Big project on the way

[DIY Pete]

Well I went and did it. I bought (tentatively) myself a lot of work. The wife and I just had an offer accepted for the lot below (226) that has a small tear down house on it. It is just over 1 acre so we will have lots of room for a garden and some baccy once I cut a few trees down. Lots of plans and I will post to this thread as stuff starts happening but don't expect daily updates. The projected move in date for the new house is June 2018. Of course all this is assuming that no one throws a monkey wrench into the purchase.
Pete

 

[FmGrowit]

Looks like fun. Good luck. Why not keep the existing structure and use it as an out building?

 

[Smokin Harley]

Tax purposes I would imagine...an "improved lot" taxes out higher than one without. Good luck with it Pete. Always something to do .

 

[DIY Pete]

Looks like fun. Good luck. Why not keep the existing structure and use it as an out building?

It has been vacant for 10 years with a leaky roof so lots of mold and the basement walls are a long walk away from vertical. It would cost almost as much to make it sound as it would to build new. My wife and I have wanted a house that is "just the way we want it" for years and this is our chance. That said we are building small-ish. About 1000 square foot 2 bedroom with no basement, 2 car detached garage, giant garden, and lots of outside space for a fire pit, gazebo, etc.

Pete

 

[Smokin Harley]

Sound perfect to me too. Wife and I want to retire down south in about 6 years . More like isolated ,wooded,pond, maybe a small farmette.
Like we don't want neighbors within seeing distance. Yet still within a fire protection district and a short drive to any medical center (or liquor store for that matter) if need be.

 

[DIY Pete]

The wife and I had a long discussion about in town verses out of town. We were leaning to out of town and actively looking for property but when this came up we took a run at it because the price was right and it had almost everything we wanted in a lot: trees, fairly flat, big enough for a giant garden, off the road. I meet with the zoning folks on Thursday to go over my plans for the lot and can back out of the purchase if they don't approve of my initial thoughts. I get the feeling they are going to work with me because they want the old house gone and something new built to raise the tax base. One of my deal breakers is if they won't let me put up a fence along the back of the adjoining properties.

Pete

 

[Smokin Harley]

Right now house/properties around us are being foreclosed and one that has sat and basically been slowly going south , the bank or whoever must have finally gotten the idea to fix it up . Simple necessities -new windows,new doors, siding, soffit and fascia...cosmetic stuff. It looks like a brand new house and I would think it should sell much quicker than had they left it for any prospective new owners to take the hit on laying out the cost and labor . Its a corner lot that is at the edge of the subdivision,so its very noticeable.

 

[BigBonner]

Have you stuck a shove in the soil to see how it feels . Hard , sandy , loam , clay , rocky , etc.
You will need it to grow Tobacco , tobacco , tobacco , beans , potatoes , tomatoes , corn , etc.

 

[DIY Pete]

Have you stuck a shove in the soil to see how it feels . Hard , sandy , loam , clay , rocky , etc.
You will need it to grow Tobacco , tobacco , tobacco , beans , potatoes , tomatoes , corn , etc.

It's Iowa so run a tiller through it add a little compost and you are good to go. There is very little clay or sand in my area but there is lots of good black dirt. The biggest issue will likely be compaction. That said I will pay the 25 bucks and have the local university run a soil sample for me. I don't want to waste money added stuff to the soil if I don't need to.

Pete

 

[webmost]

Have you stuck a shove in the soil to see how it feels . Hard , sandy , loam , clay , rocky , etc.
You will need it to grow Tobacco , tobacco , tobacco , beans , potatoes , tomatoes , corn , etc.

I think you left out two more tobaccos there, Larry.

Hey, I was thinking of you just this last weekend, DIY. Isn't it you sent me some pigtailed southbound gars? I finally got round to firing one up.

 

[Smokin Harley]

Theres plenty of corn in Iowa...I doubt he would need to plant any.

That'd be like an eskimo going out for ice.

 

[DIY Pete]

I think you left out two more tobaccos there, Larry.

Hey, I was thinking of you just this last weekend, DIY. Isn't it you sent me some pigtailed southbound gars? I finally got round to firing one up.

Southbound - yes
Pigtail - no

I don't cap any of my stogies. I saw your post but I can't claim that cigar.
Whoever made it I hope it was good.
Pete

 

[DIY Pete]

Theres plenty of corn in Iowa...I doubt he would need to plant any.

That'd be like an eskimo going out for ice.

But very little of it is sweet corn and field corn is only good for converting into steaks or whiskey.
Pete

 

[Smokin Harley]

But very little of it is sweet corn and field corn is only good for converting into steaks or whiskey.
Pete

Nothing wrong with either of those.

 

[DIY Pete]

Just got done meeting with the planning/permitting folks and they gave the go ahead on my tentative plans for the property, so it looks like it's a done deal. I just need to write the check and collect the dead. Exciting but tons of planning and work in the near future. I have to find the survey pins this weekend before the ground freezes too deep. If I can't find them I will have to pay for a survey to be done.

Pete

 

[Smokin Harley]

not sure how much a surveyor is in your area but just for the piece of mind down the road with what could be some greedy neighbors, have it done professionally. At least then there will be a backup (on paper) to your own findings. Some day when you have that fence put up , believe me , one of the neighbors will come unglued thinking you're putting in on "their side of the property line" , call it second hand experience. My parents have a neighbor who never speaks to them and when they had the fence put up ,they immediately called dad out on it. He already knew where the pins were but the neighbors hired a surveyor to "prove them wrong" well, they did sort of . Dad talked to the surveyor and even offered to show him the pins ,said it'd be the easiest money the guy made . He'd already found them. Turned out my parents fence was still 7 inches on their own property from the line.
Sounds like you got yourself a lot of work up ahead.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

not sure how much a surveyor is in your area but just for the piece of mind down the road with what could be some greedy neighbors, have it done professionally..

I second the motion! A buddy of mine just went through the same thing a month ago with a neighbor.

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

I second the motion! A buddy of mine just went through the same thing a month ago with a neighbor.

I had the same thing two summers ago, but it ended up where the other guy was perfectly happy to accept the line that we wound up with. We could have split the cost of the survey, but at least it's done and we've got pins on all corners now, so I suppose our claim is staked.

Great luck and best wishes on your new project!

 

[DIY Pete]

So a little update. I was able to locate a few of the survey pins on the property and they look to be correct according to the GIS map the city gave me. I am having a local company come out and figure out the location of my missing pins but they are not going to file the paperwork with the city/county. So it is not a legal survey but I will know within a few inches where my property lines are. This will save me about 1200 dollars.

We should close on the property next Monday.

Pete

 

[Smokin Harley]

sweet...that $1200 in savings will go to many other good uses.