UPDATED in OP - oogle a potential house?

[geneg]

We're in the early stages of looking right now. This house is in a good area and we like the acreage. Au pair suite also good as we may have one in a few years. Comments?

capitalrealtynetwork.com/idx/mls-mc8001037-15000_poplar_hill_rd_darnestown_md_20874




UPDATE:  Just came back from seeing the house.  Well, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the land and the area.  The next house over had horses grazing in a field.  The basement was great for a play/family area and the family room was nice.  Lots of light with tons of windows.  BUT, and it is a big but...wow, that house is a 1990 special.  No update in 23 years.  The kitchen needs a complete make-over.  The "au pair" suite is a "bedroom" without a window or closet (WTF?).  Lots of little things tell me that they never did any small repairs or maintenance that were needed.  House needs a thorough cleaning with a fine toothed comb AND some serious updating.  The owners are not DIYers and just let lots of things go.  They are apparently underwater on their mortgage and divorcing, which means they can't go much lower on price without it being a short sale. Might buy it if it were $100K cheaper (it needs the work), but not in the state it currently is in.

[geneg]

Ok, I have no idea how to make it a clicky on my iPad. Just google MC8001037 to find it.

[smiley]

I looked at the pictures. The 2nd picture (foyer) I do not like at all. I would have to see it in person first.

Also, I am surprised that it is listed as 1 bathroom. It looked like it had at least 3.

I am just not sure what I would do with 6,100 sq ft. We have <1000 sq ft so that large would be overwhelming. If you already live in a big house then it may not be a big deal.

On the plus side -- the acreage is nice! I also like the back deck and the views.

[Deleted]

For a house that size, the community areas seem to be on the small side. For me personally, I'd like smaller bedrooms and a larger living area and kitchen. It just seems like a lot of wasted space.

[SusanBAnthony]

NOT that I would turn it down if someone gave it to me, but holy wasted space batman! I imagine that comes with most 6000 sq ft houses, though.

I hate the kitchen layout with the island taken up by the big stovetop. But that is a personal irritation. The paneling on the fridge is.... special. And is that a trash compactor that I see? lolol.

[kwynn]

I like it!

It doesn't have a lot of curb appeal though.

In general, I love the house, but things I think are weird:

1. In the purple bathroom, you'd totally need a window covering as the window is seriously RIGHT there showing everyone you are on the toilet.
2. Updating/paint needed in some of the rooms (like the tree in the bathroom)
3. What's with the dorm-fridge in the eat-in kitchen?

[isabel]

I'm glad others pointed out the foyer/entry. It screams pretension to me. And I think it's funny that the bathrooms looks so outdated compared to the kitchen. I would see it in person though. You never know what might be worth changing and it could end up being perfect.

Also, I think you could mute the foyer a bit by throwing some darker paint on the walls and adding entry table(s), mirrors/art, etc.

[trixie12]

I like the house. It has good bones and the land is awesome! It does need some work though. The kitchen and master bathroom are painful. But if you have the money to make changes, looks like a great deal.

As a side note, I wish we had basements where I live.

[dexteroni]

The good: I like the bedrooms, the dining room, the dark wood flooring, and the expanse of land.

The bad: The entry is awful and doesn't go with the rest of the house. The kitchen and bath finishes seem awfully low grade for a large and relatively pricey house. And the exterior looks like a hollow shell, especially in the back - it just doesn't have much character. All of those things say "McMansion" to me. I'm not opposed to large houses, but with this house it seems like the priorities were size and show-off purposes, not quality.

ETA: What is the situation with what looks like a blocked-off doorway in the eat-in kitchen? It looks like cabinetry has been installed directly in the doorway. And what is the basement flooring? It almost looks like a dirt floor, lol.

[CloudBee]

Those windows!

[stephm0188]

I have the same fugly light fixture in my foyer.

Could be a lovely home with a lot of updating. The finishes seem a little cheap for the size and style of the house.

[Roc A Bee]

With updating, I think it could be nice. All that tile is bad though.

[luvmagoldn]

It's big and the acreage is nice. But the house itself is weird. That pass through/cabinet/blocked doorway is so strange and random.

Some of the rooms have a nice feel but overall it doesn't flow.

Is the house in a community of other homes on acreage? If so I would keep an eye on he area to see what else might come up for sale.

[Deleted]

Feb 2, 2013 23:10:59 GMT -5 stephm0188 said:

Could be a lovely home with a lot of updating. The finishes seem a little cheap for the size and style of the house.

This. I think it has a lot of potential. But it's a pretty expensive house if you're going to have to do a lot of updating.

[Deleted]

How much do houses in the area cost with more updated bathrooms and kitchen? DH and I are not renovations type of folks since we lack knowledge and patience, so we would rather pay more up front than reno later.

The land is nice and I like the idea of an au pair suite. Like someone said, the common areas seem relatively small for this size house. But I guess that is why there's a massive basement?

[RandZB]

I actually like it. It is airy and bright, and while I agree that the common areas seem small, if that basement was redone it would be a great place for the whole family to hang out without necessarily having to do the same thing. A media area on one side, game table on the other, sitting area for reading, etc. I think the land would outweigh the need for updating. I love renovating so I would be chomping at the bit to make that house over!

[blackcat]

I like it. I would kill for 3 acres. With some updating, it would be a beautiful house.

[rubytue]

I can't help but think of the cost to heat it. But I agree that it seems rather dated in the kitchen and bath. I'm sure the kitchen was great in 1990, but it seems like such waste to not have cabinets to the ceiling in such a large house. Unless they are 10 foot ceilings, then maybe not.

So did you go to the open house?

[KaraOrNot]

I actually really like it! Awesome windows and I love the brick. And the yard! I agree that the bathrooms need a little updating, but overall, I like it!

[goaskalice]

Feb 2, 2013 21:03:26 GMT -5 smiley said:

Also, I am surprised that it is listed as 1 bathroom. It looked like it had at least 3.

That's just the half bath list. Above that it shows the 5 full baths.

It looks like it's got great potential. I would love 3 acres.

[imojoebunny]

As the other posters pointed out, it needs a lot of expensive updates. It is way to big for my taste. I would never see my family. I would look for something more in the 4,000 square foot range that is in better shape, and maybe has a garage or basement for the au pair. 6,000 square feet makes me tired just looking at it, and it ends up being a lot of wasted space, unless you entertain a great deal.

[geneg]

updated in OP

[Deleted]

3 acres in MoCo for under $1 mil. I had no idea that was possible.

[Deleted]

The land is beautiful but I wouldn't want to put in the work either.