So, I just stopped by to check out the blog again. We still want a Wee, but reality set it: student loans and the high cost of living in DC. Maybe we will move and then can get a wee then. Who knows. Thanks for everyone's support.
If you would like to read more about other random topics stop by my other blog:
www.schreibtischdc.blogspot.com
So, we have not posted since the 1st...But that is not necessarily a bad thing. We re-assessed our commitment to the wee. And we took Brent's mom and step-dad out to our most favored land.
Good news:
We were reinvigorated by how cool Carol and John thought the land was...lots of potential there.
Bad news:
We might have to complete the wee project on a slightly longer time plan.
Because we have student loan debt, buying the wee all at once might not make sense. So, we are thinking more in phases:
Phase 1
Buy Land
Phase 2
Design Wee
Phase 3
Install septic
Phase 4
Wee Delivery
I know I need to put up a new poll.
Thanks for keeping the faith.
So Brent's parents are coming this weekend and we will head out to look at the land...but we are definitely having some weeHesitation. I love the wee. Brent loves the wee. But are we ready for a wee? Now that we feel like we have found the land, we are having the real conversations about the wee and how it would affect our lives...How often would we really go out there?
In other news, our friend Pam spent some fun links:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/smallhousesociety/
A wee competitor...but we all know the wee is WAY cooler!
http://www.jothouse.com/
Please feel free to comment!
So I called a few real estate agents about land in Shawnee Land where we saw that land with Grammy last weekend.
I get an email today from the "lender" they wanted to set us up with BEFORE I got the information about the land for sale. I was hot...please people, we need land BEFORE we can get a lender.
The agent sent us the land list straight away after I sent that scathing email. We have 14 lots to pick from ranging in size from .25 acres to 3 acres. Click here to check out the land with pictures.
I know everyone is waiting for a new poll...I will post one before the week is out.
We had a visitor this weekend: fair warning to those who visit, we go weeLand hunting almost every weekend and especially when the weather is beautiful. We found some land that we really like not too far from DC. There is a great view, but the land is more expensive than our budget. For many reasons, especially the re-sale value, we are thinking about this land. I am going to make some calls tomorrow and have some agents email me more info!
I think we are a weeBit closer.
Big day in weewantawee land! I got a call from the journalist today! We chatted for sometime about why we want a wee, what we do, how we found the wees, what my feelings about the weeArchitecture were...fun stuff...
At some point I mentioned that I loved all things miniature. She asked me to get her some more examples. Then when put on the spot, I could think of nothing. Rather than thinking of Mini Coopers or small glasses, I sit there stumped. She then asks if I like doll houses. "NO...no...um..." I should have shouted over to my office mate for some ideas since he listens to me go on and on about mini-things all of the time. But it was fun talking to her and the article should come out in the beginning of May!
We got more information about that land in WV today. We have talked a lot more about the weeHouse logistics in the last few days, and both agree that "location, location, location" has to be our motto. So we need to find the right land.
My co-worker, Jessica, had a rough day today. She wanted to see a post. Hence, my post.
We are moving forward with getting pre-qualified for the mortgage. I spoke to a friend of a friend who is a mortgage broker in Colorado. She thought the wee was the dreaded manufactured home. It is NOT. It is built to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac standards and is therefore eligible for a conventional loan. We want to shop around a bit for the loan, but are having problems getting people to understand what a weeHouse is all about. The weePeople pointed us in a few different directions.
In land news: while working diligently I found some land only 1.5 hours from DC. It is on a mountain. I found it on Craigslist (click here to check it out). For those of you who don't know, Craigslist is a giant free web based classifieds section of what was formerly known as a newspaper. It is anonymous and we have both bought and sold things there. It is pretty cool.
The guy selling the land sent us this doodle of the land (click it for a bigger view). How cute is that? The ad on Craigslist was a bit deceptive though. We will see if Grammy wants to ride out to see the land this weekend.
Oh and one more BIG development...the blog might be featured in a newspaper!!! We will see what happens but the weePeople gave out our contact info! VERY FUN!
We decided that since it was monsooning outside to take a weekend off from hunting for land. I spoke to Pam, our agent in WV, and she is sending us some information about the one piece of land we liked. We also worked on getting pre-qualifed for a loan. So things are moving along...We also printed out a color weeHouse brochure to choose stuff for the wee. So fun. Can't wait to have people visit the wee on the weekend.
