you've handled this whole moving process with so much grace! thanks for being transparent about all the highs and lows. your kindness truly shows by even budgeting for and buying your contractors meals and water,. trust it will be repaid 10 fold once you see the finished product of your house!
The transparency is amazing! Sooo many costs end up coming up that most people don’t even think of. Our first house was built in 1966 and we definitely had a TON of costs associated the first few years!
We bought an old house that is super dated and we remodeled. The inspector should have caught the wire issue in your attic. They can only inspect “visible” things and are not allowed to damage or open up anything. So the attic could have caught and noted. Also, with contractors... Be sure to have a deadline or completed date. Otherwise, they can drag your site and pick up another site that pays more, and complete yours when there isn't a higher paying gig.
There are so many Californians moving to Texas and they forget weather is a huge expense. Never even occurred to me until your videos! You're probably helping SO many people thinking of moving states. Homes in California don't go through heavy rain, snow, humidity, or flooding and aren't spending money on proofing the house as often. We just replaced our 60 year old roof and it was probably functional still but we just wanted a new one lol.
Well some should know because a large amount of the CA people lived in other states before. I live in CA now, but came from Michigan you know what's expensive? Insulating your home so your pipes don't freeze, but Texas didn't really have as bad of freezes as they've had in more recent years. I also just save on other costs in CA. Like my car in Michigan would rust so fast because of the snow/salt, but out here I wfh and don't require nearly as much maintenance. People often forget that when you move to a new place the cost of living may be the same the costs just shift into other areas.
Wow we were feeling bad about how much we've spend on repairs this year, but since we DIY costs were much lower. It definitely puts into perspective how much these services cost to get it done right! I appreciate your transparency!
I too went from renting in a different city to owning in Houston, a couple of years ago, and my heart broke for you when I saw your original video where you were really upset with your initial experience. I am so glad to see that you've turned it around! The AC, the rain, the gate, the wifi issues, are all so relatable!
Oh boy. My husband and I are in the same boat. The previous owner made a lot of changes on his own and boy have we had to redo his work. We had to pour a lot of money in the house the first year. BUT!! When you renovate your home with proper help and make it your own, you grow to love it and appreciate how you got to where you are at.
For the closet doors you can maybe do sliding or bi-fold mirrored doors. They will make the room look more modern and give the illusion of a bigger space.
Service industry in Houston is top notch. Moved from Houston to Austin and it’s not comparable in any area. Contractors, hair, nails, waiters, etc … just everything.
I really don’t understand why your home inspector didn’t note all of these items so that you could have the seller repair or give credit for you to repair.
Thank you for the breakdown, I know I'll be revisiting this when I finally get closer to owning a home. I am curious if you'd make a video series or a video on relocation. Specifically on finding new spots to get your favorite drinks, groceries and hang out friends in your new city. Maybe even building new routines in a new city too.
Ooh since we’re halfway through the year, can you do a video on how you’re doing with your yearly goals. How or if things have changed since your 2023 yearly goal video and what to achieve by end of year. Love your vids!!
When you bought the house did you were you required to have a house inspector in order to get your mortgage? in N.Y. you have to do that and that's when potential problems can be addressed. Now, having said that, I had an inspector and on the day we closed we entered the home and my brother-in-law said, " you you smell gas". We immediately left the house and called Con Ed who came immediately and when they went into the basement where the gas line was, a pipe broke off because the metal was rusted through on the back of the pipe. We owned the house for 30 mins.! The former owner refused to pay to have it repaired, but our lawyer made them pay with money from the escrow account that held money for just such a occasion. My big question was why didn't our inspector see that? So, Aja is %100 correct in telling you to have money set aside, especially when buying a house because something always happens.
Yes and Yes Loven the breakdown. So realistic 👌 we did $6/plank as well and spent $10k but that's because we did the removal of our old floors ourselves. When we first got our home, we easily dropped 12k year 1 and $20k year two and then good Lord about $20k year 3 Shit broke, new carpet, new toilets, new floors, new appliances, garage unit, 2 new AC, water heater tank, gate and driveway, and of course backyard landscape. I feel yeah!
I am loving this journey for you. You have been accomplishing so much and love that you are making it your space. I just got a house in Houston so it's been interesting to see the Houston related resources and knowing that I'm not alone in the journey. The rain showers last month got me too.
