posted on April 1, 2001 01:14:05 AM newMouse, how long have you been in your house? We have been in this house for almost 4 years and there is so much that we need to do, but we have not been able to do it because of lack of money.
But I figure that we will someday get everything done that we want to and after all isn't the most important thing just the fact that you have your house. Well that is how I look at things anyway. If you could see our driveway and front fences. Boy do they need work doing on them.
The driveway will have to wait, we do fix it up, but everytime it rains really hard the gravel and road base washes away. To cement it or bitumen it would cost us the price of a small car. LOL
posted on April 1, 2001 01:51:23 AM new
Great pics Netta and Jake looks just like I would imagine an Australian dog to look like Soory for the long pause, it was hinky time again We've been here for 3 1/2 years. And I know what you mean, so much to do, so little money! When we were looking for a house, we wanted one 'move in ready' so we didn't have to do anything right away since we put all of our money just into getting it. But we didn't realize our bedroom needed painting (they're headboard covered it, and it looked like they painted around it a couple of times rather than moving the bed ). And the carpet in our room is ancient and started to disentrigrate right away, I think the pets helped there.
We did manage to get the spare room painted ceiling and walls, but never finished the trim or put up the wallpaper border. Now that's my parent's room and I can't paint because of Dad's breathing. And I can't move anything to do the border
Gunther got a hold of one of my bingo daubers, flourecent pink of course, and got it all over the carpet in the office. Plus he chewed a few holes in it too. They also had paneling covering one wall and the door from the office to the laundry area. So DH tore that down and because they nailed it up, it broke up the plaster. So there's another project.
The yard is a whole nother story! We both have severe allergies and mowing kills us. So the yard got really bad when we couldn't afford a lawn crew. Then the weeds took over. We're finally starting to get it back, but it's slow going. I want to get my garden back and see if I have a green thumb at all. Plus, I don't think you can see it in the pics, but there's cement borders on the sides of the yard. The previous owner got tired of mowing it all So I want to put in a raised flower garden on one side (the shaded side), and flowery bushes on the other (the sunnier side). But plants are very hard to care for here because of the heat and dry conditions. I have to make sure they're hardy!
posted on April 1, 2001 03:26:52 AM new
Sorry Mouse, I got side tracked in another thread. Some people make me fume.
I fully understand about how long it takes to get things done. Hey we have both been in our houses about the same time.
My dogs' (jake and boyd) have made some mess on the carpet in the lounge, I have to cover it with a mat. I am hoping that when I get the carpet cleaner out he will be able to remove most of it. At least my carpet was new when we moved in here and it is a grey with flecks through it so some things blend in and you can not see when it has a little mark on it. LOL
Jake is a kelpie, cattle dog cross, and he is getting so fat. He is very loyal and if anyone were to sneak up on me he would eat them.
I want to paint inside our house as well, I just do not like everything white or beige. I like a bit of colour around me. LOL
posted on April 1, 2001 03:55:08 AM new
Which thread? I wanna go see you go girl! LOL I like color too! The one room we have painted is a sunny yellow. We bought a pansy wallpaper border and went with the colors in it. The first batch of paint was supposed to be a soft pink. We painted one wall, stood back and looked and realized that is was bubblegum pink! Whoa, I don't think so So we went with the yellow. The trim is a darker green that's on the edge of the border. By the time Mom & Dad move out, we'll have to repaint again anyway, LOL. We kept the ceiling white though. I haven't decided what color to do our room yet. I might just do one wall of color, and the other 3 in an off-white. A friend did hers that way and it looks neat. The living room & hallway I want to do a beige and cream sponge paint idea. I just love all of the different painting textures these days! I even have a group of pictures that are neautral colored for the living room Now I just need to paint the darn thing! I should do it when Dad's in the hospital and send Mom to a motel or something
posted on April 1, 2001 04:00:17 AM new
Hey everyone!!! Home from work and ready to chat. And might I say I'm in a much better mood than last night Sorry I didn't stick around but I would have been rotten company in the mood I was in...
I love both of your houses! I hope to be able to get my very own house/mortgage this year but more likely it will be next year at the rate I'm going!
My Rice Roni is on the stove bubbling away... Should be able to give you a verdict in about 10 mins...
posted on April 1, 2001 04:01:23 AM new
It is over in the EO Mouse, just look for the one that just got locked. LOL
I can just imagine the Bubblegum Pink. LOL Did you need sun glasses to look at it. LOL
I am thinking of going back to a soft warm apricot colour, that is what I painted my old house with, and it was such a great colour. I found that in winter it added warmth to the house, and in summer it was just beautiful and clean to look at.
