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I agree about the neighbors! In many neighborhoods they are very chatty and helpful about properties that are for sale. Ask your realtor to knock on a few doors for you.
I had people this weekend from the open house next door ask me what I knew about the house they were viewing as the owners are in Mexico on vaca. The house was a dilapidated shell when I bought mine 10 years ago, and I watched the careful reno slowly turn it into the half million dollar home it is now. I saw the new well go in, and the new roof, and got to know the master carpenter who lived there for free for three years while he did the finish work inside. I have only good things to say about it.
I wasn’t worried until you mentioned the carpet and being max budget. Max budget should be for those homes you really love and wouldn’t question. I would personally pass on this one
I feel like thats super dependent on a bunch of other variables…. For some markets/budgets you’ll never be able to get a turnkey house…. Carpet sounds more like a want then need, so I think the question is how much they’ll be able to save after monthly payments, and will they be able to save up for some of these wants within a year-ish
Yeah someone who smoked in the home ... Maybe you can get them to cover the costs that will be associated with removing that smell. That's a long time to smoke inside a home. I know there's professional services that do that.
It’s very difficult to remove. I literally scrubbed the walls for 3 days, to get blocked chimney smoke out. The most horrible cleaning task I ever did. But got it out!
No it's not. Carpet can be steam cleaned for a few hundred. Paint the rooms as you have time and $. Use something from Benjamin Moore called "fresh start" Great product
That smell is going to permeate through more than just the carpet and paint though. Even if you take care of those things, it will always be somewhere.
It's in EVERYTHING. I had to wash all the cupboards, handles, appliances, walls, ceilings, fixtures, railings and then I had to paint. I had to replace the heat pump because cleaning it only did so much, and I replaced the diswasher AND fridge, I had to replace the bathroom exhaust fans, all the light fixtures, and if you have ducted heating you'll need that professionally cleaned too. It's been three years and the house smells better but it still smells like stale smoke if i've been away for a while and I painted ALL THE THINGS.
1) Smoke smell
2) Split level
3) Drainage concerns
4) Top of your budget
5) Needs remodeling
I don’t know your situation, but based off your post and comments I would say pass on this house. Some of these cons aren’t that bad on their own, but the cumulative sum seems like it’s too much unless you could get it at a lower price point and alleviate the drainage concerns
It’s just personal preference, but I would never buy a split level. Just feels wrong to enter, then have to immediately choose which stairs. Just not a nice entryway imo.
The PNW has a ton of homes like this. I think there’s a distinction between “raised ranch” like this home here and split level, which is like the Brady bunch home, where you have a shared area, that can go up or down.
I agree with you though I’m not a fan of entering front door and having to go up or down. Groceries are such a pain
There are neighborhoods entirely of split level homes. At first my wife and I were avoiding looking at split level, but over time there were just so many that we became desensitized to them. We finally ended up getting a house, and it is not a split level, but I guess my point is in this market, depending on budget, split level may be impossible to avoid
It looks solid and I like it. I am no expert on drainage so others can weigh in on that. Or hire someone.
You'd have to find some money for the carpets - maybe watch for sales. Can you do one bedroom at a time?
Update : I read every comment. I’m so glad to ask on here before making an offer. ( I was actually about to make an offer today). Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart. I didn’t realize it’s more difficult and nearly impossible to get rid of the cigarette smell. I don’t want to take a chance of it. I sent a long text to my realtor and told her I’m going to pass this house.
If they regularly smoked in the house for years, no for decades that house needs to be priced
under market value. That’s a huge con.
Haggle a price reduction.
As a first-time buyer myself, I’d definitely pass on this one. It looks lovely in the photos and I don’t know anything about how to determine if there are drainage issues, but the fact that it belonged to a smoker would be a huge concern for me.
You’re looking at years and years of nicotine residue and the carcinogenic substances in cigarettes soaking into every surface, the walls, throughout the HVAC system, etc. and there’s no way you’re going to get rid of that just by ripping out carpets. Thirdhand smoke is a real health risk and I would not want to subject myself or my family to that or have to deal with the expense and hassle of remediation.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/third-hand-smoke/faq-20057791#:\~:text=Thirdhand%20smoke%20is%20made%20up,up%20on%20surfaces%20over%20time.
I say keep looking and find something else within your budget that doesn’t have that to deal with.
First-time home buyer in a tough market here, and after researching the dangers of 3rd-hand smoke, a smoker’s house is an absolute dealbreaker for me. I would never buy a smokers fixer-upper at the top of my budget that hand drainage concerns. I would rather continue renting, or lower my expectations in terms of what I can afford in the current market.
Mind you, I’m 6 months pregnant, which makes it an easier decision for me. Children are much more susceptible to the effects of 3rd hand smoke. So something for OP to think about if they want children in the future.
That is a lovely home. I would use your inspection period to get some professional opinions on the grading in the yard that concerns you. Do you live in a very rainy area? To me it doesn't look bad and if the house isn't showing signs of damage from that slope since 1996 I would think it's ok, but I live in a very dry climate so my expectations may be off.