Omg yes! I’m so proud of you! Proud in the sense you got everything done and you’re feelings safe in your space. I also think it’s great you fed the workers bc I was thinking about it before you said it. I love to do that myself. I gave the guys who moved my furniture into my apt a banana and a water each. It was a quick job but they came up stairs- I’m in Phoenix so it’s really hot and it felt good to reward them! Congratulations on how far you’ve come with the house! It’ll get even better for you and that’s exciting for me!
Food isn’t necessary for contractors, but it’s always nice to treat them well especially when they are doing a good job! We usually offer them water at the very least
Hi Aja, great video! What a shady previous homeowner 😡 it sounds as he was covering bad issues with the house not caring for peoples safety. If I were you, make sure check wherever he put shiplap because to me he was just covering bad issues. Great job on the house, I’m with you, the gray color I’m not into that, as well as the farm look. I love your new floors… I’ll probably get those when I move to Houston… Have a great vacation in Europe! I hope you make a video about that 👍
Your right, the previous owner only cared about cosmetics & not safe or practical repairs, just wanted a quick sale. Having a good thorough inspector is important when purchasing a home but they can only do so much & focus on what is not working or broken. Bringing things up to code is not a requirement however you can always negotiate as a requirement for the purchase, before you close escrow.😊
could you eventually make a video of your experience living in Houston? maybe when you reach about 6 months to a year? I’m very intrigued about the pros & cons, weather, commuting, cost of living etc. since you’re someone coming from California 😊
Props to you for handling all of this with grace. Question though... did the house go theough any deep inspections before purchase? Was none of this discovered prior to buying the home? @ajadang
I gotta say most people when you pay them what they are worth, they will go above and beyond to get the job done. As long as you appreciate them they will appreciate you
I'm going through the same process as you and can totally relate!! Remodeling just isn't in the picture at the moment for us but appreciate the tips you're sharing in your journey :)
Returning the simple bed frame after your full headboard bed frame arrives seems to be a shady thing to do too…but having water and food for all the workers and delivery people is a very nice thing to do.
Right? I actually went back to listen to what she said again but I heard right. She bought a bed frame, used it, and is planning to return it to the store for no reason other than her other bed frame arrived? So dodgy!
@@AjaDang 'As is' is meant to divert second-hand or change-of-mind items from landfill, you've received the benefit of a new product with the intention of returning it once it served its purpose for you - which is not the same thing. It's akin to buying an outfit with the intent of wearing it to one event and then returning it. The business takes a loss, and there's the environmental impact from the packaging, shipping, and new product likely being manufactured to replace the item on the shelf you originally bought. I've been a follower for years, chiefly because you are usually so conscious of your spending choices. This just feels off, but based on your reply, perhaps you hadn't considered the impact - which is understandable given the move and reno, it's a lot to be working through.
@@cococomments I get it, but per Ikea's own receipt rules, you can return an opened product 180 days after purchase. And I did that, and they accepted it. What's the difference between returning back to Ikea or selling on Facebook marketplace?
Did you have the home inspections before you purchased the house? The home inspector should have caught some of this stuff and the purchase price could have been adjusted.
We live in Houston & recently bought a home too. We put 20% down & ours is less than 10 years old, no renovations needed unless we want to upgrade the look of things. Ours was also less than yours (from what I saw in your previous video) My question is, did you guys consider a slightly newer home in which you didn’t have to spend extra money renovating? Is it the location that sold you guys? We do not live in the center of Houston & we’re in one of the suburbs but not far out either + it’s a nice & safe area. I’m just wondering bc with the down payment & all the extra money y’all have spent fixing it, it just feels like the previous owner took advantage of first time home buyers :( plus the inspection person honestly did not do his job. There’s way more affordable homes here without the extra hassle! Sorry it’s been rough but hope it keeps getting better!
3 weeks into renovation and we still aren't living in the house 🥲 we have to hire an electrician which we did not expect in our budget soooo we decided to postpone the renovation of our windows ! We are also going for the Japandi style buuuut I'll think about it when the renovation will be done
not to bad of a price for renovations, normally its 20-50k which makes the ARV 50-100k, just think of it as adding value to the house early rather then losing money. hopefully the roof is less then 10 years old or thats going to be a expensive saving endeavor.
I've been a long-time fan of your vlogs and barely ever miss one! Haha, love your home renovations. Not a homeowner here but good to note for future! Question: is your closet system from IKEA, and did you install it yourself? I have been looking into one (not permanent - we are renting) to organize more of our clothes!
The difference in you between this video and your first one about the house. You're doing amazing! Queen behaviour. After all these issues you've found, was there anything you could have done before buying the house that you wish you did?
