Maxwell 55: Anna and Mary Adventures at ABC - Freedom!

[Alisamer]

3 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Ugh I would hate to see that happen. I love  the kitchen cabinets the way they are. I bet they are original to this mid century house. And they are in good condition for their age. I hope they only paint the walls. But not the cabinets, doors, or trim. White trim/doors/cabinets are going out of style now anyway. 

NGL I am totally painting the kitchen cabinets in the 70's ranch I'm moving into. They're gross. And brown. And cheap looking. Thankfully the dark paneling was already painted by the previous owners. I'm thinking possibly white upper cabinets and black lower ones, but haven't decided yet - I might choose a color for the upper ones instead. There are few things I despise less than golden oak. If I kept them brown I'd have to seriously steampunk the crap out of them to not cringe. But that's totally me. Looking through the pics of that house made me cringe badly with all the country-style stuff in there. Totally not my style in the slightest. 

The cabinets in this house look better than the ones in mine, so maybe they'll keep them. But I hope Sarah gets to decide for herself what she wants to do or not do to them. I do like the bamboo flooring. We're doing laminate in mine - I'm campaigning for a dark vintage looking wood. Sisters are pushing for gray, but I think gray laminate is going to look dated like shag carpet in 10 years or so. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

12 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

NGL I am totally painting the kitchen cabinets in the 70's ranch I'm moving into. They're gross. And brown. And cheap looking. Thankfully the dark paneling was already painted by the previous owners. I'm thinking possibly white upper cabinets and black lower ones, but haven't decided yet - I might choose a color for the upper ones instead. There are few things I despise less than golden oak. If I kept them brown I'd have to seriously steampunk the crap out of them to not cringe. But that's totally me. Looking through the pics of that house made me cringe badly with all the country-style stuff in there. Totally not my style in the slightest. 

The cabinets in this house look better than the ones in mine, so maybe they'll keep them. But I hope Sarah gets to decide for herself what she wants to do or not do to them. I do like the bamboo flooring. We're doing laminate in mine - I'm campaigning for a dark vintage looking wood. Sisters are pushing for gray, but I think gray laminate is going to look dated like shag carpet in 10 years or so. 

The thing is, some cabinets are in bad shape and maybe painting could help. I’m not completely against painting. Especially if it looks like a cheap wood or panel. But Sarah’s cabinets look like they are decent wood and well made. Plus in really good shape. You can make a ton of changes in Sarah’s house to make it updated, bright, and beautiful without painting every single surface white or gray. It’s unfortunate that HGTV has brainwashed people into thinking you can only paint cabinets and trim white/gray. There are no other options. It’s such a strange phenomenon home improvement shows have created. In ten years, those same people will be turning their noses up at painted trim and cabinets. 

If they painted the walls a lighter color. Then got rid of the curtains. And changed out the ceiling fan for a different light, it could change the look of the room. Once you add your own stuff, there will be color. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by JermajestyDuggar

[Melissa1977]

1 hour ago, caitrona said:

It's very ... brown.  Those cabinets and paneling are crying out for chalk paint or whatever the current refinishing trend is. 

A very Maxwellian house! Brown cabinets! Old fashioned curtains! Outdated armchairs for the Bible time!!! Includes ceiling fans to dust!!!!1!!11!! Sarah will feel at home.

[JermajestyDuggar]

Oh and I love the red brick outside. It’s classic. But if Sarah was a Bates, it would immediately be painted white 🙄

[ClareDeLune]

I'm dying 😂 at how fast this thread is moving.

Sarah is an executive level administrator/PA and her favourite little brother sells houses as a side hustle.  I'm guessing that unless she was tired and wanted to be swept off her feet she would have definitely had a hand in that purchase. 

She was already having piggy back rides and front hugs before marriage. And he waited until his 40s then bought a house and proposed next day, no way did he do that on his own. 😍

Lovely house. I would paint the kitchen cabinets by hand with a brush so the texture of the grain shows through.

 

[theologygeek]

1 hour ago, Hellothere said:

Decent 2 bedroom starter home. Boy, houses and taxes are cheap in OK!  Maybe he wanted to be able to say he had a house for them as they got engaged and married ( still think odd that she didn’t have a say in selection) so that was the rush?

My guess is they’re planning to upgrade and move within  3 or 4 years.

I said the same thing to myself about how cheap it is to live there.  

[JermajestyDuggar]

It has a big yard too. That house would likely be more expensive in Leavenworth. 

[Alisamer]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

The thing is, some cabinets are in bad shape and maybe painting could help. I’m not completely against painting. Especially if it looks like a cheap wood or panel. But Sarah’s cabinets look like they are decent wood and well made. Plus in really good shape. You can make a ton of changes in Sarah’s house to make it updated, bright, and beautiful without painting every single surface white or gray. It’s unfortunate that HGTV has brainwashed people into thinking you can only paint cabinets and trim white/gray. There are no other options. It’s such a strange phenomenon home improvement shows have created. In ten years, those same people will be turning their noses up at painted trim and cabinets. 