Turns out that the land that we really like is an expensive camping plot. You cannot put a septic system in...no matter how creative. And if you have no septic, then you can't get a well. None of these things bother us that much, but without the septic tank, we have no plan for our grey water. Grey water is water used by the home other than that water which is used in the toilet!
For my enviro-friends, we would need to get a NPDES permit!
Which is disappointing, but we will keep looking. We are also still considering the site we found with the septic already installed. That is a sad story...the husband and wife were going to build a cabin, and the wife died suddenly. That made me feel like we were making the right choice in getting the weeHouse sooner rather than later.
We also really like our real estate agent. Pam took us all around, which was a big help!
New news article about renting v. buying in the New York Times today. You can put in different information and figure out how long you need to stay in your house to make buying it worth it. Click the last sentence to go to that article.
We may have found the land. We went out yesterday to check out more land. The land is near the area of Paw Paw, WV. Love the name. It is right at 2 hours from DC, which we like. And the land is in a subdivision so it has electric and a paved road. All of the lots seem to be 2 acres large.
We saw a few pieces including one which already had a septic system in place. It is for sale for $24,500. We thought having a septic in place would be great. But then we ran into this other piece of land with a great view. Unfortunately, the land cannot have a septic tank on it. But the more we have thought this through, the more we really want to have the weeHouse off the grid. That would mean we would have solar panels, a well, and a septic tank. Along these lines, we also would like to have the more environmentally friendly composting toilet (click here for more information about these).
The land we really like would have to have a composting toilet because it did not pass a "perc" test.
The impediments to "going off the grid" thus far have been concerns with getting a loan. However, as my friend Mike Murphy pointed out: we are not asking for a lot of money and we have great credit, therefore we should be able to shop around to find a lender willing to give us money for the off the grid weeHouse.
And the best part about the land we really like, pictured above, is that they are asking only $8,500 for the land. I think we can negotiate like our friend Dave does...and get it for a reduced amount.
Very exciting weeHouse day.
I know everyone is surprised...we are going to look at more land tomorrow. The good news is that we are going with a real estate agent and looking at quite a few lots.
Click here for a link to see some of the land.
More news tomorrow.
I called quite a few real estate agents today looking for some land leads. This land thing is what is holding us back! Frustrating.
I also stumbled across this radio show of the designer of the weeHouse. His interview is a bit into the interview. The interviewer also talked to someone who bought a weeHouse. Some good insights into the process: we need a crane to put the wee in place!
So, we liked where this land was located. Only 20 minutes from the cute town of Cumberland, MD.
What we did not like was the fact that all of the neighbors had a) NO TRESPASSING/BEWARE OF DOG signs everywhere, b) a VERY scary dog ready to take on the car, and/or c) 12 cars in the driveway, 1.5 of which worked. So, the hunt continues. We have moved a way from the idea of the land needing to be in the woods. Perhaps out in the open, closer to the second photo might work. I am going to start calling some real estate agents to see what we can find. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet Virgil. He had a death in the family.
Keep voting for the house plan! If you can't vote, shoot me an email or leave a comment here and I can add your vote.
Ok, so today was not a bust, but we did not find the weeLand yet. That is ok.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune did a fun story about weeHouses. Check it out by clicking this sentence.
I will post some pics of the land we saw today tomorrow.
We had a great time in Berlin. And now we are ready to throw ourselves into wee.
The Alchemy Architecture website added some new plans at the website!!! And there are pictures there.
Here are the links to a few layouts(use your mouse to click on the links to the houses):
1. weeMontana - of course, since we are from Montana, we LOVE this wee.
House Plan
2. Our favorite wee - the red one with the extra room upstairs.
House Plan
3. Another cute wee
House Plan
4. Our second most favored wee - This one is great!!!
House Plan
So this week's poll: Chose a wee!
The poll is on the right hand side again. Pick one!
I chatted with the lender who has done some weeHouses before. His main message was that whatever we do with the house it needs to have "comparables" in the area. This means homes in the area that have similar features so they can loan you the proper amount of money. This means the composting toilet and solar panels are most likely out...or at the least cannot be our sole plumbing and electric sources. (I did bring up the fact that that makes it difficult to start using environmentally friendly alternatives, etc, etc.)
He also explained that weeHomes are not manufactured homes, because weeHomes are built to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac standards, not HUD standards. HUD standards are a lot lower. The weeHouses are built to site standards such as BOCA or IRC.
