Moving from a city apartment to a private country house for permanent residence is a serious and responsible step. Living in your own “house in the village” has many advantages, however, with the condition that this same house is competently selected for specific owners. Experts told the RIA Real Estate website how to choose the right location, land plot and determine the size of a country residence.
1. Ask yourself why
Before you dare to purchase a private home, it is important to ask yourself whether living outside the city will be comfortable for a family, and what are the main purposes of the purchase? This approach will allow you to make a rational purchase that best meets the requirements of all family members.
Otherwise, if a purchase is made on emotions, a situation cannot be ruled out when working family members will be stuck in eternal traffic jams before work, the nearest kindergarten or the school will be 40 kilometers away, and the store will be half an hour by car, explains managing partner of Miel-Country Real Estate Vladimir Yakhontov.
Private realtor Evgenia Galinskaya agrees with her colleague and emphasizes that a clear understanding of the purpose of the acquisition country house will help you avoid losing money, time, and nerves. “I constantly try to explain to people that moving out of town is a very serious process that changes lifestyle and imposes certain obligations and additional burdens on the home owner. In addition, it is a very expensive undertaking, both in terms of construction and utility costs. Therefore, if you decide to buy a house because you’ve heard enough TV shows about the bad environment in cities and urgently want to “get involved with nature,” then buying a house will clearly be a spontaneous and ill-considered step,” explains the realtor.
Particular care should be taken when purchasing a house as a “family nest” for all children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. According to the founder of the Good Wood company, Alexander Dubovenko, this is a categorically wrong approach. “Life is becoming more dynamic. No children need any family nests. Young people want to live not in a family nest, but in their own small cell,” the expert is sure.
As a rule, the desire to turn a house into a family nest leads to the purchase of a gigantic mansion with incredible areas, Galinskaya shares her professional observations. In the end, it all ends with the children, growing up, moving to the city, and their parents are left alone with giant mansions, which they simply do not have the strength to take care of, she explains.
A lot depends on the composition of the family, on the age and even character of the people, on the place of work, says Yakhontov. So, let’s take, for example, a family consisting of a working father and a non-working mother who is caring for a small child. In this case, country living will be a completely pleasant option, the expert believes. According to him, pensioners who do not go to the city to work every day also have a positive attitude towards suburban living; freelancers or people with a free schedule for visiting the office.
2. Build or buy ready-made
Whether to build a house from scratch or buy a ready-made one is a controversial question. Most people still prefer to build a house on their own, as they gradually become more comfortable spending money, notes Dubovenko.
But here you also need to take into account the age and social activity of future homeowners. So, Galinskaya advises older people to look after ready house ik, since construction can be a very difficult test for them.
According to the realtor, creative, emotional people with irregular earnings should not start construction, since in this case, building a house can turn into an endless process.
3. Country "test drive"
It is clear that at first people, as a rule, make mistakes, because they judge life in a house according to their apartment standards, notes Dubovenko. Therefore, the expert advises that in order to avoid mistakes, you should definitely try to live in the house temporarily.
In particular, a house can be rented for a couple of months, or even better for six months. And then it will be clear whether this place is suitable for living or not, how many rooms are needed for a family, and how all household members will generally perceive the format of country life.
4. Home starts from the ground
A country house, unlike a city apartment, requires the presence of a plot of land, which one way or another will have to be cultivated and landscaped. Therefore, before purchasing, experts advise future homeowners to weigh and evaluate their strengths.
For example, if out of 4 family members three are avid gardeners and like to dig in the ground, then you can safely take a larger plot, Yakhontov from Miel-Country Real Estate is sure. If all family members work or are simply not inclined to constantly mow the lawn and trim the apple trees, then 6 acres will be enough, he adds.
5. Location is everything
However, before you buy a bare plot of land or a ready-made house, you should properly “orient yourself to the area”, because the comfort and quality of life outside the city depend primarily on the surrounding infrastructure and transport accessibility of the village.
To do this, Dubovenko suggests that future homeowners ask themselves a number of simple questions. If there are children in the family, where will they study and how to get to school?
If adults work in the city, how comfortably and quickly will they get to the office and back home?
How far is it to travel to the store?
Where is the hospital located?
These are ordinary life questions, in theory, any reasonable person should ask himself, but often people simply ignore this, the expert complains. As a result, it turns out that a person, fascinated by the beauty and supposedly good location of the site, buys it, and then does not even go there due to lack of time and effort, which is spent on solving other pressing problems.
6. Size matters
The age and social activity of the future owners will help determine the size and layout of the house. If older people want to buy a house in order to live there quietly after retirement, then a small one-story house with a minimum number of rooms is quite suitable for them, Galinskaya argues.
If we are talking about economy or comfort class for a family of 3-4 people, two of whom work, and there are no other housekeepers, then at least each family member should have their own bedroom, some kind of common room like living room and spacious kitchen, notes Yahontov. If there are fewer rooms, then there will be a risk of overcrowding; if there are more, then some of the premises will be idle, but they need to be cleaned and heated, which costs time, effort, and money, the agency’s interlocutor emphasizes.