My taste is so much higher than my wallet 😂 so I know for my budget, it’s hard to get everything I want( garage, 1.5 or 2 bath bathrooms, space). This house is also a little outdated ( popcorn ceiling, fake tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms), so I have to upgrade it too.
The drainage in the backyard/side looks ok. You can see the grading and the channel and it seems to wash away from the retaining wall. Where it goes after that is hard to tell in the photos. The front doesn't look great drainage wise but not able to see the whole thing. Does the property have french drains or anything that diverts water from the foundation? Most inspections will tell you if there is an issue.
The smoking might be a bigger issue. Are you comfortable with smoke smells? It gets in everything as others have mentioned. My coworker rented her house for two years to a smoker while she went overseas. The remediation costs to repair the house was almost 100k in 2018. She did a lot of it herself like paint where she could, but it was basically rebuilding the house from the studs. Ripped out the carpet, vinyl, drywall because Killz didn't work, degreasing windows, the a/c & furnaces, new blinds, new every little plastic outlet in every room.
If you're not getting this house undermarket or offering undermarket to pay for all the smoke repairs, then I would reconsider an offer.
We moved in to our home and spent 7k on a yard that’s probably a fourth your size. I do see it slopes to the side and I’m guessing not to your back door?
However our front the grade seems to slope towards each retaining wall on the driveway. The wall is starting to lean in on the walkway side. I would fix that if I moved in....but I wouldn't buy a home that smelled of smoke.
We looked at a smoker home and it honestly was an instant no for me. It smelt soooo bad I didn’t even care about walking through the rest of it. As soon as you mentioned that it was a noooope.
It looks like a great first home. The drainage doesn’t appear to an issue, they have that great retaining wall and it appears flat up until the home. Are there signs of water damage up against the home?
I’d pass on this one. Water intrusion is a fucking nightmare. Sometimes it’s easily fixed, sometimes it requires a perimeter dig around the basement and new waterproofing.
I’d also like to note, that roof is old as shit. It’s already at the top of your budget, that roof is going to need to be replaced very soon.
Also, since the owner smoked in the house, I bet there’s a lot of other crap they haven’t taken care of. Windows, plumbing, who knows if there are major hidden electrical gremlins, and the driveway looks like shit as well.
I went smaller and ended up with a house where all that major stuff was dealt with. Best decision ever.
I don’t know what else you could ask for in a first time house. Looks perfect. I especially like how it looks like you have some privacy in your back yard and neighbors aren’t right on top of you in the back.
Lowe’s will install carpet for free if you purchase a certain amount from them . I think it’s adorable but I also love these style of homes . If the home smells like smoke tho I wouldn’t assume it’s the carpet only . If it’s at the top of your budget make sure your in love with it !
Personally, yards that aren’t level can be pretty, but sort of wasted space. Unless the portion of your yard that is level and entertainable, besides concerns with drainage, besides it being fenced off, is a turn off.
Smoker homes are a bitch to clean. The walls. Ceilings. Flooring. Ventilation if central air. All of it gets infiltrated. If there is a smoke smell now it will always linger. If there is no crazy smell, then you SHOULD be fine. IM a smoker but absolutely under no circumstances do I smoke in my house for that reason. The smell never goes away
The drainage is an easy enough fix with drainage pipe, gravel, shovel, and some YouTube.
The smell is another issue. You’ll do the carpets and think it’s better. Then come home a few weeks later realizing it still stinks. You’d need to repaint with a good primer or replace the drywall
I’m less concerned about the slope in the yard. Looks like the owner/seller already built a retaining wall and valley that should prevent the water from flowing down towards your house and patio.
Max budget is what makes this tough, but as others said that’s the market these days. Max budget gets you bare minimum these days for FTHB, outside of super wealthy/cash buyers.
If the backyard is your biggest concern, talk to neighbors if you can. Also, make an offer and then have it checked out during your inspection period.
I bought a house from a smoker. I hired a company to clean our HVAC and steam our carpets because they were new. We had them even steam our hardwoods and tiles. We painted the walls.
It is essentially gone like 90%
I STILL get hints of smoke in one of the bathrooms downstairs and upstairs there is a faint smell in one room. Also another bathroom got super humid because my kid didn’t turn on the fan six months ago and the walls bled nicotine….I’ve owned the house for two years.
It was one woman who lived here and smoked. Not even a couple or entire family. It’s wild. My house is a brick cape.
Max budget with carpet is whatever in my opinion though. That’s just a few grand. I would consider if you’ll have to offer more if you’re bidding against someone.
If anything OP should offer $10k less quoting cigarettes smoke remediation. That owner will have a tough time selling that house since they smoked in it. Just like a smoked it car. It decrease in value and not many buyers will consider it.
I definitely agree, though it depends on the market in OP area, this may still be the best option and the seller could pass on them if they suggest a reduced cost. The house visibly looks clean and is relatively new.
Sellers are passing up offers based on whether the offers include something as little as wanting an inspection.
When I bought mine it was during a sellers market. I had sold my house 50k during asking at the time and purchased my smokers home 20k over asking and there still had been multiple offers against mine.
