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NewnameC

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Posts posted by NewnameC

  1. We recently found out that we may be moving later this year after living here for a decade. We won’t know for a while, and the move may be a quick one if it happens. 

    So, we need to prepare the house for a possible sale. This mainly means fixing little things around the house. 

    The walls also need painting. I would love help in picking colors. I’m awful at it, and I’m always amazed by the suggestions the hive makes on paint threads.

    I’m looking for colors that will appeal to potential buyers this year and that we will like if long-term if we end up staying another decade..

    It is a two-story house that faces the south.
    The first floor has large north-facing windows along the back of the house. One of those rooms is  the great room, which js two-stories and runs from front to back of the house. The great room has two-story windows along the back, as well as a picture window above the front door. There is a fireplace with a cream colored mantle in here. 

    The doorframes & baseboards throughout the house are white; so is the stairway banister. The bedrooms have carpet that will be replaced; most of the rest of the floors are dark hardwood.

    Right now, almost all the rooms are either a tawny yellow or a khaki green. It came this way and we never changed it. One bathroom is brown and another is a sunny yellow. 

    The kitchen doesn’t have any painted walls. Dark creamish cabinets make up the three walls in the kitchen. The backsplash is granite like the counters. I would love blue cabinets, but would a buyer?

    I have no idea what paint colors I would like. I like blue, but we need something others would like. I didn’t like these colors when we bought the house, but I don’t notice them that much anymore. 

    Thanks 

  2. On 3/10/2022 at 11:41 AM, Jann in TX said:

    The family that purchased our last house were FaceTiming the realtor (family was in NY and realtor in TX!

     

    We bought a house from out of state based on a FaceTime walk through with realtor. (We had been to area previously and looked at other houses, so we knew the area… just not this house.)

    • Like 1
  3. I’m sorry that this feels like a backward step to your parents, but from my experience with a family member, I think this is a much better option.
     

    One never knows what difficulties may crop up once she Is out of the controlled hospital environment. Hopefully, there will be no issues, but being close to the doctors and therapist she knows and are familiar with her case will be huge if there is an issue. 

    Praying there will be no issues and the doctor is ready to release her to fly sooner than 3 weeks. (Your mom has been a rockstar, so there is no reason to think that won’t continue to true.)

    • Like 6
  4. 6 hours ago, 8filltheheart said:

    FWIW, it is easy to find COA.  Just enter the school name and cost of attendance and that page should show up. Tuition and Fees - College of Charleston (cofc.edu)

    I found that page, but on my phone it only shows random fees (for applications, various classes, sports, etc)for some reason. Im glad that it works for others though.

    If I click just right , it opens a document that shows in-state and out-of-state tutition by number of hours taken.

    When I click on housing, I can read about different housing options, but there are no prices. 

    I could click the link to run the NPC.

     

     

     

  5. 9 minutes ago, pehp said:

    Yes! I ran the NPC on the College of Charleston, using an ACT score I literally pulled out of thin air (probably lowballing it a bit--I think I picked like 25-27, but I have no idea how he'll do).  I haven't run it on other schools yet. 

    Our net price was something like $52,000.  I can only assume that meant tuition plus all the housing and related expenses....with absolutely zero assistance. Of course, it was a fly-by-the-seat use of the calculator, and may not accurately reflect reality.  

    Running the NPC again with a 36 ACT score will show you if they have automatic or expected merit scholarships. 

    I was unsuccessful at finding a page that showed tuition, housing, and food costs at College of Charleston on a quick look of school website.

    • Like 2
  6. 2 hours ago, pehp said:

    Thank you! I think what I mean by "hunting down scholarships" IS hunting down the best offers he can get from universities.  