So disappointing that your real estate agent and/or inspector didn't steer you away from this place, or at least given you a more realistic picture of what you were getting into.
Don't you just assume there is some shady wiring or other hidden mess in the bathroom behind the shiplap? I would given what you know about the rest of the house.
You bought the bed frame from Ikea and you are "going to return it" after using it? I don't think it works that way. You are blaming the homeowner for shotty work, but didn't you have an official inspection and inspected the property before buying? Its ok that the property needs repairs, but don't blame people, property (used) deteriorates and speaking like this does not cast you in good light.
stop putting down other peoples style choices. The work that wasn't up to code I get but putting down other style choice is not cool. We get it from your videos you don't like farmhouse.
you've handled this whole moving process with so much grace! thanks for being transparent about all the highs and lows. your kindness truly shows by even budgeting for and buying your contractors meals and water,. trust it will be repaid 10 fold once you see the finished product of your house!
Thank you for your transparency!! Love how realistic these videos are and shows how important sinking funds are! Your house is going to be beautiful
The transparency is amazing! Sooo many costs end up coming up that most people don’t even think of. Our first house was built in 1966 and we definitely had a TON of costs associated the first few years!
We bought an old house that is super dated and we remodeled. The inspector should have caught the wire issue in your attic. They can only inspect “visible” things and are not allowed to damage or open up anything. So the attic could have caught and noted.
Also, with contractors... Be sure to have a deadline or completed date. Otherwise, they can drag your site and pick up another site that pays more, and complete yours when there isn't a higher paying gig.
There are so many Californians moving to Texas and they forget weather is a huge expense. Never even occurred to me until your videos! You're probably helping SO many people thinking of moving states. Homes in California don't go through heavy rain, snow, humidity, or flooding and aren't spending money on proofing the house as often. We just replaced our 60 year old roof and it was probably functional still but we just wanted a new one lol.
Well some should know because a large amount of the CA people lived in other states before. I live in CA now, but came from Michigan you know what's expensive? Insulating your home so your pipes don't freeze, but Texas didn't really have as bad of freezes as they've had in more recent years. I also just save on other costs in CA. Like my car in Michigan would rust so fast because of the snow/salt, but out here I wfh and don't require nearly as much maintenance. People often forget that when you move to a new place the cost of living may be the same the costs just shift into other areas.
Wow we were feeling bad about how much we've spend on repairs this year, but since we DIY costs were much lower. It definitely puts into perspective how much these services cost to get it done right! I appreciate your transparency!
I too went from renting in a different city to owning in Houston, a couple of years ago, and my heart broke for you when I saw your original video where you were really upset with your initial experience. I am so glad to see that you've turned it around! The AC, the rain, the gate, the wifi issues, are all so relatable!
Oh boy. My husband and I are in the same boat. The previous owner made a lot of changes on his own and boy have we had to redo his work. We had to pour a lot of money in the house the first year. BUT!! When you renovate your home with proper help and make it your own, you grow to love it and appreciate how you got to where you are at.
For the closet doors you can maybe do sliding or bi-fold mirrored doors. They will make the room look more modern and give the illusion of a bigger space.
Do you have any store recommendations?
@@AjaDangdo you have the barn doors still? Someone on task rabbit, or a mirror company, may be able to install the mirrors onto the old doors
Service industry in Houston is top notch. Moved from Houston to Austin and it’s not comparable in any area. Contractors, hair, nails, waiters, etc … just everything.
I really don’t understand why your home inspector didn’t note all of these items so that you could have the seller repair or give credit for you to repair.
Thank you for the breakdown, I know I'll be revisiting this when I finally get closer to owning a home. I am curious if you'd make a video series or a video on relocation. Specifically on finding new spots to get your favorite drinks, groceries and hang out friends in your new city. Maybe even building new routines in a new city too.
Ooh since we’re halfway through the year, can you do a video on how you’re doing with your yearly goals. How or if things have changed since your 2023 yearly goal video and what to achieve by end of year.
Love your vids!!
Thank you so much for the transparency, I’m learning so much from you buying a house. Thank you!!!
Thanks! Wish there were more videos about this before we bought.
When you bought the house did you were you required to have a house inspector in order to get your mortgage? in N.Y. you have to do that and that's when potential problems can be addressed. Now, having said that, I had an inspector and on the day we closed we entered the home and my brother-in-law said, " you you smell gas". We immediately left the house and called Con Ed who came immediately and when they went into the basement where the gas line was, a pipe broke off because the metal was rusted through on the back of the pipe. We owned the house for 30 mins.! The former owner refused to pay to have it repaired, but our lawyer made them pay with money from the escrow account that held money for just such a occasion. My big question was why didn't our inspector see that? So, Aja is %100 correct in telling you to have money set aside, especially when buying a house because something always happens.