The sponge idea can be very effective, I have seen it done with much success and in many colours, and if you don't like the first go, you can do it over again and it does not take that long.
posted on April 1, 2001 04:06:04 AM new
Hello Pharlap, glad you are feeling better tonight.
Gee I hope you can get your own house, now is the time. If you are going to be buying make sure you get in for the $7,000 first home buyers grant, before they take it away. If you are going to build a house they have put the first home buyers grant up to $14,000. Not an amount to be sneezed at, but I still don't know if it would have been incentive enough for me to build the first time around. LOL
posted on April 1, 2001 04:07:58 AM new
Hi Pharlap! Have you tried any of the other stuff besides chocolate yet? You know, I should send you some Spam, our country's joke food, but some people love it! Do you have it there?
Oooh, apricot, that sounds lovely! Maybe I'll do apricot and cream in the bedroom...My problem is I get bored really quickly But, having lived in apartments, where the walls were always white, since I was 11 I need color!
posted on April 1, 2001 04:16:26 AM newMouse, Apricot is a colour that you can change with other colours. What I mean is that the colour changes slightly when you add a different trim colour or if you accent it with a green curtain, or you can play around with different colours to find what best suits your tastes.
I like cream with the apricot but I also like brighter colours as well, I have found that different colour greens accent it really well. But it does depend on your own individual taste.
Yep we do have spam over here. YUK I do not know what it tastes like where you are but here it is revolting.
posted on April 1, 2001 04:17:46 AM new
Mouse - please don't send Spam!!! Yes we have it here and yes it is still horrendous at the other side of the world!!!
I have just tried Rice A Roni and it's quite yummy! The finished product even looks like the picture on the packet for once
I tried the refried beans the other night which were great. I made them the way you suggested and we had them like a dip with cornchips.
I've also tried the cinnamon crumbcake coffee twice already and it's good stuff!
Nettak - That's why I'm hoping to get ready for this year as the $14K finishes this year. I don't think I will be able to pay off my debts and save a deposit in time though I'm only hoping that they will extend the offer. After all - after it's over the building industry will just go back into the slump ot's been in since GST was introduced... Either way I can still get the $7K rebate. I wouldn't build for the $7k - I would buy an established house...
posted on April 1, 2001 04:24:08 AM newPharlap, do you want my humble opinion?? Oh well I will give it anyway. LOL
Buy an already establish house. It does not have to be an old house, go for a REPO, they go for a lot cheaper than most. I deal with these houses all the time, and we see them go for next to nothing. You can contact the real estate agents in the areas that you are interested and tell them that you are specificly looking to buy a repossessed house, ask them if they handle any for the Dept of Housing, and then you can tell me how much they are saying and I can find out what it is really worth. LOL I am serious by the way.
posted on April 1, 2001 04:35:51 AM new
Thanks for the advise Nattak! You're right - quite often you see Repos in the paper and the prices are amazing! I bet I could probably pick up one even cheaper if it hadn't made it to the papers yet (generates too much interest from others)
Seeing as you seem to know all about this kind of thing perhaps you can tell me what you think of the following:
I have a credit card which needs to be paid off (figure I can do this in 3-4 months if I really cut back other spending) and I know that it will need to be paid off before even considering to go for a home loan.
I also have a car loan (5 years - $35 per week so fairly low repayments). Considering that the repayments are so low do you think that this would be a hinderence in getting a home loan??? Or do you think they would want to see it paid off first? I'm kicking myself as I didn't need another car and owned my other one outright (traded it in for this one) but what can I say - I fell in love
Also, in your honest opinion do you think that any banks/building companies would consider using the $14k as a deposit? After all it's guaranteed money from the government right???
I figure that once the credit card is paid off I might start making enquiries. After all - what's the worst they can say? "No", right?
Tell me what you think???
I can't speel!!!!
[ edited by pharlap on Apr 1, 2001 04:38 AM ]
posted on April 1, 2001 04:37:26 AM new
I must say owning your own home is very liberating! I wish you luck Pharlap. But be prepared for it to cost more than renting (even if the mortgage payment is the same as rent) and the work you have to do to it. No more calling the manager to come fix or replace something! One thing we have here though that I highly recommend, is a home warranty. It covers most major things and it's only $35 for an item, even if they have to come out 3 times to fix the same problem. So far we've gotten a new water heater and the new stove (ok, so it's still in the garage, but it was a major miscommunication and ignorance of different styles on our part). We're hoping that our ac/heater unit dies soon. We've had them repair it 3-4 times now. One of the techs said it's on it's last legs and to keep up the warranty until they can't fix it anymore so they'll replace it. Needless to say that's not something we could afford to pay outright!