    I honestly am not even sure how to start with considering budgetary issues or "what we can afford" since it seems to vary so radically and widely from school-to-school. In-state tuition here in Virginia is obviously more "affordable," but then again, I'm aware that private schools often can offer better aid, which seems to level the playing field.  If I look at the flat-out sticker price of ANY school, it's obviously more than we'd want to pay.  I'm working under the assumption that there will be aid available, but what? It's also hard since we don't have a fully-developed high school student (ie, no SAT score that I can at least use as some sort of "benchmark").  We have a generous amount of money set aside for higher education, my husband's salary is comfortable, we have zero debt, and I have the capability of picking up work down the line if needed, so we've got some flexibility.  But I still don't want to pay the tuition sticker prices I see!  We joke that our pat response to "what's your budget" is, 100% of the time, "as little as possible."  😉  So I'm a bit flummoxed, but trying to figure it out. 

    I also really appreciate your tip on languages. That's really a whole 'nother thing that I need to post/ask about--what are the language flagship universities, and tips on navigating that whole process. Right now it does look like French will be his thing, and so we're sort of following that route.....

    So much to learn and consider!

    From what you have written, I think you need to decide what you are willing to pay for your son to attend college for 4 years. Divide that number by 4 and you will have your annual college budget. Since the costs will go up over 4 years make sure to leave wiggle room if you will be struggling to afford your budget, but it doesn’t sound like you will be.

    Finding a college to fit that budget is a whole different thing.

    Then compare it to the cost of your state schools to see if those are affordable. Then look at the costs of the other schools that are interesting to him/your family. You will want to run net price calculators at all of them just to see what these colleges think you can afford. 

    This will provide a starting point to see if your budget is realistic for the schools on your list. if it isn’t, then you have decisions to make, but there is time for that as your son is young.

    To answer your original question, high Point University has come up in conversation 3 times recently in my little bubble (and I don’t live in North Carolina), so I will add it to your list.

    I know it is expensive. A friend in my bubble lived/worked in that area once upon a time and mentioned there were a lot more private jets at the local airport when High Point had events. However, it does look like they have merit scholarships. 


    I almost forgot to say that someone else in my bubble lived in Virginia before moving here, and her oldest took advantage of a program that allows Virginia students to attend out of of state schools for in state prices if Virginia didn’t offer the major. Her daughter was able to stack merit scholarships on top of that savings at the University of Tennessee. (I can ask the name of the program if you would like.)

     

    We also did early college visits so we knew the type of physical campus the kids preferred. We try not to judge a campus by the type of person we happened to meet on a tour, because we felt our kids could find their tribe on any college campus that met their academic needs.

    • Like 1
  7. I went back and re-read your original post about the program, which sounds like a great opportunity for your family.

    however, Your family has not yet started the program, so I think you should wait and make sure the program will work as you think it will before worrying about transcripts for college applications.

    You have plenty of time since your son is going into 8th grade, but I would make the same recommendation no matter what grade he was.

    When I originally read this post, my thought was to withdraw from the public school before senior year, since your son may not have interest in or time for the cool electives at that point and he would have taken all the AP tests that would show on college applications. However, in rereading I see this program will pay for dual enrollment, which you would have to pay for as homeschoolers. Still, I think it is too early to think about transcripts and you will know a lot more once you start the program.

     

     

     

  8. 1 hour ago, Grace Hopper said:

    Get an inspection by a structural engineer. 
     

    I agree to get separate inspections from specialists versus a general inspector. Also do your research on who to hire, don’t go with a recommendation from a real estate agent unless it just confirms what you already learned. 

    Thanks for the suggestions.

    2 hours ago, history-fan said:

    All of the above plus I would look at the city and county plans to see if the area is in a proposed development area.

    It is in a residential area that has been completely built up, so no development issues.

    2 hours ago, TechWife said:

    Electrical, plumbing, roofing. Check for termites,  mold & radon. Asbestos and lead paint, depending on the age of the house.  Check well water quality and the size of the septic tank, if applicable. Also - how long has it been vacant? Is it abandoned? Why has it been sitting empty? That might give you a heads up on other issues you might encounter. Does it have appliances in it? Do they work? Are they safe? Consider what it takes to make it energy efficient - does it need new windows? If you end up tearing into any walls it may be worthwhile replacing insulation with higher rated materials on that section while you have the wall open. I wouldn’t go opening walls just for that, though. 

