Update on the House of Tomorrow

deberosa · #1 09/08/04, 10:15 PM

Finally got a call from the owner of the house of tomorrow, offered $500 - he is saying $5000 and says it will take about $2500 to move it. Says he has sliding glass doors for the ends and rubber seals for around the windows, but no glass - it was vandalized. He has owned it for 20 years - was a restaurant before that and he paid $10,000 for it then. Wanted to turn it into a pizza place but all of his equipment burned in a different fire.

Get this - he owns 22 acres almost next door to me! Anyhow, this is all way over my budget. I'll try again in a few months, see if he changes his mind, but he says he plans to move it to his place near me before selling it for less than $5000.

He owns several other businesses, says he could get $20,000 for it on Ebay. Maybe so. :waa:

sisterpine · #2 09/08/04, 10:46 PM

Well! that bum! I think 500 for a run down vandalized portable building is more than enough! I will keep an eye on ebay and see what shows up for sure! I bet he will come down in price once he has to move it himself! Don't give up hope yet...you just never know what is around the next corner!

Eloy · #3 09/08/04, 11:10 PM

It's only worth what someone's willing to pay for it, which is apparently nothing, as there it sits...your $500 offer plainly exceeds this. Let your budget be your guide.
One caveat though: I know a woman in Hawaii who use to haul the coconuts, which fell from her trees and sprouted in her yard , to the dump. Coconuts in Hawaii are like rain in Seattle, there's no shortage. Then one day she discovered that she could sell them on E-Bay to people in the midwest, where the likelyhood of survival for a coconut outdoors is quite possibly less than zero, for $40 plus the" BUYER PAYS SHIPPING"! Apparently Ebay activates some sort of dormant moron gene in people. So he may be right about that part....

pcdreams · #4 09/08/04, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eloy

Apparently Ebay activates some sort of dormant moron gene in people. So he may be right about that part....

LOL thanks for the laugh. I needed that after my day.

John_in_Houston · #5 09/09/04, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sisterpine

Well! that bum! I think 500 for a run down vandalized portable building is more than enough!

It isn't just a run down vandalized portable building, it is a run down vandalized portable building with provenance!

limhyl · #6 09/09/04, 05:15 AM

Well.....when he moves it out to his place and still has no buyer you can offer then and you won't have to worry about the moving costs. What makes him think he'll be able to sell it any easier if he moves it further out? Doesn't sound like too great a business man to me. Good luck! Theresa.

Mike in Ohio · #7 09/09/04, 07:05 AM

Why is it that people feel the need to demonize this guy because his asking price is higher than what deb feels it's worth? It's a business transaction. If there's a meeting of the minds, great! If not, then the parties will get on with their lives.

Mike

deberosa · #8 09/09/04, 08:04 AM

He is definitely a business guy - many irons in the fire and well known in the area. From what I can tell this is the "negotiation" game. I wait a few months until the dead of winter and it's still sitting there and offer again. He wants to see if he can get more for it. I am sure enough about my offer to think that no-one would pay more than that for it.

One thing I didn't bargain on though was that the owner of the land it sits on is the owner of the building. I was hoping it was parked there and the land owner might get tired of it sitting there.

At the very least I had a very lively conversation with a very energetic business man.

Kenneth in NC · #9 09/09/04, 10:50 AM

Hey deberosa If the guy is a mover and shaker business guy then you are in luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deberosa

He is definitely a business guy - many irons in the fire and well known in the area. From what I can tell this is the "negotiation" game. I wait a few months until the dead of winter and it's still sitting there and offer again.

No way prepare a counter offer "in writing" TODAY. The guys busy so make it a challenge offer. Say Sure $5000 sounds good as long as that includes moving it to my place and setting it up. (you'll have a spot ready for delivery) And I'll need glass for all the windows. And let's say I pay you $139 bucks a month for 36 months. OR I'll give ya $1,000 and move it myself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deberosa

He wants to see if he can get more for it. I am sure enough about my offer to think that no-one would pay more than that for it.

Don't count on that given enough time and exposure someone else may see the possibilities.

Quote:

Originally Posted by deberosa

One thing I didn't bargain on though was that the owner of the land it sits on is the owner of the building. I was hoping it was parked there and the land owner might get tired of it sitting there.

At the very least I had a very lively conversation with a very energetic business man.

If it's been there a while He may not really care about it. Just remember the old saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure"

Hope you get it.
Kenneth in NC

deberosa · #10 09/09/04, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenneth in NC

Hey deberosa If the guy is a mover and shaker business guy then you are in luck.

No way prepare a counter offer "in writing" TODAY. The guys busy so make it a challenge offer. Say Sure $5000 sounds good as long as that includes moving it to my place and setting it up. (you'll have a spot ready for delivery) And I'll need glass for all the windows. And let's say I pay you $139 bucks a month for 36 months. OR I'll give ya $1,000 and move it myself.

Don't count on that given enough time and exposure someone else may see the possibilities.

If it's been there a while He may not really care about it. Just remember the old saying "one man's junk is another man's treasure"

Hope you get it.
Kenneth in NC

Brilliant! I will think about giving that a try. $5000 on payments for a completely set up unit would be worth it. I know now I need to have my "ducks in a row" before talking to him. He talks real fast and goes in all different directions.

Cyngbaeld · #11 09/09/04, 01:59 PM

Make sure any deal is in writing the very moment you come to an agreement. People like that don't seem to remember what they agreed to for 10 seconds in my experience. And don't let him talk you into changing it. Also, no payment until it is exactly done according to the agreement. If necessary have the money in an escrow acct. Be careful!!!!

deberosa · #12 09/10/04, 03:02 PM

Last update on the House of Tomorrow. The guy just called - someone bought the thing for $5000. He left a message - said the guy was prepared to pay $10,000 for it when he told him that is what he paid for it. At least he was nice enough to let me know.

Too rich for me for something that is in such bad shape. I'll just have to keep searching for the next opportunity.

THanks everybody for your advice and support. Wish I had better news.