OT - NO POLITICS The Dog Days of Summer continue

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Ladyfan

Miss Bergy, Savvy and Quaider. Welcome back Looch!
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Jun 8, 2007
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next to the bench
Drove the pacific coast highway today. Unreal scenery. Just took forever due to all the photo opportunities. Oakland to Anaheim took about 12 hours, including a couple fuel stops, dinner in Santa Barbara, and a supply run at a random Walmart. Of everything I have seen in California so far, pictures can’t even come close to doing it justice.
I have done that drive 3 times since my daughter moved to Calif. She drives. All three trips were to see the Bs. This last one (started last Feb) was first to Seattle, flew to my daughter's house in Napa and then to San Jose, Anaheim and LA. It is pretty. Very expensive places to live. She wants to move to Santa Barbara in a couple of years.
 

Dueling Banjos

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
7,110
5,881
Drove the pacific coast highway today. Unreal scenery. Just took forever due to all the photo opportunities. Oakland to Anaheim took about 12 hours, including a couple fuel stops, dinner in Santa Barbara, and a supply run at a random Walmart. Of everything I have seen in California so far, pictures can’t even come close to doing it justice.
Love that road but my fav Cali road is 395 along eastern Sierras, just unbelievable scenery, mountains, lakes, desert, you name it...late afternoon - early evening colors, doesn't get much better than that.
 

Kovi

Registered User
Feb 11, 2007
24,641
3,091
Drove the pacific coast highway today. Unreal scenery. Just took forever due to all the photo opportunities. Oakland to Anaheim took about 12 hours, including a couple fuel stops, dinner in Santa Barbara, and a supply run at a random Walmart. Of everything I have seen in California so far, pictures can’t even come close to doing it justice.
Ha. Careful, you're going to fall in love with the sun ;)
 

Troublesome 85

Proud Girl Dad
Dec 28, 2017
9,799
7,497
Sarasota/Bradenton
Last time I was in cali only spent a day can only do that these days.

Sad to see what happened to the state I once loved.

Quality of life doesnt match the cost of living
 

Troublesome 85

Proud Girl Dad
Dec 28, 2017
9,799
7,497
Sarasota/Bradenton
Interesting 3/4 of my interviews I was offered a spot. 4th one will call me when the spot at Tropicana opens up.

Even more interesting they gave me one of the hardest drug tests and I passed.
 
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Fenway

HF Bookie and Bruins Historian
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Sep 26, 2007
69,351
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Cambridge, MA
I honestly thought Chubby Checker had died

1662574464563.png
 

Morris Wanchuk

.......
Feb 10, 2006
16,228
1,263
War Memorial Arena
I always regret not going into a trade school. Long ago a plumber offered to apprentice me. I should have said yes. Feel im too old now at 36. Too much going on.

Looking back college was a waste of time and money. I was just there cuz thats what u do after HS

Operating engineers drive construction vehicles like dump trucks. Might not be too late
 

shelbysdad

Registered User
Nov 21, 2006
3,724
5,212
Red Hook, NY
I always regret not going into a trade school. Long ago a plumber offered to apprentice me. I should have said yes. Feel im too old now at 36. Too much going on.

Looking back college was a waste of time and money. I was just there cuz thats what u do after HS
Not too old....having an extensive construction background, 16 years ago I started my own radon mitigation business.... (59 now). I knew nothing about radon, but I knew what constitutes a good job vs a crap job. You have to be conscientious and be determined to never take short cuts, use the best materials, and do everything better than everyone else.

Always return calls even if you know you are not going to do the job. Know your limitations and don't get in over your head.

It used to take me a day and a half to do a job. By using better tools and coming up with my own routine, I can do a normal job in 4 hours. A typical straight up job here is $1800, which has about $500 worth of materials.

You can do it by being honest, be true to yourself and your customers and always treating every job like it's your own house.

It's never too late to learn a trade, and now there are openings everywhere for plumbers, electricians, etc
 

caz16

HFBoards Sponsor
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Jun 11, 2011
7,279
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Ontario
I am curious about how the real estate market works in other places. I am in the Waterloo, Ontario area and we have had to sell my parents' house since my Mom passed in June and my Dad is now in a memory care facility. It has been a massive amount of work but went on the market about 3 weeks ago.

Anyway, the thing that is surprising to me is the fact that prospective buyers present you with a letter, photos or video about who they are and why they want the house. The first offer came with a photo of the family, told us how great they are in the community, etc. We had one offer that came with a 3 minute video! I am guessing this may have started happening when the markets were nuts and sellers were getting ridiculous amounts of money, no conditions, and bidding wars were happening so anything that would sway the seller in your direction would be beneficial.

