Brick houses. Never lived in one. Considering it. Advice?

[guroo270]

Anything I need to know?

Couple of things. I found one in Ocean Springs, MS. It's a quaint beach town with all mom and pop shops across a two mile bridge from Biloxi casinos. So it's like the good neighborhood in hell. 1,000 sq feet, $80k, remodeled (I think it had to be after Katrina), cul-de-sac, hardwood floors, 3 bedrooms, one bath.

My thoughts are that I'd like to make it 2 bedrooms, make the master the guest, and expand the guest bedroom and bathroom. I'd also like more light. I like skylights, but I'm open to bigger windows, too. I'm not a big cook, but I might want to improve the kitchen as well.

My other thought is to live there, no improvements, hope I don't die like the people I think are fools for living in places prone to natural disasters like this and Moore, OK, get out and hope I can sell my house for a whopping $5-10k profit in a couple years.

[Timberridge]

Besides the fact it hurt my neck to look at it, I do not like light colored brick. I do like the look of red brick though when its built in the colonial style you see in NE, Virginia, and Charleston, etc. But to each his own.

[guroo270]

Not my favorite either to be honest. I can live with it, though. I'm not looking to make a killing or anything. I like living below my means and I'm just hoping not to lose my ass. I grew up in CA with the rule that you can't lose money in real estate and improvements to a home always get you more money than you put into them. I'm not sure that's the case in MS. Sorry about the sideways photo - real estate app screen shots.

I also am under some presumption that in case of another catastrophe brick would hold up better, even though everything else would be fucked. Like most things, I base that on nothing.

[iceman]

I owned a somewhat similar brick rancher/rambler and did a lot with it and basically broke even on the costs but it was a lot better place to live in so I'd call it a win overall. That house had a center breezeway and a garage but it was all under one roof so we worked with that and turned the breezeway into a foyer in front and a mud/laundry room in back, and turned the garage into a new master suite. We also moved some walls around inside, fixed up the kitchen etc.

Basically I'd say do it if it will make your quality of life better but don't do it with an eye towards making money. The extra space under roof at the left end of the house is very usable space and will be the cheapest way to add sq. footage. If you really need a garage you can add one (or just a carport) pretty cheaply.

Remodeling is a real pain in the ass, living in a place when it's all torn up is not a ton of fun, so factor that in too. And whatever amount of time the contractor tells you, multiply it by 1.5 at least. Plus there will be a terrible storm at the worst possible time, you can count on that.

I'm still glad we did it overall but ymmv.

[Caucasian Asian]

If that house was water damaged during Katrina, I would be really concerned about how well the mold remediation was done.

[guroo270]

I owned a somewhat similar brick rancher/rambler and did a lot with it and basically broke even on the costs but it was a lot better place to live in so I'd call it a win overall. That house had a center breezeway and a garage but it was all under one roof so we worked with that and turned the breezeway into a foyer in front and a mud/laundry room in back, and turned the garage into a new master suite. We also moved some walls around inside, fixed up the kitchen etc.

Basically I'd say do it if it will make your quality of life better but don't do it with an eye towards making money. The extra space under roof at the left end of the house is very usable space and will be the cheapest way to add sq. footage. If you really need a garage you can add one (or just a carport) pretty cheaply.

Remodeling is a real pain in the ass, living in a place when it's all torn up is not a ton of fun, so factor that in too. And whatever amount of time the contractor tells you, multiply it by 1.5 at least. Plus there will be a terrible storm at the worst possible time, you can count on that.

I'm still glad we did it overall but ymmv.

Good note about the under roof carport then build another carport.

That's pretty extensive. I just can't stand as a potential DINK that every home, almost regardless of size, is 3-4 bedrooms. I understand why, but I think there will be a shift and greater demand for homes with basically two master bedrooms on opposite sides of the house or something along those lines for people like me. I guess parents frequently fuck a lot less with kids, but who wants their room bordering their parent's room anyways? I just want more room and closet space along with enough room in my pisser to fit my new squatter potty stool thingy.