If the owners plan to often receive guests or relatives in the house, as they say, overnight, then a guest room will also not hurt. According to realtors, people who often have to work or study at home should also take care of having a separate room for an office. The house must also have a sufficient number of bathrooms so that a situation does not arise, like in a communal apartment, when everyone needs to go to the bathroom at the same time, notes Yakhontov.
Families with small children or elderly people should choose a house with special attention. Thus, steep stairs, floor-to-ceiling windows, and decorative elements made entirely of glass are a source of danger for active children, the realtor emphasizes. But steep stairs and multi-story mansions, in his opinion, are not the best option if a house is being bought for elderly people.
7. Trust the professionals
But a professional architect should already be working on the development of the house project itself, insists Dubovenko from Good Wood: in this matter, you need the experience of a master, and not free creativity.
Professionals know what a particular person needs, just as, for example, an experienced stylist can see which hairstyle will suit this client best, the expert is sure. Of course, wishes are always taken into account, but they are adjusted during the work process. In architecture there are absolutely unambiguous, obvious things: how many bathrooms are needed, how they should be located, whether it will be comfortable in the bedroom when located relative to one direction or another, explains Dubovenko.
How to choose a good house
When we first started thinking about buying a country house, I imagined a luxurious mansion with an area of at least 200 meters, located in a picturesque ecologically clean area, not very far from the city. Mandatory criteria were:
- large plot - at least 15 acres,
- connected gas, but no ugly yellow pipes in front of the windows - everything is underground,
- good turnkey renovation
- good asphalt road right to the gate,
- so that there is certainly a forest and some body of water nearby,
- so that the neighbors are decent, or better yet, there are none at all,
- so that there are no production facilities, hangars, pipes or power lines nearby,
- so that it’s not too far from the city,
- so that in addition to the car, you could travel to the city by bus and (or) train.
If we start listing the design features of the house itself, the site and the surrounding area, then this list could be continued indefinitely.
But life is a thing that always has its own way. She doesn't care about our plans, wishes and preferences. In the end, when we bought our house in the village, it did not at all meet most of the criteria that were considered decisive at the beginning.
Consistent review and screening of options showed that the ideal house that would satisfy ALL the requirements simply does not exist. In any case, you will have to give up some wishes, adjust your preferences to specific circumstances and cost. As a result, you will end up buying a home anyway, and it will be a reasonable compromise between what you want and what you can afford.
You and I understand that having, say, 40-50 million free rubles in your hands, you can quite claim a very good, almost ideal option. But here’s the problem: we didn’t have that amount at our disposal, so we had to sacrifice “desires” for the sake of “opportunities.”
How to choose the right house? Now I would like to show the most outstanding options that were reviewed and explain why they were rejected.
1. Why didn't I choose a townhouse?
Now they are being actively built and advertised. The builders are quite understandable. Building 4-5 semi-detached houses under one roof is much cheaper and easier than building the same number of separate buildings. And you can sell them at almost the same price, or even more. One has only to give the object a “special elite status” and skillfully turn disadvantages into advantages.
The distance to the city is approximately 10 kilometers. The road is good, four lane. Externally, they are very good, beautiful houses. There are five two-story apartments per building.
Advantages of a townhouse:
A unified architectural style, a serious integrated approach to the development of the territory, a private beach by the lake with sports grounds. A short distance from the city, connected gas, working heating system, fenced area, quite high quality construction. High - 4-meter ceilings on the 2nd floor. It is quite possible to make some kind of attic or third residential level.
It is important to have concrete floor slabs between the 1st and 2nd floors. They do not sag, do not rot, and bark beetles do not infest them. Tiles laid on a concrete slab will not crack under stress. Many other options were rejected precisely because of the presence of wooden interfloor ceilings.
What scared me off:
Small areas at high prices. For example, a block with an area of 109 square meters cost 5 million, and the outer blocks with an area of 133 meters cost more than six million. Moreover, there were not even interior walls inside. If you add at least one and a half million for finishing, then the cost of the object turns out to be too high.
The second problem is only 2 acres of land. This is practically just a front garden. There is simply nowhere to plant even a couple of trees.
Then there is the high population density and, hence, all the delights of life in a city apartment: neighbors smoking on the balcony, shouting behind the wall, a bunch of cars in front of the entrances, neighbors looking from the second floor balcony at how you, I beg your pardon, sit on the in your area, parsley or fry sausages on the grill.
Finally - proximity to the road. Its noise can be clearly heard if you are on the site. The problem is aggravated in wet weather, when road noise increases exponentially. Still, I want silence.
Verdict: too expensive and inconvenient, although of good quality.
2. Detached house in a cottage community
The distance from the city is approximately 19 km. There is a good asphalt road, a regular bus runs on schedule.