It is interesting, it is a business deal after all but who knows how truthful or fictional these presentations are. It still could be an out of country buyer or a flipper, speculator. We really want a nice family to get the house because the neighbours there are amazing and deserve a buyer who is not going to re-sell or rent it out. So many houses sit empty while speculators wait. The market has cooled but we had a lot of activity and have two offers - the sale will be firm by midnight tonight, just depends on the first people firming up their conditional offer or opting out, then the second one would be accepted because it has no conditions.
 
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Beesfan

Registered User
Apr 10, 2006
4,889
1,928
I am curious about how the real estate market works in other places. I am in the Waterloo, Ontario area and we have had to sell my parents' house since my Mom passed in June and my Dad is now in a memory care facility. It has been a massive amount of work but went on the market about 3 weeks ago.

Anyway, the thing that is surprising to me is the fact that prospective buyers present you with a letter, photos or video about who they are and why they want the house. The first offer came with a photo of the family, told us how great they are in the community, etc. We had one offer that came with a 3 minute video! I am guessing this may have started happening when the markets were nuts and sellers were getting ridiculous amounts of money, no conditions, and bidding wars were happening so anything that would sway the seller in your direction would be beneficial.

It is interesting, it is a business deal after all but who knows how truthful or fictional these presentations are. It still could be an out of country buyer or a flipper, speculator. We really want a nice family to get the house because the neighbours there are amazing and deserve a buyer who is not going to re-sell or rent it out. So many houses sit empty while speculators wait. The market has cooled but we had a lot of activity and have two offers - the sale will be firm by midnight tonight, just depends on the first people firming up their conditional offer or opting out, then the second one would be accepted because it has no conditions.

We did that when we put an offer on my house in a Boston suburb in 2019. Nothing elaborate, just gave a copy of a family card and a hand-written note with help from my four year old. The Seller's agent had met us all, and really liked us and may have encouraged us to do it. From what I heard, it was definitely at least a tie-breaker and perhaps more than that. We all love the house and neighborhood and plan to be here for the next 50 years, which I think is exactly what the seller wanted, so win-win.
 

shelbysdad

Registered User
Nov 21, 2006
3,724
5,212
Red Hook, NY
We did that when we put an offer on my house in a Boston suburb in 2019. Nothing elaborate, just gave a copy of a family card and a hand-written note with help from my four year old. The Seller's agent had met us all, and really liked us and may have encouraged us to do it. From what I heard, it was definitely at least a tie-breaker and perhaps more than that. We all love the house and neighborhood and plan to be here for the next 50 years, which I think is exactly what the seller wanted, so win-win.
My daughter (25) wrote us a note to give to the seller when we bought our land in Maine earlier this year.....not sure if it helped or not but we got it

I have heard it can work both ways , depends on how seller reacts
 

BNHL

Registered User
Dec 22, 2006
20,020
1,464
Boston
I am curious about how the real estate market works in other places. I am in the Waterloo, Ontario area and we have had to sell my parents' house since my Mom passed in June and my Dad is now in a memory care facility. It has been a massive amount of work but went on the market about 3 weeks ago.

Anyway, the thing that is surprising to me is the fact that prospective buyers present you with a letter, photos or video about who they are and why they want the house. The first offer came with a photo of the family, told us how great they are in the community, etc. We had one offer that came with a 3 minute video! I am guessing this may have started happening when the markets were nuts and sellers were getting ridiculous amounts of money, no conditions, and bidding wars were happening so anything that would sway the seller in your direction would be beneficial.

It is interesting, it is a business deal after all but who knows how truthful or fictional these presentations are. It still could be an out of country buyer or a flipper, speculator. We really want a nice family to get the house because the neighbours there are amazing and deserve a buyer who is not going to re-sell or rent it out. So many houses sit empty while speculators wait. The market has cooled but we had a lot of activity and have two offers - the sale will be firm by midnight tonight, just depends on the first people firming up their conditional offer or opting out, then the second one would be accepted because it has no conditions.
My wife is a 40 year lender and many of her friends are realtors all over Mass,and what you're describing certainly is NOT the norm. You run the risk of discriminating if you consider anything but the ability to pay what you ask.
 

Ladyfan

Miss Bergy, Savvy and Quaider. Welcome back Looch!
Sponsor
Jun 8, 2007
63,235
77,229
next to the bench
Concerns for Queen Elizabeth.:heart: It is hard to believe how many years she has been the Queen. She has a great work ethic.

I have always admired her. When she leaves this earth, it will make me sad. She kind of reminds me of my Mom. She is 3 years younger as my mother would have been 99 this year.

She became Queen the year I was born....A VERY long time ago
 
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