Should we buy this house?

[Kellywrigh6]

my husband and I have been searching for months for a new house for our family that’s out of the city and has property for our kids to grow up on. We’ve found the general area we’d like to be in now and are trying our best to continue to pray and listen to gods direction on such a big decision of buying a new house.

One house in particular caught our eye from the start because we weren’t even expecting to see it until our realtor was able to show us unexpectedly. I immediately loved it for its old character and all the boxes that it checked for what we’re looking for. We discussed it and our realtor noted that he had concerns about the foundation because the flooring inside the home seemed unlevel. Knowing this is a major concern we hesitated and the next day it went into escrow with another buyer. We took this as gods sign that it was simply not our house.

2 weeks later our realtor contacted us again and said that house had come back on the market since the previous buyers finances fell through. We thought about the house and continued to pray for god to open or close this door and guide us forward. (I hadn’t been interested in any other houses since seeing this one although we were still looking at the market). We asked our realtor to speak to the sellers and see if we would even be in the right price range because we would only be interest in buying for a significant amount cheaper than their asking price. Again we prayed.

We heard back yesterday and he said that he had a great conversation with the sellers and that we should place an offer. Speaking to family we’ve had multiple people speak their concerns and advice against the house because of the foundation problems and the “distance”. (For what it’s worth none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance)

My question is: do you think god is using the people in our lives to direct us against this house OR do you think that god has been bringing this house back up to us again and again because we should continue to move forward with it? If we put an offer in and it gets accepted/rejected, inspections go well/bad, etc. will god shut down all doors if this isn’t the right house for us?

 

[Albion]

It is hard to know if God is guiding your choice. However, I would not dismiss the advice given by other people. This is an old house with a previous buyer backing out for some reason (maybe not the one stated or, just as bad, because the bank did not think it worth approving a mortgage), a seller offering to sell below the asking price, and a realtor who has called your attention to a possibly very expensive problem. Have you at least determined to have the sale be contingent upon a home inspection by a professional inspector?

 

[Southernscotty]

Get an inspector. Please do not buy a house without one and they are not too expensive to hire. I am praying for God's wisdom here

 

[Rescued One]

It sounds very risky to me. God lets us make mistakes so we can learn from them. And I'm sure He expects us to use the brains He gave us. We don't ask Him if we should cross the street or light some candles, do we?

Matthew 7
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Whereas that is talking about God's words, I think the comparison to a house on a firm foundation is applicable.

 

[Phil 1:21]

It is hard to know if God is guiding your choice. However, I would not dismiss the advice given by other people. This is an old house with a previous buyer backing out for some reason (maybe not the one stated or, just as bad, because the bank did not think it worth approving a mortgage), a seller offering to sell below the asking price, and a realtor who has called your attention to a possibly very expensive problem. Have you at least determined to have the sale be contingent upon a home inspection by a professional inspector?

Yeah, that's like a whole boat load of red flags right there.

 

[Hank77]

my husband and I have been searching for months for a new house for our family that’s out of the city and has property for our kids to grow up on. We’ve found the general area we’d like to be in now and are trying our best to continue to pray and listen to gods direction on such a big decision of buying a new house.

One house in particular caught our eye from the start because we weren’t even expecting to see it until our realtor was able to show us unexpectedly. I immediately loved it for its old character and all the boxes that it checked for what we’re looking for. We discussed it and our realtor noted that he had concerns about the foundation because the flooring inside the home seemed unlevel. Knowing this is a major concern we hesitated and the next day it went into escrow with another buyer. We took this as gods sign that it was simply not our house.

2 weeks later our realtor contacted us again and said that house had come back on the market since the previous buyers finances fell through. We thought about the house and continued to pray for god to open or close this door and guide us forward. (I hadn’t been interested in any other houses since seeing this one although we were still looking at the market). We asked our realtor to speak to the sellers and see if we would even be in the right price range because we would only be interest in buying for a significant amount cheaper than their asking price. Again we prayed.

