I found a house Tuesday...

I found a house Tuesday... I had the brilliant idea of buying street maps of Pickens & Anderson counties (where we're looking to buy property), so we could get some perspective on where properties were that we were finding on-line. So... where's the best place to find a good local map?? At an old local gas station. So off I go out 183 towards Pickens and stop at the first gas station I come to. Go in, find the maps, head to the counter to make my first house-related purchase.... As is typically the case here in SC, the cashier engaged me in conversation, and managed to find out that I was purchasing said map to aid in house hunting.

She volunteered the information that the property next to hers was for sale. "It's a really nice house," she exclaimed. "We just couldn't believe it when they put it on the market; it's a big two-story place. We never thought they'd ever sell it. It has it's own well and everything." I inquired as to the purchase price (she didn't know, they wouldn't tell her when she asked). She did give me directions though, so I could go see the house of her dreams. I assumed since it was a big two-story house it would be out of our price range, but I decided to take a drive-by anyway. Imagine my surprise when the big two-story house turned out to be... um.... not big?! It's actually a really cute little house. -]

Only half of it has an upper story, and the well she was raving about..... Remember back a few years ago when *everybody* has those fake wishing-well things in their yards?? Heh. This one looks like if you leaned on it while making a wish, it'd fall over!! Definitely not a well to drink water from like we have now. Hee hee. Anyway, I wrote down the number of the office/listing agent. Hubby & kid & I are going to do a drive-by on Saturday. If he likes the looks of it, we'll call & see about getting a showing.

My bet is that it was built in the 30's. It's a really snug looking place.. think "cute little cozy cottage" and you'll have a pretty good idea. It looks smaller than a Cape Cod.......... I've got no idea how many bedrooms it might have, I guess we'll have to wait & see. It had a detached garage, paved driveway & sidewalks here & there, a nicely wooded lot, established shrubbery--something hard to find down here. It really looks like a little old couple used to live there... the kind of little old couple that are really nice & sweet & always took really good care of everything. I fell in love with it when I saw it, but we're a L-O-N-G way off of doing anything (other than driving around & getting ideas about what's out there). The last place we looked at (on-line) turned out to be the only framed house in the middle of 2 square miles of dumpy trailers......

So there you have what I was going to post Wednesday... but since you so patiently waited, I'm going to reward you with an update!!

I called the realtor at 5:01 yesterday afternoon & asked the listing price for said cute little house. "$145,000," he said, "but I talked to the owners a little bit ago, and they're thinking of coming down on the price. They mentioned $132,000 (said in tone of derision)." Apparently the owners are making payments on two properties & want to get out from under this one. It's a 3 bed/2 bath house with 400 sq ft of unfinished attic-like space upstairs on 2 acres (which the agent is willing to show us anytime), centrally located between Berea, Pickens & Pumpkintown.

I think the owners must be smoking something.... That's a nice sized lot & the house looks to be in good shape too, but $145K???? They're nuts!! This is Pickens Co. for Pete's sake!!!! Even $132K is over-priced for the location. Granted that it's the nicest house on the street, but the property next door is your run-of-the-mill red-neck abode of choice, (aka trailer). The neighborhood isn't in an up and coming area..... it's just over-priced.

Of course as first-time home buyers on a single income, we can't afford any where near either price anyway.... but if hubby likes the looks of it, we just might eventually call & ask for a showing. If the owners get desperate enough.............