Bear Down Wildcats

I'm moving out of the townhouse I've lived in since I was a 19 year old Arizona sophomore in 2005 in a couple days. Kinda surreal. Basically is the only place I've spent my entire adult life, for better or worse. Way past time to do so but never really was able since we bought it for an outrageous price in 2005 and then the housing market crashed and we (sd86 and I) were underwater in it with no equity until pretty recently. Still not selling it for a profit, but hey. Just is crazy that I've lived here since around the time I started posting on TOS and was a teenager and now I'm 34 years old. I don't like moving since I've never really done it haha. Any moving stories from everyone else?

My wife put this on my 1 ton.

Hah I used to have a Ford Ranger which is a tiny truck but I still remember helping several people move.

I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

ASUHATER! wrote:Hah I used to have a Ford Ranger which is a tiny truck but I still remember helping several people move.

I think the lesson here turns not on the truck suspension but on the age and condition of the lower back of the truck's owner, and of the conjugal consequences of that entanglement that naturally obtain.

Longhorned wrote:I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

Proof positive of the causal relationship between education and homelessness.

I keep threatening to never move again. That the coroner will have to wheel my dead bloated body out of this house.

But then I keep fantasizing about moving back to Chicago at some point because Indiana sucks a dead dogs asshole.

Maybe I’ll burn this place to the ground with all of our shit still inside it. Then I can move without moving.

Longhorned wrote:I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

That's crazy. I've only ever lived in the house I grew up in until I was 18, Yuma dorm freshman year, and this place until age 34. Not really used to it.

Chicat wrote:I keep threatening to never move again. That the coroner will have to wheel my dead bloated body out of this house.

But then I keep fantasizing about moving back to Chicago at some point because Indiana sucks a dead dogs asshole.

Maybe I’ll burn this place to the ground with all of our shit still inside it. Then I can move without moving.

Some medical study I can’t cite (but googled last time I moved) concluded that moving is the most stressful and psychologically damaging non-tragedy a person can experience in life. In the white-normative world we live in, that probably means the most stressful thing white people specifically suffer. But still.

Longhorned wrote:

Chicat wrote:I keep threatening to never move again. That the coroner will have to wheel my dead bloated body out of this house.

But then I keep fantasizing about moving back to Chicago at some point because Indiana sucks a dead dogs asshole.

Maybe I’ll burn this place to the ground with all of our shit still inside it. Then I can move without moving.

Some medical study I can’t cite (but googled last time I moved) concluded that moving is the most stressful and psychologically damaging non-tragedy a person can experience in life. In the white-normative world we live in, that probably means the most stressful thing white people specifically suffer. But still.

I recall reading something similar years ago. The top 5 stressful situations you may have to encounter are:

• Divorce
  Job loss
  Death of a loved one
  Major injury or illness
  Moving

We have lived in our current house since 2001, and like the house a lot, the city, and the state. We are not going to leave it until they carry us out.

I spent 5 years or so trying to find a spot to retire too, among the back to Tucson. Cash out my house and buy a house with all cash. But don't want to deal with the heat. So I will just keep paying my mortgage.

Longhorned wrote:I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

Somehow I find staying put since your sophomore year 15 years ago more of an accomplishment. (I've moved about every two years since my high school days in the early 2000s.)

As for the OP, if it's a short distance move rent a uhaul and knock everything out in one day. As tedious is DIY moving is, I find it less stressful because, for the longer distance moves I've done, the movers-for-hire tend to damage property, lose property, track property poorly, and get flummoxed trying to assemble furniture.

If you have pets it's even more stressful. But after its all over take an uber to a bar and celebrate with whatever drink from the well you prefer. Maybe I'm an alchy but having a drink at the end of the day was a motivator.

I'm supposed to help my Dad move from Idaho to Las Vegas this January so we'll see how that goes.

Coastal California is exceptional for the summer coolness, even with those rare September scorchers.

In Illinois, the summers were worse for me than Tucson. I think there’s something to the pattern of who moves from the Midwest to Arizona. The midwesterners who visit Arizona in the winter admire the warm, sunny days and then go back to the Midwest. But it’s the ones who visit in summer who realize it’s better in Arizona than summer days and nights in the Midwest.

Coastal California is great all year long.

CatsbyAZ wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

Somehow I find staying put since your sophomore year 15 years ago more of an accomplishment. (I've moved about every two years since my high school days in the early 2000s.)

As for the OP, if it's a short distance move rent a uhaul and knock everything out in one day. As tedious is DIY moving is, I find it less stressful because, for the longer distance moves I've done, the movers-for-hire tend to damage property, lose property, track property poorly, and get flummoxed trying to assemble furniture.

If you have pets it's even more stressful. But after its all over take an uber to a bar and celebrate with whatever drink from the well you prefer. Maybe I'm an alchy but having a drink at the end of the day was a motivator.

