Housing: Build or Buy

New construction and old construction are built different. Blown in cellulose insulation doesn't work out well. When new homes are built they generally use plastic to create a vapor barrier between the exterior, insulation and the sheetrock. Older homes, those you would typically find with plaster walls do not have this vapor barrier. This becomes problematic as the moisture tends to accumulate within the cellulose leaving you with a mess of damp and compressed cellulose within the bottom of the wall cavity which is a lovely invitation for dry rot and termites. At that point, you will probably see the exterior paint is no longer sticking and determine that it is time to replace the siding which unfortunately will trap even more moisture. Instead your money would likely be better spent on improving the attic insulation with batted fiberglass where the facing will be your vapor barrier, weatherstripping and caulking around the windows and doors at least until you can afford to replace them. Best of all, it is pretty easy to accomplish. Find the old guy at Home Depot and talk to him, seriously.

Another financial consideration to make here. Many cities offer low interest loans towards energy improvement projects, many gas/electric companies offer rebates loans and other programs to assist people. Save the credit cards, use them for when you truly need them. Look for other opportunities to fund your projects. Your job situation sounds overly ambitious. You are 18. A lot of us felt we could work until our hands bled at 18. Don't count on it for the long-term. Perhaps you will prove me wrong here. Other things in life happen, significant others, marriage, kids, hobbies, desire for free time, just plain aging and getting tired. Also factor in that when you move, I would assume your household chore responsibilities are going to dramatically increase and take up some unaccounted for time. If I were you, I would try to budget according to the main source of income and consider the income from the secondary jobs as fluff money to do what you wish for. I recognize your desire to keep active, not being stuck to one job but a lot of loans will not even consider your sources of income unless you have maintained that source for at least two years. Here is where job hoppers get kicked in the butt credit-wise.

Property tax, figure it out ask the owner what he is currently paying. Often times the bank will add the property tax and insurance to your mortgage, set it aside in an escrow account and pay it for you. You can do it yourself as well. I imagine your property tax wouldn't be much on a 35k home but average homes in my area would (divided over a year) be anywhere from $200-350ish/month on a typical single family home, it could easily put a dent in a tight budget.

 

I would love to be able to build a house someday without dealing with all of the minimum standards BS. The problem is that they can't ban certain people from living in the neighborhood, so they make all of the homes expensive to keep other people out. I also think modern house design sucks, and is setup to get the most tax money for local governments and not to eliminate utility bills or HOA fees.

But, I am much more likely to build a boat house next...

 

Ayashe The attic has some (6-10 inches) or insulation last I remember. It was a loose fill type. Not sure if I would want fiberglass or cellulose on top of it in the attic.
I understand that new building is done with vapor barriers. If I blew in cellulose I would not be allowed to put a vapor barrier up before drywall because it would need to breathe and prevent condensation. There is a foam wrap of some form on the outside under some if not all siding. This COULD be serving as a vapor retarder. I think as long as I do not use a barrier, whereas I could use a retarder, I should be okay installing cellulose - if I were to tear out the lath and plaster and install new wiring, insulation, then drywall.

I'd really like to use 2-3" of rigid foam under the siding, seal that, then put new siding on. But yeah right. Expensive shit.

I've missed most if not all of the energy rebate boom here in my county. It was really popular 5-6 years ago to get some return on investment as far as windows, insulation, or wiring for safety.

As I have said before, property tax is ~$400 on the current house.

ASU2003 I don't care much for new design either, unless it is something smart. I do like super insulation, double studded walls, ICF blocks, and spray foam insulation lol. Still - houses going up here are being built with wasted space...

 

Lindy OH MY. How do I reply to all this red font. Hah ha.
I will just duplicate this page and type aside from it as I read....suit yourself on lining up comments and answers with yours.

I heed to the note about renting to own. I wouldn't stick my neck out like that all the way, possibly a little bit, such as, getting the title switched over during remodel - not 10 years down the road in payments.

Yes - I do get told I act older than my age. Thanks for the compliment, though, as it is to me. It started in middle school, and it really hurt my social life. I got it back in high school, but I still restrained from the fun stupid stuff. I'd rather spend money on something I will spend the most time in throughout my life, rather than something used to commute.

The older house is...ehm... 32 x 24 x 26 x 10 x 6 x 14 - Starting on the left side of the house, work the dimensions counter clockwise. The house is a sqare with a 6' deep protrusion by 14' wide on the top left side. Confused yet?

