Just realized I have very few happy icons
Jan. 18th, 2014 09:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vicarzIn the words of an excited teen, well the words aren't relevant so I'll be hipster and reference general terms of excitement.
HOUSE
Last night I arranged to be let into the almost-mine house, was ditched by an arch firm who wouldn't even bid on the digout (they do design vs. find contractors to do work), but Scott showed up as did a recommended roofer. FIRST I met the neighbor who has the porch and yard covered with junk/stuff. I thought the woman I saw was azn, but noticed her going into a latino house across the street some weeks ago. Yesterday I met the man, latino, who was confused when I said my name (with no spanish accent) and then asked if he went by George or Georgé. He was friendly, interested in how much the house went for (I told him the listing price - he might be waiting for the right time to sell was my impression). He was nice - sure his place looks not-model, but I'm already happy with him as a neighbor.
We went in and checked out the roof with the roofer - this time I climbed on the roof. Notice the roofer walks on the edge of the house, me, I lean with my body weight well on the building! I don't have a ballpark yet, but Scott had MANY good points. I upped the work to include removing the 2-3 layers that were obviously there, was told if the wood is rotten it's not a big cost to replace, added in flashing, added in pointing, noted the odd cuts in the roof and at least one minor leak (but on a slope so it wasn't consequential), discussed the huge difference in price if I decide to do a roof deck later (the deck blocks access so you have to get materials that last for ages without maintenance), went over 2 interesting skylight ideas (Scott - long-life and lower cost options / Jason noted exposed joists/beams which sounds pretty), and finally added in the porch roof.
The roofer, no statistical shock here, is latino (Salv), but as we walked on the porch roof the neighbor and he spoke in spanish - telling us that the porch leaked and where. Sweet information to get! So, I've likely way-upped my roof work but I'm looking at a 10-year timespan or more so I'm willing to sink good money into it, though always with an eye on cost.
Janna and Jason played with the bedroom drywall (oh myyy) because if you press on it, it squeaks. No problem, but it reinspires my fetish for exposed brick (though I think the first exposed brick activity will be in the living room. Finally Janna got to see the house, though I was busier than I expected so Jason really covered the tour - we did cover the kitchen together which is, to me, the main thing I thought might be important.
We checked the wood-munching insect damage and it appears minimal, so our focus will just be on treatment and a warranty. We also ran more design scenarios in the air regarding the layout of the basement. I think I'm sold on moving the boiler and hot water heater, eating some space but also opening the back for a bedroom with 2 windows!
HOOD
But holy shit the hood. I looked at the place in terms of safety and metro proximity, not in that order, but I'm ashamed that before putting down 5-10 years of my annual salary on a property I scoped the neighborhood so little. We first walked from the house to the metro, re-reaffirming it's a short walk (in the cold wind at that). We noticed many houses for sale, with the fixer-uppers having bars on the windows while the new houses had giant glass windows and doors (can you say on the right slope of transition!?) Granted we saw homes that were on GA Ave, but this really reinforce the amazing location I have with next to no street noise.
Forgot to mention while porch-monkeying around (yes I went there) the cops stopped and frisked a man on the street. I couldn't tell why at a glance, none of us wer really sure why. They made a big scene and then let him go. No idea what that was about.
So from the metro we choose strategically to go south with the wind at our backs (ok ok we already knew where Meridian Pint was). I bubbled with excitement as everything I looked at screamed "transitioning good." Like houses, old stores may have bars, while new places were upscale. We found Meridian Pint (found because while I internet-map-scanned the area, and had place I wanted to see, my dumb and/or busy ass neglected to write down any addresses. Holy god though,
DOG PARK. DOG FUCKING PARK right there - my god! DOG PARK!!! We watched PUPPIES who RAN in the DOG PARK!!!
Janna humored me when I realized and wanted to walk to Target - which being within walking distance will be a blessing and a curse. My god, one of the few malls in DC and I can walk to it!? Meridian Pint did not disappoint, though in a rare inexplicable burst, we both didn't feel much like much beer. I can't think of the last time I sat down, had a beer, and uh...it was just one beer. Great beer, good food, good service but better yet the place employed locals freaks (did anyone have a full head of 1-color hair?), but for some reason the drink-beer part of our brains just wasn't connected.
From there we wandered up to Coupe, the 24 hour coffee/internet/breakfasty restaurant. Instantly happy with the place, freak employees, all over the map clientele...we weren't thrilled with either our beer or the cake I ordered (yes, beer and chocolate cake), but not unhappy with the place at all. Ran into a friend, who sadly had just recently lost his job working there.
But oh the best part. It may seem obvious but...I didn't know how far we had walked. We walked back to my home-to-be, where my car was. We had left it to go to the metro, then followed an angle street...neither of us knows the area or has a good sense of direction, less when I'm skipping around to every lamp and store that I see as fast as ADHD will take me...
My house, on a tiny quiet little street with almost no traffic, was 2 blocks from Coupe.
Coupe was 1 block from Meridian Pint and the dog park.
My fucking house is 2 blocks from a 24 hour coffee-net-cafe, 3 blocks from a pub and dog park.
You fucking have to be fucking kidding me. I have this? Are you effen serious?
I am...look I'm terrified by the giant work project I've taken on and how very long it looks like it will take to get done. Really, this is big, scary, filled with likely train-wrecks at every turn and revealed wall. But I'm thrilled with the place and more and more happy with the decision. Funny, for the first time I feel a little anxious about moving in - I WANT to get down there! Not just as my change in income and start of investment property - I want to be in that part of town. I want to sit on the deck, the porch. I want to walk to the metro. I want to wander down past the restaurants and stare and other people's pets. I want to be in that neighborhood.
