cM3go

What was your first home (you purchased on your own) like? Year of Purchase/Size/Price/Bed/Bath etc etc. If you are currently in your first home what is it like?

astro

2000, 1109sq ft, $180,000, 2 bed, 2 bath. Condo on the 12th floor of a 14floor building. Front corner unit facing the water and downtown. Floor to ceiling windows on 1 wall of every room other than the bathrooms.
I paid $1000 for a 2nd parking spot too.

Kept it for 5 yrs. upgraded all the fixtures, lights, appliances, paint, put in hardwood, new bedroom carpet etc etc. sold it for a tidy profit, and then proceeded to waste most of that renting in Toronto for the next 2yrs.

I am now in my 2nd home, a real house this time. I am definitely enjoying this more than the condo, as good as it was.

Bdog

Purchased in 2003 for $119,000, originally built in 1997- 1600 sf, 3 bedroom, 2 bath, laminate floors, upgraded all fixures and paint, privacy fenced back yard. My wife and I are still in it, but planning to sell next year. I don't have a garage, so that the biggest reason in selling. It's a nice house, not too small, not too big, but no garage sucks. Market price in my neighborhood is around $200,000 for it now.

jlukja

A 3 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse in a really nicely kept up community but only a so-so part of town. Paid $104K back in 1987. I moved out a few years later and bought a single family home but I kept the townhouse and rented it out. I still have it.

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

2005; 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath house in a gated community, great location. Paid $615K for it, currently still residing there, but am planning on renting it out due to purchase of a second piece of property.

dom

2001, 2,100 sq ft, $230,000, 4 bed, 3 bath. Fully detached 2 story home.

Still living there and probably will for the forseeable future or until/if the neigbourhood goes to hell.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Signed the contract in 2002, but didn't move in until May of 2003 since it was new construction and we had to wait for it to be built.

Townhouse in gated community
2600 square feet
Paid $349,xxx after all options (and it was optioned out pretty nicely)
3 bedroom
2.5 bath
Sold in Fall 2004

It was a nice place and really set us up for where we are today since we made so much in so little time and we sold pretty much at the top of the market. It was also very private, even moreso when you factor in it was a townhome. We backed up to a pond and everything. It was really nice. But nothing beats a house with land... so I like our current place much, much more then that place.

.

Nicky Pass

2005 (the place I'm still at)
2 bedroom 1 bathroom
1000sq ft
2nd floor with 16ft vaulted ceilings

....I'm not sure if I'm gonna sell it this spring or wait another year. I want a 2-3 bedroom townhouse with a 2 car garage!

JLatimer

Did you ever see the movie The Money Pit? That was my house...

j/k It was a nice old house with a lot of potential, I just didnt have the time and budget to realize the potential.
Bought in 2003
2200 sq ft.
5 bedroom, 3 bathroom
9ft ceilings throughout
oak trim on main floor
fir trim upstairs

Sold last summer.

eve

condo; bought in 2005 (still living there)
2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, top floor (3rd), no garage but plenty of parking spaces
about 1,000 sq.ft.


The unit was a disaster when I bought it. The smell was horrific. I almost didn't buy it because of the mess but I liked the layout and that it had 2 bathrooms and in-unit washer/dryer.

It took about 4 months to remodel. My father, who’s a general contractor, and his friends “volunteered” on weekends and whenever they could to help me get the place together. Except for the kitchen (it was only painted and cleaned; my next project) we entirely redone the whole place including remodeling both bathrooms, installing floors in living room and carpets in bedrooms, painting, changing doors, lights, etc.

I’m not planning to move anytime soon but even if I do, I will keep this property as an investment. It's located near expressways, shopping mall (Woodfield, IL), restaurants, etc. Renting should not be a problem.

Ken1997TL

Home:

Purchased in 2006 and I own it 100%

$290,000
3 bedroom, 2 bathroom
2 car garage
2800 sq ft

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

Still waiting Have the down payment & then some, but can't afford the taxes, & the $4K+ in insurance.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

Purchased: June 2006
Size and type: About 1200 sq ft, top floor, end unit of a 2 floor condo complex.
Price: $255,000 - Damn Jersey prices.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms.

