Finally found some land.

[Big CADDY]

My wife and I've been searching for land or a home in our school district. We have two kids that attend the schools and we are involved with sports and school functions.

We own a home now that is a bit to small for a family of four. It is a ranch house on 1.8 acres of wooded/grass land. we love it here but it's in the flood plain and it's nearly impossible for additions or garage add ons because of the permits in the flood plain. we have seen water once in the last 12 years.


Anyways, we've been looking for land for a long time and haven't found land or a home more then .3 acres. .3 acres goes in the mid $80k here which is insane.

Well, I found 2 acres yesterday for just under that. The catch is that it has a house on it now that is to be torn down upon purchase of the property. It has a well and septic already. It's an old house with rotten floors etc etc so nothing is of value in the house itself.

The area it's in is very nice and in our township. I figure we would maybe just buy the lot and and take our time with builders and what not. My wife works for a waste hauling company (Waste Management) so dumpsters are of plenty. I could also put the house up for free on Craigslist haha. the house is a small two story.

The house is located in the far side of the lot against the road so the new house would be more centered in the lot. I figure I'd just extend to the septic that is there to avoid a sand mound if the septic is adequate.

If all else fails I could tare down the house and double my money on the lot.

The wife and I are thinking of following through with this because we like the area and really like the price. I'm looking for any advice that people can give me.

Well
Septic
House removal
Builders
Loans
etc.

[1stRabbit]

I know in most places, the septic has to be PERC'd for whatever size of house you will be building (1-100 rooms). You might check that first (It already has a septic system/field so it should be easy to get the number from the realtor).

I am curious about this as well, there's a few lots around me that are between 3-10 acres and around $100k... I'd love to buy one to hang onto for 10 years then build a house and get out of this townhouse community.

I am mostly curious about the loan situation... I thought typically banks wanted you to build something on it and not just hold it as land. Perhaps you could do owner financing?

[Derek_Miller]

i think thats a good plan. What will you do in the meanwhile with your present house? I would also like to know what measures you have taken to stay safe in cases of flood.

[unimogken]

Why are the floor rotten? Has the lot seen water?

[Big CADDY]

Thanks guys.

I spoke with the realtor and we are going to look at the lot today. I told him to bring the key so I can see what the inside of the house and what needs removed.


The realtor said it's out of the flood plain but I requried some proof of that so he should have that today.
I also asked him to have the location for the septic and the well for me.


The floors are rotten because it's an old house. Never maintained.

















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Here is my house during the flood. We've seen water in the house only once in 12 years. it gets close though. you can see my concern about floods. but boy is it nice where were are with all the wildlife.. chirping birds. quacking ducks. hissing snakes. donkeys, horses.. wait? wha?

..

[ab8349]

I'd donate the old house to the local fire department.

[Big CADDY]

I thought about that. My concern is all the trees around it.


I may just put it on Craigslist. Or contact the Mennonites in the area. maybe they can use the wood for their barns


If we go with this property I'll have tons of pics of progress.

I may have a "Stress reliever party" Bring your leather gloves and your sledge hammer. I'll provide the beer and dumpsters.

[spockcat]

Thanks guys.

I spoke with the realtor and we are going to look at the lot today. I told him to bring the key so I can see what the inside of the house and what needs removed.


The realtor said it's out of the flood plain but I requried some proof of that so he should have that today.
I also asked him to have the location for the septic and the well for me.

You should be able to go on the FEMA website and find the flood maps for the area. You want to make sure of this as it will affect your flood insurance rates and what/how you build.

[Big CADDY]

good call spockat

[retro_rocket]

I thought about that. My concern is all the trees around it.


I may just put it on Craigslist. Or contact the Mennonites in the area. maybe they can use the wood for their barns


If we go with this property I'll have tons of pics of progress.

I may have a "Stress reliever party" Bring your leather gloves and your sledge hammer. I'll provide the beer and dumpsters.

Depending on the age and condition of the house (and thus the value of the timber or materials inside), sometimes Amish or Mennonite demolition crews will take the house down for free, in exchange for getting to keep whatever they want. I remember seeing this article in the York paper a few weeks ago about a company doing something similar with a barn in York, maybe give them a call to see if they would be interested.

http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_18939637

[Big CADDY]

thanks. I'll give that a shot.