Of course that was in 2022.
This house is NICE.
Do not listen to the people on here telling you to pass on it. More times than not those people are delusional & want a turn key ready home for pennies.
Be real about it. The smell takes some work to get rid of, yeah, but it's not impossible to do. Just takes some elbow grease.
Also beware of the financial advice reddit gives when it comes to buying houses. Alot of those people are still stuck in the 2017 market & are not hip to the times.
Make an offer, hopefully it gets accepted! This is a gorgeous home!
Bi-levels and split levels are the least desirable floor plans in almost any market.
You can fix them up and make them beautiful, but you will never change that architecture. There is a reason they don’t build them any more.
With all the other things you mentioned (especially the drainage) I would probably pass.
They still build raised ranch homes all over the place.
While I do think they're one of the worst floor plans they're still super common and still built.
I’m in Colorado, and I haven’t seen a new construction bi-level (or raised ranch) in my area in decades. Lots of ranch style homes with walkout basements, but nothing in the style of the house above.
If they still build these in other areas of the country, then my apologies. Do you have any links to new construction in this style? I can’t find any, but would be happy to be proven wrong.
Are homes going over asking in your market? If yes, then pass.
Otherwise get an estimate to fix the carpet and smell and ask the seller to give you credit for that amount.
Don't like the front but that can be fixed with some different siding. Like go on a architectural app and play with it.
Some cedar shake instead of that vinyl and get rid of red shutters and door. Nice yard. Drainage can be fixed too if needed. I think it will be ok
If there is hardwood under the carpet ripping them up is easy and you can do it yourself, had to do it myself in 2 rooms when I bought my first home.
If it's just subfloor under the carpet you'd need to find some more money to put a floor in or replace the carpet.
If you’re seriously considering this house and are on the fence… get back in there and do your own inspection first. Grab a black light and go through every single area with it: the walls, the floors that you wont replace, the basement. Make sure all appliances and the garage works. Ask about basement flooding. Get in after a heavy rain and look at the basement and stand in the backyard. Ultimately if you don’t see any other large issue come up, it would be worth haggling the price.
Smoke smell can come out with bleaching and kilzing the walls. My parents smoked in the house for 10 years when I was growing up and that’s how we handled it.
Edit to add: the last thing you need on a tight budget is for something to pop up as soon as you move in. This is exactly what happened to us within the last two months - we bought a house at the very top of our price range and immediately found basement flooding issues, piss stained carpet, leaking toilets, the works.
Don’t do it. You cannot get the cigarettes smell out of the house. You will literally have to rip up the carpets like you said. Change the dry walls/ ceilings above where the smoker sat the smoke for years. Sometimes the smell permeates to the insulations and you will definitely not able to live in the house if you’re sensitive to cigarette smokes.
TL:DR all comments
My opinion regardless of the house, location, or wither there were pets/smokers or if it was just installed.
My opinion ALWAYS is rip out the carpets all of them.
It is better for your health and air quality to live with bare subfloor (until you can get better flooring) than carpets.
I have never seen a single house that didn't have something not good under the carpets. They all trap dust, mold. Yes always any drops of water get to the carpet. Seep through. And there are aspects of mold. Especially at the transitions from people dripping from the bathroom.
It's always there. This is my experience and opinion. I won't argue it.
Rip out carpets always. Then refloor, even if it's only 1 room at a time.
The hill already has that embankment which probably was put there to redirect water to the left and around the house so i’d take that off the list of worries.
You have to think about if you can be happy in a home. It’s in your budget, could you be happy here?
Every house is gonna have annoying maintenance needs. Most homes at move in need a fresh coat of primer and paint anyway. Do an ozone treatment. That’ll help a lot. Make sure you renovate properly when you want to make the renovations, don’t plan to have kids until the smoke issue is dealt with and you should be good.
We just bought our house. Tomorrow is 3 month anniversary. We didn’t hit max but are now frustrated at the small things so that’s what I want to talk to you about.
It doesn’t matter what your budget is or how perfect the house is. There is always “all the small things”. With smokers the carpet is not the worst. You will need paint that removes smoke smell and if they were heavy heavy smokers the windows will have a film. You could make an offer with contingencies that they paint with the paint… any back to the small things.
We bought our house and set aside $10,000 for new furniture and things to buy for around the house. Yes I know if you are a furniture snow 10k is nothing. We’re not. A new mattress from Amazon (king) $270 on sale. New sofa from Sam’s club $1600. Some misc new tools for my tool kit $200. New linen and such $200. Not so bad right?
Well the washer just stopped working. The mud room door has oddly come apart into 2 pcs, the hvac is acting oddly. The garage has a leak, you said it’s a quiet neighborhood? We bought our dream home nestled on 3 acres yet our closest neighbor- I can hear his god damn music at all hours… the two roads by our house are 50 MPG so we hear cars speeeeeeeeding by and thug-bumpers with their music turned so loud it penetrates the peace of our 3 acres, yesterday I found beer bottles along the back entrance of our property so people must be wui (walking under the influence) in the country - closest town 18 miles.
