What do you think of this house?
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House update.
I’ve replaced all of the receptacles and switches. Happy to find that whoever wired this house did a decent job.
Installed board/batten wainscot in the living/ dining room. It will be painted kind of a dark sage green. Nice to use my tools again!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/031Bzi4lj4-5CODYyM5E1yc9w
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e0hEagxf1AZ90YB-ctEQ4hQw
Board and batten detail in Jack’s room. Not sure what color it’s going to be. It’s a “Minecraft” room - not sure what that means. You can see some samples on n the wall.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a6HC2Cd77AifJlCkIembdIgw
Kim painted her office walls herself. I call it the Pumpkin Room. The rest of the house will be painted by pros in about a week.
Carpet going in!
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@steve-miller wow, you all are making fast work of it! Looks great!
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House update.
I’ve replaced all of the receptacles and switches. Happy to find that whoever wired this house did a decent job.
Installed board/batten wainscot in the living/ dining room. It will be painted kind of a dark sage green. Nice to use my tools again!
https://share.icloud.com/photos/031Bzi4lj4-5CODYyM5E1yc9w
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0e0hEagxf1AZ90YB-ctEQ4hQw
Board and batten detail in Jack’s room. Not sure what color it’s going to be. It’s a “Minecraft” room - not sure what that means. You can see some samples on n the wall.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0a6HC2Cd77AifJlCkIembdIgw
Kim painted her office walls herself. I call it the Pumpkin Room. The rest of the house will be painted by pros in about a week.
Carpet going in!
@Steve-Miller Oooh I love the wainscoting. Very nice! I also love the pumpkin color paint. Looking good!
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Ordered a dark stained butcher block top for the rolling island.
Lighting makes the island look a different color but it’s the same color as the cabinets. New sink is a black composite model
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The previous owner built it from four wall cabinets and did a really nice job.
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Grandson Jack’s room. Minecraft theme. Sharon made the Minecraft drapes.
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Laundry equipment came with the house. Kenmore direct drive units some 30 years old and they still work!
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It looks very comfortable. My grandparents' house had wall to wall carpet except the bathrooms and a screened in (and second) Florida room (the first was on the front of the house and was an enclosed office). The screen room had the washer and dryer and led into the fenced backyard. You weren't allowed to wear shoes. The carpet was vacuumed once a day. I wouldn't mind it!
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This is a summary of Florida's new condo laws, They require building structural inspections and repairs. They control the amount of escrow money a condo must have, they require a 4 hr State class to be a member of a HOA board. They make it State law that all documents, financials, and minutes of board meeting be online for the general public.
Great!
On the other hand, I was at our clubhouse last night charging my phone charger. I met,"a Ken." He demanded to know if I lived here, where I lived, etc. I disarmed him as well as I could by just answering his questions.
Once I had gained his confidence, he told me his pessimistic theory about the future.
He said the owner is trying to buy everyone out before he sells the park to Wall Street.
I don't know if this man's theory is right or wrong. I know I can't disprove it.
For one, he could have the summary power as the land owner. I don't know.
But please consider--
A) They can give land lease mobile home tenants a 30 day notice to quit at any time.
The lease is over twenty pages. They can find a "reason" to give you a 30 day notice.
Easy.
B. The lot leases are not signed each year. They operate on an informal basis. They mention the signing date, of course, but they contain no end date. They also provide no written rules on lease renewals, and don't cite any Florida statues on the topic.
The owner is in his 80's and has owned the park for decades. He might be the original owner.
I know he is ruthless about business from the grapevine. I think he's taken certain liberties with his business practices over the decades and with nobody watching over him.
I first noticed this in January, 1 2026.
We are given written notice of the amount of the lot rent increase three months before it happen.
Two years ago it said our rent for '25 by $35 to $797. $797 was paid the entire year. The notice in '25 for '26 said the increase would be $75. It added $797 and $75.
Come January, I was told my street was supposed to have been $805 for '25 and consequentially the right amount would be $880.
This isn't a lot of money but it isn't legal to demand a retroactive rent increase. This is why the three months notices are sent out according to statute.
This set January off on the wrong foot.
The pessimistic stranger
who was talking about the unpleasant situation of the upcoming transition of ownership even if his specific theory is wrong was the last straw.This isn't a resident owned mobile home park so it's not surprising, but land leases here are worth the paper they're printed on.
Mobile home parks are being sold to Wall Street in every state.
I've decided I want to leave this place before it goes down in an upheaval.
Low priced condos built with block construction in the late '60's and early '70's, in sound shape, with good financials, modern interior renovations, with an effective management structure, in Flood Zone X, the highest elevation, exist on the market now.
It's still a buyer's market, but I've heard, and don't disbelieve, the prices for this particular segment of the market probably won't go much lower, but the chance of a rebound, all things considered, is approaching 100%.
This would be fee simple property in Florida. I should be so lucky.
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911 Washington Dr is my first choice so far. Better floorplans than my second choice, near-luxury renovations, 3 story with elevator. Block construction. Views.
My second choice so far is Cove Cay Dr. linked to a voluntary golf course and with a gatehouse. This doesn't do anything for me.
Floorplans aren't great. $1- $1 first choice to second haven't seen full interior restorations when they were needed and there's more of leave the old appliances we can and paint the walls approach.
There's much better grounds, privacy, and views.
I love the architecture of the two rectangle shaped buildings in the foreground of the complex facing land and Tampa Bay.
(The ones I will be in the market for are less than 100k asking so not the one in this ad.)
The interior finishes part of it would probably be a deal killer for me.
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What don’t you like about the finishes?
They look very Florida to me.
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I'm sorry to be confusing!
I meant the condo on Washington Dr (I posted the link in another thread) has a near-luxury renovation, but $ for $, the condos on Cove Cay Dr, don't have very nice kitchens or bathrooms, and some units aren't renovated.
So I just meant units at or close to the same price point in the smaller place are renovated nicely and at Cove Cay with its monumental buildings is more expensive because the same money will buy an unrenovated unit.
That's all I want (and am buying)- the interior- and if it hasn't had a true renovation, I wouldn't be able to afford to do it myself.
https://covecaycondos.com/properties/listing/StellarMLS/TB8471186/CLEARWATER/800-COVE-CAY-DRIVE-1F
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99k asking-- and the difference inside--
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/911-Washington-Ave-APT-308-Largo-FL-33770/47256528_zpid/
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@Steve-Miller very nice. Gotta love our real estate prices here in the heartland. I say that as today is the first day above 32 in over a month.
So there's a reason -- but spring summer and fall are really nice.