I'm supposed to help my Dad move from Idaho to Las Vegas this January so we'll see how that goes.

You had me until the part about going to a bar after. What planet does that happen on?

CatsbyAZ wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I’ve moved 24 times since my sophomore year at U of A. By the time I was 34, I had moved 18 times since my sophomore year.

Somehow I find staying put since your sophomore year 15 years ago more of an accomplishment. (I've moved about every two years since my high school days in the early 2000s.)

As for the OP, if it's a short distance move rent a uhaul and knock everything out in one day. As tedious is DIY moving is, I find it less stressful because, for the longer distance moves I've done, the movers-for-hire tend to damage property, lose property, track property poorly, and get flummoxed trying to assemble furniture.

If you have pets it's even more stressful. But after its all over take an uber to a bar and celebrate with whatever drink from the well you prefer. Maybe I'm an alchy but having a drink at the end of the day was a motivator.

I'm supposed to help my Dad move from Idaho to Las Vegas this January so we'll see how that goes.

Yeah it really won't be stressful. I've already cleared out most of the house to get ready to sell and I'm just renting a small uhaul and should get all the actual moving done in like 4 hours. Only moving like 5 miles across Tucson. Just is more of an end of an era since I lived here since I was a teenager.

While at Arizona I moved three years in a row on New Years Day.

azgreg wrote:While at Arizona I moved three years in a row on New Years Day.

You should be Canadian. Doesn’t Canada have a designated moving day?

Longhorned wrote:

azgreg wrote:While at Arizona I moved three years in a row on New Years Day.

You should be Canadian. Doesn’t Canada have a designated moving day?

I have no idea. Maybe you should ask someone who teaches college. Know anybody?

azgreg wrote:

Longhorned wrote:

azgreg wrote:While at Arizona I moved three years in a row on New Years Day.

You should be Canadian. Doesn’t Canada have a designated moving day?

I have no idea. Maybe you should ask someone who teaches college. Know anybody?

Hope you guys are not confusing Boxing Day which is the day after Christmas celebrated in the U.K. plus Canada and other former British colonies.
But has nothing to do with moving. Lol

Well moving is done and I signed the closing papers on my old place. Only issue is that the new Cox internet won't work at the new place and I spent an hour troubleshooting it with no success so now I have to pay $75 for a service call to have someone come out tomorrow to see why it doesn't work. Only entertainment option tonight is over the air antenna TV like it's 1970.

My youngest brother in OV wants to downsize, and still live in the NW, something smaller, in the 230K to 270K range.

Every house he has been interested in sold with in 1-4 days.

This house was listed at $255K, sold at $270K. CASH!


https://www.flexmls.com/cgi-bin/mainmen ... 9600&cid=1" target="_blank

Merkin wrote:My youngest brother in OV wants to downsize, and still live in the NW, something smaller, in the 230K to 270K range.

Every house he has been interested in sold with in 1-4 days.

This house was listed at $255K, sold at $270K. CASH!


https://www.flexmls.com/cgi-bin/mainmen ... 9600&cid=1" target="_blank

We got very lucky. We bought our house at Ina and Thornydale this month. All moved in and settled now. The house was originally listed at 245k but we bid up to 280k. Then the appraisal came in at 244k and the sellers actually agreed to lower the price. I love the neighborhood (very quiet cul de sac) and we have a third of an acre lot with a great pool and tons of storage and an detached building I converted to an office. I'm so thankful.

scumdevils86 wrote:

Merkin wrote:My youngest brother in OV wants to downsize, and still live in the NW, something smaller, in the 230K to 270K range.

Every house he has been interested in sold with in 1-4 days.

This house was listed at $255K, sold at $270K. CASH!


https://www.flexmls.com/cgi-bin/mainmen ... 9600&cid=1" target="_blank

We got very lucky. We bought our house at Ina and Thornydale this month. All moved in and settled now. The house was originally listed at 245k but we bid up to 280k. Then the appraisal came in at 244k and the sellers actually agreed to lower the price. I love the neighborhood (very quiet cul de sac) and we have a third of an acre lot with a great pool and tons of storage and an detached building I converted to an office. I'm so thankful.

That is truly amazing. You would not believe the crap houses my brother is looking at in that price range. He missed out by a few months, but did sell his OV house the first day listed last week. One decent house he had an appointment to look at had 11 offers the first day, with 5 cash offers. The seller's agent called my brother's agent and said to not come over at the scheduled time unless they were talking all cash offers. Now he is looking at houses that need a lot of work.

This house needed a little work but nothing major. We had the whole house painted and replaced all the outlets and switches. Installing a bar cabinet and had the hvac serviced and roof repaired. But nothing crazy big. The kitchen is big and has hardwood cabinets and granite countertops. Sellers also left us a deep freezer, hot tub, washer and dryer, and some furniture. They were in their 70s and had a new downsized house in Marana they had to close on and they liked us so they just let it go without haggling.

