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Looking At Houses
Mar. 1st, 2013 10:18 amI had some comp time coming, so I went and looked at houses yesterday afternoon. I saw five. As it happened, they were all townhouses. I'm not opposed to single-family living, but neither do I have a burning desire to cut grass or deal with exterior maintenance. So:
1) Darien - nice townhome. Kind of small - one living area, narrow and kind of dark galley kitchen. Not high on the list.
2) Hinsdale #1 - first of two units in same complex. Large going on huge, with a full basement, a first-floor bedroom and full bath, and three bedrooms upstairs, and a fireplace in the large living room. However, it was an estate sale, and clearly had been owned by a little old lady who hadn't changed anything except a light bulb since the Carter Administration. Most notably, all original wooden windows and sliding glass doors.
3) Hinsdale #2 - a one-minute walk from #1 in the same complex. Much nicer, move-in ready. Also much smaller - three bedrooms (2 up, 1 down) and two baths. The two upstairs bedroom shared a walk-through bath. Very colorful, in a Southwest motif, and had a nice view of a small lake / big pond. Also had original wooden windows and full basement.
4) Clarendon Hills - newest of the units we looked at, also move-in ready, although in a more modern motif. One bedroom, den and laundry area on first floor, kitchen, living room and two bedrooms upstairs. Fireplace upstairs. Nice deck, and less road noise. No basement.
5) Westmont - closest to work. All three bedrooms were upstairs, two fireplaces downstairs. The unit had a front room / den and a back living room, small kitchen with "breakfast nook." It would need new flooring on the first floor. It also had a weird layout - the garage was physically attached, but you had to walk outside to get into it. No basement, and a laundry / utility area off of the den.
If I had to rank them, it would be (worst to best) Darien, Hinsdale #2, Hinsdale #1, Clarendon Hills, Westmont.
1) Darien - nice townhome. Kind of small - one living area, narrow and kind of dark galley kitchen. Not high on the list.
2) Hinsdale #1 - first of two units in same complex. Large going on huge, with a full basement, a first-floor bedroom and full bath, and three bedrooms upstairs, and a fireplace in the large living room. However, it was an estate sale, and clearly had been owned by a little old lady who hadn't changed anything except a light bulb since the Carter Administration. Most notably, all original wooden windows and sliding glass doors.
3) Hinsdale #2 - a one-minute walk from #1 in the same complex. Much nicer, move-in ready. Also much smaller - three bedrooms (2 up, 1 down) and two baths. The two upstairs bedroom shared a walk-through bath. Very colorful, in a Southwest motif, and had a nice view of a small lake / big pond. Also had original wooden windows and full basement.
4) Clarendon Hills - newest of the units we looked at, also move-in ready, although in a more modern motif. One bedroom, den and laundry area on first floor, kitchen, living room and two bedrooms upstairs. Fireplace upstairs. Nice deck, and less road noise. No basement.
5) Westmont - closest to work. All three bedrooms were upstairs, two fireplaces downstairs. The unit had a front room / den and a back living room, small kitchen with "breakfast nook." It would need new flooring on the first floor. It also had a weird layout - the garage was physically attached, but you had to walk outside to get into it. No basement, and a laundry / utility area off of the den.
If I had to rank them, it would be (worst to best) Darien, Hinsdale #2, Hinsdale #1, Clarendon Hills, Westmont.