The territory of the village is surrounded by a fence, there is a checkpoint with a barrier, video surveillance, night lighting, garbage removal, clearing the streets of snow... At first glance, everything is very cool. Frankly, this option was considered our main option for quite a long time precisely due to the developed infrastructure.
The house itself is very bright due to stained glass windows, spacious - 172 square meters. There is a small veranda, a carport, a heating system from a gas boiler and electrical wiring are installed, the walls are prepared for wallpaper, on the floor concrete screed, suspended ceilings on top
What scared me off:
High service fees - approximately 3,000 rubles. per month. At the same time, according to local residents, there are many complaints about the management company. Problems also emerged with the quality of construction. According to village residents, the walls of houses are cracking, mold is constantly appearing, and some have roofs that are leaking. The management company is in no hurry to eliminate even warranty cases, so some residents were forced to go to court.
The total area of the house includes a car parking area under a canopy. In fact, the area of the house is only 130 square meters. meters. And you will have to pay tax for 172.
The soil in this area is clayey, so in order to organize beds and other plantings, you first need to bring in several truckloads of fertile soil.
Bad freezing front door. We need to change it immediately.
The most important thing: the house is one-story. On the one hand, this is not bad. On the other hand, it occupies a significant place on the site. Therefore, only seven acres remain from the declared 9 acres. This is not so much for a person who would like to organize both a vegetable garden and a recreation area here.
3. Expensive house with a small lot and strange floors
This object was also located in a cottage village. I immediately asked what the size of the “extortions” was. The seller hesitated, looked away and said that he didn’t know. From which I concluded that the extortions were probably considerable. In principle, nothing would be surprising. The village is considered almost elite. The result is a high cost of the house with rather modest characteristics.
The option was immediately rejected as soon as I saw how the ceilings of the 2nd floor were arranged:
When I went up to the second floor and saw the first through the cracks in the floor, I immediately became reluctant to ask further questions and consider this house as a future home. No amount of persuasion about the reliability of this design helped. Even the main trump card did not work - this is how they build things all over the world. Let them build for health, but I need concrete floors, despite the fenced area and my own recreation area. Everything was crossed out by the damned floor of the second floor.
4. Not a house, but a real fortress
This facility was truly built conscientiously. For myself. Thick walls, excellent layout, reinforced concrete floors... The house is very bright, although the presence of many large windows always made me wonder if it would be cold there in winter.
And the place itself, in principle, did not cause any particular complaints. True, it would be possible to get there only by car. In emergency situations this would create some inconvenience. But this circumstance was compensated by a good federal highway passing “behind the forest.” In addition, the forest itself, which approached the village from all sides, promised an excellent, quiet life in nature. Mushrooms, berries, clean air, remoteness from industrial production made the object very attractive.
What scared me off:
Alas, there were no communications connected to the house. No electricity, no gas! And if the problems with electricity could somehow be solved, then the absence of a gas pipe put a thick black cross on the option. You know, it’s certainly possible to heat 180 square meters with electricity. But the “light” bill with an amount of approximately 25-30 thousand rubles per month is not what we were aiming for.
To top it all off, it was also necessary to install a sewer system, drill a well, and there was a lot of work to be done in the house itself, since there was nothing there except the walls, roof, windows and front door.
For a long time we “licked our lips” looking at this object, but, having soberly assessed our financial capabilities, we decided that we were unlikely to “bear” such expenses.
5. Canadian technology or cardboard house?
When examining this house, I experienced conflicting feelings. I liked the size: 200 square meters, interior decoration made of wood - there was simply an amazing aroma of resin in the house. The house was rented out “turnkey”, that is, after receiving the keys it was possible to bring in the furniture on the same day and celebrate the housewarming. Gas, electricity, well, sewerage, heating - everything was in working order.
True, the plot of land near the house was not as large as we would like - only 5 acres. But the location of the object was more than suitable. Just 7 kilometers from the city, next to the highway, near the railway station. The village where the object was located is considered a very “cool” place. It borders on a huge forest. Land there costs from 160 rubles per hundred square meters.
It was all very cool. And the price seemed quite right. There was only one thing that bothered me. The house was made "using Canadian technology." Have you heard the term “sandwich panels”? It was from these that the “dream house” was built.
The owner of the house - who is also its builder - spoke very convincingly. I wanted to believe him and, as they say, “slap him on the wrist.” However...may all adherents forgive me Canadian house building technology, I was not ready to exchange my “stone” apartment for a “cardboard” house, even though it was so big and nice.
I was also a little scared by the condition of the access road to the house itself: a dirt road. In the spring, when I went to see it, it turned into a real mess.
A little later, something happened that finally convinced me not to get involved with such houses. I just saw them being built. Thin metal piles, a wooden frame that swayed slightly in the wind... No. Thank you, but I won’t live in this.