We like it. Still working on it. So far, we had new carpets put in, and re-painted it floor to ceiling. We're probably going to be there for 4 years, and hopefully I can upgrade the bathrooms and kitchen while we were there.

cM3go

Sounds like most of you got some nice deals, or a decent place to live. I'm condo shopping in downtown Chicago, tossing back an forth about a 1 bed vs 2 bed. A LOT of 2 beds come with 1 bath only so its a struggle. I'm trying to get the most for $250K, I'll see what I can do. Hard having 1 income, I always joke with my gf if she wants to invest

Yumcha

Purchase: November 2005
Size: 2200 square feet
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2 full and 2 half
Extra tidbits: Upgraded trim and misc. areas, feature walls, vaulted ceiling on main floor

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

I would say if she is eventually going to move in with you, either stretch and get the 2 bedroom place or wait a bit more until you can afford it.

A couple years ago I was considering a 1 bedroom condo, but opted to rent for a couple years more because I found a really cheap place with a buddy of mine. When we finally bought our place, I probably would have made a ton of money selling it. The problem....It would have taken me forever to sell it. Our realtor said that the hardest thing he has to do is to try to sell a 1 bedroom place. So, if you guys move in together, and need a bigger place, be prepared to spend some time trying to sell it. Unless Chicago is a lot different than NJ.

Scribesoft

Year bought: early 2001
Price: either $170k or $180k (can't remember)
Type: Cape, 3BR, 2 full baths, 1 car gar., 3/4 acre yard
Size: I think it was around 1,600 sq. ft.

We sold it in late 2004 for around $290k and had our current home built a few towns over.

It was a little house, but we loved it and still miss some of it's character from time to time (plus that's where we lived when we got married and later brought home our 1st child). We still drive by it once or twice a year when we're in the area to see what the new people have done to it. We had a lot of good memories for the short time we were there.

brianlin87

iTrader: (1)

Orange County,CA is no better.

RaviNJCLs

iTrader: (4)

Yeh sorry. I think you guys have it worse. At least you have better weather. Personally, as much as I will complain about the fact that I paid more for our place that some of my friends paid for 3 and 4 bedroom houses, I think we got a really nice place for the money considering what was out there at the time.

eve

Define "downtown". I don't think you'll be able to find a 2 bedroom condo in downtown Chicago for less than $250K (I'm not talking about Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, etc. but about the Loop). A friend of mine bought a unit (1 bed, 1 bath) on Chicago and Halsted and she paid over $300K. Also, don't forget association payments. Downtown condos have outrageous association fees (she pays $450 (!!!) in HOA dues).

fdl

2005. 2300 sq/ft detached house in the burbs. $410,000

LuvMyTSX

I'm still trying to save for my first house . I can't afford shit on my salary.

dallison

Bought a house last year for 150k i think its either 1200 or 1700 cuft, 3 bed, 2 bath 2 car garage. has everything the wife and i need right now., we are planning on selling in a few years to get something bigger and better.

we repainted almost every square inch and replaced a good amount of fixtures.
there is more work to do, oh yeah the house is 7 years old.

next on the list

recessed lights in the kitchen
tile for the entryway
tile in the kitchen
tile in the bathroom, with a slight remodel or upgrade of tub, toilet and counter top
new countertop in the kitchen
tear down paneling downstairs
replace patio doors(pos)
paint garage
paint garage floor
clean and stain deck
landscaping in the spring

gatrhumpy

iTrader: (1)

Nice. But one question. 2800 sq. ft. and only three bedrooms. Wow.

For me, in Waldorf, MD. Three-level townhome, 2100 sq. ft. on all three levels. Only needed two, so rented out the basement because it had an inlaw apartment. I rented it out to a hot professional. 3 bedrooms (with two master bedrooms), 3.5 baths and sunroom and 200 sq. ft. deck overlooking a pond.