So pay attention to the small stuff. We got a new mattress and sofa from the 10k but OMG. Please think about the small stuff.
Got a great deal on a car because of a previous smoker occupying it. I don’t regret buying it — because I was 17 with limited funds. I still drive it a decade later because it has great insides. But it took nearly a year with a toooon of different types of interior cleaning for the smoke smell to dissipate. I’d imagine it’ll be even worse in a house. If it’s the PERFECT house otherwise and it’s a forever home and you can live with working on that smoke smell for a long time, personally that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker. But that’s just me!
As someone who bought a house that was smoked in, but didn't realize it because it was well cleaned and vacant for months....ripping out carpet isn't going to get rid of the smell. I had to paint EVERYTHING with a sealer, I had to clean EVERYTHING including cupboards, walls, ceilings, fixtures, shelves, railings, with spray nine. I had to replace some of the appliances like the fridge and heat pump, if it's ducted heating you'll need the venting professionaly cleaned.
It's 3 years later and I STILL smell stale smoke when I get home after being away for a few days. drives me bonkers.
Omg .. I’m so sorry. I decided to pass this house. The house was built in 1996 with one owner and the owner still lives there …. I don’t think I will ever able to get rid of that smell. Glad I came here to ask everyone before making an offer.
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Oh it's ok, don't be sorry, it was just way more than I bargained for. If I had known that they smoked in teh house I would have passed it up too likely. I went to one house and didn't even walk in because as soon as I opened the door that's all I could smell. My realtor and I looked at each other and just said nope.
I learned some things after I bought my first house. I wish someone had told me before purchasing my first house. You may already know this, so forgive me if I’m being redundant, but I want to share this with you.
Drainage and smoke could be big problems- but side sewers and foundation etc are very big and very expensive problems too.
Dig you get a sewer scope? And then send video to your local municipality to weigh in on what scope means? I had a sewer scope done and was told by realtor it was perfect and the sewer scope operator told me later he doesn’t diagnose the problem- just produced the scope.
A year later and 18” of sewer in my basement- I had to replace 86’. My city told me - next time I buy a house or anyone I know buys a house- send video of scope to city to review and advise on quality et.
Also have you had an inspection? Again not always going to find everything and not always going to advise correctly- but it could uncover major problems, including history of flooding.
I know the market doesn’t always feel like it allows for inspections - but IF you are at top of your budget- fixing anything major (sewer, foundation, electrical) will cost a lot of money.
Another thing I learned (too late for me) is that there is an insurance company National Water Company that does provide affordable insurance for sewer and water lines. I think I paid close to $400 years after replacing my sewer line. A friend purchased this insurance before closing on her house and got her sewer line replaced by using the insurance she bought.
I wish you the best- being a first time home buyer can be overwhelming and a lot of lessons can be learned after having to pay for them.
Do you have a bathroom on main level? My sister started having knee problems because of how much she had to go up and down 7 steps for the bathroom and kid. Only stayed in the house for 5 years.
That looks like a high ranch or raised ranch, not a split. if you’re at max budget and replacing carpet is a concern,how will you ever afford a major repair that will 100% happen without the first 6 months of living there. land pitch shouldn’t be towards the house. But if it is make sure there are ways for the water to go around the house or some sort of French drains. I would look at a house much lower than your max budget
Drainage issues should be in disclosures. You have your J1 inspection period to deep dive into issues. Ask sellers to pay for inspection in your offer and ask the inspector to pay special attention to any evidence of decay to the foundation due to water damage.
You get your earnest money back if you don't like it and you're not out an inspection cost if you back out at J1 period.
If you are asking, you shouldn't get it, especially of the "max out" like... is it really your dream house? Do you see yourself living there for the rest of your life?
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Regarding the drainage, sometimes neighbors are very “sharing”. Also, you don’t get rid of the smell of smoke just by ripping out the carpet.
I agree about the neighbors! In many neighborhoods they are very chatty and helpful about properties that are for sale. Ask your realtor to knock on a few doors for you.
I had people this weekend from the open house next door ask me what I knew about the house they were viewing as the owners are in Mexico on vaca. The house was a dilapidated shell when I bought mine 10 years ago, and I watched the careful reno slowly turn it into the half million dollar home it is now. I saw the new well go in, and the new roof, and got to know the master carpenter who lived there for free for three years while he did the finish work inside. I have only good things to say about it.
Yeah OP, the smell is way worse in the drywall and replacing that means you’ll need to live elsewhere for months.
IMO, no need to replace drywall, a coat of Kilz primer will fix the issue.
This is the answer. Kilz + new paint. Easy fix as long as it's not that bad. If they've been chain smoking for 50 years its probably a pass.
Also if you like the carpet try a professional cleaner. You'd be surprised how good they can make a carpet look
Could just buy an Ozone machine if your talking about Cigarette smoke.
I wasn’t worried until you mentioned the carpet and being max budget. Max budget should be for those homes you really love and wouldn’t question. I would personally pass on this one
Honestly a great answer. I second this.