We heard back yesterday and he said that he had a great conversation with the sellers and that we should place an offer. Speaking to family we’ve had multiple people speak their concerns and advice against the house because of the foundation problems and the “distance”. (For what it’s worth none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance)

My question is: do you think god is using the people in our lives to direct us against this house OR do you think that god has been bringing this house back up to us again and again because we should continue to move forward with it? If we put an offer in and it gets accepted/rejected, inspections go well/bad, etc. will god shut down all doors if this isn’t the right house for us?

Realtors typically want to make a sale. This realtor specifically gave you a heads up that there may be a problem with the foundation. Maybe God provided you with a realtor that cares about their clients more than they care about their commission for this very reason.
If you really love this house get it inspected.
God bless your home buying experience.

 

[Willing-heart]

I obviously can't tell you what to do, but I reckon you would save yourselves a lot of headache if you don't buy the house. You probably better off looking elsewhere. I think you have to take your time when looking for a place. May God lead you and guide you.

 

[miamited]

my husband and I have been searching for months for a new house for our family that’s out of the city and has property for our kids to grow up on. We’ve found the general area we’d like to be in now and are trying our best to continue to pray and listen to gods direction on such a big decision of buying a new house.

One house in particular caught our eye from the start because we weren’t even expecting to see it until our realtor was able to show us unexpectedly. I immediately loved it for its old character and all the boxes that it checked for what we’re looking for. We discussed it and our realtor noted that he had concerns about the foundation because the flooring inside the home seemed unlevel. Knowing this is a major concern we hesitated and the next day it went into escrow with another buyer. We took this as gods sign that it was simply not our house.

2 weeks later our realtor contacted us again and said that house had come back on the market since the previous buyers finances fell through. We thought about the house and continued to pray for god to open or close this door and guide us forward. (I hadn’t been interested in any other houses since seeing this one although we were still looking at the market). We asked our realtor to speak to the sellers and see if we would even be in the right price range because we would only be interest in buying for a significant amount cheaper than their asking price. Again we prayed.

We heard back yesterday and he said that he had a great conversation with the sellers and that we should place an offer. Speaking to family we’ve had multiple people speak their concerns and advice against the house because of the foundation problems and the “distance”. (For what it’s worth none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance)

My question is: do you think god is using the people in our lives to direct us against this house OR do you think that god has been bringing this house back up to us again and again because we should continue to move forward with it? If we put an offer in and it gets accepted/rejected, inspections go well/bad, etc. will god shut down all doors if this isn’t the right house for us?

Hi kelly,

Well, buying a home is buying a home. I'm not sure that I'd agree that God has a plan for a particular home or job for someone, but that's always open to debate. If you like the home and it's in your affordability then I'd say there's no problem with buying the home. Be sure to put in that the purchase offer is subject to inspection, which pretty much every real estate contract does contain that clause. You won't lose any money if an inspection reveals a problem. Make sure to let the inspector know that you are particularly concerned about the foundation issue so that he might be a bit more careful in checking that issue out for you. However, understand that inspections don't generally find things that are concealed and if the foundation problem is something that can't be seen, like the house is sitting on top of a growing sinkhole underneath, you're not likely to find out about it until the house is swallowed up. That's what homeowner's insurance is for.

True story, my son bought a 5,000 sf foreclosure and had a reputable inspector do a full inspection. He noted areas of problems, but none of them seemed serious enough to back out of the sale. He bought the home and we began making repairs and within a couple of weeks of closing on the home, as we were tearing out some drywall in the basement that had some water damage we found that the home had been wired with aluminum wiring. Uh oh. Now, normally that would have been a 20-30 thousand dollar repair, but I've got enough electrical knowledge that we were able to do it ourselves. Pulled a permit and got it all done and inspected and it probably cost us less than 3 thousand. The labor is the big part of such repairs. The materials really aren't all that expensive. Spent about $2,000 on wire and new boxes and switches and outlets throughout the house and then had to do a lot of drywall repairing. Final outcome was that my son paid $141,000 for the house and put about 25-30 thousand total for repairs and within 6 months of completing the work sold the house for $248,000. Not a bad return. But, the point is that the inspection never said a word about the house having aluminum wiring and it was a repair that we hadn't counted on.