Loving the renovation videos Aja!! I totally feel you on hating the previous owner of your house 🤨We've been fixing so much in our renovation, too!
Yes and Yes
Loven the breakdown. So realistic 👌 we did $6/plank as well and spent $10k but that's because we did the removal of our old floors ourselves. When we first got our home, we easily dropped 12k year 1 and $20k year two and then good Lord about $20k year 3
Shit broke, new carpet, new toilets, new floors, new appliances, garage unit, 2 new AC, water heater tank, gate and driveway, and of course backyard landscape. I feel yeah!
Hi Aja, no disrespect as I love your content but why are you returning the IKEA bed if you used it? Did I miss something? 😬 Sorry if I have
Did your inspection not catch any of the electrical issues while you were under contract?
I am loving this journey for you. You have been accomplishing so much and love that you are making it your space. I just got a house in Houston so it's been interesting to see the Houston related resources and knowing that I'm not alone in the journey. The rain showers last month got me too.
Omg yes! I’m so proud of you! Proud in the sense you got everything done and you’re feelings safe in your space. I also think it’s great you fed the workers bc I was thinking about it before you said it. I love to do that myself. I gave the guys who moved my furniture into my apt a banana and a water each. It was a quick job but they came up stairs- I’m in Phoenix so it’s really hot and it felt good to reward them!
Congratulations on how far you’ve come with the house! It’ll get even better for you and that’s exciting for me!
Yay for wonderful contractors!!! Sooo lucky to get them. Make sure you save their numbers! ❤❤ Congratulations again on the house
Food isn’t necessary for contractors, but it’s always nice to treat them well especially when they are doing a good job! We usually offer them water at the very least
Hi Aja, great video! What a shady previous homeowner 😡 it sounds as he was covering bad issues with the house not caring for peoples safety. If I were you, make sure check wherever he put shiplap because to me he was just covering bad issues. Great job on the house, I’m with you, the gray color I’m not into that, as well as the farm look. I love your new floors… I’ll probably get those when I move to Houston… Have a great vacation in Europe! I hope you make a video about that 👍
Your right, the previous owner only cared about cosmetics & not safe or practical repairs, just wanted a quick sale. Having a good thorough inspector is important when purchasing a home but they can only do so much & focus on what is not working or broken. Bringing things up to code is not a requirement however you can always negotiate as a requirement for the purchase, before you close escrow.😊
Thanks for sharing your renovation journey! I’m sorry that it seems like the last owner was shady. Definitely a learning process.
Wow Aja you have done a lot of work on this house already! Great job😊🎉
Thank you! All of that needed to be done to just feel comfortable.
could you eventually make a video of your experience living in Houston? maybe when you reach about 6 months to a year? I’m very intrigued about the pros & cons, weather, commuting, cost of living etc. since you’re someone coming from California 😊
Props to you for handling all of this with grace. Question though... did the house go theough any deep inspections before purchase? Was none of this discovered prior to buying the home? @ajadang
Love these videos!! Learning a lot about home ownership. I'm hating the owner more and more too lol
Thanks for sharing this! It’s super insightful. Also, sinking funds are the best! ❤
in my place, Asia, we always give the worker drinks and foods too~
Did you happen to get a house inspection? I feel like all of this should have all been brought to your attention before purchase.
really enjoy these videos, helpful for the future when I buy a house
I gotta say most people when you pay them what they are worth, they will go above and beyond to get the job done. As long as you appreciate them they will appreciate you
I'm going through the same process as you and can totally relate!! Remodeling just isn't in the picture at the moment for us but appreciate the tips you're sharing in your journey :)
I enjoyed hearing the cost breakdown. Did you choose not to have a home inspection before purchasing?
Returning the simple bed frame after your full headboard bed frame arrives seems to be a shady thing to do too…but having water and food for all the workers and delivery people is a very nice thing to do.
Right? I actually went back to listen to what she said again but I heard right. She bought a bed frame, used it, and is planning to return it to the store for no reason other than her other bed frame arrived? So dodgy!
@@cococomments🤷🏻♀️ they’ll sell it in the as-in section. I’ll take my $200 back.