    House is 25 years old , so asbestos and lead should not not be issues.

    No well or septic tank.

    From what I understand there was a long illness/hospitalization and then death. It then took a long time to work through what to do with house and who got to make that decision.

    3 hours ago, Arcadia said:

    My husband would be looking at lead, radon and EMF levels as well as everything else listed above.

    No lead. Where does radon come from in a house? 

    The power lines are underground in the area, which I think is better for EMF levels.

    3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

    You should be getting thorough inspections from plumbers, electricians, hvac technicians, and roofers in addition to your general inspection. Buying a vacant house in this market suggests there may be significant issues. 
     

    There is a magnitude of zeros between having to replace carpet and having to break through the subfloor to pair joists to stabilize floors, iykwim. 

    Thanks for the suggestions. The house isn’t on market yet, but will be soon (from what I understand.)

    3 hours ago, Catwoman said:

    Yes! It’s the stuff you don’t see that can cost the biggest bucks! 

    Don’t forget to check the condition of the pipes, too. If it’s an older home with hard water, the copper pipes may have thinned significantly, and that’s a recipe for pinhole leaks inside your walls and ceilings that can make a huge and expensive mess, a lot quicker than you might think.

    That does sound bad. The water in the area isn’t hard, thankfully.

    3 hours ago, cjzimmer1 said:

    Yep, totally agreeing with fairfarmhand.  The integrity of the "bones" is the most critical.  I would also add foundation to her list. Also depending on the age, insulation and windows are things that might need to be considered.  All the interior work is "fluff" in comparison. 

    We will be replacing the single pane windows with double pane windows. 

    3 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

    What does the roof look like?

    How old is the HAVC?

    How old is the wiring?

     

    We get all excited about fixtures and floors and kitchen cabinets, but the other stuff is even more important and can be really pricey.

    It has a new roof. The HVAC/wiring is 20 years old. 
     

    (We replaced the hvac in our current house when it was 35 years old.)

    • Thanks 1
  9. Here is the real title…

     

    If you were considering buying & renovating a vacant house, what things do you need to consider?

     

    Such as replace all flooring, replace all bathroom fixtures, ….

    We know this is a huge job, but I’m worried I forgetting some we need to include.

     

  10. My android phone died during the early days of the pandemic and I started using an iPhone that a family member no longer used.

    I still dislike it, but obviously not enough to actually go buy a phone. 
     

    There are differences, but most are not hard to figure out.

    The biggest issue that no one in my family could solve was it would not bring over the saved contacts from my phone. None of my techy folks could figure out why. It has been nearly two years and I am still having to create new contacts for old friends and contacts. It has been nearly two years, so I can’t remember if some numbers came over or none at all. 

    Maybe there is a way to move your contacts before switching if your current phone works, but there didn’t seem to be with a broken phone two years ago.
     

    I did learn after that fact that creating a Google voice number gave me access to all my old contacts. I am able to search there for a number I need if I need to reach an old acquaintance or business contact. I then call from my cell and create an Apple contact. 

     

    The issue I personally hate the most is that it guesses words when I’m typing and swaps my typed word for its guesses, even when my word was correct.  This drives me crazy.
     

  11. On 2/10/2022 at 9:45 AM, Kassia said:

    I didn't have any alarming symptoms so I never went to the ER.  I checked with my doctor and told her my symptoms a few days after I hit my head and she agreed that I didn't need to be seen unless my symptoms got worse or if I had any new symptoms.  I had an office visit almost three weeks after I hit my head and the doctor checked to make sure there was no intercranial pressure and he didn't see a need to have a CT scan.  

    I'm about the same - mostly very fatigued with intermittent nausea.  Some days the nausea is really bad and others it's mild.  I don't know what makes it worse or better.  I get worn out very easily with either physical or mental exertion.  I take lots of brain breaks - closing my eyes, napping, etc. and that helps.  I don't know what I'd do if I had a job though.  I'm fortunate that my kids are grown and I'm not working.

