Hey everyone!!! Some of you may remember that about 2 months ago we heard about a small farm that might be for sale. It was built in 1870 and had been in their family for at least 3 generations. the windows are new, the siding is vinyl, the electric is good, the plumbing was put in 15 years ago, when they put in the bathroom in the new addition, the outhouse is still out back just in case!!!! It has 2 acres of well drained usable land. The neighbors are friends of ours and would probably let us run some horses with theirs if we wanted to. We are getting ready to get it inspected, the only problem we know about is that the kitchen floor sags, and someone built a new floor on top of it. We really want to know why the floor is like that and how we should go about fixing it. We are really excited about it, (me and Emily the most)and we are trying to keep calm and remember that God's timing is perfect! We also would like the interest rate to drop one more time!!!!!! We are looking forward to doing all the stuff we only have been able to dream about, we may be wanna-be's for not much longer!!!!!!!! Chickens, garden, rabbits (have had good experience here), horse or 2, maybe milk goats when my work schedual eases up a bit, plus our 2 St. Bernards, Harley and Heidi, and our pregnant(oops!)cat. We are so pumped, just thought you might like an update. Love you Lots, Susan and Emily

-- susan n' emily (animalcrackers55@hotmail.com), February 21, 2001

Answers

Response to update on farm

YEAH!!!! How cool is that???? All of the old houses we have had over the last 35 years have had a sagging floor or two..never been anything major..one house in NJ was built in 1756 and the wide pine boards in the dining room had to be jacked up from the cellar, making adjustments every few years with shims..you still couldn't play marbles on it, but wow, what a lovely place it was !!!! I adore old houses..the creakier the better, but you are correct to have it checked out..old homes are great if you already know their "wrinkles", but they can be horrible if you get surprises...God bless!

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), February 21, 2001.

The sagging floor problem may just be minor or it may be something major. Husband is a handyman/contractor and he just looked at an older home where the floor and the ceiling sagged...does the ceiling sag in that room or is it just the floor? you need to check.

Is that the only floor that has a sag or do other rooms?

get a professional to make an estimate on it even if you plan to do the work yourself and then you would know how expansive the problem is...

good luck and hope this all works out for you!

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), February 22, 2001.

We rented a place in Pleasantville, NJ (a pleasant place!), that the kitchen floor sagged about 8 or 9 inches in the middle. Ha ha, I remember the appliances slid in the depression! Anyway, we were able to negotiate a lower rent if we could fix it. We just borrowed a couple car jacks, plus our own, and cranked it up with boards above the jacks to spread the weight, fitted cuts of 4x4s under in several spots, and PRESTO! Problem solved. (Just make sure the wood floor members can handle the straightening.) If that's the only problem, go for it! Good luck.

-- Action Dude (theactiondude@yahoo.com), February 22, 2001.

Sagging floors and crooked walls are the character of an old house. Just to be safe, I'd get a termite inspection to make sure that the floor joists are still sound. Good luck, hope your dreams come true!

-- David C (fleece@eritter.net), February 22, 2001.

Its usually because there is not enough support under neath .Its probally no big deal , but have it checked out .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), February 23, 2001.

Here is another update! Someone came to look at OUR house today and they really liked it!!!! They just have to sell their house before they can buy our house. They told us to pray that their house would sell, We said that we had already been praying that very thing for quite awhile. We are waiting on the key ( for the farm) to arrive at our friends house so that we can get it inspected. I'll keep you all informed. Thanks for all the encouragement!!! Love you Lots, Susan and Emily

-- susan n' emily (animalcrackers55@hotmail.com), February 25, 2001.

Susan:

Try not to get your hopes too high. Buyers are funny people. I've had them come through and rave about the house, even to the point of discussing how their furniture would fit in and who would get which bedroom, never to hear from them again. Those who have made offers have generally been the ones who really don't say much beyond asking a lot of questions. I suspect some people are just profession lookers.

Have a friend outside Denver who has had his house up for sale for about two years. Built it largely by himself with no prior experience and did a wonderful job. Solar heated hot tub anyone. He has run into the same thing.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 28, 2001.