I will however recycle all the aluminum siding. I figure theres a few bucks in that.


We went and met with the realtor. I got to walk through the house. It reminded me of the blare witch project. really spookey. I didn't go in the basement.. f'that.

It's a really nice spot and I'm pretty sure we are gonna go for it. I plan to stop by the township building today and see if it's possible to extend the lines to the well and the septic tank. I also want to double check the flood plain level.

They say that if a septic tank sits for two weeks without use it legally has to be hydraulicly tested. how retarded is that? so don't take any long vacations. ha.

[Tornado2dr]

I'd donate the old house to the local fire department.

This is a good idea - but wait, there's more.

Before offering xyz to the fire department, head to your planning or taxation division. Often times, there are tax breaks available for those willing to donate the structure to the FD/PD for training purposes prior to demolition. You may be able to get a temporary adjustement to your property taxes, permit fees, or all of the above.

Don't worry about fire on the trees. often times, FDs just want to practice breaching techniques with real, live structures that they might encounter, not fire itself. PDs will use and abuse the house for takedown practice with different scenarios. I have done this with several homes to be demolished on land we have developed. Well worth the time taken to investigate the possibility.

[spockcat]

I plan to stop by the township building today and see if it's possible to extend the lines to the well and the septic tank. I also want to double check the flood plain level.

Do you have the engineering drawing/as-built plan for the septic? Is water for the property supplied by the city or a well on-site?

Before you buy the place, it would probably be worthwhile to hire an engineer and surveyor to be sure you will be able to build a house on the property in a good location as well as put a septic system and well (if required) in place.

You certainly don't want to build a new house on the old foundation so close to the road.

[Big CADDY]

I'll check with the local fire/police to see if they want to play in the house if I get it.

I'm not aware of any plan for the existing septic. I'll check on that. probably good to know before I start driving heavy equipment over the leach field.

there is an onsite well. totally off the grid minus electric.

Everything is downhill from the proposed placement of the new home so luckly shti runs downhill.

I have a call placed with the township about home placement.


Thanks guys. really helping me along with this.

[Big CADDY]

Little update.

I've pretty much written off the existing well and septic. It's a 500gallon tank. a 3 bedroom home requires a 1250 gallon tank. I'm sure the drain field isn't up to the larger tank specs so we just made a lessor offer.

We lowballed the owners.
They wanted 79,900 for the lot and we offered 60k seller provides acceptable P/P and pays closing. they countered with 71K seller provides P/P. We countered yesterday with a final offer of 64K seller provide P/P. I know it's a longshot but it's just a lot with no water or septic as far as I'm concerned.

[spockcat]

I know it's a longshot but it's just a lot with no water or septic as far as I'm concerned.

And the house you have to tear down probably has asbestos in the floors or siding.

[Big CADDY]

well they didn't budge so I told him to keep my offer on his desk if they decide to reconsider.

The siding is aluminum. I'm not sure of the age of the home but I'd say probably in the 60s. asbestos inside may be an issue.

[spockcat]

Sometimes they put aluminum siding right over the old siding. There was a local supermarket expanding in our area and they bought a bunch of old houses on a street behind their existing store along with our little office building. Several of them had aluminum or vinyl siding right over the old siding and on at least one of those houses, the old siding was asbestos. The house in your photos looks older than 1960s.

[GeoffD]

Sometimes they put aluminum siding right over the old siding. There was a local supermarket expanding in our area and they bought a bunch of old houses on a street behind their existing store along with our little office building. Several of them had aluminum or vinyl siding right over the old siding and on at least one of those houses, the old siding was asbestos. The house in your photos looks older than 1960s.

This, and I would guess 1920's looking at the photos. You're likely facing a massive asbestos removal expense.

[overby]

OFTENthey put aluminum siding right over the old siding.

FTFY

We run into this pretty regularly at work.

Keeping my eye on this thread. We are looking at some land right now (1.5 acres for $60,000 ... Unbelievably low in our area) and being in the trades myself I would be doing alot of the work, or at least know guys who do the stuff I can't/don't want to, with the exception of cistern and septic. I know nothing when it comes to those things.