It is clear that any construction technology has the right to life, but let it have it separately from me. I still prefer more reliable and durable materials, because from childhood I remember the fairy tale about the three little pigs :).
6. What will your house stand on?
This is not about the foundation, but about the quality of the soil. I found this viewing trip very useful, although I did not accept the developer’s offer. In general, I would like to buy an almost finished house, so as not to create conflict with construction for six months. But in this particular case, I just went to look at a piece of land. The reason is simple. It was located in a very prestigious location, on the banks of a river, and on the border of a vast green area just 10 minutes drive from the city.
I thought that if I liked the place, I could live in a rented apartment, but get a new house according to my own design where I wanted.
Alas, the very first glance at the site immediately dotted all the i's. See for yourself:
Unless you are a hereditary potter, then clay soil should alert you. Water that gets on it does not seep through, but stands in large puddles on the surface. Walking on such land is a pleasure. You feel like a cow on ice. When I hinted this to the seller, he quite calmly, as if it was necessary, said: “So what, bring a few cars with sand, pour a layer and build on it.”
And then he showed me the area where this ingenious plan had already begun to be implemented:
No matter how prestigious and convenient the place was, the seller had to answer with a polite refusal, which he had probably heard more than once.
7. Is it worth buying a used house?
Among the advertisements, quite often there were offers for the sale of houses in which they had already lived for some time. On the one hand, this seems to be not bad. People live, that means communications are working, the site is well-groomed, and some repairs have been made. You can move in right away and then gradually redo what you don’t like at all.
With these thoughts, I went to see a house 17 kilometers from the city.
What I liked:
Large plot - 15 acres, garage, gas, electricity, large area - 170 sq.m. An attached terrace, second light, quite tolerable renovation... Everything was very good. An additional charm to the site is given by the fact that there are and will not be any neighbors on three sides. A wealthy citizen lives with the fourth, who has a very large plot and a house standing “at the other” end of it. That is, in essence, problems with noisy neighbors disappeared by themselves.
What scared me off:
There was only one thing that absolutely killed me: the driveway.
Of course, there is a normal road leading to the village, but then we had to drive 1170 meters over monstrous potholes. It’s probably great to drive a UAZ there, but for an ordinary car such a road would simply kill the suspension.
Of course, the owner said that it should be paved soon, but I stopped taking people’s word for quite a long time. Therefore, not without regret, I abandoned this option.
Among other things, I would like to note the following. Of course, anything can happen in life. But when people built a house last year and sell it after the first winter... there might be something wrong. Alas, sometimes the reason is revealed only after the transaction has been completed, when there is either no way back at all, or it is easier to rebuild and redo something than to start a lawsuit.
8. The house should look solid and serious. Is not it so?
Perhaps for some this will not be a decisive factor. I believe that a house-dwelling-family estate should look respectable. It is for this reason that I sometimes reject faceless boxes, of which there are a great many now set up and which are sold at some strange, more than low prices.
You know, I also like to joke, but to have such a mansion as your main home is a no-brainer. As a dacha, it would be very good. Moreover, in addition to it, 10 acres of land were given. The house itself had an area of 110 meters and the entire set cost 4.5 million rubles. This is without gas, without any wiring inside the house.
To the reasonable question “why is it so expensive?” the following answer was received: “The land here is very expensive, and besides, the cladding of the house is made of very expensive material...” I did not remember the name.
When I imagined inviting my friends to a housewarming party, I realized that I would never admit to them that I sold my more than good apartment and bought this hut on chicken legs. Yet appearance has the meaning. At least for me.
9. New cottage community or old village
This question flows smoothly from the previous version. Where is the best place to buy a house? Should I pay attention to new buildings or look for a modern cottage built in an old village?
Let's imagine that you are buying a house in an open field. Other plots, although marked out, are not all sold yet, many have been purchased and abandoned, some have already been built or are currently under construction:
Here's what the view can look like from the windows of your new home. Certainly, early spring- not the best time to shoot promotional materials. However, look at this: you will see this every spring. Large free areas around look like a huge plus. To the nearest neighbors - like to the Moon. Silence, peace...
What pitfalls await you?
Firstly, such villages are usually built in a bare field. Not a single tree around. This means that the wind will be your constant companion. If, God forbid, there are farmlands nearby, then during arable land all the houses are covered with a layer of dust. In addition, the field is also sprayed with chemicals. Is this right for you?
Secondly, the new village is a new prefabricated community. Many cannot live in peace. They need to “affirm themselves.” Some do this by building luxurious palaces, others by boorish behavior. Residents of one of the villages said that they could not live from one neighbor. He constantly turns up the music at full blast, almost every day he has noisy gatherings that end in the morning. No amount of persuasion or other measures of influence help.
Thirdly, if you live in a village, please pay for all the benefits of civilization. Street cleaning, lighting, garbage removal, security, patrolling, etc. In other places, a considerable amount accumulates. You can’t help but think that you had to pay less in a city apartment.
