"100% of people who do not save money do not have any!"--Dave Ramsey

[Xist]

I don't remember it, just the house too close to the smurf house. Apparently the side yard belongs to the other house. The smuf house's just has a fence going from the corner of the house to the street.

The one in the middle has giant windows and the last that I saw they backed up their washer and dryer to them.

Wouldn't you?

Would that keep bad guys out as well as bars on the windows? Would that keep residents in as well as bars on the windows?

Anyway, $126,0002 bedroom, 1 bathroom, and 1,293 square feet
1261 E Huning, Show Low, AZ 85901Severely edited for grammar, but it doesn't really say anything:

Opportunities abound in this 1,293 square-foot downtown commercial / residential property just off of White Mountain Road in downtown Show Low. Use the charm of this vintage cottage to capture the hearts of your clients. Lush green space under a canopy of mature trees behind the cottage could host. Neighboring cottages have become VRBOs, bakeries, business offices, and restaurants. With your vision, this could be. Join the revitalization movement that has taken off fast in down town Show Low be the next one to claim your spot in this popular up and coming area

One idiot bought the 520-square-foot smurf house, in horrible disrepair, for $65,000. They fixed it up and I am still waiting to see how much the next idiot paid, but you can get a far bigger house for the $185,000 they were asking.

The sandstone house is in Clay Springs, almost half an hour away, with septic and propane, but it is on half an acre, and has a large outbuilding, which would have made a great work space.

They asked $123 per square foot and probably got it. The ad does say as-is, but there aren't any obvious problems.

So, yes, it is half an hour away from downtown Show Low, as much as Show Low has downtown, and utilities would cost more, but they asked 32% less for almost twice as much space in the house, an outbuilding a significant fraction the size of the smurf house, and more than triple the land.

The latest house is in much better shape than the smurf house was, 2 houses down, 148% larger, for 20% less per square feet than the original smurf house seller got.

You know, for a house slightly larger than Mom's (minus the garage), it doesn't look it!

The outside needs to be pressure-washed and repainted. Oddly there is a side door at the very front of the right side.

The front porch light needs to be replaced.

It looks like a gutter is hanging from the bottom of the eave over the front door.

The inside needs to be repainted and the floors need to be redone, but that is normal. There are weird problems with the drywall. Prime and paint?

That's not drywall! That looks like interior paneling for mobile homes!

People usually say to demolish the kitchen cabinets and install new ones. I like to save stuff, but the doors and drawers have worn-off edges. I don't know how to fix that except for replacing the fronts, which would be vastly cheaper and easier than replacing the entire cabinets.

It is missing some paneling in the kitchen, like the smurf house was. What is the deal?!

It is weird. It looks like they had appliances along a wall between 2 doorways, but the appliances would be in the way! I guess that someone removed the paneling for the oven and whatever the other appliance was, plus some plumbing.

Some plumbing that isn't near any visible sinks or anything.

Weird!

There also once were shelves, which were removed, and you can see where the old shelves were.

It looks like there is a hole in the ceiling!

There are acoustic tiles. Is there any drywall in this house?!

Shelves were also installed and removed from the closets without cleaning up.

There is some kind of small shed with a fence around it.

Weird!

It only shows 2 sides of the house. It needs the old paneling and flooring removed, drywall installed, paint inside and out, and new floors.

Do you guys see any big problems? It probably needs a new roof. I don't have the time to post pictures now, but I will soon!

At least there aren't visible cracks above the doors and windows!

[Xist]

Was it this thread where someone recommended installing 1/4" drywall over wood paneling? I immediately found instructions that seemed self-explanatory, although it left me with more questions than answers. It mentioned outlet extensions, but it took a while to track down these:

STEEL CITY 1-Gang Square Metal Electrical Box Cover

It is $1.20 at Lowe's, but hopefully they have more than 1 in stock if I ever need any!

I couldn't find instructions for a while. You remove the face plate, unscrew the outlet, screw this over the gang box, pull the outlet through, screw it into this, and install the face plate.

[Piotrsko]

Umm that is an extended box cover, a thing with limited uses and applications in a house. Mostly because it only fits a 4 x4 junction box

If you type in electrical box extenders in the orange box store site you get a bunch of different pictures.

[Xist]

Then this thing, which is more expensive, and isn't available in-store:

1-Gang 1/4 in. Electrical Receptacle Box Extension Ring ($10.75 for a 5 Pack)

I was trying to find something in-stock, but they didn't have any rectangular versions of the last ones.