What finally prompted us to buy a house was our last neighbor. I was working nights, and the lady of the house was home all day too. She also blared her stereo all day. I got no sleep! A couple of times they would put the crying baby in the room on the other side of ours and let it cry, for hours. I didn't know whether to be mad about the noise, or feel sorry for the poor neglected baby Plus someone always stole my parking place . So I said, that's it, I've had enough!
posted on April 1, 2001 04:47:59 AM newPharlap, most of the banks will not let you use the grant money as a deposit, in fact you do not even get the grant untill after you have moved into the house. Sorry about that.
If your credit card is not with the bank that you are applying for your loan through, then I would not tell them about it. Well I would not tell them about it if your credit rating is good, if you have had a problem with your credit card in the past, then you may have to tell them that you have it and that you owe money on it. As for your car, if it is a fixed amount that you pay $140 per mth. that is not too bad.
What most financial places are looking for is a stable income and they usually want you to be able to pay a quarter of your monthly income as a morg. repayment each month.
Seeing as you are still only young, you should be able to get your loan over a period of 30 years, this will decrease your repayments by a fair bit. Make sure your loan is through a bank, a lot of brokers get you finance and it is at a lot higher interest rates.
Get your father or a brother to go with you when you are seriously looking. They deal with men better.
posted on April 1, 2001 04:54:24 AM new
Well that would be one thing I have going for me - my credit rating would have to be perfect. Never defaulted or late paid anything in my life.
Ok - here's what I think I'll do. I'll pay off the card asap (would be a weight off my mind anyways) then save for a deposit (I can be a fantastic saver when I want to be!) There will be lots of overtime at work soon also so this will help...
I figure once I have my deposit I will go for it. If I do get knocked back because of the car I'll just use the deposit saved to pay that off and start over... hmmmm, lots to think about.
posted on April 1, 2001 05:02:42 AM new
Go for it Hon. I do not see any reason why you would get knocked back. They will look at how long you have been in your job, and if it is full time ect. But honestly I just say what can it hurt to have a go.
The last 2 loans that we have gotten, I have just taken our information into our bank manager and told him what I am after, he has a look at everything and hey presto we go from there. Now don't get me wrong, we have been knocked back a few times as well, but usually it has worked out in our favour and something better has come along at a later date. Not that you always see the good in it at the time.
I will be on the sidelines barracking for you all the way.
Oh yeah and if they don't want to give you the loan, we can always call Bob's mate Vinnie to do a hit on them. LOL
posted on April 1, 2001 05:19:26 AM new
I hope so Pharlap, hey we will probably be on our 15 or 16th Who Stays up The Latest? thread. LOL That would be too funny.
Mouse come back.
I seem to have forgotten what happened about your oven. I remember you said it was in the garage, and I think it was the wrong model or would not fit. Am I correct?
It took me ages to find a stove to fit into my kitchen. I have a side by side and when we purchased the house, they had renovated the kitchen, everything was new, the cupboards, pantry, sink, bench tops ect. , but for some reason they left the old, rusty revolting stove in and I could not buy one to fit in the same space.
It took me ages but I finally found one advertised in the Courier Mail on Saturday and I thought it would have been sold by the time I rang, but as luck would have it, they still had the thing. It was brand new, and we got it for less than half of what a new one was. If we wanted a new one we would have had to wait for 3 months for delivery and I was sick of doing without, and wanted a stove for Christmas. So it all ended happy for me.
posted on April 1, 2001 05:32:04 AM new
Sorry girls, I got hungry and I all I could find were roasted peanuts in the shell. Shekking peanuts and typing don't go very well together Then on my way back, sure nough hinky time
You weren't boring me at all! I found it fascinating when we got ours. Story to follow.
posted on April 1, 2001 05:40:26 AM new
Our old stove is what they call a drop in. The one they sent us is a freestanding. So they're going to have to cut my countertop to make it fit. I didn't know there were different kinds, or that our old one is still made (actually drop-ins aren't, but now they have slide ins which are similar). So we learned a somewhat expensive lesson. Either we pay a little over $200 to have this one installed, or pay I think it was $125 to send it back and get the right one. We decided to keep it and just pay the difference. Of course that was to come out of the tax refund, but it went mostly to bills. So I still don't have an oven
Oh and Netta, I forgot to say LOL about that other thread. I know that poster goes over to that 'other' place. Why do they bother to hang around then if not happy??? Have you been to that 'other' place? I breezed in there one night and did some reading on the boards, no thanks
posted on April 1, 2001 05:43:18 AM new
I got hungry as well, and I wish I had some chocolate to eat, but I am really glad that I don't have any in the house.
