You need to report back ASAP.
LOL, well it was a whirlwind day.
There is one house I really loved, but it has a big drawback: a shared driveway. The realtor didn't have the specifics I was looking for regarding the arrangement with the neighbor, so I'm asking her to find out, but I'm inclined to pass just on this. The last thing I need is a dispute with a new neighbor and a lifetime of trying to work things out to my satisfaction. It seems the neighbor has control over the bulk of the driveway, with the house I was looking at having just a small portion, yet the owner of the house I was considering had to chip in for repaving. I'm researching the state laws with regard to shared driveways, which aren't as common in Connecticut for single-family homes as they are in, say, Pennsylvania, where I used to live. One of my friends has a shared driveway in PA and has reported numerous instances of aggravation over the years. There would be no room for me to add a detached garage, either...another drawback. Meanwhile, the neighbor has a huge two-car garage. But I so loved the house. It had a finished basement, a gas stove(!), central air and a nice layout. The price was also really good. Here it is. It also had a cute porch and a nice yard. Interesting that they didn't show the driveway in the pictures; it just mentioned a newly paved driveway, lol.
17 Jordt St, Manchester, CT 06042 | MLS #G10191117 | Zillow
I looked at four others. The other one I had high hopes for needed way too much updating for my liking. The pictures were very deceiving. Another was in a really sketchy part of town, so I crossed that one off as well.
The fourth one, a very cute cape, was in an area too close to a courthouse for my liking. I drove around the other streets in the neighborhood and just didn't get a warm feeling. The street the house is on was fine, but the one behind it had several properties that appeared run-down. I don't want to be snobby or anything, but as a single female, I want to feel safe, and I just didn't get that feeling. The house would need some cosmetic work, but the owner took very good care of it. It's had only one owner. I suspect the person is elderly and is perhaps moving to a retirement home. The garage needs some work, as the concrete looks a bit worn, but the yard was great, and there was a pretty sunroom.
Here is that one:
193 High St, Manchester, CT 06040 | MLS #G10200908 | Zillow
The third one I really liked also had sort of a deal-breaker: a very odd roofline that led to one of the upstairs rooms having some odd lines. The doorway was so small that I had to duck slightly to get in. I have no idea how they got a bed up there. Here is that one. It had the best kitchen, which I loved (save for the color scheme of the cabinets, but that can always be changed).
114 Bolton St, Manchester, CT 06042 | MLS #G10199930 | Zillow
So the realtor is getting the "disclosure info" on these houses with regard to any remediation that has taken place, like repairs to the roof, water damage, etc. But I have a feeling I'll be out looking again, lol. The good thing is, I drove around and saw lots of neighborhoods to get a feel for the area, and found lots of neighborhoods that I wouldn't mind living in.
Awesome. See above edited post, and don't settle!