(squee)
http://goo.gl/maps/dqTgu
HOUSE
Last night I arranged to be let into the almost-mine house, was ditched by an arch firm who wouldn't even bid on the digout (they do design vs. find contractors to do work), but Scott showed up as did a recommended roofer. FIRST I met the neighbor who has the porch and yard covered with junk/stuff. I thought the woman I saw was azn, but noticed her going into a latino house across the street some weeks ago. Yesterday I met the man, latino, who was confused when I said my name (with no spanish accent) and then asked if he went by George or Georgé. He was friendly, interested in how much the house went for (I told him the listing price - he might be waiting for the right time to sell was my impression). He was nice - sure his place looks not-model, but I'm already happy with him as a neighbor.
We went in and checked out the roof with the roofer - this time I climbed on the roof. Notice the roofer walks on the edge of the house, me, I lean with my body weight well on the building! I don't have a ballpark yet, but Scott had MANY good points. I upped the work to include removing the 2-3 layers that were obviously there, was told if the wood is rotten it's not a big cost to replace, added in flashing, added in pointing, noted the odd cuts in the roof and at least one minor leak (but on a slope so it wasn't consequential), discussed the huge difference in price if I decide to do a roof deck later (the deck blocks access so you have to get materials that last for ages without maintenance), went over 2 interesting skylight ideas (Scott - long-life and lower cost options / Jason noted exposed joists/beams which sounds pretty), and finally added in the porch roof.
The roofer, no statistical shock here, is latino (Salv), but as we walked on the porch roof the neighbor and he spoke in spanish - telling us that the porch leaked and where. Sweet information to get! So, I've likely way-upped my roof work but I'm looking at a 10-year timespan or more so I'm willing to sink good money into it, though always with an eye on cost.
Janna and Jason played with the bedroom drywall (oh myyy) because if you press on it, it squeaks. No problem, but it reinspires my fetish for exposed brick (though I think the first exposed brick activity will be in the living room. Finally Janna got to see the house, though I was busier than I expected so Jason really covered the tour - we did cover the kitchen together which is, to me, the main thing I thought might be important.
We checked the wood-munching insect damage and it appears minimal, so our focus will just be on treatment and a warranty. We also ran more design scenarios in the air regarding the layout of the basement. I think I'm sold on moving the boiler and hot water heater, eating some space but also opening the back for a bedroom with 2 windows!
HOOD
But holy shit the hood. I looked at the place in terms of safety and metro proximity, not in that order, but I'm ashamed that before putting down 5-10 years of my annual salary on a property I scoped the neighborhood so little. We first walked from the house to the metro, re-reaffirming it's a short walk (in the cold wind at that). We noticed many houses for sale, with the fixer-uppers having bars on the windows while the new houses had giant glass windows and doors (can you say on the right slope of transition!?) Granted we saw homes that were on GA Ave, but this really reinforce the amazing location I have with next to no street noise.
Forgot to mention while porch-monkeying around (yes I went there) the cops stopped and frisked a man on the street. I couldn't tell why at a glance, none of us wer really sure why. They made a big scene and then let him go. No idea what that was about.
So from the metro we choose strategically to go south with the wind at our backs (ok ok we already knew where Meridian Pint was). I bubbled with excitement as everything I looked at screamed "transitioning good." Like houses, old stores may have bars, while new places were upscale. We found Meridian Pint (found because while I internet-map-scanned the area, and had place I wanted to see, my dumb and/or busy ass neglected to write down any addresses. Holy god though,
DOG PARK. DOG FUCKING PARK right there - my god! DOG PARK!!! We watched PUPPIES who RAN in the DOG PARK!!!
Janna humored me when I realized and wanted to walk to Target - which being within walking distance will be a blessing and a curse. My god, one of the few malls in DC and I can walk to it!? Meridian Pint did not disappoint, though in a rare inexplicable burst, we both didn't feel much like much beer. I can't think of the last time I sat down, had a beer, and uh...it was just one beer. Great beer, good food, good service but better yet the place employed locals freaks (did anyone have a full head of 1-color hair?), but for some reason the drink-beer part of our brains just wasn't connected.
From there we wandered up to Coupe, the 24 hour coffee/internet/breakfasty restaurant. Instantly happy with the place, freak employees, all over the map clientele...we weren't thrilled with either our beer or the cake I ordered (yes, beer and chocolate cake), but not unhappy with the place at all. Ran into a friend, who sadly had just recently lost his job working there.
But oh the best part. It may seem obvious but...I didn't know how far we had walked. We walked back to my home-to-be, where my car was. We had left it to go to the metro, then followed an angle street...neither of us knows the area or has a good sense of direction, less when I'm skipping around to every lamp and store that I see as fast as ADHD will take me...
My house, on a tiny quiet little street with almost no traffic, was 2 blocks from Coupe.
Coupe was 1 block from Meridian Pint and the dog park.
My fucking house is 2 blocks from a 24 hour coffee-net-cafe, 3 blocks from a pub and dog park.
You fucking have to be fucking kidding me. I have this? Are you effen serious?
I am...look I'm terrified by the giant work project I've taken on and how very long it looks like it will take to get done. Really, this is big, scary, filled with likely train-wrecks at every turn and revealed wall. But I'm thrilled with the place and more and more happy with the decision. Funny, for the first time I feel a little anxious about moving in - I WANT to get down there! Not just as my change in income and start of investment property - I want to be in that part of town. I want to sit on the deck, the porch. I want to walk to the metro. I want to wander down past the restaurants and stare and other people's pets. I want to be in that neighborhood.
(squee)
http://goo.gl/maps/dqTgu
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no subject
Date: 2014-01-18 06:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-18 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-01-18 11:41 pm (UTC)Congratulations, the whole area seems like it's going to mesh really well with you.