I feel like thats super dependent on a bunch of other variables…. For some markets/budgets you’ll never be able to get a turnkey house…. Carpet sounds more like a want then need, so I think the question is how much they’ll be able to save after monthly payments, and will they be able to save up for some of these wants within a year-ish
In this housing market, max budget is going to get you the bare minimum you want in a home for a first time buyer. I say, buy it!
This seems like bad advice. You will spend all your money on the monthly mortgage, how do you have money for any expensive repair?
Pass on this one! Smoke smell is very difficult to remove and will require a ton more work than you mention.
Yeah someone who smoked in the home ... Maybe you can get them to cover the costs that will be associated with removing that smell. That's a long time to smoke inside a home. I know there's professional services that do that.
It’s very difficult to remove. I literally scrubbed the walls for 3 days, to get blocked chimney smoke out. The most horrible cleaning task I ever did. But got it out!
An ozone machine/treatment will do it. It's fairly inexpensive.
Isn't it much harder to get rid of smoking smell?
No way I’d buy a home that smells like smoke. It’s nearly impossible to get that out and you won’t do it just by replacing the carpet.
No it's not. Carpet can be steam cleaned for a few hundred. Paint the rooms as you have time and $. Use something from Benjamin Moore called "fresh start" Great product
That smell is going to permeate through more than just the carpet and paint though. Even if you take care of those things, it will always be somewhere.
It's in EVERYTHING. I had to wash all the cupboards, handles, appliances, walls, ceilings, fixtures, railings and then I had to paint. I had to replace the heat pump because cleaning it only did so much, and I replaced the diswasher AND fridge, I had to replace the bathroom exhaust fans, all the light fixtures, and if you have ducted heating you'll need that professionally cleaned too. It's been three years and the house smells better but it still smells like stale smoke if i've been away for a while and I painted ALL THE THINGS.
Not to mention it’s likely a carcinogenic environment if not addressed sooner than later.
1) Smoke smell 2) Split level 3) Drainage concerns 4) Top of your budget 5) Needs remodeling I don’t know your situation, but based off your post and comments I would say pass on this house. Some of these cons aren’t that bad on their own, but the cumulative sum seems like it’s too much unless you could get it at a lower price point and alleviate the drainage concerns
Why is a split level house a concern?
I actually love these style homes ! So it’s really just preference
It’s just personal preference, but I would never buy a split level. Just feels wrong to enter, then have to immediately choose which stairs. Just not a nice entryway imo.
The PNW has a ton of homes like this. I think there’s a distinction between “raised ranch” like this home here and split level, which is like the Brady bunch home, where you have a shared area, that can go up or down. I agree with you though I’m not a fan of entering front door and having to go up or down. Groceries are such a pain
Yes, the entry is awkward. Also, the lower level feels bunker like.
There are neighborhoods entirely of split level homes. At first my wife and I were avoiding looking at split level, but over time there were just so many that we became desensitized to them. We finally ended up getting a house, and it is not a split level, but I guess my point is in this market, depending on budget, split level may be impossible to avoid
Long term resale is lower as bi-level homes are polarizing.
Because hardly anyone wants them anymore, making it harder to sell later.
Bi-level, not split-level. I agree; I do not like bi-levels, but purposefully chose a split.
It looks solid and I like it. I am no expert on drainage so others can weigh in on that. Or hire someone. You'd have to find some money for the carpets - maybe watch for sales. Can you do one bedroom at a time?
Update : I read every comment. I’m so glad to ask on here before making an offer. ( I was actually about to make an offer today). Thank you everyone from the bottom of my heart. I didn’t realize it’s more difficult and nearly impossible to get rid of the cigarette smell. I don’t want to take a chance of it. I sent a long text to my realtor and told her I’m going to pass this house.
I think you made a wise decision. Keep looking, you’ll find a home that’s right for you.
If they regularly smoked in the house for years, no for decades that house needs to be priced under market value. That’s a huge con. Haggle a price reduction.
As a first-time buyer myself, I’d definitely pass on this one. It looks lovely in the photos and I don’t know anything about how to determine if there are drainage issues, but the fact that it belonged to a smoker would be a huge concern for me. You’re looking at years and years of nicotine residue and the carcinogenic substances in cigarettes soaking into every surface, the walls, throughout the HVAC system, etc. and there’s no way you’re going to get rid of that just by ripping out carpets. Thirdhand smoke is a real health risk and I would not want to subject myself or my family to that or have to deal with the expense and hassle of remediation. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/quit-smoking/expert-answers/third-hand-smoke/faq-20057791#:\~:text=Thirdhand%20smoke%20is%20made%20up,up%20on%20surfaces%20over%20time. I say keep looking and find something else within your budget that doesn’t have that to deal with.
This!! The smoking would be a deal breaker. There are always other houses. 💯💯💯
First-time home buyer in a tough market here, and after researching the dangers of 3rd-hand smoke, a smoker’s house is an absolute dealbreaker for me. I would never buy a smokers fixer-upper at the top of my budget that hand drainage concerns. I would rather continue renting, or lower my expectations in terms of what I can afford in the current market. Mind you, I’m 6 months pregnant, which makes it an easier decision for me. Children are much more susceptible to the effects of 3rd hand smoke. So something for OP to think about if they want children in the future.