Can you 3d-print these?

[Xist]

I called again, actually got someone, asked for my 2020 W-2, and my 2019 one showed up after 10 minutes!

I asked for the 2020 one again and eventually got that.

I went to upload it and Navy Federal, after having me verify my identity (for the hundredth time!) and check "Remember this computer" (for the hundredth time!) it didn't show my other W-2 and the 2 1099s. I uploaded them again and the new document.

Navy Federal claimed that all of them were blurry. They weren't scans, they were PDFs generated from the computer.

That is like telling me that my text document is blurry!

I doubt they will like my recent paystubs. I don't have access to my own account in the third payroll company we recently started using, so I uploaded the last ones I can access. They want my end-of-year paystubs, so I verified my identity (for the hundred and first time!) and check "Remember this computer" (for the hundred and first time!) downloaded one from ADP, figured out that we previously used Bill.com, and uploaded my last paystub of 2019, but it doesn't show my pay-to-date.

I don't think they will like that.

It looks like I need to upload a purchase agreement before they will process my application, but I am not making an offer for a house until I know that I qualify!

I e-mailed my handler to verify that they do VA renovation loans. The website says they do, but that wasn't an option when I applied.

They sent me a copy of my credit report. I scored 788-807. Every bureau claimed that my revolving debt was too high and that I don't have a recent history of loan payments.

I have zero debt.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

Navy Federal claimed that all of them were blurry. They weren't scans, they were PDFs generated from the computer.

That is like telling me that my text document is blurry!

I've had plenty of people send me blurry PDFs that can't be read at full screen. It depends on the resolution the file.

Originally Posted by Xist

It looks like I need to upload a purchase agreement before they will process my application, but I am not making an offer for a house until I know that I qualify!

That is why you get preapproved. No bank is going to do actual loan paperwork until you are under contract. As someone else said, you should be talking to a Realtor to see what is required in your area.

Originally Posted by Xist

They sent me a copy of my credit report. I scored 788-807. Every bureau claimed that my revolving debt was too high.

Congrats! 788 to 807 that is very good to excellent.

Originally Posted by Xist

Every bureau claimed that my revolving debt was too high.

They are likely talking about your credit utilization rate when they say your revolving debt is too high. That means you are using too high a percentage of your credit card limit. Even if you pay off your card every month the percent of the max credit limit you charge makes a difference. The general rule is to use less than 30% of your limit but going from 3% to 9% dropped my FICO score 10 points last month. Credit utilization rate makes up about 30% of your credit score.

I've seen friends that like to keep really low credit card limits get in trouble with credit utilization. People that keep a $500 or $1000 limit on their card.

Originally Posted by Xist

I don't have a recent history of loan payments.

I have zero debt.

Those go hand in hand. You can't show creditors you have a history of paying loans on time if you don't take out loans. The good thing is your credit score is proof that good credit is possible without taking out loans.

[Xist]

All of my scores were over 800 a month or two ago. Every service also says that I have had too many credit checks recently.

My total credit limit is something like $45,000.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Xist

All of my scores were over 800 a month or two ago. Every service also says that I have had too many credit checks recently.

Those go hand in hand. The hard inquiries from getting preapproved will bring down your score. They stay on your record for 2 years and from this early post you have at least 4

I was preapproved by USAA on 5/13/2020, Veterans United on 2/5/2021, and Navy Federal on 5/13/2021. After answering many questions last night, I am preapproved with Navy Federal again!

Originally Posted by Xist

My total credit limit is something like $45,000.

Ah, different problem. They might be worried about what you will do with that $45K credit limit after they issue you a mortgage. A lot of people run up their credit cards after buying a house to furnish and repair the house.

However, you are preapproved likely with a good rate from that good credit score. Time to find a realtor and start house hunting. How long is your preapproval good for?

[Piotrsko]

Iirc there's a odd set of requirements for the VA resto loans, so much that I gave up attempting to get one. They are pretty rare anyways.

Liks JSH said: ( I did too) go hire a realtor if you are serious about buying a house.

Not a friend of a Friend, or some odd internet top post person, but maybe the top sales person in your area that doesn't drive a brand new expensive car.

[Xist]

Why not one that drives a brand-new expensive car? How am I supposed to determine this?!