In contrast to new developments - a modern, newly built house in an old village. It has its own "charms".
On the one hand, it seems to be quiet and calm. The neighbors have lived here for a long time, everyone knows each other. It’s easier to fit into such a “commune” than to live in a hodgepodge of a new village. It is enough just to behave like a human being, not to be rude to your neighbors, to meet their small requests that do not greatly infringe on your convenience.
On the other hand, is this view from the window suitable for you?
Your house will be surrounded by old, dilapidated buildings that are unlikely to please the eye. Moreover, one of your neighbors can easily keep a cow, another can keep chickens and geese, a third can keep pigs, and a fourth can set up a car repair shop on his property.
Do all these scents suit you? Then the village is your home :).
Of course, it doesn’t happen just once. There are exceptions to the typical options described above. Moreover, both pleasant and not so pleasant. All this is strictly individual and requires careful study and thought. And, preferably, before purchasing :)
10. Distance from the city is only good for pensioners
As I was choosing my dream home, I discovered a nasty pattern. The farther an object is located from the regional center, the more interesting and cheaper it is.
One of the houses we looked at fully corresponded to our ideas about a dream house. Large - under 200 meters, on a plot of 17 acres, completely ready for living, with paths, a bathhouse and a garage. You can drive straight to the house on asphalt. The windows offer excellent views of the meadows and forest. Not far away there is a lake and a forest river.
The house itself is located a little on the outskirts, so the neighbors should not create problems with their presence.
Only one thing is bad. The city is 38 kilometers away. And only by car. There is no other regular transport.
It's good if you don't have to go to work every day. Know - enjoy the peaceful landscape, pick mushrooms, potter in the garden... What if you go to and from work every day. And even if the car is gluttonous?
We calculated the costs only for gasoline and regretfully rejected the option. One and a half thousand kilometers a month is almost 5,000 rubles for gasoline, not counting preventive maintenance and other expenses. A little expensive!
11. Old renovated houses
On our way we also met two old houses, which, through renovation, acquired a completely civilized appearance. Such houses have some special features. How critical they are is up to you to decide.
Consider a house 45 kilometers from the city. We decided to pay attention to it because it is located near the railway station. High-speed trains have smoothed out a considerable distance a little.
The house itself looks quite decent from the outside. Quite large in area, on a land plot of 16 acres, with a good location relative to natural and infrastructure facilities, it has become a candidate for “dream houses”.
However, appearances turned out to be deceiving. Firstly, all living rooms were on the first floor. The layout was such that it seemed that the house had been dismantled and reassembled many times, using materials from the old walls. The second floor turned out to be completely absurd. One room was not heated, the floor in another was sagging, the huge, stupid corridor was clearly improvised as a result of the builders’ lack of a clear idea of what would happen on the second floor.
To top it all off, old houses sometimes have a smell that cannot be removed by anything.
What would you say if you were offered to buy a house like this?
From the outside the house looked quite respectable. However, as soon as you looked inside, you wanted to immediately run away from there, the further the better. The main feature was that it was quite possible to live inside the old house. There was a kitchen, two rooms... Is this option right for you? Would you agree to gradually dismantle the old log house and remove the rotten logs through the doors or windows?
And in old houses there are old foundations, which over time can underlie a huge pig. Moreover, when, let’s say, there is no time for pigs at all:
Of course, everyone has the right to choose the appropriate option for themselves. I did not get involved with rebuilt old houses and I advise you in a friendly manner to do the same. Remember, external beauty and grooming can have a downside that will terrify you.
12. Houses with a summer second floor
This is a separate class of buildings. Sometimes during construction, a “box” of the first floor is built from bricks or foam blocks, and the second floor consists of roof slopes on both sides, and simply boards are used in front and behind, sheathed on the outside with siding.
Of course, there may be radiators there, and the seller will assure that in winter it is warm here, like in a bathhouse. I looked at several such houses. Among them were those built in the spring of this year. Against this background, it was simply funny to listen to the agent’s babbling lies about winter comfort in rooms separated from the street by a wall as thick as an arm.
13. Slope of the site
This object was good from all sides. However, there were two things that canceled out all the advantages. The first is wooden floors between the first and second floors. When someone walked on the second floor, on the first floor there was a feeling that the plaster was about to start crumbling. But it should be possible not only to walk on the floor, but also to jump. For example, suddenly you jump off a stool. Or, God forbid, you will fall, tripping over the slippers placed in the middle of the room.
For example, when I entered the spacious bathroom and took a few steps on the tiles, it felt like I was walking on thin ice that was cracking and bending under the weight. Not the most pleasant feeling.
But that was not all. The site on which the house stood was located on a hill and had a pronounced slope. Moreover, it’s not that small.
What does it mean? In the spring, all the water that is located higher up the slope in the form of snow will flow through your site. The same thing will happen in the summer after a heavy rain. I would also see what happens when you put a swimming pool on the property :).