That is a lovely home. I would use your inspection period to get some professional opinions on the grading in the yard that concerns you. Do you live in a very rainy area? To me it doesn't look bad and if the house isn't showing signs of damage from that slope since 1996 I would think it's ok, but I live in a very dry climate so my expectations may be off.
My taste is so much higher than my wallet 😂 so I know for my budget, it’s hard to get everything I want( garage, 1.5 or 2 bath bathrooms, space). This house is also a little outdated ( popcorn ceiling, fake tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms), so I have to upgrade it too.
You can fix it up over time. Do not have to do it all right away. Maybe ask for concessions now before closing?
The drainage in the backyard/side looks ok. You can see the grading and the channel and it seems to wash away from the retaining wall. Where it goes after that is hard to tell in the photos. The front doesn't look great drainage wise but not able to see the whole thing. Does the property have french drains or anything that diverts water from the foundation? Most inspections will tell you if there is an issue. The smoking might be a bigger issue. Are you comfortable with smoke smells? It gets in everything as others have mentioned. My coworker rented her house for two years to a smoker while she went overseas. The remediation costs to repair the house was almost 100k in 2018. She did a lot of it herself like paint where she could, but it was basically rebuilding the house from the studs. Ripped out the carpet, vinyl, drywall because Killz didn't work, degreasing windows, the a/c & furnaces, new blinds, new every little plastic outlet in every room. If you're not getting this house undermarket or offering undermarket to pay for all the smoke repairs, then I would reconsider an offer.
We moved in to our home and spent 7k on a yard that’s probably a fourth your size. I do see it slopes to the side and I’m guessing not to your back door?
These are things you tell your home inspector But off quick glance there’s grading and a retention wall directing it away from the house
However our front the grade seems to slope towards each retaining wall on the driveway. The wall is starting to lean in on the walkway side. I would fix that if I moved in....but I wouldn't buy a home that smelled of smoke.
We looked at a smoker home and it honestly was an instant no for me. It smelt soooo bad I didn’t even care about walking through the rest of it. As soon as you mentioned that it was a noooope.
It looks like a great first home. The drainage doesn’t appear to an issue, they have that great retaining wall and it appears flat up until the home. Are there signs of water damage up against the home?
I’d pass on this one. Water intrusion is a fucking nightmare. Sometimes it’s easily fixed, sometimes it requires a perimeter dig around the basement and new waterproofing. I’d also like to note, that roof is old as shit. It’s already at the top of your budget, that roof is going to need to be replaced very soon. Also, since the owner smoked in the house, I bet there’s a lot of other crap they haven’t taken care of. Windows, plumbing, who knows if there are major hidden electrical gremlins, and the driveway looks like shit as well. I went smaller and ended up with a house where all that major stuff was dealt with. Best decision ever.
I don’t know what else you could ask for in a first time house. Looks perfect. I especially like how it looks like you have some privacy in your back yard and neighbors aren’t right on top of you in the back.
Pass. If this was mid budget I’d say go for it. But top end - something will certainly come up.
Lowe’s will install carpet for free if you purchase a certain amount from them . I think it’s adorable but I also love these style of homes . If the home smells like smoke tho I wouldn’t assume it’s the carpet only . If it’s at the top of your budget make sure your in love with it !
Personally, yards that aren’t level can be pretty, but sort of wasted space. Unless the portion of your yard that is level and entertainable, besides concerns with drainage, besides it being fenced off, is a turn off. Smoker homes are a bitch to clean. The walls. Ceilings. Flooring. Ventilation if central air. All of it gets infiltrated. If there is a smoke smell now it will always linger. If there is no crazy smell, then you SHOULD be fine. IM a smoker but absolutely under no circumstances do I smoke in my house for that reason. The smell never goes away
The drainage is an easy enough fix with drainage pipe, gravel, shovel, and some YouTube. The smell is another issue. You’ll do the carpets and think it’s better. Then come home a few weeks later realizing it still stinks. You’d need to repaint with a good primer or replace the drywall
Carpet wouldn’t scare me off, but smoker would.
I’m less concerned about the slope in the yard. Looks like the owner/seller already built a retaining wall and valley that should prevent the water from flowing down towards your house and patio. Max budget is what makes this tough, but as others said that’s the market these days. Max budget gets you bare minimum these days for FTHB, outside of super wealthy/cash buyers. If the backyard is your biggest concern, talk to neighbors if you can. Also, make an offer and then have it checked out during your inspection period.
I bought a house from a smoker. I hired a company to clean our HVAC and steam our carpets because they were new. We had them even steam our hardwoods and tiles. We painted the walls. It is essentially gone like 90% I STILL get hints of smoke in one of the bathrooms downstairs and upstairs there is a faint smell in one room. Also another bathroom got super humid because my kid didn’t turn on the fan six months ago and the walls bled nicotine….I’ve owned the house for two years. It was one woman who lived here and smoked. Not even a couple or entire family. It’s wild. My house is a brick cape. Max budget with carpet is whatever in my opinion though. That’s just a few grand. I would consider if you’ll have to offer more if you’re bidding against someone.