Also have 7 fruit trees and a full service irrigation system, water softener, and reverse osmosis system that came with the house.

My brother is now looking at the high 300's houses, when previously looking at mid 200's.

Good luck and good for you guys weathering the long term in the house. I didn't realize you guys were 34. I've moved plenty and I'll probably do it again, but no great stories there. My daughter is moving from San Francisco to Portland (I don't want to hear it!). She rented the last UHaul in the Bay area last week. There are none available because everybody rented all the others and left. The smoke moves in and they close I5 at the Oregon border late last week so to escape the apocalypse she comes here instead. The truck has been in my driveway since Friday afternoon. They're gonna make a move for PTown tomorrow. It's really smoky here and the air quality in Portland is "hazardous" with low visibility. The truck was already pretty expensive under the circumstances, but if they don't get it checked in to Portland by Thursday, it's going to get way more expensive. The bonus is that I've had a nice unexpected visit with the kids for the last several days. And ultimately, they'll be a lot closer. I'm sure the younger one will follow her sister soon. Then I'm going to figure out where to move to in Montana or Wyoming - someplace "Godforsaken" where nobody wants to be . . .

Merkin wrote:

scumdevils86 wrote:

Merkin wrote:My youngest brother in OV wants to downsize, and still live in the NW, something smaller, in the 230K to 270K range.

Every house he has been interested in sold with in 1-4 days.

This house was listed at $255K, sold at $270K. CASH!


https://www.flexmls.com/cgi-bin/mainmen ... 9600&cid=1" target="_blank

We got very lucky. We bought our house at Ina and Thornydale this month. All moved in and settled now. The house was originally listed at 245k but we bid up to 280k. Then the appraisal came in at 244k and the sellers actually agreed to lower the price. I love the neighborhood (very quiet cul de sac) and we have a third of an acre lot with a great pool and tons of storage and an detached building I converted to an office. I'm so thankful.

That is truly amazing. You would not believe the crap houses my brother is looking at in that price range. He missed out by a few months, but did sell his OV house the first day listed last week. One decent house he had an appointment to look at had 11 offers the first day, with 5 cash offers. The seller's agent called my brother's agent and said to not come over at the scheduled time unless they were talking all cash offers. Now he is looking at houses that need a lot of work.

SD86 and I had this discussion earlier this summer. That's the situation in Boise too. Seller's are listing their houses on Friday morning and "accepting offers until 5 on Sunday." Multiple escalating cash offers within hours every time. Sorry, I'm not playing.

Just sold my house in Phoenix (Ahwatukee). It sold in 2 weeks but didn't get multiple offers. Sold for a little less than we listed it for. Still happy with the final price. Already got the keys to the new house. So need the money from the house sale which isn't finalized yet.

I'll say again how happy and lucky we are to have found this house. It's so quiet and private and has such a beautiful yard and perfect kitchen for us and all the features we could've dreamed of. And was at the bottom of our budget. I know it'll wear off eventually but I'm ecstatic every day I'm here.

OriginalAZ wrote:Just sold my house in Phoenix (Ahwatukee). It sold in 2 weeks but didn't get multiple offers. Sold for a little less than we listed it for. Still happy with the final price. Already got the keys to the new house. So need the money from the house sale which isn't finalized yet.

So the appraisal for our house we are selling came back $20k less than our agreed upon selling price. This sucks. Anyone have any experience with this? I think we are gonna request a second appraisal as this lady seemed to do a sloppy job.

Well I was the buyer in that situation and luckily for me the sellers agreed to accept $36k less than the agreed sales price. You can try and get another appraisal but that means usually that the buyer will have to get new financing. Most buyers won't want to have to start that process over again and pay another $450 for an appraisal. You're either going to have to be flexible or put it back on the market and hope for the best with a new appraisal from a new buyer.

Several things you can do.

1. Carry a 2nd mortgage for the difference.
2. Appeal the appraisal
3. Get a 2nd appraisal
4. Try to get the buyer to make a larger down payment.

You may want to find your own comparables to help make your case for a higher appraisal.

OriginalAZ wrote:

OriginalAZ wrote:Just sold my house in Phoenix (Ahwatukee). It sold in 2 weeks but didn't get multiple offers. Sold for a little less than we listed it for. Still happy with the final price. Already got the keys to the new house. So need the money from the house sale which isn't finalized yet.

So the appraisal for our house we are selling came back $20k less than our agreed upon selling price. This sucks. Anyone have any experience with this? I think we are gonna request a second appraisal as this lady seemed to do a sloppy job.

This is a common issue and almost always favors the buyer... unfortunately to you.

When we bought our current house several years ago, the appraised value was about 10k less than our agreed price.... so we got the house for 10k less than we thought we were paying.

Especially in this market when sales prices are skyrocketing and aren't keeping up with appraisals. After 2008 a lot of appraisers are wary of overvaluing homes.