The house needs to get a certificate of occupancy to get the loan, so that means the foundation
must meed the county guidelines.
We can get pre-qualified and he suggests we call him once we have found the land.
We won't be posting for the next few days, as we will be on vacation! See you when we get back!
Oh and here are two interesting articles about small houses and why buying a house is not always the best idea.
Land Prospect:
Found this place on the internet. 5 acres and the current price is $26,000. I spoke to the real estate agent selling the land, Virgil Twigg, and he said the land had been on the market for some time. What a great name! Hopefully, this will put us in a good bargaining position. The land is about three hours from DC and totally wooded.
Click here to see the google map of the site.
A few friends have already mentioned they want a wee too, which we are very excited about. I like being a vanguard!
The wee People are great. Not only did they check in on the blog, but they got right back to me with answers to the questions I sent them. Not all of the questions were sent because some of the questions were not appropriate for them.
Here are the answers, somewhat altered:
1. What is the definition of a “house” for tax and zoning purposes? Have any of your other customers had problems calling a weeHouse a house?
When a weeHouse is placed on its foundation, it legally becomes a piece of real estate, and for all intents and purposes is viewed as a site-built house.
2. What kind of foundations do wees have?
You can choose either a perimeter foundation, or a pier foundation for your weeHouse. The pier foundation tends to be the more economical option, but with a perimeter foundation you have the option to dig out a storage space, or even a full basement.
3. How do composting toilets work? What are the implications of using one?
Composting toilets are not standard in weeHouses. We would be happy to design one into your weeHouse, but the majority of the work happens as site preparation, not as something factory-installed. You can find a lot of information on composting toilets on the web, but the basic idea is that it uses little to no water and produces compost that can be used on a garden, etc. It's the route you'd want to take if you were looking into an "off-the-grid" weeHouse, or if you wanted to be especially environmentally sensitive.
4. How much electricity can the solar panels provide for the wee?
That depends on how many you have, and how much sun can reach them. You could potentially power your entire weeHouse this way.
5. Have other wee owners been able to convince homeowners associations that these are not manufactured/trailer homes? A lot of land we saw said no "manufactured homes." We assume this means no trailers.
You'd have to speak to the associations directly to get more information on this. You would want to be sure to have clarified this before you purchased the lot.
6. How much does transporting the wee to the location cost? Are there difficulties getting it to a remote location?
Delivery costs $7/mile. A weeHouse in the DC area would be shipped from our factory in central PA. Remoteness, in terms of distance, is not a big issue. What you need to watch out for are lots that aren't accessible for a crane and large truck, or heavily-wooded lots that would require significant clearing, which can be expensive.
7. How long does it take to build a wee?
We estimate 6-9 months from the time you sign the initial contract until the time when your module is delivered.
Well, we headed out to the wilds of West Virginia. I noticed on the way that the google map I had did not show the same map as I remembered from the website. The google map was for Chestnut St and the listing said Chestnut Dr. In any event, we found a trailer park with small cabins, so that might have been the proper place.
What we learned today:
We would rather live a little further north than Augusta, WV.
We don't want to live in a trailer park...oh wait, we knew that already.
It was a lot of fun going out there and quite beautiful. We ended the day in Shepardstown, WV, which we both liked and thought was super cute.
We are looking forward to going further west in MD to check out this area that Pam keeps telling us about.
Here is our list of "new" questions:
What is the definition of a “house” for tax and zoning purposes? (E.g. minimum size, plumbing needed, electrical, heating, foundation specifications)? From: IRS, local government, and mortgage company
What kind of foundations do wees have?
How do composting toilets work? What are the implications of using one?
How much electricity can the solar panels provide for the wee?
How do you qualify for a construction to permanent loan? Does the lender require detailed plans? Can we get pre-qualified for a loan? How much?
How much does it cost to install a well and septic system?
What are the zoning restrictions in Jefferson and Berkeley counties, WV? Is there a way to look up housing covenants? Have other wee owners been able to convince homeowners associations that these are not manufactured/trailer homes?
What does the “no” after “vacation” mean on the real estate listings? If it means no vacation home, what are those restrictions?
How much does transporting the wee to the location cost? Are there difficulties getting it to a remote location?How long does it take to build a wee?
How long has it taken from design to installation?
Found a promising piece of land today!
Description:
GREAT HUNTING/RECREATIONAL 1.148 ACRE TRACT, WOODED WITH HUNTING CABIN, ACCESS TO POND, FACILITIES/BATH HOUSE AND 8,000 ACRES OF PUBLIC STATE HUNTING LAND.