I would live with my parents for now while working, to save on utility cost and food. After I get the kitchen redone I would then move in.

Yes! Air leaks! So damn important. I kind of feel that R-Value is a fallacy. It's the resistance value at optimal condition, where a draft of air passing against/through insulation is not significantly reduced as it would be sealed off from no way TO the insulation material. I like rigid or spray foam kits for this reason. -- How about window R value? Crazy right, R-.5 or R-2 R-3 maybe max before bending over backwards in cost? I like storm windows for the idea of such a large air void between the inside glass panes. They are not much help if not sealed up. But then the problem occurs with condensation between them and the inside windows and the window sill/jam rots out. Lame..

Excuse me for the CC idea. I did hesitate when writing it. I only own one, and pay it off monthly as I am gradually working my credit score up. I don't sucker into the get this CC now because you get $35 of credit when taxes want to tax that as income. I do enjoy reward / cash back - but I do not spend JUST for the points as my friends have. I thought there were no transaction fees when you rolled cards over if same company or maybe it was different company that offered free rollover for x amount of dollars. Not sure - don't really care as it's not happening.

Red font now - the stuff that is fun to read hah ha.

Nobody fits into my personality and mindset at my age. I chose the username in hopes that it would define me a bit more without even knowing me. I'm opening up quite a bit to this site though...as far as thoughts go.

Yeah - life is what we make it too though. I can spit the bullshit out usually, as long as I react and think quickly.

But Lath and Plaster has amazing integrity! So many people bitch about those who remove good L&P. If I insulate the wall cavities, I will be removing it and installing netting for cellulose then drywall. Possibly a vapor retarder (not barrier) between the insulation and drywall.

Foundation is meh. But no worries, nothing I can't address (the proper way...not by stuffing hydraulic cement into the crack from the inside heheh) Roof is okay. Maybe 4 more years before new shingles. I think the place went a time without insulation because it appears the plywood, or possibly in the house building age it was T&G like they used to wrap the house walls in, is warped a bit from what I imagine is old damage of condensation in the winters back years ago. Nothing looks moldy or wet now. There are also 3 attic vents that I feel have been added later on.

Most of it is just simple junk. Not much worth scrapping. It's not mine and the owner agrees to remove it as need be, which is okay with myself. Couple cottonwoods that need to go before that ruin a shed roof. The rest of the trees are fine. The back acre or so is 90% clear, would put in raspberries, black berries, grapes, some dwarf fruit trees, and gradually a garden or greenhouse as I get old and want to retire.

There is a first time home buyers set up, if the house is sold by a Realtor most automatically qualify for it as long as they have proof of income, it gets backed by agriculture funds. Doesn't interest me in either case though - building new or buying old because of that pesky interest.

Yeah, it's our fault for getting in debt - but we sure love to stick it to the big companies instead of take responsibility. However - I will argue that CC companies strategically advertise to target the weak ones that don't know better. Once they start and see a minimum payment policy they max that shit out the next week, and think it's still a small minimum. I won't go on about this...

I would pull my stocks and use that money to pay CC debt before missing a payment and getting that 14.4 or 17% APR interest. Gag me.

I felt that 500 hrs of non personal labor was fine. It would be under the table and to a great family friend who honestly said he would do it to return the favors I have done for him.

Yes yes...too young to know what I want changes over time and hormones. I like to think I have it mastered but I will submit and say I do not.

Why be leery about how I grew up?! Just a bit different, unique and all. Ha ha. Exposing myself to the internet at a young age and getting addicted is what did most. I have realized the typical lifestyle and want to be atypical of/to it. I chuckle at the people who announce they are not a slave to the dollar and cut their utilities, they may be the minority, but they are happy. I do enjoy electricity to run my music and the internet to find my music. Oh and I also like a toilet that flushes far from the place I live in. I'm just nit picky, aren't I.

I think it is funny that I didn't realize you were female until I read the last paragraph you had. Then I scrolled up to see your username. That isn't meant to offend you, but it just seemed like I stereotyped your knowledge as the opposite sex. I gotta work on that.

Baraka_Guru - You gotta move away from where you are if that is the cost of parking. I know cost of living changes significantly across the states. I really enjoy houses that are almost all under $90,000 here. And those that are that big are huge.