Of course, if you have money and a good specialist in landscape design this slope can be turned into an advantage, terraces and stairs can be made. But this is good when the area is large. On five hundred square meters, I'm afraid all this will look like a mouse fuss.
14. Second floor - open plan
In a telephone conversation, the agent began to sound like a nightingale, convincing him that this was very cool. “You can do whatever you want there, decorate it the way you like.” On the one hand, yes, this is really great. On the other hand, look at what the “open layout” of the second floor looked like:
Yes, the area there is simply huge - 100 meters. You can make a small stadium or tennis court. But if you choose this option, it will take a lot of time, effort and money to get everything in proper shape. You can probably see for yourself: you need to insulate the walls, otherwise you’ll end up with a summer floor. We need to lay the floors. Now you can only walk on logs, and if you stumble, you risk falling through the suspended ceiling to the first floor. It would be interesting to see :)
I'm not even talking about the need for serious installation heating system, and before that it would be a good idea to find out whether the boiler can withstand such a load, or whether you will have to buy a new, more powerful one.
Installation of electrical, plumbing... In a word, you will have to “build another house” on the second floor. If you have the strength, means and time - good. If not, the second floor risks remaining forever a cold, useless attic.
15. House made of timber, lined with brick
In general, we did not seriously consider wooden houses. It is clear that this is environmentally friendly, but we were somehow not ready to live constantly in fear of fire. Of course, this opinion does not claim to be the ultimate truth. Nowadays, construction technologies have gone far ahead, so any specialist involved in log buildings will certainly make convincing arguments in their favor. And another specialist will protect houses made of timber.
Of course, all this can be avoided if the wood is properly treated with special compounds. However... who will process it during construction for sale. So, you shouldn’t even try to try on rose-colored glasses and, especially, believe the stories of sellers and agents.
The most outstanding option that came my way was a house made of timber, lined sand-lime brick. The agent had to get me out for viewing at any cost. So she told me over the phone that the house was completely brick.
Already upon arrival at the site, I realized that I had been cynically deceived. The agent herself did not dare to appear, and the owner began to praise this design in every possible way, listing its advantages over the real one. brick house. Of course, I then called the agent and told her everything I thought about her. But priceless time was wasted.
16. We have gas in our apartment. And you?
One day I almost made an advance payment for a house that suited us in most respects. The only thing that slightly discouraged me was the lack of gas and, therefore, heating with electricity. The owner of the house and the agent unanimously asserted that the house is very warm and heating with an electric boiler in the most severe frosts costs no more than 5,000 rubles a month.
In fact, they didn’t pay for electricity at all, because they stole it in the most unscrupulous way. When it came to checking the documents, the selling party hesitated for a long time in response to the demand to show receipts for electricity. Then, smiling embarrassedly, the hostess timidly said that they don’t pay for electricity at all, because they stupidly “pick” it right from the pole.
Simply great! It is not clear what they were hoping for? Perhaps they were waiting for a sucker and a loser who would not look at the documents, but would simply bring them a suitcase of money. But we are already accustomed to such antics. You can't fool us. It just feels somehow uneasy when they clearly lie to your face without even blushing or looking away.
Over time, I will most likely write a separate article where I will show the costs of heating using an electric and gas boiler. Fortunately, our new house has both (the electric boiler is used as a backup).
Just keep this in mind. If you buy a huge house that will not be connected to gas pipe, get ready to pay VERY impressive sums for heating with electricity. All the talk is about " modern technologies allow you to heat big house spending very little electricity" you can greet with an icy snake-like smile and condescendingly wait until the flow of lies dries up.
Then just turn around and leave. Although... you can stay if you are willing to pay 25-30 thousand a month for heating, or “board up” the second floor for the winter.
17. Built for themselves
We have heard this phrase most of the time. Each seller always came up with a beautiful legend why he was forced to sell the house into which he had invested so much work and hope. We've heard so many stories!
It is believed that in theory we should build well for ourselves. It’s not like it’s for sale - it’s a bummer, I sold it quickly and ended up in the water.
Alas, sellers and especially real estate agents very rarely tell “the truth and nothing but the truth.”
As a result, we bought a house from a man who immediately honestly said that he was building it for sale. He didn’t fuss, didn’t try to look servilely into your eyes, he honestly told you what would have to be completed, offering his services to bring the object to condition.
If other agents had been just a little more honest, I think there wouldn’t be such a black crisis in the real estate market.
Other moments that you somehow don’t think about
Let me just list the reasons why we abandoned some objects:
- Great distance from the city. If you drive to work every day, you'll end up without pants.
- The presence of a cell tower directly near the site. I'm not paranoid, but... what if she falls?
- Poor quality of water from the well. The water that has just been pumped out may be completely clear. After 15 minutes it turns into a brown slurry. Iron, however!
- Underground karst voids. There are areas that have a bad reputation. I wouldn't like to end up underground one day.
