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house hunting question

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bennett4362

bennett4362

deployment sucks
i'd love the input from those of you who have "been there done that."

we just got our orders to whibey island, washington, and will be reporting there on august 22. we've decided we'd like to buy a house on the island, but don't really know much about the areas, etc, although we are trying to find out what we can from here.

dh is in school, and there's no way he'd be able to take house hunting leave. however, i'm available for the gig, and we were wondering if it'd be worth it for me to fly over there myself around mid-july to find a house and, hopefully, put it under contract.

although it'd be nice to take a short trip out there to get a feel for the area before we move, and it'd be nice to have something lined up before we trek across the country, we weren't sure if it'd really be worth the close to $1,000 the trip would probably end up costing.

from your experience, will it be worth it to spend the money to go out there to find a house before we get there (the money is our main concern) or will we be ok to wait until we arrive?

thanks!!
 
KimberlyD

KimberlyD

Registered User
Bennett, have you joined any boards located in WA? If you have, it might be best to find out how the housing market is there (sellers market, buyers market, can't find a box to live in under $300K) & determine fr that. I have friends who sold their house here (crazy!) b/c they wanted a bigger house (also here, like I said, crazy) & now they are shopping for a house every day, putting in contracts & getting outbid. If the market is crazy like that there, you might just want to wait until you're both there but if you can be reasonably sure that you'll actually be able to pick out a house & win the bid, then definitely do it. Major piece of mind comes fr knowing where you'll be living, it takes the teeniest bit of confusion out of moving (teeny!).
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
bennett4362 said:
i'd love the input from those of you who have "been there done that."

we just got our orders to whibey island, washington, and will be reporting there on august 22. we've decided we'd like to buy a house on the island, but don't really know much about the areas, etc, although we are trying to find out what we can from here.

dh is in school, and there's no way he'd be able to take house hunting leave. however, i'm available for the gig, and we were wondering if it'd be worth it for me to fly over there myself around mid-july to find a house and, hopefully, put it under contract.

although it'd be nice to take a short trip out there to get a feel for the area before we move, and it'd be nice to have something lined up before we trek across the country, we weren't sure if it'd really be worth the close to $1,000 the trip would probably end up costing.

from your experience, will it be worth it to spend the money to go out there to find a house before we get there (the money is our main concern) or will we be ok to wait until we arrive?

thanks!!
Click to expand...
PM me with your specific questions. I spent 4 years in Whidbey recently and also rent my house out there, so I'm fairly familiar w/ the real estate side of things. I can put you in touch w/ some great realtors and suggest some websites as well. In the meantime, I do recommend making the trip out if you can. The cost will be well worth the benefit of having seen your property and knowing what you're getting into beforehand. Whidbey is an awesome place to live. Standing by for your questions.

Brett
 
Steve Wilkins

Steve Wilkins

Teaching pigs to dance, one pig at a time.
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what the hell is dh?

BT

Completely agree with Brett (on this issue....don't you bastards go quoting me that I always agree with Brett now). At least one person of the husband-wife team should at least see the area before arriving. This is my standard advice regardless of region or locality. The expense will mostly likely be worth it.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
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Super Moderator
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Steve Wilkins said:
Completely agree with Brett (on this issue....don't you bastards go quoting me that I always agree with Brett now).
Click to expand...
People will say we're in love ;) (One of the more frightening Hannibal Lecter lines from SOTL)
 
A4sForever

A4sForever

BTDT OLD GUY
pilot
Contributor
I can tell you 3 major real estate agencies in Oak Harbor NOT to deal with ... it might suprise some of the other posters who have local knowledge and they DO have some good agents -- but also have a high percentage of slime-balls, duplicitous agents and brokers, and past litigation against them ..... I have 35 years exposure to a couple of them and know. Two of the owner/brokers were Vietnam draft "evaders" and are now "respected" members of the community. But others may have another opinion, time heals some things ......

There is not too much "nice" housing available on the market right now, according to my sources. Some is building, it's always changing, so your PCS arrival will dictate whether or not an exploratory trip will work. Lots of C-R-A-P available, it's always there, but not a surplus of nice stuff in nice areas -- right now. Forget about waterfront/beachfront unless you are independently wealthy .... then contact me and I will sell you my house. :)

You need to hook up with a good agent early, tell them what you are looking for, features, style, price range, etc. That's probably a must since when the good stuff comes on the market up here --- it doesn't last too long. I could suggest a female realtor who is good, honest, experienced, been doing this for .... what?? .... 30 years I want to say -- up here. Good track record, works for the client. I've never used her PERSONALLY, just know her and her husband and their reputation --- used to fly with him +/- 100 years ago.

I've returned to the area 3 times since 1971 --- why??? --- I don't know --- and I've got lucky every time. But I knew the areas and what I was looking for. Lucky is better than good any day ....
 
bennett4362

bennett4362

deployment sucks
kimberly, we do own a house in atlanta (and just sold another one there). my question wasn't so much about buying a house, though, as it was about whether it would be worth the expense for me to visit whidbey before we move.

thanks for the input, guys. PMs on the way!
 
K

KBayDog

Well-Known Member
bennett4362 said:
Dear Husband :D
Click to expand...

I was thinking something along the lines of "Deer Hunter."

deer.jpg


"Stanley, see this? This is this. This ain't something else. This is this. From now on, you're on your own."

You're just too good to be true...can't take my eyes off of you...you'd be like heaven to touch...I wanna hold you so much...
 
bennett4362

bennett4362

deployment sucks
KBayDog said:
I was thinking something along the lines of "Deer Hunter."

deer_hunter.jpg


"Stanley, see this? This is this. This ain't something else. This is this. From now on, you're on your own."

You're just too good to be true...can't take my eyes off of you...you'd be like heaven to touch...I wanna hold you so much...
Click to expand...


hmm, i think there might be a joke in here that i'm missing.

nevertheless, he is a deer hunter!
 
zab1001

zab1001

Well-Known Member
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
oh there ARE folks who call their mil spouses DH as in dept head...makes me want to vomit.

real estate...something....sorry...
 
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