If that house was water damaged during Katrina, I would be really concerned about how well the mold remediation was done.

I will be, but I would counter that with a, hey, at least people around here are well practiced at it! I looked at a couple others and was able to chip away at exterior baseboards with my foot. Like this one.
http://www.realtor.com/realestateand...4_M84902-94546

[::: :::]

If you want to get out in a couple of years, you won't likely get your investment back unless your purchase price is below market by a good amount.

If you're going to stay there 10yrs or more, then you can consider it.

Short term, it's all about the location and desirability and market growth. Do very little if you know you will sell soon

If the remodel is for you and will make you happier to live there, then knock yourself out.

[Caucasian Asian]

I will be, but I would counter that with a, hey, at least people around here are well practiced at it!

After the flood up here, a lot of shitty contractors popped up. There were people that were moving back into their completely repaired houses two weeks after the water had subsided. There were a lot of other people that spent that long just drying out their basements.

I wouldn't touch a possibly mold damaged house without a lot of air quality testing done.

[guroo270]

If you want to get out in a couple of years, you won't likely get your investment back unless your purchase price is below market by a good amount.

If you're going to stay there 10yrs or more, then you can consider it.

Short term, it's all about the location and desirability and market growth. Do very little if you know you will sell soon

If the remodel is for you and will make you happier to live there, then knock yourself out.

Really the answer is I have no idea how long I'll be there. It's where my fairly kick ass job is for now, but I have no idea how long I'll be doing it or be able to do it, or how long I'll be doing it where this is where I'll have to be. There's a chance that if I want to continue in my job I could have to move to NY or D.C. There's also a chance I'll be able to do it in a Yurt in Hawaii eventually. Good ol' technology.

[guroo270]

I wouldn't touch a possibly mold damaged house without a lot of air quality testing done.

Neither would I. I know what you mean and I'm fairly terrified of mold. It's the first thing I look for.

[neckdeep]

It ain't the bricks, its the wood to consider; #1 issue in that part of the country is termites. But you live in Nashville so you probably know you have to have a termite service come out every year. Some dumb foreigner bought an investment property near my family's house in Nashville, left it vacant for a few years and cut back on maintenance costs. It's got so much termite damage now the house is worthless.

[Below Zero]

Anything I need to know?

What do you want to know?

Is it load bearing masonry or veneer?

I could talk your ear off about the building science of brick veneer walls and load bearing masonry walls in Hot-Humid climates (Ocean Springs Mississippi is in climate zone 2A).

[guroo270]

It ain't the bricks, its the wood to consider; #1 issue in that part of the country is termites. But you live in Nashville so you probably know you have to have a termite service come out every year. Some dumb foreigner bought an investment property near my family's house in Nashville, left it vacant for a few years and cut back on maintenance costs. It's got so much termite damage now the house is worthless.

Yeah, pretty much. I miss CA and CO a whole lot. If you're familiar with the area in Nashville, though you wouldn't believe what they are doing to Green Hills around Lipscomb University. Traffic is already insane on these 2 lane roads with no turn lanes and the thing to do right now is to sell your one acre lot with one house so developers can put a street down the middle and put 4 town homes on each side. That place is fucked, but that guy should have bought in that area. Lots of "Build as if you live here" signs on front lawns.

What do you want to know?

Is it load bearing masonry or veneer?

I could talk your ear off about the building science of brick veneer walls and load bearing masonry walls in Hot-Humid climates (Ocean Springs Mississippi is in climate zone 2A).

It's veneer brick. Can you just come with me? Total newb. I feel like I can spot a really solid home, and I can sniff out a lemon with no problem, but I couldn't tell you in an educated way, why or what was wrong. I mean, I bought a great house in CO in a sweet neighborhood and everything was over constructed, massive solid beams, great drainage, super green construction, energy efficient… The south is a different world.

Interior Features
Attic StorageCeiling FanFrench Doors
Building and Construction
House Style: Ranch
Flooring: Ceramic Tile, Laminated Wood
Foundation: Slab
Exterior: Brick Veneer
Age Code: Older 25+ Years
Walls: Sheet Rock

[muted]

I live in a brick house neighborhood, lotsa people here have painted their brick different shades of grey, mainly, and a few other colors. Looks nice. That's all I can say, I have no experience with painting brick but that would be a big visual improvement, for hopefully not a lot of money.