I am trying so hard to stay on my diet, and so far I have. I have put on so much weight since I gave up smoking, and then when I was packing the parcels to send to Enchanted and Rocker, I think I ate as much or more chocolate than I put in the parcels.
I had already put on extra weight when I got sick and could not walk very far , so exercise was out of the question, and then giving up smoking really topped it off for me. So now I have to get rid of some of my fat. LOL I hate feeling like a blob, and I refuse to buy any new clothes until I do lose some of this weight.
posted on April 1, 2001 05:49:10 AM newMouse, I have gone and had a look, but I did not register and I do not think I ever would register with the other place. I think that I am pretty broad minded, but I have to admit that I think they have gone way overboard with the smut in that place.
It is not just in the so called Adult forum, but in the other forums as well, as a matter of fact it seemed to be common place all over the boards, and the other thing I really did not like was the childish actions of some of the posters. Some of whom I do know and have had a fair bit of contact with at one stage as you yourself have. It is just not for me.
That person that I replied to is just a stirrer in my view. I really do not know what that person is still doing here if she is so unhappy with the way things are run. So she should just leave, and let those of us who are happy here get on with a happy forum.
posted on April 1, 2001 05:56:23 AM new
I didn't go beyond the adult forum, but I know what you mean. There's one person in particular that I was suprised at their posts. I guess that place brough it out in them?? I didn't bother to register either. I get a lot of good info from AW on the EO and have way to much fun in the party
Funny you should say you almost ate as much chocolate as you packed. I was just thinking I better get Pharlap's packaged up so I don't raid it, LOL!
posted on April 1, 2001 06:04:11 AM new
LOL My daughter made me tape the last box up as soon as I put all the stuff into it, just so that I could not open it and take anything out to eat. Haha Oh well I just love chocolate. YUM
I am with you on being surprised by some of the people posting some of the really smutty stuff. There were a couple that almost shocked me to be honest. I think what happened is that they all of a sudden had a bit of freedom with there posts and it went to there heads. Before they would have even know what was happening, they were drawn into something that they probably did not know how to handle and how to get themselves out of. Sometimes situations can be difficult to extract yourself from.
Then when they were spamming the boards over here, that just put me off even more.
Anyway, I don't know what has happened to Rocker, she was going to come in the other night, but for some reason she did not show. I do know that she intended to come in, so I guess she must have gotten held up somewhere. She was going to try and give up the cigarettes' again on the 1st, which is today. So GOOD LUCK ROCKER, we wish you all the luck in the world. Take it easy.
posted on April 1, 2001 06:21:51 AM new
Yeah Rocker, what Netta said! Good luck girlfriend!
I sure hope she shows up sooner or later
I know what you mean about the freedom going to their heads. I'm not a prude, I've had my own share of 'adult' conversations, but that's not what I come here for. I just got very turned off by the place...
posted on April 1, 2001 06:30:02 AM new
Gosh I am glad that I can own up to being put off and I am also glad that I am not the only one who feels that way.
I am no prude either, but let's face it, a public board is no place for some of that stuff. Anyone can see it and for that matter even kid's could visit and access this crap.
Well hon, it is getting late and I have to be up early in the morning. Thank you for your company. I will see you tomorrow. Goodnight Mouse.
Soory for the long pause, it was hinky time again 
We've been here for 3 1/2 years. And I know what you mean, so much to do, so little money! When we were looking for a house, we wanted one 'move in ready' so we didn't have to do anything right away since we put all of our money just into getting it. But we didn't realize our bedroom needed painting (they're headboard covered it, and it looked like they painted around it a couple of times rather than moving the bed 
Hippy wannabe 
~^~
So we went with the yellow. The trim is a darker green that's on the edge of the border. By the time Mom & Dad move out, we'll have to repaint again anyway, LOL. We kept the ceiling white though. I haven't decided what color to do our room yet. I might just do one wall of color, and the other 3 in an off-white. A friend did hers that way and it looks neat. The living room & hallway I want to do a beige and cream sponge paint idea. I just love all of the different painting textures these days! I even have a group of pictures that are neautral colored for the living room 
Did you need sun glasses to look at it. LOL 