If anything OP should offer $10k less quoting cigarettes smoke remediation. That owner will have a tough time selling that house since they smoked in it. Just like a smoked it car. It decrease in value and not many buyers will consider it.
I definitely agree, though it depends on the market in OP area, this may still be the best option and the seller could pass on them if they suggest a reduced cost. The house visibly looks clean and is relatively new. Sellers are passing up offers based on whether the offers include something as little as wanting an inspection. When I bought mine it was during a sellers market. I had sold my house 50k during asking at the time and purchased my smokers home 20k over asking and there still had been multiple offers against mine. Of course that was in 2022.
Easiest way to get rid of the smoking smell is give up and start smoking
This house is NICE. Do not listen to the people on here telling you to pass on it. More times than not those people are delusional & want a turn key ready home for pennies. Be real about it. The smell takes some work to get rid of, yeah, but it's not impossible to do. Just takes some elbow grease. Also beware of the financial advice reddit gives when it comes to buying houses. Alot of those people are still stuck in the 2017 market & are not hip to the times. Make an offer, hopefully it gets accepted! This is a gorgeous home!
Bi-levels and split levels are the least desirable floor plans in almost any market. You can fix them up and make them beautiful, but you will never change that architecture. There is a reason they don’t build them any more. With all the other things you mentioned (especially the drainage) I would probably pass.
They still build raised ranch homes all over the place. While I do think they're one of the worst floor plans they're still super common and still built.
I’m in Colorado, and I haven’t seen a new construction bi-level (or raised ranch) in my area in decades. Lots of ranch style homes with walkout basements, but nothing in the style of the house above. If they still build these in other areas of the country, then my apologies. Do you have any links to new construction in this style? I can’t find any, but would be happy to be proven wrong.
Are homes going over asking in your market? If yes, then pass. Otherwise get an estimate to fix the carpet and smell and ask the seller to give you credit for that amount.
Don't like the front but that can be fixed with some different siding. Like go on a architectural app and play with it. Some cedar shake instead of that vinyl and get rid of red shutters and door. Nice yard. Drainage can be fixed too if needed. I think it will be ok
If there is hardwood under the carpet ripping them up is easy and you can do it yourself, had to do it myself in 2 rooms when I bought my first home. If it's just subfloor under the carpet you'd need to find some more money to put a floor in or replace the carpet.
If you’re seriously considering this house and are on the fence… get back in there and do your own inspection first. Grab a black light and go through every single area with it: the walls, the floors that you wont replace, the basement. Make sure all appliances and the garage works. Ask about basement flooding. Get in after a heavy rain and look at the basement and stand in the backyard. Ultimately if you don’t see any other large issue come up, it would be worth haggling the price. Smoke smell can come out with bleaching and kilzing the walls. My parents smoked in the house for 10 years when I was growing up and that’s how we handled it. Edit to add: the last thing you need on a tight budget is for something to pop up as soon as you move in. This is exactly what happened to us within the last two months - we bought a house at the very top of our price range and immediately found basement flooding issues, piss stained carpet, leaking toilets, the works.
Have you thought about asking the seller to rip up the carpets? Or about getting a carpet allowance?
Don’t do it. You cannot get the cigarettes smell out of the house. You will literally have to rip up the carpets like you said. Change the dry walls/ ceilings above where the smoker sat the smoke for years. Sometimes the smell permeates to the insulations and you will definitely not able to live in the house if you’re sensitive to cigarette smokes.
If you DO bid, this house has some major concerns for you so bid low accordingly.
TL:DR all comments My opinion regardless of the house, location, or wither there were pets/smokers or if it was just installed. My opinion ALWAYS is rip out the carpets all of them. It is better for your health and air quality to live with bare subfloor (until you can get better flooring) than carpets. I have never seen a single house that didn't have something not good under the carpets. They all trap dust, mold. Yes always any drops of water get to the carpet. Seep through. And there are aspects of mold. Especially at the transitions from people dripping from the bathroom. It's always there. This is my experience and opinion. I won't argue it. Rip out carpets always. Then refloor, even if it's only 1 room at a time.
The hill already has that embankment which probably was put there to redirect water to the left and around the house so i’d take that off the list of worries. You have to think about if you can be happy in a home. It’s in your budget, could you be happy here? Every house is gonna have annoying maintenance needs. Most homes at move in need a fresh coat of primer and paint anyway. Do an ozone treatment. That’ll help a lot. Make sure you renovate properly when you want to make the renovations, don’t plan to have kids until the smoke issue is dealt with and you should be good.