[Tippster]

My house is load bearing masonry red brick. It's sturdy, it's pretty, I like it. Less creaky and drafty than the frame & siding house I grew up in, but that was an early 60's suburban shitbox.

[Flyoverland Captive]

My folks live in a brick house in MN, built in 1964. They've done zero maintenance on the bricks, and it looks like new. If you're asking about the brick part specifically, I'd say don't worry about it.

[Below Zero]

Well, I'm not sure what to tell you. Couple things (only relative to the brick veneer walls; won't go into everything else):
1. Make sure there are weep holes at the base of the brick veneer wall
2. The surrounding grade should not cover the bottom edge of the wall - this will not allow the wall to weep.
3. The surrounding grade should be set below the base of the wall, preferably 6-inches. I assume the house is in a heavy termite zone, so a termite shield (basically a piece of bent metal sticking out the bottom bed joint of the brick) should be installed at the base of the wall).
4. None of the interior walls should be vinyl wallpaper or any vapor retardant paint. Moisture drive in this climate zone is from the exterior to the interior so a vapor barrier on the interior (i.e. vinyl wallpaper) is very bad. Large mirrors on the inside face of walls are vapor barriers, and could be an issue in this climate zone.
5. Check the condition of the mortar joints and the brick; are the joints sound and not flaking off when you rub your finger against them. If they do, this is bad.
6. Are there any cracked mortar joints or bricks; this could be a sign of differential movement of the home. Can't really describe a "typical" cause of brick veneer cracks. If they do look major, have a qualified professional look at them.
7. Are there white stains on the brick? This is called efflorescence. Not necessarily a big deal, but could possibly (and I mean possibly) a sign of a water penetration issue.
8. Check the condition of the sealant around the windows and the penetrations. Air sealing on the exterior. is important in hot-humid climates, especially in building that are air conditioned.

Remember, there is a big difference between a brick veneer wall in Colorado, Minnesota, New England than a brick veneer wall in Missisippi

[guroo270]

Good stuff.

[that dude who did that thing]

Making $5-10k in a few years, is basically breaking even. You'll pay 6% to a realtor, other closing costs on either end of the transaction will eat up more, and a a few years of maintenance will eat the rest. If you're planning on moving that quickly, you should only buy if it's a stupidly hot market (like Cali in 2004), or if buying is cheaper than renting. You won't make money in that amount of time, so you might as well rent, put the savings in something safe at 1 or 2% or buy vintage motorcycles (you know you want to, anyway).

[guroo270]

Yeah, I know closing costs and such would hurt a bit. It's mostly that rent is $850 while payments on a mortgage would be $400, maybe more, maybe less. It's worth noting that the area is gaining in popularity, if nothing less than a vacation destination as the town is pretty much completely rebuilt now and a brand new bridge now links biloxi and the casinos to Ocean Springs.

Another thing to consider is that 5 family members just moved there, including my brother, sister in law, aunt, step mom and my dad. Step mom and dad are not leaving no matter what, so if I had to rent it out after a short stint there they could look over it.

[Mazderati]

[Mofro261]

36 24 36.

[Pegleg]

Checked the thread just to make sure someone posted this. Carry on.

[highangle]

Anything I need to know?

If you plan on buying for eventual resale, as in making improvements, be sure you're not the most expensive home in the neighborhood when it goes back on the market.

If the other homes in the neighborhood are of similar vintage and level of improvement, I wouldn't expect the neighborhood to support much new $$ down the road, particularly in the white flight South. There is $$ to be made (or lost) in homes this cheap though. Particularly if the neighborhood works for you.

What's the status of Keesler AFB? A bustling base in the area may add liquidity to a neighborhood with military and other financing options, for example.


Have I used the word "Neighborhood" enough?

[stuckathuntermtn]

The fuck you want with Mississippi?