# This is what $795,000.00 buys you



## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

Got a call this evening from a client I hadn't talked to in about 2 years. He asked me if I would go inspect a house for a friend of his that was thinking about moving to the area. 

I knew which house they were talking about. Its been on the market for about 3 years. Its listed for $795,000.00 and to be completely honest there are few people in this area that can afford such a house. Its being advertised as "Newly Remodeled" "Fresh Paint" "Lots of custom wood options".

Anyway, I went to do a walk through with my client's friend. My camera battery died on the ground floor. But I think you guys can get the idea.

Realtor was touting it as a "Show Piece" home. 

For close to 800 grand this level of finish work in unacceptable. 

It listed as 4500 sq/ft, I didn't measure it but looked closer to 3000 sq/ft to me. 


Switch box to close to the wall? No problem cut 3/8" off and mud it in.












Only a true professional can finish drywall this smooth.




















Who said baseboards were suppose to be tight against the wall?












Good tight miters, this is one of the better joints in the house!












"Custom" woodwork.




















Now this is how you hide TV cable. :laughing:










And about 1900 sq/ft of new hardwood laid like this.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

A couple more.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Colonial casing and 3 1/2" base shouldn't be outside of non-walk-in closets in an $800K home.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

EricBrancard said:


> Colonial casing and 3 1/2" base shouldn't be outside of non-walk-in closets in an $800K home.


No kidding. I wish I could have gotten some pictures of the upstairs. It got better, the further you went. 

Had a cedar lined closet that had been hung with clipped head 8s.

All the casing in the bedrooms was ranch style that had been put up backwards. 

:laughing:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Robinson1 said:


> All the casing in the bedrooms was ranch style that had been put up backwards.


Wait, you mean the thickest section was towards the inside of the opening?


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Lordy....


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

EricBrancard said:


> Wait, you mean the thickest section was towards the inside of the opening?


Yes, with rosette blocks in the corners.....

:no:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Robinson1 said:


> Yes, with rosette blocks in the corners.....
> 
> :no:


I hear they charge extra for that :laughing:


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

The G/C That built the home pinched on the subs? Then walked away with a nice little check?


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

blacktop said:


> The G/C That built the home pinched on the subs? Then walked away with a nice little check?



Home was built in the 80's.

I know who remodeled it. Yeah, I'd say he made a fortune, paper contracting at its best.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

EricBrancard said:


> I hear they charge extra for that :laughing:


Also had some colonial casing being used as base in one of the closets.

The room that had shoe, it was installed backwards. You know, the longer part that is suppose to be against the wall. I guess it covers a bigger crack that way.

They had also pulled all the brick mould off the exterior doors and replaced it with 1x4s. Installed with screws no less. :laughing:


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## duburban (Apr 10, 2008)

But it's appraised at full value... This is why it don't trust real estate markets.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

duburban said:


> But it's appraised at full value... This is why it don't trust real estate markets.


Yep, its pretty sad when you start dealing with the real estate market.


Client's friend said he had learned a lot in the hour and a half he spent with me this evening. 

I showed him EVERYTHING, if it was wrong, messed up, or I just didn't like it. I picked it apart for him good. 

Realtor was there as well, I thought she was going to have a stroke when I stuck my pocket knife in that miter and took a picture. :laughing::whistling She was sure glad when my batteries died.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I seen better quality work in the squatter home in this area. That needs a full tear out and remodel by the looks of it. 

Tell the guy to offer $500k and then hire you for $200k to remodel the place :laughing:


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

BCConstruction said:


> I seen better quality work in the squatter home in this area. That needs a full tear out and remodel by the looks of it.
> 
> Tell the guy to offer $500k and then hire you for $200k to remodel the place :laughing:



More on the lines of------ offer 200K and spend 500K to remodel

Tom


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

tjbnwi said:


> More on the lines of------ offer 200K and spend 500K to remodel
> 
> Tom


Thats why i dont make any money lol


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## Eric K (Nov 24, 2005)

BCConstruction said:


> Thats why i dont make any money lol


You don't make any money because you spend a 100k a year on festools. Haha


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Eric K said:


> You don't make any money because you spend a 100k a year on festools. Haha


Yeah that don't help either lol


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

WOW and to think this was done by so called professionals.Looks like it all needs to be tore off and done right.


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## EarthQuakens (Nov 6, 2012)

I get a kick out of housing prices these days. How did they come to that price? Did the neighbors well built house move in ready spotless landscaping and all the bells and whistles go for that so they think this crap box is worth it hahaha


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Randy Bush said:


> WOW and to think this was done by so called professionals.Looks like it all needs to be tore off and done right.


No, what will happen is the seller will knock 5K off, and give them a $100 gift card for Lowes - and the buyers will be jiggy happy because they got the freebies.

This is real life - not HGTV.:whistling


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Too many unknowns here. $800k seems like a lot until you drop $700k on a lot. They may be lucky to have baseboard for all we know..