- Area near airports. Airplanes dump fuel from time to time during landing approaches. And they are also noisy.
- Availability of a busy highway nearby. It is clear that the entrance is good all year round. But no windows can save you from noise. Especially if you go out into the garden.
- Suspicious contingent.
- A power line passing near or, God forbid, above the site.
- The railway line is "beyond the fence". What if they build a high-speed highway instead? What will happen to your home?
- Presence near landfills.
- The presence of nearby streams and rivulets that flow through industrial zones upstream.
- View from the window... etc.
Do you like this view from the window?
What did we choose?
What did we buy after such a long search? I want to say right away that if at the very beginning they had shown me this object and told me that the choice would be made, I would never have believed it. At the very beginning, we were looking for something larger. Both the house and the plot, in our understanding, should be large and spacious. The expectation was that the house would be move-in ready, not just bare walls. There were many more different dreams.
However, as I looked, I became more and more convinced that beautiful wallpaper on the walls, new laminate on the floor and siding on the outside are in most cases just a disguise. Many people know that today, using modern finishing materials you can add an almost European shine to any shack. And she will look great - you just won’t take your eyes off her.
But what is there, under the parquet? And behind the wallpaper? Are the walls really made of foam blocks or is it an old rotten log house hidden behind drywall?
So, looking through object after object, we came to a disappointing conclusion. If you want to get a good house, do it yourself. Relying on the fact that someone with their generosity will do everything conscientiously for complete strangers is a very dangerous strategy. Therefore, we bought a good “box” - foundation, walls, windows, door, roof, gas, electricity, water, sewerage.
We will do everything else ourselves. I think we can do it in three months. So, I'm not saying goodbye.
Today in the women's club "Those Over 30" we will talk about how to choose a private house. A house outside the city is an excellent purchase. It can be turned to a real abode of beauty, silence and health. Moreover, most houses in country villages have all the communications and amenities that residents of big cities are used to.
A farmstead in the countryside is its own little world where you can safely hide from the surrounding bustle. But ignorance of how to choose the right private house can lead to the purchase of a building, the repair of which will require as much money as the purchase itself.
When buying a house, you should pay attention to its location. Of course, a country mansion should be located in a populated area that will not be a problem to get to. In this case, you should come to terms with the constant pattern: The closer a settlement is to a city, the more expensive its houses.
Stone or wood?
Everyone has their own answer to this question.
Undoubtedly, stone is a much more durable material than wood. However, it is with a wooden house Many people associate real comfort. In addition, today there is a considerable selection of options for wooden houses.
For those who want to save money on their purchase, you can purchase frame structure.
Those who are thinking about the question of how to choose a durable private home are recommended to consider options made from timber. It should be borne in mind that a house made of solid timber is considered more environmentally friendly, since it consists of 100% natural material. It will cost slightly less than a building made of laminated veneer lumber.
But laminated veneer lumber provides better thermal insulation, which will save on space heating. In addition, laminated veneer lumber is more durable.
A residential building built from logs would be a very successful purchase. Most often you can find buildings made of rounded logs for sale. Such buildings are similar in their characteristics to houses made of timber. A building made from hand-cut logs will be durable, environmentally friendly, and durable, but it will not be cheap.
How to choose the right private house: assessing the strength of the building
How high the quality of construction is and how long the house will not require major repairs can be determined even without the help of a professional. Will require careful consideration the following structural details.
- Foundation. The cement mortar should not crumble. If the foundation is made of bricks, you need to make sure that they do not delaminate. The quality of the foundation is also indicated by cellar. There should be no smell of dampness in it.
- Window openings. The wood under the windows begins to rot first. If there are no signs of damage around the windows, then the entire frame of the building is in good condition.
- Roof. Before choosing and buying a private house, it is very important to make sure that its roof is in good condition. To do this, just go up to the attic and carefully inspect the rafters. If traces of leaks are visible in the attic, it means that the roof requires repair.
- Water and heat pipes. It is recommended to carefully inspect all pipes of the building for integrity. The cost of maintaining it will depend on the state of the house's communications.
A very important criterion for choosing a private house is its heating system.
Heating a private home: how to choose the appropriate option
The ideal heating system for a private home is gas, but on the condition that the building main gas is suitable. In the absence of such, heating the room can be done using liquefied gas, electricity or liquid fuel.
The advantages of the listed systems are the presence in heating boilers These systems have automatic fuel supply functions. However, all of these systems are very expensive to install and maintain.
In private homes they are also sometimes installed systems with solid fuel boilers. Such boilers are much more economical than electric, diesel and gas systems running on liquefied methane. However, servicing such boilers is a rather labor-intensive process.
For those who are thinking about the question of how to choose a private country house with a reliable and economical heating system, it makes sense to consider option with oven. The main thing is that the stoves in the house are of high quality and meet all safety requirements.