Location:
AUGUSTA, WV 26704
Price:
$20,000 and was built in 2005.
We need to find out more information about the land, etc...but this would be just great. We could already spend time out there and then keep the little cabin in place once the weeHouse is installed.
Big weeDay! I called Alchemy Architects because we wanted to find out if they were going to be exhibiting at any similar events to the CA BOOM show out in LA in a few weeks. We wanted to go not just to see the show but to also see Hai/Marika and Laura/Christian out there. Unfortunately it is the weekend after we get back from Berlin and the tickets are a little too spendy....
Well wouldn't you know, one of the architects answered the phone when I called. SO fun. I feel like a groupie. He even knew about the blog site. He made a guest posting adding some comments about the siding color poll.
He said that they would let me know when they were out on the east coast again so we could maybe meet up. He just put in a place in Pennsylvania and I asked if we could do a drive by...we will wait on that.
In any event, I was really excited to have talked to someone from the weeHouses...my office mate said I should go into selling them...ok well he really said I should go into selling miniatures.
Keep voting! Luckily red has moved ahead of orange...
We need to get on the find a piece of land aspect of things.
Upon further discussion, Brent and I are really liking the red weeHouse to the left. It would sleep four and that might be a better option.
Another friend, Danni, mentioned that we should be concerned with snow removal. I need to ask the wee people about this. I think since the houses were born in Minnesota, we should be fine, but good to double check.
Our friends the Rutters are totally excited about the wee too, which is big fun. We are going to take a day trip to Deep Creek Lake to check out that area!
So, Brent's dad did some research about prefab homes and found a great website with much information. While I was playing around there, I found a site where you can post your adventures building a prefab house...hum.
But looking at the other blogs I found this great list (we all know how I love a list):
Budget
1. Land Cost
2. Structure Cost (the weeHouse itself)
3. Transport and Set (from the factory to your foundation)
4. Indirect/Soft Costs (drawings, permits, fees)
5. Sitework (including the all-important foundation)
6. Taxes (this is an expensive line item)
So, we need to look at these before going any further.
This is our rough Budget:
1. $15,000 for ~ 2 acres
2. Hum
3. Hum
4. Drawings= ~$1000, the rest=hum
5. hum
6. Not much..haha
So. Till later.
So I wrote to Alchemy to get some tips about the land today. Here is what Beth had to say:
As you look for a site, some of the things you will want to consider are the costs of your site clearing, foundation, electrical, water, sewer hookups. If you are working with a realtor, they may be able to help you with general estimates or contacts for your area. Otherwise, ask a lot of questions to local resources, and you can usually find contractors that can help.
I also spoke to Scott at the Land Home lending company. He explained how construction to permanent loan works. You close on the loan right away before the home is built. Then the lender pays for everything as work goes along. Until delivery, you pay 9.99% interest on the loan. At delivery 80% of the home is paid. Then after everything is done the last 10% is paid. The loan then changes to a more conventional loan, for whatever term you have chosen and at that point you lock in that interest rate. He said he has personally done between 4 and 5 weeHouses.
The big take away from our conversation was that we need to find a good contractor. That seems to be very important.
The weeHouse lady told us that once we have the land then we will start with the design process.
"Preliminary Design Phase:($1000)
We get started by getting your information, creating rough options based on your program and site, and developing a scope of work with a preliminary price for your project. The schematic plans can be used on your end to get preliminary zoning and financing approval.
Design:(deposit based on number of weeHouse modules in your project) We work with you to finalize the plans, all of the options, and provide final pricing, schedule, permit documents for local approvals and financing.
Fabrication:(installments as house is completed and delivered)
We fabricate your weeHouse, and help coordinate on-site issues and questions about how our work fits into your on-site work. Final weeHouse payment is not due until the weeHouse is delivered. Actual schedule of payments varies according to factory location."
I need to ask her for a rough timeline of the process.
Here begins the internet shopping for land. I looked all over the internet last night trying to find land for sale...very frustrating. I realized a little later that the real estate agent we had been working with might have some property listings at his site.
Ken Fradkin is super nice and I like his website because after you put in the type of land you are interested in, the site will send you a daily listing of new properties.
We are looking for this type of property:
Cost: Less than $25,000, although we would like to really pay $15,000.
Size: At least an acre, but we are not too picky.
