darrell In Phoenix says

And E-man The Realt-Liar fails to substantiate inflated prices.

Neither of you clowns are on the ball.

So how much did you lose during this housing bubble Darrell? How long have you been out of your construction job? I heard it's booming again so you shouldn't have any problem finding another construction job. Unfortunately, the employers are only paying $10/hr and not $35/hour union wage this time. :(

Learn from your victory. Prosper from your failure.

Thus the bitterness.

Now if only I could substantiate inflated prices in a thread I created about BS pricing...especially given that high end construction costs $60 per square foot. Hmmm....this is going to be a real challenge for me. I may lose sleep over this one.

37   nw888   2012 Sep 22, 2:15pm  

I like how you make this up as you go. So now I need to discuss treasury rates and government policy along with local industry and economics because you've decided that's what I need to do?

Oh wait--I've still failed to justify inflated prices...yes yes I know...fail right?

Man you're a joke.

38   37108605   2012 Sep 22, 8:55pm  

nw888 says

Maybe they all cashed out in 2006 and have large chunks of cash to put down now? On that house, you'll need $280K down minimum, and would most likely need to earn $400K per year.

Please how could you even question such clear and evident bullshite? Maybe they were what they likely were, broke actors doing a day gig.

ONLY IN LA.

39   37108605   2012 Sep 22, 9:59pm  

Darrell In Phoenix says

There is nothing to make up.

You cowards can't substantiate inflated prices...... but "it's the land!" you declare. lmao.

It is typical of their kind if they are losing the argument they switch it to something else in a sad attempt to spin it. I have seen this all before.

40   37108605   2012 Sep 22, 10:00pm  

nw888 says

I like how you make this up as you go. So now I need to discuss treasury rates and government policy along with local industry and economics because you've decided that's what I need to do?

Oh wait--I've still failed to justify inflated prices...yes yes I know...fail right?

Man you're a joke.

Man you need to get a clear view of things before jumping.

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