Buying a private house
When it comes to choosing a private house, it is important that the owner has all the necessary documents. To ensure that the purchase does not have negative consequences, you need to check whether the owner has a registration certificate for the building, a document certifying ownership of the house and plot, an extract from the house register, and a plot plan.
If you have all the necessary documents, our site advises you to buy a good-quality house without hesitation, even if the price seems too high. After all, real estate is one of the the best ways investment.
For those over 30 – a club for women over 30.
Many big city residents dream of a country house. City dwellers often think about how nice it would be to wake up to the singing of birds, go out into the yard and inhale the aroma of green grass. By and large, such a dream is very feasible. Buying a country house does not cost that much money. It’s a completely different matter to do it right choice. After all, the average city dweller does not know all the intricacies of life outside the “concrete jungle”. Read on to learn what you should pay attention to when buying a country house and how to choose the right one.
Why do you need a country house?
First of all, you need to specify your desires. You need to decide what kind of house it should be, or rather, what you need it for. The first thing you need to decide is whether the country house will become your permanent place of residence or whether it will be a seasonal place for relaxation or weekend trips. If you intend to move closer to nature forever, then you should probably look for a house not far from the city limits. After all, from time to time you will have to make forays into civilization for provisions and in order to go to the bank, post office or clinic. If you are looking for a house for seasonal, summer living, then you can find a house away from civilization, where both nature and ecology will be better.
It is also necessary to determine the area of the plot attached to the house. You need to understand that every additional square meter space is not only money, but also an additional amount of work to care for the site. For these reasons, you need to clearly formulate your desires in advance and compare them with your capabilities.
Finding suitable property
Once you have decided on the functional purpose of the house and the area of the adjacent plot, you can begin to search for a house that is suitable for you. You can do the search yourself; for this you can use the Internet, printed publications, personal acquaintances, or even forays into the area you are interested in. Also, if you do not have the time or desire to do this, you can entrust the search to a real estate agency. Moreover, in this case, it is advisable to choose one that specializes in suburban real estate. During the search process, your attitude towards your dream home may change; seeing specific properties in a specific area, you may reconsider your views on the issue. Not the last place will be occupied by the material side of the purchase.
The most expensive houses, as a rule, are located in specially organized villages or cooperatives. In such places there is a more or less developed infrastructure and various amenities of civilization are available, such as shops, a post office, and sometimes a clinic, etc. The house itself may not be better than the one that costs less, but it is located “in the middle of nowhere”, where there is no electricity or running water. In this regard, it is recommended to buy unfinished houses, but in an area suitable for living, with all, or at least almost all, amenities.
Also, during the search, you need to make sure that there are more or less tolerable roads, transport interchanges, security and year-round water supply.
Inspection of the object
After you find a house that suits you according to all the characteristics, you need to go look at it. This should be done especially carefully, since people who sell something in order to get rid of the product as quickly as possible may hide some negative aspects.
In order to be able to see everything, it is recommended to view similar properties in the spring.
Firstly, at this time you will become familiar with the quality of local roads, and secondly, at this time of year, groundwater is at its most active, and waterproofing deficiencies will be very difficult to hide. You will be able to examine the basement for flooding, and the house itself for excessive humidity and dampness.
If you liked everything you saw and heard, you can move on to the next stage. To check all necessary documentation for the house and land. You need to make sure that all the papers are in order and that the house really belongs to the seller. In order not to miss anything, it is recommended to pay attention to such documents as a certificate of ownership of the land, the house and additional extensions, permission to build the house and the act of putting it into operation. It is also recommended to compare the area of the plot recorded in the documents with the actual one.
It is also worth making sure that there are no disputes with neighbors regarding the land.
Once you have checked everything and everything is right for you, and you have agreed on a specific price with the seller, he will probably ask you for an advance before proceeding with the transaction. If you are making a down payment, have the seller sign a receipt that states the amount of the down payment, the full price of the home, and its features. Although such a receipt does not guarantee that you will not lose your money if the transaction is canceled, it can, nevertheless, in some sense protect you.
If you use the services of an intermediary, you can draw up an appropriate agreement before making an advance; he can also help you get your money back if the transaction does not go through.
Speaking of money, the advance will only be a small part of the total cost. A country house is not a cheap pleasure. If you do not have the entire amount required for the purchase, you can always make your dream come true with the help of mortgage lending. However, in this case, you should be prepared for the fact that the loan rate will be an order of magnitude higher than when buying a city apartment.
Preparation of documents
The seller will collect and prepare all the documents, but you must be careful and make sure that all the necessary papers are available. To do this, it is advisable to first consult with a lawyer, in which case you will definitely not miss anything.
Purchase and sale transaction
The purchase and sale agreement itself is certified by a lawyer, and he will also take care of the correct execution of all papers. However, after concluding the transaction itself, you will also have to register certificates of ownership of the land, house and additional buildings with the relevant authorities. All this may take several more months. When all the papers are registered, you will become the owner of the home of your dreams not only actually, but also legally.