The Official Homeowners Thread

[OfTheCross]

When I buy my own home Ima look into artificial grass or astroturf. Something that doesn't heat up during the summer and won't break off in the winter. The amount of money people throw into their lawns in ridiculous. A garden or flowers, I understand, but that lawn stuff is ridiculous.

I think many people overrate how much it costs to maintain a lawn. In South Florida if you hire a guy to come cut your grass regularly and trim a couple branches for you it'll probably be about $1000 per year.

If you buy your own lawn mower it'll cost about $200, you can rent whatever tool you need which will bring your long term costs down to a couple hundred a year.

 

[phcitywarrior]

I think many people overrate how much it costs to maintain a lawn. In South Florida if you hire a guy to come cut your grass regularly and trim a couple branches for you it'll probably be about $1000 per year.

If you buy your own lawn mower it'll cost about $200, you can rent whatever tool you need which will bring your long term costs down to a couple hundred a year.

I think between the cutting, fertilizing and upkeep, I would prefer to spend my money and time on something else. I guess part of the lawn thing is cultural. I’m Nigerian and having a well maintained “lawn” isn’t a thing. However, keeping a nursery or having potted flowers is common.

 

[OfTheCross]

I think between the cutting, fertilizing and upkeep, I would prefer to spend my money and time on something else. I guess part of the lawn thing is cultural. I’m Nigerian and having a well maintained “lawn” isn’t a thing. However, keeping a nursery or having potted flowers is common.

I dig...

Having a well-maintained lawn isn't a thing to me either. I just cut the grass and keep it moving. Whether my home is there or not the grass was gonna be, so I let it be.

I see a number of people pave their front lawns all together and avoid it. My beef is that whe it rains heavy that causes issues. That's why Houston got so flooded during that storm. The water had no where to go.

 

[GoFlipAPack]

This is a top 3 thread on this website.

 

[lightskin jermaine]

How y'all lawns looking for the spring?

I been focused on fertilizing and having the greenest yard in the neighborhood and I'm almost there. Before and after pics coming soon.

 

[OfTheCross]

How y'all lawns looking for the spring?

I been focused on fertilizing and having the greenest yard in the neighborhood and I'm almost there. Before and after pics coming soon.

 

[lightskin jermaine]

Just saw y'all's posts

Check this vid out and look through dudes channel. I scalped my lawn and followed his advice on a couple other vids and my shyt look crazy

If you have Bermuda grass it should be easy since it doesn't require a lot of water.

 

[NeilCartwright]

Can anyone briefly explain the benefits of putting 20% down vs financing through an FHA or VA Loan, where you have a lower down payment?

And also why property taxes can vary so much year to year?

I’m planning on finally using this VA Loan once I move in a couple years.

 

[winb83]

Can anyone briefly explain the benefits of putting 20% down vs financing through an FHA or VA Loan, where you have a lower down payment?

And also why property taxes can vary so much year to year?

I’m planning on finally using this VA Loan once I move in a couple years.

FHA loans suck. Don't do them. Can't get rid of PMI unless you refinance.

20% down gets you a better rate with no PMI and a more manageable payment. Problem is if it takes a while to save that payment What's the market gonna look like after? What if the house cost 6% more and the fed increased rates?

 

[Dolla$]

Can anyone briefly explain the benefits of putting 20% down vs financing through an FHA or VA Loan, where you have a lower down payment?

And also why property taxes can vary so much year to year?

I’m planning on finally using this VA Loan once I move in a couple years.

You avoid PMI when you put down 20%

 

[Dolla$]

FHA loans suck. Don't do them. Can't get rid of PMI unless you refinance.

20% down gets you a better rate with no PMI and a more manageable payment. Problem is if it takes a while to save that payment What's the market gonna look like after? What if the house cost 6% more and the fed increased rates?

Bro i wouldn’t tell him to not do a FHA loan. That’s bad advice.

 

[winb83]

Bro i wouldn’t tell him to not do a FHA loan. That’s bad advice.

It's not bad advice. You can do a conventional loan at 5% down. What's an FHA loan saving you 1.5%? Unless you're getting down payment assistance why go FHA over conventional?


FHA loans used to be better before the changes. If your credit score is bad that's a reason to get an FHA loan but nobody that has the choice should opt to go FHA over conventional.
FHA loans:
@ 10% down carry PMI for 11 years @ 3.5% it's for the life of the loan.
can't be used for rental properties
have income restrictions for how much all your payments can be vs gross and net income.

On a conventional you can get the PMI dropped once your equity in the home reaches 20% be it from you paying into it or the home's value rising so that your equity is 20%.

 

[Lv99 Slacker]

The results are in. The difference in my gas utility bill, using the old heater from 1991 that came with my place versus the Rheem electric/heat pump hybrid water heater I bought and installed on 4/14: $103.69 vs. $24.30.

*If* (which I won't, because this is Texas and hell season will soon begin) I were to maintain my current gas usage (I rarely turn on my A/C), I would recoup the cost of my Rheem water heater in less than two years time. With shipping + taxes, my Rheem hybrid (electric/heat pump) water heater cost $1,465.71.

Spoiler

 

[phcitywarrior]

I'm out the AirBnB game. Last guest went OD.

You never want to profile people with your own skin color but I dudes be messing it up for others I swear.

 

[Lv99 Slacker]

I'm out the AirBnB game. Last guest went OD.

You never want to profile people with your own skin color but I dudes be messing it up for others I swear.

Wow. I hope when I jump in, I will have priced the rooms to where I'll keep most of the riff raff out, but still be attractive. Come next year, I'll see, I guess.