[Big CADDY]

Ok. New update.

three weeks ago we noticed the price was dropped to $75,900. This is from the 89,900 that they wanted. So, the wife and I talked about it. I called the agent and told him to have the seller reconsider our offer of 64,000. The agent said if we could come up to $67k he'd write it up.

So, It's been perked, and it the money is available. just waiting to close.

[winstonsmith84]

This, and I would guess 1920's looking at the photos. You're likely facing a massive asbestos removal expense.

Is this really an issue in your area? I've NEVER heard of any issues involving asbestos removal or abatement. Old house? The usual procedure around here is to knock it down, set it on fire and then haul off what didn't burn. I guess we are just a bit more lax in rural IN. In all my years here living in old houses and small towns, no one has even given asbestos a second though. Must be regional. We also tend not to bother with things like code or permits either except on new construction. No one cares that much.

[spockcat]

The usual procedure around here is to knock it down, set it on fire and then haul off what didn't burn. I guess we are just a bit more lax in rural IN.

Yeah, that stuff just blows downwind to Ohio anyway.

[Big CADDY]

haha. I'd be calling the fire company if I didn't have to worry about the trees.

I'll keep updating the entire procedure as I can.

Thanks,
Tom

[emmettlodge]

Yeah, that stuff just blows downwind to Ohio anyway.

..where we add our own fumes and pass it further on to New Jersey

[Big CADDY]

unfortunately it passes right over me.. cough cough

[Orzel Bialy]

Have a rental place with a small excavator near by? You rent the excavator and I'll supply my expertise in the demolition and I'll even dig the space for the septic, grade, and backfill.

[GeoffD]

Is this really an issue in your area? I've NEVER heard of any issues involving asbestos removal or abatement. Old house? The usual procedure around here is to knock it down, set it on fire and then haul off what didn't burn. I guess we are just a bit more lax in rural IN. In all my years here living in old houses and small towns, no one has even given asbestos a second though. Must be regional. We also tend not to bother with things like code or permits either except on new construction. No one cares that much.

You're kidding, right?

Around me, a torn down house is considered hazardous waste. You'd pay an enormous fine if you decided to burn it. Between lead paint and asbestos that are in pretty much any older house, I wouldn't want to be downwind of you when it burned.

...and I'm talking rural Vermont. A friend of mine lost his house in the hurricane Irene flooding last fall. He wasn't allowed to burn it. It got carted off in a bunch of dumpsters last month.

[Big CADDY]

Orzel.

I'll keep you in mind. I'm thinking of being the General contractor in this whole thing. I have an electrician and a Carpet installer. I think we may have found a builder that allows for subcontracting like this.

I'll set ya up with a room and tons of food and beer. and I'd pay ya.

[winstonsmith84]

You're kidding, right?

Around me, a torn down house is considered hazardous waste. You'd pay an enormous fine if you decided to burn it.

Nope. Standard procedure for old houses and barns in the country. Smash down with excavator, set on fire. Some guys haul off stuff that obviously won't burn like brick, but pretty much everything else is smoldering by lunch. Sometimes it gets hauled off, sometimes it does not...which means it goes into a hole. There might be ordinances, but no one seems to give a crap. We tend to set everything of fire here to get rid of it. A large, large number of people still burn trash.

Now, you can't burn a house that is standing. That I know for sure. You have to smash it down first.

[Big CADDY]

closing on the 30th.

Then the fun begins.

My company said they can do all the Geothermal and HVAC. maybe even more.

[gtiboy66]

Very Nice Congrats on the new land

[Big CADDY]

Thanks bud. Saw your car today at Carlisle but not you.

[Jim C]

That is a really nice property. Is seems as the photos were taken at the right time of the year, green grass etc.
When is the house-warming party?

[Big CADDY]

Mine.

we went inside for a quick walkthrough before settlement. We found a bunch of jewlery (probably junk), several old Hess Trucks, Old photos, trinkets. Also found a Nazi Pin.

The basement is stacked full of junk. Figure I'll get a burn pile going for stuff I can burn and a pile for unburnables and a pile for ebay items.

There was a house built on that lot back in the 1840s and at one point it was removed or burned. the house was later built in 1960.

While in the basement I noticed 1/2 the foundation was in stone and the other half was in block. one of my hobbies is metal detecting (relecs) so once I clean out the basement I'll take a few swings with the metal detector and see what turns up.

I will log everything I can .