First home of my own...what to plan for?

[zoobernut]

Yeah my house was originally listed at $450k then over the course of 9 months went down to $350k and we offered $300k, now the house is probably worth around $250kish but it will go back up.

[Achika]

I'm not sure whether I need 15 or 20 amps. I suppose I could list what all I need to plug in:

Computer Tower (Not custom built, it's an HP. Not sure the wattage of the power supply offhand.)
Computer Monitor (20" flatscreen)
Router (Wireless a/b/g/n)
Cable Modem
Speakers
Laptop
Printer

That should cover my computer and such.

Other stuff is:

TV (32" flatscreen HDTV)
DVR
Wii
Xbox 360
DS charger
PSP charger
Wiimote charger
Xbox 360 controller charger
Mini-fridge

We're also going to have a ceiling fan with lights installed.

My mom said that we have "220 wiring." I'm not sure what that means, but she says that should be up-to-date.

[volcanicweather]

My mom said that we have "220 wiring." I'm not sure what that means, but she says that should be up-to-date.

You're fine if you have 220, mom is right

[Quixon]

You should be fine with the electric in the house. I keep salt water fish tanks, which run immense amounts of power. Trust me, it takes a lot to trip a 20 amp breaker. Even with a high end electronics set up, you should still be fine.

If your relative was a bit of a "DIYer" and fucker around with the electric himself... I would then definitely get it looked at lol.

If you are really worried, you can just add up everything in the room (power consumption wise)... and see what amperage you come up with.

Some minor electric upgrades you can do yourself, is switch over any receptacles that are in the bathroom and/or kitchen to GFCI plugs. They are very easy to install. They protect you from electrocuting yourself/burning your house down/etc. When the outlet detects a fault, it trips the breaker in the outlet.

I use them with my fish tank so if god forbid any water gets into a power strip, the outlet will shut off immediately, and won't pose a fire risk.

I believe it is now in the electric code that these must be installed in kitchens and bathrooms.

Here's a picture of the receptacle, you can get them at Home Depot/Lowes:

http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2...le-TG15-L-.jpg

[Quixon]

Just saw your post.... I would think a 15 AMP would be fine, without the power rating of each item, it's just an educated guess. The mini-fridge is probably the biggest power hog of the bunch. If you did run into a problem, I doubt you will, ditching that would probably solve it.

[zoobernut]

every appliance lists how many amps it draws on the back just look at the labels add them up. Or just plug them in if the circuit breaker blows you have too much plugged in.

[Mistress Stowastiq]

Homeowners insurance with fire/disaster/flood insurance protection and I think you are responsible for paying property tax but not certain in your area. Have the house checked for pests termites mold if it is old and has not been checked.

If the house already had these plans, it does not hurt to check the fees to current rates to see if you are getting the best deals and policy. Not sure if you had the value of the house assessed before inheriting, but that is wise before moving in.

As for the Daisy chain, my husband does electricity work and often he has to deal with older houses and people overloading things on one outlet. Electrician is a good idea but be willing to pay for some one who is licensed. The notarized thing is smart, nothing like assets to cause families that love each other to aggro.

Good luck to you

[Norelco]

Heh, in the middle of doing all this stuff myself.

How old is the roof?

[Cantih]

Taxes and insurance can be quite costly for a house depending on several factors including value of the house as well as local and state laws.

Just to give an example my house which was appraised at $300k costs about $1,700 a year in taxes.

And THAT, is why I'm saving money to buy a home.
Apartment rent where I am, 1,300 A MONTH. If I only had to deal with 1,700 a year and the odd bit of maintenance, my stiffy would never reside.

What I'm curious about though, and I can never seem to find any numbers, what is the homeowners insurance on your place like?

[Cyn]

You should be fine with the electric in the house. I keep salt water fish tanks, which run immense amounts of power. Trust me, it takes a lot to trip a 20 amp breaker. Even with a high end electronics set up, you should still be fine.

If your relative was a bit of a "DIYer" and fucker around with the electric himself... I would then definitely get it looked at lol.

If you are really worried, you can just add up everything in the room (power consumption wise)... and see what amperage you come up with.

Some minor electric upgrades you can do yourself, is switch over any receptacles that are in the bathroom and/or kitchen to GFCI plugs. They are very easy to install. They protect you from electrocuting yourself/burning your house down/etc. When the outlet detects a fault, it trips the breaker in the outlet.

I use them with my fish tank so if god forbid any water gets into a power strip, the outlet will shut off immediately, and won't pose a fire risk.

I believe it is now in the electric code that these must be installed in kitchens and bathrooms.

Here's a picture of the receptacle, you can get them at Home Depot/Lowes:

http://www.made-in-china.com/image/2...le-TG15-L-.jpg

Ugh, I really hate these things. I do event lighting for a living, and deal with tons of stuff that draws very large amounts of electricity, and there have been so many times that GFCI breakers have made my life living hell lol. Generally the internal breaker is like 15 amps and prone to tripping easily when it gets even a little warm.

I would avoid these like the plague anywhere other than the kitchen or bathroom, where they're generally installed because of the moisture.