That's why I encourage you, if there's a question in your mind about the foundation, to make sure that it is inspected carefully. You might even consider having a specific foundation specialist do an inspection.

God bless,
In Christ, ted

 

[Hearingheart]

If you are going to buy it, make sure the contract specifies that the sale is contingent on inspections.
A general inspection can sometimes be limited to what is visual, I would pay for a specialist with knowledge of foundations to inspect it also along with an estimate of what repairs might cost.

 

[mama2one]

foundation problems are very expensive to fix
(thousands of dollars)

if you go ahead, agree with others to make any offer contingent on inspections
best to you

 

[Sketcher]

I don't know. Did God tell you two to get married? If he did, you know what he sounds like. If he didn't, why would he speak more loudly on whether or not you two should buy a certain house?

 

[Andrew77]

my husband and I have been searching for months for a new house for our family that’s out of the city and has property for our kids to grow up on. We’ve found the general area we’d like to be in now and are trying our best to continue to pray and listen to gods direction on such a big decision of buying a new house.

One house in particular caught our eye from the start because we weren’t even expecting to see it until our realtor was able to show us unexpectedly. I immediately loved it for its old character and all the boxes that it checked for what we’re looking for. We discussed it and our realtor noted that he had concerns about the foundation because the flooring inside the home seemed unlevel. Knowing this is a major concern we hesitated and the next day it went into escrow with another buyer. We took this as gods sign that it was simply not our house.

2 weeks later our realtor contacted us again and said that house had come back on the market since the previous buyers finances fell through. We thought about the house and continued to pray for god to open or close this door and guide us forward. (I hadn’t been interested in any other houses since seeing this one although we were still looking at the market). We asked our realtor to speak to the sellers and see if we would even be in the right price range because we would only be interest in buying for a significant amount cheaper than their asking price. Again we prayed.

We heard back yesterday and he said that he had a great conversation with the sellers and that we should place an offer. Speaking to family we’ve had multiple people speak their concerns and advice against the house because of the foundation problems and the “distance”. (For what it’s worth none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance)

My question is: do you think god is using the people in our lives to direct us against this house OR do you think that god has been bringing this house back up to us again and again because we should continue to move forward with it? If we put an offer in and it gets accepted/rejected, inspections go well/bad, etc. will god shut down all doors if this isn’t the right house for us?

I don't know what the statement "none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance" means.

Are their lives train wrecks of disaster? If their entire lives are garbage, then don't listen to their advice. If they are living right, and have a good life, then you should consider what they say.

There are plenty of total pagans, that are good at surgery in a hospital, and I'll consider their advice over a person who prays more, but doesn't know a safety pin from a suture. The Bible says there is safety in wise counsel.

Now the key is the foundation. If there is a foundation problem with the house, I would not buy the house unless you are well to do. If you have money... good amounts of money.... then buy the house.

If you don't...... don't.

Home foundations are generally well built to last forever.

If there is a foundation problem, then that calls into question the entire design of the foundation, or the earth under the foundation. In either case, it can cost a ton to fix.

There are two problems a house can have that are nightmares. One, is Mold. Don't buy a house with mold, unless you have rich. Mold is a nightmare. It never goes away. You have to hire professionals, and expensive professionals, to get rid of mold, and even then it will come back sometimes.

The second, is foundation. Years ago a guy bought a house with a foundation issue. He got a quote to fix the foundation, fixed it, and it broke again. He hired a second company to fix it, and a month later it broke again. He then found that there was a summer time water spring that was bubbling up the front of the foundation, and breaking it. It cost him tens of thousands of dollars to hire a construction firm to rip up the front yard, and put in place drains around the foundation, to route that water away from the house, and then pay to fix the foundation for the 3rd time.