Now: 2100 sq.ft. one story house in Jacksonville, FL. Four bedrooms, two baths, and TWO CAR GARAGE!

cM3go

Downtown as in Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, they are 10 mins from the loop, I'm not Donald Trump where I can live in the loop

TSX 'R' US

still in first home purchased Oct 2005.
1400sq ft not including finished basement
3 bedrooms not including the 2 bedrooms in the basement
1.5 bath
3 car garage
above ground pool with fully fenced in yard
Paid less than 140k

leolebo28

Purchased: Sept 2006
2bdrm, 2.5bth townhouse, 2 story, 2 car garage 1534sq ft
built in 2001...paid $140k
painted the entire place, had granite counters put in, changed all the fugly gold fixtures.
plan on residing there for a couple yrs then possibly renting it out

keg1997

3 BR/2.5 BA 1600 sq ft townhome/duplex (only 2 house attached to each other) that was built in 1996. It was in a very nice neighborhood (didn't sweat locking doors/cars/etc). We bought it in '01 for 115K and sold it 2.5 yrs later for 165K, despite not doing too much beyond painting a couple of rooms and some landscaping.

It had a one car attached garage and a beautiful backyard...a fenced in area with a double level deck and a koi pond. Beyond the fenced in area was a wetlands nature preserve with miles of trails.

Great place that my wife and I definitely have fond memories of. Having said that....we don't miss it since we over doubled our sq footage

imasquirrel

I can't imagine having to buy a first house these days. The prices are just rediculous in my area. 14 years ago we bought our first house which was a very small 3 bedroom ranch that couldn't have been more than 900 sq ft. Lived there for 5 years and saved enough to buy our current house; a 5 bedroom 4 bath ranch which is about 3600 sq ft. I thought we paid a lot for it 9 years ago, but it's worth nearly 250% more now.

Scrib

2004
2500 sq ft, 2 story
4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
2 car garage


Edit: Forgot about the condo I bought in 2001 out of school.

1200 sq ft, 2 bed, 2 baths, 3 car garage (NOT a typo).

GreenMonster

Still in first home purchased in 2001 (I'm a late bloomer)...

I promised my self when I hit 30, that I was going to own something before I hit 35... just made it

1314 sq ft. 3BR/1BA/2 car.... ranch .41 acre (17,000 and some sq. ft.).... $179K in 2001...

http://john-perry.com/cgi-bin/mygall...y_House&page=1

Ken1997TL

They're big and useful. Spacious kitchen, dining room, library, workshop and a sunken living room.

Gpump

First bought property - 1999 condo with 1000 feet for 54K, sold it the next year for 79K.

Current home is our first "real" home. 4/2/2 with 2000 feet built in 2002. About to sell for about 29K over what we paid which percentage wise isn't that great but at least I'm in the black. About to move to a larger home (5/4/3) which will probably be our last move. 4200 feet for 430 K with alot of nice extras (it's good to know the builder.....).

jupitersolo

Bought in 1996, four months after getting married. 3 level T/H, two master bedrooms, finished basement with my fathers help 3 years after moved in.

Still here because prices so DAMN high in NoVA. And like the school district we're in.
Paid $135k, This year accessed for $400k, $3500 taxes.

Last year new hardwood floors main level, all new windows, new roof, new heat and a/c.

merkin110

For those who bought your first home, did you have a single income or combined?

Thanks

Ken1997TL

Single income

merkin110

Damn baller and you own it 100%? I'm just trying to get my self into a condo. Housing is too damn expensive up here.

Scribesoft

Combined income for the first home.

With the new home, we're on one income. It's good to buy below your means. Our current home loan + interest + home insurance escrow = 9.166% of current gross income. I think that % is the most important factor if you're floating a loan.

My goal is to get to where Ken1997tl is. Working to be there in the next couple/few years.

CL Type Slim

10 year old 3-level Townhouse with 2 car garage in San Jose, CA for $429K in Jan 04.
1182 sq ft 2Br and 2 1/2 batth
A lot storage space in the crawl space.
Pergo floor on the lower two levels.

LuvMyTSX

Imagine my pain with a single income, wanting a house in Somerset/Hunterdon County (I live and work in Branchburg right now).