Location: 2-3 hours from DC and near some parks. NOT in a subdivision.
Requirements: Well, we would like to get an improved lot, but this is not necessary.
Elevation: Above sea level...by quite a bit!
Here are the first properties I found today with potential:
1. Description: 2.37 WOODED ACRES CLOSE TO CACAPON STATE PARK
Address: PLUM TREE LN, BERKELEY SPRINGS, WV 25411 
Price: $24,900
Comments: This one sounds cute, but is above our price range. One good thing about the site is it's proximity to DC and the Shenandoah National Park. Unfortunately, I think it is in a home owner's association.
2. Address: MOUNTAIN TOP RD, BLOOMERY, WV 26817
Price: $18,500
Size: Nice 2 acre building lot, or just come on weekends and relax in the woods. Short drive back to Winchester Va. and priced to sell. Adjacent 2 acre parcel is also for sale.
Comments: This one has potential. I like the location. No pictures though, which is weird.
3. Address: ON FALCONWOOD RD, BLOOMERY, WV 26817
Price: $15,000
Size: 2 acres
Comments: This is right in our budget...real nice. It was listed last summer, so maybe we could do some negotiating.
This internet searching has me wondering about people's vision. Who took this picture? It is horrible...perhaps I could make some money on the side taking pictures of property for sale...
Good news on the taxes front. Brent found this information at the IRS website today!
http://www.irs.gov/publications/p936/ar02.html#d0e188
Qualified Home
For you to take a home mortgage interest deduction, your debt must be secured by a qualified home. This means your main home or your second home. A home includes a house, condominium, cooperative, mobile home, house trailer, boat, or similar property that has sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities.
The interest you pay on a mortgage on a home other than your main or second home may be deductible if the proceeds of the loan were used for business, investment, or other deductible purposes. Otherwise, it is considered personal interest and is not deductible.
Main home. You can have only one main home at any one time. This is the home where you ordinarily live most of the time.
Second home. A second home is a home that you choose to treat as your second home.
Second home not rented out. If you have a second home that you do not hold out for rent or resale to others at any time during the year, you can treat it as a qualified home. You do not have to use the home during the year.
Second home rented out. If you have a second home and rent it out part of the year, you also must use it as a home during the year for it to be a qualified home. You must use this home more than 14 days or more than 10% of the number of days during the year that the home is rented at a fair rental, whichever is longer. If you do not use the home long enough, it is considered rental property and not a second home. For information on residential rental property, see Publication 527.
It snowed today, mixed with rain=a wintery mix. No driving out to the mini-mountains of West Virginia...so the wee land search will have to begin next week.
A sad wee crew.
I emailed with the wee people last week with some basic questions about paying for our wee. Here is the resonse I received specifically regarding wee financing:
"In terms of financing we have been working with Scott Gooder at Land
Home 1.800.338.1910 ext. 506, or you can ask your local lender about
systems-built or factory-built modular financing. I believe some of our
clients have also gone through Indymac and M&T Mortgage.
There are basically two approaches:
The most-common financing is the construction-to-permanent loan, which converts to a conventional mortgage once your home is completed. This type of loan has an advantage: You face only one closing process and one set of fees. But the loan often comes with fewer repayment options than a conventional mortgage.
Another choice is to start with a construction-only loan and then get a loan with different terms after the construction is finished. Interest rates will be about the same as for a construction-to-permanent loan. This process adds fees and a second closing, but you may get better loan features because you will be able to shop for your mortgage from any bank instead of just the construction-loan specialist."
The makers of the wee are Alchemy Architects.
They have a lot of information at their site, so check it out.
My officemate has mentioned that the only reason I want a wee is because it is small/mini. He might be correct. I am also ok with this.
I emailed Alchemy the other day to find out how one goes about getting a wee.
We need a piece of land before we can go any further. We are headed to West Virginia tomorrow to do some recon.
So, we read an article in the New York Times last week about small houses. One house that was profiled was a weeHouse. We have decided we need/want a wee and this is our blog about our quest to get one.
First: The houses are small houses, hence the name. We would like to get one that is around 500 square feet.
Second: This will not be our first home, but a weekend home. We live in Washington, DC and love where we live. The market for homes were we love living are very expensive. And to add to our concerns about buying a place in DC we are not sure how long we want to live here. So, instead, we are going to get a weekend home.
Third: We know this is crazy and not everyone will understand. We are ok with this.