     

    ETA - I wouldn't advise anyone to do what I did though as far as avoiding the ER.  Always better safe than sorry.  My friends were very frustrated with me and pointed out that I would have insisted on an ER visit if it had been DH or one of the kids and they were right.

     

     

    I’m so sorry to hear you are still struggling. We haven’t dealt with concussions here, but I remember a friend’s daughter took 6 months to heal.

    Your friends seem to forget that you had/have lots of extenuating circumstances that made the normal protocol extremely difficult to follow. 

     

    • Thanks 1
  12. I don’t necessarily think this is what the counselor means, but it reminds me of how in the past colleges could see the (up to) 10 schools a student listed on their FASFA forms as well as the order listed.

     

    I found this info on why it is no longer a concern.

    “We are often asked if there is a particular order in which order a student should list colleges on the FAFSA in order to maximize financial aid or chances of admission. The good news for students is that, in most cases, it makes absolutely no difference in what order you list your schools: listing from first choice to last, in alphabetical order, or by favorite school color will not change your admissions or financial aid outcomes in any way. A number of years ago, this was not necessarily the case. Colleges could see the other colleges listed on your form—and their place on your list—and it came to light that some colleges were drawing inferences from this information that affected some admissions decisions. A high placement was seen as a sign of demonstrated interest in the college and a low placement demonstrated a lack of interest (whether or not this was true for any individual student). In general, colleges like to accept students they expect will actually enroll, and the inferences drawn from the FAFSA order sometimes affected admissions outcomes. Happily, in response to this information about how FAFSA order was being used by some colleges, the Department of Education removed the ability of colleges to see either their placement or the other colleges listed on your FAFSA starting with the 2016/17 application cycle. You will still see rumors floating around the internet about the FAFSA order being used in nefarious ways, but this information is very outdated. Colleges today have no ability to see other colleges listed on your FAFSA, nor the order in which they are listed.”

     

    • Like 4
  13. 6 minutes ago, DawnM said:

    For example, it shows that this item 45% of current reviewers have had previous reviews deleted. 90% Have An Overrepresented Word Count. 

    Very cool.

    Very cool.

    But I don’t know what those phrases mean.

    Does deleted reviews mean Amazon deleted other reviews the poster had posted. For same same item or for anything?

     

    Does overpresented word count mean the same words/phrases are used in many reviews?

    • Like 1
  14. 9 minutes ago, Baseballandhockey said:

    I live in a place where it gets below freezing for maybe a couple weeks a year.  I also have a backyard that's about the size of a postage stamp.  

    Those kind of excuses didn’t stop our carpool buddy from becoming a Luger (is that even a word).🤩

    I hope your son finds a more practical hobby soon.

      

     

     

    • Haha 1
  15. We do not live near Lake Placid (or any luge  tracks), however, years ago we carpooled for another sport with a teen who was on the US youth luge team. My kids were amazed at talk of flying to Lake Placid for training and Europe for competitions. Made it Olympic trials, but didn’t make the team.

     

    Maybe you could build a luge track in your backyard for the boys. That is what the father of one of the Olympians did. I can’t find an actual article about it right now, but here is a real estate listing for the house. (This is not our carpool buddy, who lived in a townhouse with rules against luge tracks.)

    https://www.connecticutmag.com/home-garden/for-sale-olympians-home-with-full-backyard-luge/article_fac40ef8-cc7e-11e7-a51b-67682ecc2483.html


     


     

     

    • Like 1
  16. On 2/6/2022 at 3:12 PM, catz said:

    So weird.  I wonder if there are some cookie glitches on devices if like you jump between apps, texting, etc?  

    I’m quite prone to unknown tech glitches, so it probably is a glitch just for me. I do text on my phone, but no apps. I’ll have to pay attention in future to see if it happens again.

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