The real estate market in Lacey moves very quickly. Even if you are quick to see a property, chances are it already has two buyers with offers. So it’s very easy to feel rushed and not pay attention to the things you take for granted. In fact, it’s very common to move into your new home and suddenly realize there are things missing, important things like a garage, a sidewalk, a yard, a bathtub, and a mailbox.
We take for granted that when we see a photo of a garage attached to a home that it’s actually a garage. We assume it has a backyard and a mailbox close by. We believe that it will have at least one bathtub where we can bathe our kids at night. We think there will naturally be a sidewalk where our kids can walk to school or to the bus at the end of the street. Those are 5 things many home buyers take for granted and don’t look for. You should. Because today we’re going to cover 5 real estate nightmares: missing garage, missing sidewalk, missing yard, missing bathtub, and missing mailbox.
1. Missing Garage / Converted Garage
Homes in the Lacey area are priced mostly on the square footage. Many real estate investors who bought up foreclosures during Covid are now dumping them on the market. But when you look at that photo of the beautiful home with a two car garage, what’s actually inside? A garage? Or a living room? A closer look will often reveal the garage is missing. Well, actually it’s there, it’s not a garage anymore. :0
There are two issues with converted garages.
1. There’s no place to park your vehicles. Here in Washington, it rains. A lot. The constant rain means you will get wet. In fact, you will get soaked. A garage is a huge convenience. You can drive in, get out, and stay dry. Grandma won’t slip on the wet sidewalk and break her hip. The family dog won’t run into the mud and track it into the house. A garage is more than just a convenience, it’s a necessity in Washington.
2. A standard two car garage is 600 square feet. If it’s converted and “living space”, you’re paying for that. That 1800 sf house is really a 1200 sf house with a converted garage. Honestly, a converted garage is NOT the same as a room inside your house. It’s drafty, noisy, has a concrete floor covered with linoleum or thin carpet, and has no nearby bathroom. There are no closets and no windows. There are usually bugs, mice, and spiders. But you are paying the same price per square foot as that master bedroom. :0
So in the middle of the hot summer when you’re looking at homes and there isn’t a rain cloud in sight, pay attention to those photos in the NWMLS listing. Is there a photo of inside the garage? Or just outside? Does the square footage match homes nearby? Or is it looking suspiciously like a converted garage?
2. Missing Sidewalk
You just bought your dream home for a whopping $800K. It’s everything you ever wanted until you move in. Then you notice something–the sidewalk is missing. There’s a path from the door to the driveway but since you parked in the driveway when you viewed the home, you didn’t even notice that there is…NO SIDEWALK!
Even in the nicest neighborhoods, there is traffic. Not just cars, but motorcycles, delivery trucks, garbage trucks, and Amazon delivery drivers. Yeah, those guys. If you don’t have a sidewalk, you, your kids, and your dog will be walking on the street with all that traffic. Isn’t the point of living in a nice neighborhood being able to visit your neighbors and walk around the neighborhood?
When you’re home shopping, though, it’s not so obvious that a home has no sidewalk. You pull into the driveway and follow the sidewalk up to the house and automatically assume there will also be a sidewalk at the street. Not necessarily. In fact, not usually. Sidewalks are a convenience that most neighborhoods pay for through special assessments (property taxes). When neighbors are having a hard time paying their mortgages they will fight this type of assessment because they can’t afford to pay it. And the city will wait.
So when you’re out there looking at homes with your real estate agent, pay attention to the sidewalks. Do this for two reasons:
1. It’s a necessity when you want to keep your kids, yourself, and your pets safe.
2. The city won’t make you pay for them because they’re already there.
So when you’re pulling up to a home to view it, take a moment and look. Does it have sidewalks? Or not?
3. Missing Yard
Where do your kids play? Where does the dog stretch her legs? Where do you barbecue? Where do you entertain guests in the hot summer? The backyard. Everyone has one. Or do they? Another common real estate miss is popping up a house with no room for any yard. It’s not just missing side yards, it’s missing the back yard too!
Looking at online listings of homes for sale doesn’t always answer that question. You always see the front of the house with that nicely manicured or landscaped yard. But is there a side yard? A backyard? You’d be surprised to discover that Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) are making yards a thing of the past. Now if you want a grassy space you’ll have to walk to the neighborhood park for it.
So what if you don’t really care if you have a yard? Well there are still two very good reasons to have one.
1. It gives you space around your property. No one is going to pop up a house less than a yard from your home. If you doubt me, take a look at the photos of recent PUDs.
2. Windows with a view. The worst thing is to own a home that makes you feel like you’re in a box. Every view from every window is the neighbor’s siding. It’s claustrophobic. There’s also some distance between your window and your neighbor’s (for safety reasons).
So when you’re looking on Zillow or Redfin or Realtor, take a moment. Are there photos of the side yards? The back yard? Or are all the views through the windows of another home’s siding?
4. Missing Bathtub
Bathtubs are more than a chick necessity. They’re a great way for kids to unwind and get ready for bed. And it’s much easier to bathe a kid in a tub than in the shower, especially when they’re young. Did I mention you can’t exactly bathe the dog in the shower either? But most people don’t look specifically for a tub when they’re house shopping. Then they move in and notice the tub is missing.
There are currently three major developers in the Lacey area with new construction homes for sale. They all have homes with modular shower units. Those molded showers with built-in seats. Occasionally there will be a tub, but not often. Some of the showers don’t even have doors. Imagine a kid taking a shower in there. :0
There are a number of reasons to want a tub in your home:
1. Kids.
2. Dogs.
3. Mom.
4. Washing large items that won’t fit in the kitchen sink.
5. The average person spends 45 mins to an hour in the bathroom each day which amounts to 1.5 to 2 years of your life. :0
So when you’re out there looking at homes, pay attention to the bathrooms. You’ll be spending a lot of time there.
5. Missing Mailbox
Long ago and far away, lol, there used to be mail slots in front doors. That went away with tv dinners. In Washington we have a lot of wind and a lot of rain. So the post office decided to pop up these cluster mail boxes. They’re sturdy and contain everyone’s mailbox plus two parcel lockers. They can withstand the rain and wind, but since there’s one per neighborhood, that means you can walk half a mile to get your mail each day. In the rain and wind. Since your mail is in your hand on the walk back home, it’s also getting rain and wind.
The flip side of having a cluster mailbox unit far from your house is having one in your front yard. That’s an eyesore. It also means a lot of traffic at your front yard. Cars, dogs, people, bicycles, and motorcycles, all stopping right there at the edge of your front lawn. You’ll notice your lawn and your bushes turning brown and dying from the exhaust fumes. Yes, it does happen.
So when you’re touring an open house, ask the real estate agent exactly where the mailbox is. Is it at the end of your yard (too convenient with large foot traffic) or half a mile away (too far)?
I hope you’ve enjoyed this article about things you may miss while looking for a new home. Even in a competitive market like Lacey, houses are more than just real estate. They’re homes, where people live, and that means we want them to be functional, but beautiful too.
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