Is this a Bad time of year to be looking to buy a house

[SEB]

Im getting the vibe that the Holidays and first of the year are a bad time to be looking to buy a house. But my spouse seems to be in a rush to buy a house. I keep trying to explain to her that we should wait till Spring Summer time to be looking to buy.

Also she is stuck on a two story house. I have heard from a few different guys they hate their two story because of the electric bills are higher vs a One story house and to maintain a HVAC on a two story is a hit in the wallet.

So with that said. Guys can you play devils advocate here and point out the good and bads of buying at this time of year and living in a two story house

[bcoop]

The market is completely fucked right now. I'd say this is a HORRIBLE time to buy a house. Not because of the time of year, but due to this being a seller's market. People all over North Texas are overpaying for houses and they're going to be fucked when the market crashes again.

[Baron Von Crowder]

I wouldnt say it's a BAD time of year to be looking, while more poeple think about listing during the spring/summer, there are more people looking to buy during those time periods as well.

I dont have an issue with the two story we are in, and while we are looking, most of the houses that we like tend to be single story. We certainly arent against a two story, even more so for it if the master is down stairs.

I will say Seb, we were ready to buy when we bought ours. Of the 5 or so that we went and looked at, it was the best comprimise that my wife and I liked. We now feel a bit like we jumped too soon and should have kept looking, and consequently are looking at other houses now. Get together on what you are looking for, what she is looking for, and try to find the one that you both like the most. It's a house that you will call home for a few to many years, not a car that you can sell and pick up another in a weekend.

[IHaveAMustang]

I'll chime in on the two story. I had one, hated it. In the summer upstairs was always hot and in the winter, downstairs was always freezing.

I have a one story now, couldn't be happier. Plus with a new demon spawn of a child my wife just produced, I don't have to worry about collecting life insurance on him for tumbling down some stairs.

[BMCSean]

Our place now as, well as our last place, is a two story. Last place had the same issues as Ihaveamustang did. Current house does not, I keep the whole house at 72 degrees year round and our electric bill is $130 on average. The only thing I don't like about a two story is that when the kids are playing upstairs it sounds like a herd of elephants downstairs.

[BP]

A lot of builders are doing single story homes with a "bonus room". It might be a decent compromise. You don't have to heat/cool an extra floor and you get a nice attic.

[Ruffdaddy]

I don't think it's a bad time to buy because it's a slower season. But it is a sellers market most places...so it helped me that I was selling a house in North texas.

Rates are supposed to rise soon, which will probably keep sales high during the early phases. After awhile...I'd imagine prices come back to reality a little. I guess it really depends on if you're paying cash or financing a lot. If you don't care about rates...hold put for a year or so.

[03mustangdude]

Bought a house in january last year after losing a few bids. House is ok making it my own location is awesome and close to everything

[krazy kris]

Don't buy a 2 story I've lived in 3 and all of them were a pain in the dick. HVAC was constantly jacking up, lot of noise from kids upstairs, the threat of anyone falling, and was an extra fuckin moving stuff up and down stairs.

[The King]

One story FTW

[Rreemo]

Regardless of market conditions or anything else....a house is the last thing you should rush into. Make sure that she understands that.

My last house was a 2 story, it wasn't all bad....but I do still prefer 1 story, or at least to have my master bedroom on the 1st floor. When you get up over about 2500 sqft I don't think it matters too terribly much on the electric anyway, but typical 2-story houses aren't as efficient. My biggest issue with the old place was having all the bedrooms upstairs...sure, it made for good privacy when we wanted it, but after I injured my back and had to have surgery, I had to campout in the living room b/c I couldn't make it upstairs to my bed....that sucked!

[SEB]

OK def getting alot of different point of views here and DJ I appreciate your post the most as I keep telling her we are pulling the trigger to fast. We just put a offer in on a two story house. Master is downstairs and 3 bedrooms with a living room area upstairs. I did notice with all the kids upstairs taht it was loud and you could hear them all running around up there. I also didnt like going up the stairs. I could feel me knees crying going up the stairs and my concern with a two story and two living areas is the family will be seperated from each other. I just have a gut feeling Im going to hate being in a two story and a gut feeling that we are moving to fast as the inventory is low right now with it being hte first of the year and we are just taking what is available

[SEB]

Her argument is interest is low and that interest rates only stand to go higher with more inventory going on the market that with the oldest being 13 and the other two kids are 8 and 9 years old that the second living area will work to our benfit. We have looked at 20+ houses and over half of those 20 we have looked at where new construction and in various levels of construction and most where more then the house we are looking at in the link below.

I personally dont care for the house because of the downstairs living area seems to small to me with us having 4 kids and 2 adults. There doesnt seem to be enough area to put a recliner and a couch with the posistion of the fireplace and TV and the Walkway being in the way between the Kitchen and wall the curved couch is on. Also the garage is SMALL

Link to house we are looking at

http://www.homesnap.com/TX/Royse-City/1201-Hawthorne-Court

[inline 6]

1 story + bonus room

Oh and I didn't know they made 2 story trailers

[John -- '02 HAWK]

didnt read all the posts

winter is a bad time to sell/buy a house due to the holidays. If you really want to get a house get pre-approved sometime soon that way you can walk into any house this spring / summer and know that you can get what your looking at. Be warned that can surprise some sellers who may not be ready to move within just weeks