Possible DC House I'm Considering

[Crazy8]

wow!
seriously? our mortgage is $2,500 and our property taxes are like 6,000.00
I guess we are paying for the good weather

mine is similar - actually my taxes are about 10k/year - but I'm in NJ and we DON'T have the great weather all year!!

Even if I could buy a house for 35k (I couldn't even find a shack for 135k here!) I'm not sure I'd want to run a daycare outside my own home - that's kind of the reason I'm doing this - to be HOME.

Good luck!!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

I like the way this sounds!!!! I really think it has potential!!! I have been through this process and would love to help with any tips I can give. happyface

[Sugar Magnolia]

I'm getting a serious itch also. I was trying to convince my hubby of this home. It clearly needs some yard work but we know the previous owners and I know that it has been very well taken care of for it's age.

http://www.homes.com/listing/143358237/510_N_2nd_Street_BURLINGTON_KS_66839

I have a thing for charming older homes. In a dream home I don't want anything fancy. I want to take something old and mix it with new. Something that we can make our own. The "studio apartment" in back would be perfect to do my daycare in it. It would be separate from the house but just right there. Plus my husbands grandparents don't live to far away.

Sadly, even though we could afford the house payment on this. I don't know if we could afford the utilities on an older HUGE place like this. I have no idea what they run in a place like this.

LOVE that house!! I also have a thing for old houses.

[SilverSabre25]

That sounds really awesome! Especially the proximity to parks and the library--weekly field trip to story time!

[Sunchimes]

Nini.R, that's a gorgeous house. It looks like it has 12' ceilings though. I live in an old (ca. 1870) house with 12'ceilings, and my utility bills are awful. Basically, you are heating and cooling an extra 4' of space that is absolutely useless. Even with good insulation, it's still like heating another half house.

This is our 3rd charming old house. In the last year, I've started dreaming of 8' ceilings and closets. ::

[Blackcat31]

So, I went and looked at the house last night.

-They have already pulled most of the carpets out and put down laminate, and are replacing the carpet in the bedrooms.

-The biggest bedroom is right off the livingroom, with a double-wide doorway (currently has hanging doors). I could easily remove those doors and just put a wide gate across, creating a "baby zone".

-2 more bedrooms on the other side could be a "gym" and a sleeping room.

-The kitchen is big enought to serve as a kitchen AND art area. So all the messy stuff could stay in there.

-The yard is fenced 3/4 around, so it would only take about 25-40 feet of fence to finish. It does need some cleanup, like some overgrown weeds around the edges and some debris in the yard. I didn't measure it, but it appears to be big enough to meet regs. Plus, there are 3 playgrounds within walking distance nearby, and a library a block away.

-Drawback-no garage or shed at all for my cart. I would not want a gate to the yard (I'd want parents to come through the daycare to get their children if we are outside). So, I'd have to buy a shed big enough for the cart (about 3'x6'). I could NOT leave it just parked in the yard because I am sure some bar patrons would take it for a joy ride one night.

Cool!! I think it definitely has potential and I also think it is totally doable as a family child care. Your area is very much like mine so I assume most the costs and licensing things would be similar to me (unless you went the center route...which is so much more work and NOT worth it....atleast not here).

If you need someone to talk to about how it all works as a non-homesteaded, family child care get a hold of me any time! Or we could talk about it when we meet up in a couple weeks in Grand Marais!

Oh, and TOTALLY see you point about not leaving the cart out with a bar so close......I know people who would have taken a joy ride for sure!! ::

[Nickel]

That would be awesome to have a seperate building and not have to worry about dragging toys and other items out every day. If you have the money I would say go for it! I would love to have a "center" one day.

Also, to those that are envious of cheaper areas, just remember, the area isn't really "cheaper" when you figure in most people's wages. I grew up in a small coal mining town with a graduating class of less than 125. The home I grew up in was sold for about $30,000. It was also build somewhere between 1860-1920. Our coal bill ran probably about 75/mnth, water about 35, electric 50 and groceries the same as most other areas. But here's the kicker. My dad drove about an hour to work every day and he brough home about $700 every two weeks! Fora family of 4 and he was in a management position, had been with the company for 12 years.

So, yes our mortgage was about $400-$500/mnth but that was still a huge chunk of income! Now I live in an area where I bought my home for $125k but my mortgage payment is still a little less than 1/4 of my income. So it evens out. Just because housing costs less does not mean it is actually cheaper, if that makes sense.

To the OP, if this is what you really want to do and you love the house and can afford it, go for it. Factor in taxes, utilities, gas, etc then go for it! Fresh paint can really go a long way! But def check to see if there is any hazards.

[Sugar Magnolia]

Cool!! I think it definitely has potential and I also think it is totally doable as a family child care. Your area is very much like mine so I assume most the costs and licensing things would be similar to me (unless you went the center route...which is so much more work and NOT worth it....atleast not here).

If you need someone to talk to about how it all works as a non-homesteaded, family child care get a hold of me any time! Or we could talk about it when we meet up in a couple weeks in Grand Marais!

Oh, and TOTALLY see you point about not leaving the cart out with a bar so close......I know people who would have taken a joy ride for sure!! ::

I hope Heidi has the option of it being a home daycare. Yep, much more complex to open a center. Anyone know WI regs on this?? I'm really rooting for you Heidi!!