If you are intent on getting this house, I recommend you hire a AAA quality home inspector that is qualified and reputable, to specifically check this foundation with a fine tooth comb, and give you a blunt assessment.

I'm not trying to scare you away from this house, but I'm also being honest with you... foundation problems scare me. They should scare you.

And that said... I have an unrequested opinion to give you....

I know you didn't ask this, so you can just ignore this if you want.

I don't put much stock in a house. A home is where you build a family. A house is just a method to building a home.

If that doesn't make sense, allow me to explain.

When I was growing up, my sister had some friends, whose parents went to our church. My parents and us, would go to their home, and they would come to ours.

Their home was huge. It was modern. It was new. It was flashy. Balcony, glass walls, spacious, cool.... it had all these special rooms, like wreck rooms with padding and toys, it was amazing. Chandeliers. Massive eating tables. It was just incredible.

Our house, while not tiny, not dirty, not cramped.... it was small and old. We had the original coal burning furnace (converted to gas, but still the original furnace).

I remember thinking at the time, that I wish we had a cool house like that.

Fast forward to today. Their family is completely gone. Destroyed. The husband left. The wife is gone. They are not together. One daughter is in California, the other is somewhere on the east coast, the son is living in the house alone, no one is there. Absolutely destroyed. They rarely see each other at all.

My family, just got together on the 4th, with all the kids, grand kids, for brats and burgers, still in that old outdated house (although they got a new modern furnace).

Now do you understand? You make the home, in whatever house you are in. House doesn't matter. What really matters is the people in the house.

You want a good house, then go for it. Get the best deal on the best house you can. But don't mistake those walls and roof, as being what your 'home' is. Your home is the family you create. Not the house its in.

I know you didn't ask that, but maybe it will help someone.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

Give it a few months. The housing market will likely crash, and you will be able to buy houses at a huge discount. It is a bubble and will pop soon. In some areas of the country, it already has. In my home town... I was looking at a 2-story, 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with a full basement for less than 40K today. Some in foreclosure are even less! Pray about it and listen to God. But I do not think now is the time to buy a house.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

my husband and I have been searching for months for a new house for our family that’s out of the city and has property for our kids to grow up on. We’ve found the general area we’d like to be in now and are trying our best to continue to pray and listen to gods direction on such a big decision of buying a new house.

One house in particular caught our eye from the start because we weren’t even expecting to see it until our realtor was able to show us unexpectedly. I immediately loved it for its old character and all the boxes that it checked for what we’re looking for. We discussed it and our realtor noted that he had concerns about the foundation because the flooring inside the home seemed unlevel. Knowing this is a major concern we hesitated and the next day it went into escrow with another buyer. We took this as gods sign that it was simply not our house.

2 weeks later our realtor contacted us again and said that house had come back on the market since the previous buyers finances fell through. We thought about the house and continued to pray for god to open or close this door and guide us forward. (I hadn’t been interested in any other houses since seeing this one although we were still looking at the market). We asked our realtor to speak to the sellers and see if we would even be in the right price range because we would only be interest in buying for a significant amount cheaper than their asking price. Again we prayed.

We heard back yesterday and he said that he had a great conversation with the sellers and that we should place an offer. Speaking to family we’ve had multiple people speak their concerns and advice against the house because of the foundation problems and the “distance”. (For what it’s worth none of them are really faithful in praying and asking god for guidance)

My question is: do you think god is using the people in our lives to direct us against this house OR do you think that god has been bringing this house back up to us again and again because we should continue to move forward with it? If we put an offer in and it gets accepted/rejected, inspections go well/bad, etc. will god shut down all doors if this isn’t the right house for us?

I would avoid the house, due to the red flags. I have also prayed for a while, and I feel that the house is not a good one for you.

 

[Anhelyna]

I would point out that this thread dates to 2018 !
It was resurrected yesterday

The OP has not posted since she made this thread in 2018

 

[JohnB445]

Do not buy homes with serious problems that you do not know how to repair.