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## fenderless 33 (Dec 3, 2013)

Well that is just realtors for you. I do not know nor can I figure out what they learn in realtor school. I had one that did not know the difference in a slab and prehung door. She saw door at HD at 39.00 and t


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## littlefred811 (Dec 16, 2012)

Looking at these, I just threw up. A lot!


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

SmallTownGuy said:


> No, what will happen is the seller will knock 5K off, and give them a $100 gift card for Lowes - and the buyers will be jiggy happy because they got the freebies.
> 
> This is real life - not HGTV.:whistling



Well glad you are such a expert on these type of things. Makes it easier for other to know what to do. :thumbsup:


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Randy Bush said:


> Well glad you are such a expert on these type of things. Makes it easier for other to know what to do. :thumbsup:


Well, if you disagree, please tell me why?


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

EarthQuakens said:


> I get a kick out of housing prices these days. How did they come to that price? Did the neighbors well built house move in ready spotless landscaping and all the bells and whistles go for that so they think this crap box is worth it hahaha


Its in the nicest neighborhood in this area, so I guess that means a lot to some people. Its on a 4.27 acre semi wooded lot and includes 2 outbuildings. One is a prefab roll off 12x16 and the other is a 16x30 pole barn garage/shop.

Still way overpriced but this is a real estate company we are talking about. :laughing:


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

littlefred811 said:


> Looking at these, I just threw up. A lot!


Oh, I've seen way worse. :laughing:


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Its a sad reality. There are a lot of people who just do not know any better. So did he end up buying the place?


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## B.D.R. (May 22, 2007)

So , what you are saying is, that they could knock it down and still ask that kind of money.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

B.D.R. said:


> So , what you are saying is, that they could knock it down and still ask that kind of money.



No but the lot empty in this neighborhood would easily bring $175K

Figure in another $35-45K for outbuildings. 

I think a fair price assuming that it had been "correctly" remodeled would be in the $500K range giving the lot and neighborhood. 

But in my professional opinion I wouldn't touch it for $300K.

You can still buy a very nice lot in this area and build a 2500 sq/ft home on it in the $250-$300K range.

Its overpriced and they know it, hence it sitting empty for 3 years.

If you want to sale a house for 3/4 million you don't use crappy prefinish hardwood, 3 1/2" base and colonial case, never mind the drywall and other issues. This house also had standard 8' ceiling throughout, no crown, no wainscoting, had laun doors, some of the rooms had linoleum. ECT, ECT.


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

overanalyze said:


> Its a sad reality. There are a lot of people who just do not know any better. So did he end up buying the place?


His exact words to the realtor, "Thanks but no Thanks" :laughing:


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## 66 Shelby (Jan 11, 2009)

Robinson1 said:


> If you want to sale a house for 3/4 million you don't use crappy prefinish hardwood, 3 1/2" base and colonial case, never mind the drywall and other issues. This house also had standard 8' ceiling throughout, no crown, no wainscoting, had laun doors, some of the rooms had linoleum. ECT, ECT.


If they want to sell that, at least put some lipstick on that pig with some 'fancy' trimwork. Crown, shadow boxes, raised panel doors (even hollow core), high base, etc and paint it up nice. Or is stained trim a big selling point in your area?


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

66 Shelby said:


> If they want to sell that, at least put some lipstick on that pig with some 'fancy' trimwork. Crown, shadow boxes, raised panel doors (even hollow core), high base, etc and paint it up nice. Or is stained trim a big selling point in your area?


Its popular, mostly because its fast. 

I was never really a fan of painted woodwork myself. I view it as a crutch. Fill your  joints and paint it, looks good boys. :whistling

To me nice trim is solid wood, no finger joints, nice tight miters with 2-3 coats of gloss poly. :thumbsup:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Robinson1 said:


> Its popular, mostly because its fast.
> 
> I was never really a fan of painted woodwork myself. I view it as a crutch. Fill your  joints and paint it, looks good boys. :whistling
> 
> To me nice trim is solid wood, no finger joints, nice tight miters with 2-3 coats of gloss poly. :thumbsup:


Not me. I much prefer painted woodwork. No gloss anywhere either.


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## TimNJ (Sep 7, 2005)

How about a curb shot of the exterior?


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## Robinson1 (Mar 14, 2014)

EricBrancard said:


> Not me. I much prefer painted woodwork. No gloss anywhere either.


You don't paint your woodwork semi gloss or gloss?

Heck I still get a lot of requests for oil base gloss be used.


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## dom-mas (Nov 26, 2011)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Too many unknowns here. $800k seems like a lot until you drop $700k on a lot. They may be lucky to have baseboard for all we know..


He's in Kentucky not SoCal


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## atvalaska (Jan 14, 2014)

i'm deeply sadden ....that your camera died ......


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## jlsconstruction (Apr 26, 2011)

atvalaska said:


> i'm deeply sadden ....that your camera died ......


I'm not, that stuff makes me want to puke. Think about all the times you've struggled throughout your career, and think about these guys actually getting paid, and being successful doing this crap


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