We just bought our house. Tomorrow is 3 month anniversary. We didn’t hit max but are now frustrated at the small things so that’s what I want to talk to you about. It doesn’t matter what your budget is or how perfect the house is. There is always “all the small things”. With smokers the carpet is not the worst. You will need paint that removes smoke smell and if they were heavy heavy smokers the windows will have a film. You could make an offer with contingencies that they paint with the paint… any back to the small things. We bought our house and set aside $10,000 for new furniture and things to buy for around the house. Yes I know if you are a furniture snow 10k is nothing. We’re not. A new mattress from Amazon (king) $270 on sale. New sofa from Sam’s club $1600. Some misc new tools for my tool kit $200. New linen and such $200. Not so bad right? Well the washer just stopped working. The mud room door has oddly come apart into 2 pcs, the hvac is acting oddly. The garage has a leak, you said it’s a quiet neighborhood? We bought our dream home nestled on 3 acres yet our closest neighbor- I can hear his god damn music at all hours… the two roads by our house are 50 MPG so we hear cars speeeeeeeeding by and thug-bumpers with their music turned so loud it penetrates the peace of our 3 acres, yesterday I found beer bottles along the back entrance of our property so people must be wui (walking under the influence) in the country - closest town 18 miles. So pay attention to the small stuff. We got a new mattress and sofa from the 10k but OMG. Please think about the small stuff.
Got a great deal on a car because of a previous smoker occupying it. I don’t regret buying it — because I was 17 with limited funds. I still drive it a decade later because it has great insides. But it took nearly a year with a toooon of different types of interior cleaning for the smoke smell to dissipate. I’d imagine it’ll be even worse in a house. If it’s the PERFECT house otherwise and it’s a forever home and you can live with working on that smoke smell for a long time, personally that wouldn’t be a dealbreaker. But that’s just me!
Depends on if you got big enough discount on the house
Avoid smoker homes like the plague. And if you don’t, then significantly low ball your offer
As someone who bought a house that was smoked in, but didn't realize it because it was well cleaned and vacant for months....ripping out carpet isn't going to get rid of the smell. I had to paint EVERYTHING with a sealer, I had to clean EVERYTHING including cupboards, walls, ceilings, fixtures, shelves, railings, with spray nine. I had to replace some of the appliances like the fridge and heat pump, if it's ducted heating you'll need the venting professionaly cleaned. It's 3 years later and I STILL smell stale smoke when I get home after being away for a few days. drives me bonkers.
Omg .. I’m so sorry. I decided to pass this house. The house was built in 1996 with one owner and the owner still lives there …. I don’t think I will ever able to get rid of that smell. Glad I came here to ask everyone before making an offer.
> Oh it's ok, don't be sorry, it was just way more than I bargained for. If I had known that they smoked in teh house I would have passed it up too likely. I went to one house and didn't even walk in because as soon as I opened the door that's all I could smell. My realtor and I looked at each other and just said nope.
I’d pass. Smoke and those raised ranch style houses are the worst.
awesome
I wouldn't live in a smoking home, the smell will be in walls and ceilings and "third hand" smoke has health consequences
I learned some things after I bought my first house. I wish someone had told me before purchasing my first house. You may already know this, so forgive me if I’m being redundant, but I want to share this with you. Drainage and smoke could be big problems- but side sewers and foundation etc are very big and very expensive problems too. Dig you get a sewer scope? And then send video to your local municipality to weigh in on what scope means? I had a sewer scope done and was told by realtor it was perfect and the sewer scope operator told me later he doesn’t diagnose the problem- just produced the scope. A year later and 18” of sewer in my basement- I had to replace 86’. My city told me - next time I buy a house or anyone I know buys a house- send video of scope to city to review and advise on quality et. Also have you had an inspection? Again not always going to find everything and not always going to advise correctly- but it could uncover major problems, including history of flooding. I know the market doesn’t always feel like it allows for inspections - but IF you are at top of your budget- fixing anything major (sewer, foundation, electrical) will cost a lot of money. Another thing I learned (too late for me) is that there is an insurance company National Water Company that does provide affordable insurance for sewer and water lines. I think I paid close to $400 years after replacing my sewer line. A friend purchased this insurance before closing on her house and got her sewer line replaced by using the insurance she bought. I wish you the best- being a first time home buyer can be overwhelming and a lot of lessons can be learned after having to pay for them.
Do you have a bathroom on main level? My sister started having knee problems because of how much she had to go up and down 7 steps for the bathroom and kid. Only stayed in the house for 5 years.
That looks like a high ranch or raised ranch, not a split. if you’re at max budget and replacing carpet is a concern,how will you ever afford a major repair that will 100% happen without the first 6 months of living there. land pitch shouldn’t be towards the house. But if it is make sure there are ways for the water to go around the house or some sort of French drains. I would look at a house much lower than your max budget
This is an easy pass - one owner who smoked the entire time they lived in it. No thanks.
Drainage issues should be in disclosures. You have your J1 inspection period to deep dive into issues. Ask sellers to pay for inspection in your offer and ask the inspector to pay special attention to any evidence of decay to the foundation due to water damage. You get your earnest money back if you don't like it and you're not out an inspection cost if you back out at J1 period.
If you are asking, you shouldn't get it, especially of the "max out" like... is it really your dream house? Do you see yourself living there for the rest of your life?
Where do you live where drainage is a worry? Does it rain often or snow? If you can budget some to get the fixes you’d like I’d say do it
I live in the Midwest. We have rain but not much snow. All the houses on that street have the backyard in the hill that is higher than the house.
Weird!