[Khamsin]

Gad damn that house must be huge. I just bought a house for 80k, my wife and I are fixing it up, so we can ladder up to a nicer house. We just finished Tiling the bathroom.

Where the hell can you find an $80k house? Does that include the land it sits on? Or even a $300k one that includes 2 acres? I own a condo unit in a complex and it was $225k. I don't think I could find 2 acres to buy if I tried, either, unless I start moving quite a ways out.

[Norelco]

I got my 1800 sq. ft. house in Buffalo for 167k, and yes, that includes the land.

[Achika]

Ugh, I really hate these things. I do event lighting for a living, and deal with tons of stuff that draws very large amounts of electricity, and there have been so many times that GFCI breakers have made my life living hell lol. Generally the internal breaker is like 15 amps and prone to tripping easily when it gets even a little warm.

I would avoid these like the plague anywhere other than the kitchen or bathroom, where they're generally installed because of the moisture.

Yeah, I think the bathroom and kitchen would be the only spots we'd consider this at. Doesn't sound like I need it in every room.

Thank you, everyone, for the help. =D I do appreciate it, and am looking forward to this new adventure in my life.

Now maybe the girls won't run from me for saying "I live in my parent's basement!"

[greenhills]

Where the hell can you find an $80k house? Does that include the land it sits on? Or even a $300k one that includes 2 acres? I own a condo unit in a complex and it was $225k. I don't think I could find 2 acres to buy if I tried, either, unless I start moving quite a ways out.

Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 8,604
^
Location, Location, Location.

[Deimos]

And THAT, is why I'm saving money to buy a home.
Apartment rent where I am, 1,300 A MONTH. If I only had to deal with 1,700 a year and the odd bit of maintenance, my stiffy would never reside.

Uh, yeah, you only have to deal with $1700 a year assuming you've purchased the house outright, but most people don't truly own their home until they're what, 55? 60? Depending on the house you buy, your mortgage/utilities/etc will quite probably be more than $1300/month. But the difference is that the money is actually going towards something, not just being "lost" like rent. Well, the money that isn't utilities or interest is, at least...

Achika, one thing I would consider is hiring a home inspector. It'll cost a couple hundred dollars or so, but they'll have good general knowledge about pretty much every aspect of a house. They'll be able to go through everything and tell you whether it's ok, needs fixing, or whether you need to bring in an specialist. My fiancee and I just moved into a house that was very poorly-maintained, and we brought in an inspector and came out of it with an 83-page report detailing all the work we need to do and things we need to look further into. It's really nice to get that "overview" without bringing in an electrician to find out if your wiring is ok, then a plumber to see if you need new pipes, then a roofer... etc.

[zoobernut]

And THAT, is why I'm saving money to buy a home.
Apartment rent where I am, 1,300 A MONTH. If I only had to deal with 1,700 a year and the odd bit of maintenance, my stiffy would never reside.

What I'm curious about though, and I can never seem to find any numbers, what is the homeowners insurance on your place like?

Um.... that is just property taxes, you still have to pay a mortgage. Per month I pay $2k for my house that includes property tax, insurance and the mortgage. All of the money goes to the mortgage company and taxes and insurance are paid by them out of a holding account.

Property is very expensive to own, it is not a walk in the park.

[Wintermute]

Get a properly stocked toolbox.

Your late grandfather may have owned one, if there isn't one around buy one. I never understood why people would live in a place without the basic tools to fix shit that may go wrong.

Other than that I'd go with previous suggestions and get licensed specialists to give the house a once-over (electrical fittings, pipes, walls, etc). Check their credentials and such too to make sure they don't take advantage.

[Diamicles]

Make sure to budget for unexpected maintenance. This is probably one of the most difficult things to plan for when you're buying a house.

If it's older, expect to do a lot of replacing/renovating, even if you aren't planning on it now. Once you live there for a bit, you will see what needs to be fixed. Letting little problems run on past the point that you notice them will only cost you more money in the long run. Even if it's newer, you still might want to do superficial type renovations like painting or replacing the carpet, which can cost a decent bit of cash.

Looks like everything else really has been covered already.

edit: Can't stress enough what Wintermute said, get a good set of tools and a toolbox!!!

[Serif]

Get a properly stocked toolbox.

A wrench, duct tape, and WD40 will fix about 90% of the problems in a house or outside.

I would have an emergency fund of 3-6 months of your expenses just to prepare for shit breaking. Don't know how many weekends I have had to work on the lawn mower this summer, 13 years old and still going!

Don't buy into the hype of having to get newer furniture and always having to have people over to entertain, sorry Tyche. It is your house, your friends already know who you are and I don't think they are going to not come over if your couch isn't top of the line.

Double and triple negatives like wut

[Wintermute]

A wrench, duct tape, and WD40 will fix about 90% of the problems in a house or outside.

I would have an emergency fund of 3-6 months of your expenses just to prepare for shit breaking. Don't know how many weekends I have had to work on the lawn mower this summer, 13 years old and still going!

Don't buy into the hype of having to get newer furniture and always having to have people over to entertain, sorry Tyche. It is your house, your friends already know who you are and I don't think they are going to not come over if your couch isn't top of the line.

You forgot the screwdrivers man...