@@AjaDang 'As is' is meant to divert second-hand or change-of-mind items from landfill, you've received the benefit of a new product with the intention of returning it once it served its purpose for you - which is not the same thing. It's akin to buying an outfit with the intent of wearing it to one event and then returning it. The business takes a loss, and there's the environmental impact from the packaging, shipping, and new product likely being manufactured to replace the item on the shelf you originally bought. I've been a follower for years, chiefly because you are usually so conscious of your spending choices. This just feels off, but based on your reply, perhaps you hadn't considered the impact - which is understandable given the move and reno, it's a lot to be working through.
@@cococomments I get it, but per Ikea's own receipt rules, you can return an opened product 180 days after purchase. And
I did that, and they accepted it. What's the difference between returning back to Ikea or selling on Facebook marketplace?
I had a similar experience and I was upset that the home inspector missed so many things that my contractor found just looking at things.
Unrelated question… that white textured ribbed shirt!! Where did you get it! It looks stunning on you.
Did you have the home inspections before you purchased the house? The home inspector should have caught some of this stuff and the purchase price could have been adjusted.
Would you recommend that Casper snow bed?
We live in Houston & recently bought a home too. We put 20% down & ours is less than 10 years old, no renovations needed unless we want to upgrade the look of things. Ours was also less than yours (from what I saw in your previous video) My question is, did you guys consider a slightly newer home in which you didn’t have to spend extra money renovating? Is it the location that sold you guys? We do not live in the center of Houston & we’re in one of the suburbs but not far out either + it’s a nice & safe area. I’m just wondering bc with the down payment & all the extra money y’all have spent fixing it, it just feels like the previous owner took advantage of first time home buyers :( plus the inspection person honestly did not do his job. There’s way more affordable homes here without the extra hassle! Sorry it’s been rough but hope it keeps getting better!
Welcome to home ownership. I know people who bought brand new homes that came with lots of issues as well, unfortunately.
3 weeks into renovation and we still aren't living in the house 🥲 we have to hire an electrician which we did not expect in our budget soooo we decided to postpone the renovation of our windows !
We are also going for the Japandi style buuuut I'll think about it when the renovation will be done
Hope you get to move in soon!
not to bad of a price for renovations, normally its 20-50k which makes the ARV 50-100k, just think of it as adding value to the house early rather then losing money. hopefully the roof is less then 10 years old or thats going to be a expensive saving endeavor.
It’s so frustrating to think of all these crooked people flipping houses and cutting corners at the expense of new owners and not being held liable.
After paying debt off, would you recommend fully funding the year’s sinking funds before or after fully funding an emergency fund?
Emergency fund always. Congrats on paying off your debt!
I've been a long-time fan of your vlogs and barely ever miss one! Haha, love your home renovations. Not a homeowner here but good to note for future! Question: is your closet system from IKEA, and did you install it yourself? I have been looking into one (not permanent - we are renting) to organize more of our clothes!
The closet is from ikea and it’s from the previous owner.
Thank you for sharing. Homeowning is expensive as hell.
Did you get an inspection?
Do you have to pay your Property this year when you move in.
You didn't get the house inspected before buying it??
We did.
@@AjaDang They didn't find any of those electrical issues??
where is your top from :O
Where did you find your contractor?
Inflation is crazy 😢
The difference in you between this video and your first one about the house. You're doing amazing! Queen behaviour. After all these issues you've found, was there anything you could have done before buying the house that you wish you did?
Hire a second inspector
What color white paint did you choose?
Super paint, flat white.
How did you find and select your contractors for all this work?
all of them were recommendations from friends and family
How much more would it have cost if you went with real wood floors?
I’m not sure but probably much more.
So disappointing that your real estate agent and/or inspector didn't steer you away from this place, or at least given you a more realistic picture of what you were getting into.
Don't you just assume there is some shady wiring or other hidden mess in the bathroom behind the shiplap? I would given what you know about the rest of the house.
Ya I do lol.
Love you
Your inspector should’ve caught many of the issues you’re having. Your inspector took advantage of you.
You bought the bed frame from Ikea and you are "going to return it" after using it? I don't think it works that way. You are blaming the homeowner for shotty work, but didn't you have an official inspection and inspected the property before buying? Its ok that the property needs repairs, but don't blame people, property (used) deteriorates and speaking like this does not cast you in good light.
watch my previous videos regarding the inspector
No disrespect but I just wish you would stop saying the previous owner… maybe saying previously or just what was built before doesn’t work for us…
stop putting down other peoples style choices. The work that wasn't up to code I get but putting down other style choice is not cool. We get it from your videos you don't like farmhouse.