If they painted the walls a lighter color. Then got rid of the curtains. And changed out the ceiling fan for a different light, it could change the look of the room. Once you add your own stuff, there will be color. 

I took a second look - they really are similar to the cabinets in my house. I hate them. And that trim stuff above them? So hideous! The whole thing screams early 90s to me. I am very lucky and my current house had upgraded light wood cabinets.

But that’s ME and my opinion doesn’t matter. I hope Sarah feels free to do whatever she wants to the house. 

I totally get that everyone has their own preferred style. That house is NOT mine. But neither is the house I’m moving into - it was owned by an elderly couple for years and you can tell. But it’s exciting to have the chance to make a house your own, and I hope Sarah enjoys it!

[JermajestyDuggar]

11 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

I took a second look - they really are similar to the cabinets in my house. I hate them. And that trim stuff above them? So hideous! The whole thing screams early 90s to me. I am very lucky and my current house had upgraded light wood cabinets.

But that’s ME and my opinion doesn’t matter. I hope Sarah feels free to do whatever she wants to the house. 

I totally get that everyone has their own preferred style. That house is NOT mine. But neither is the house I’m moving into - it was owned by an elderly couple for years and you can tell. But it’s exciting to have the chance to make a house your own, and I hope Sarah enjoys it!

Definitely not 90s. A big tell that they are either late 50s or 60s cabinets is that the stove and oven are separate. That was very popular in the late 50s  and 60s. They look really good for their old age. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by JermajestyDuggar

[molecule]

The cutout by the fridge is something I haven't seen before. 

Spoiler

The kitchen is more brown than I like, but painting the walls and adding decorations could make a big difference.

We used to live in a house that was built in 1968 and had the burnt orange, avocado green, harvest gold, and brown kitchen wallpaper to prove it. I hated it, yet it was in such good condition that I just couldn't bring myself to remove it. Plus it would have led to a whole lot of other work I wasn't looking forward to (remove a wall and back splash of that faux brick stuff). So I left it alone.

[Bethy]

3 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I also hope he asked for a home inspection in the contract if he bought it unseen. You'd be surprised how many people forget to do that.

Or, in the current housing market, decline one altogether to sweeten the deal.

42 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Definitely not 90s. A big tell that they are either late 50s or 60s cabinets is that the stove and oven are separate. That was very popular in the late 50s  and 60s. They look really good for their old age. 

According to the realtor listing, it was built in 1970, so you're close.

Did glass-top stoves exist then or is that a more recent add-on?

[JermajestyDuggar]

4 minutes ago, Bethy said:

Or, in the current housing market, decline one altogether to sweeten the deal.

According to the realtor listing, it was built in 1970, so you're close.

Did glass-top stoves exist then or is that a more recent add-on?

It could be new. The rest of the appliances are new. So I think it’s possible they replaced them all at one time. 

[Bastet]

All that brown wood is a turn off for me, but the rooms are big and Ellie should like the yard. And that tree is beautiful. 

  I think it would have shown better without the dated furniture, but maybe the size of the rooms wouldn’t be clear without it. (And the curtains! Did Jill R choose them?)
  The randomly placed fake plants made me laugh. No rugs or lamps, but we have plants!
  Decent home. I hope Sarah helped choose it. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Bastet

[JermajestyDuggar]

Yes, the house isn’t staged well. These dark curtains are blocking some light. I bet this room would be very light and bright with some white shear curtains. Painting the walls a lighter color and putting down a large rug with some color in it would change the room completely. The same with much of the other rooms. Just changing the wall colors and curtains would make big changes and wouldn’t break the bank. 

Edited September 12, 2022 by JermajestyDuggar

[hoipolloi]

Quick impressions of the house:

• Fenced backyard -- good for the dog.
• I like that built-in workspace in the corner of the kitchen. 
• Dual recliners in the living room -- shades of Steve & Teri! (I know -- most or all of that stuff is likely part of the real estate staging). 
• Some newer appliances although the furnace is over 15 years old. 
• The house is on a corner lot which is nice. Not a lot of shade though.

Perhaps Sarah was fine with Kory getting the house, especially if heʻd been living in a bachelor apartment somewhere. If she wasn't able to be in OK before the closing, Iʻll bet she was on a Facetime walk through or something similar. 

[Johannah]

I love the natural color of real wood, but those cabinets look to me like flimsy cheap wood in an unattractive stain. Same with the base of the island. The countertops are not stone and not only is the ceiling popcorned, but so are the walls. 
 

BUT, it looks livable and I personally love a home improvement project. I assume Sarah won’t be working, and aside from her recent brief stint living outside of Steve’s house, she’s never had the experience of having her own place to customize. I imagine she’ll welcome and enjoy it. And it allows them to save money up front and make changes as they go. 
 

And I didn’t realize they’d be living so close to Oklahoma City. Sarah is going to have the freedom to access a taste of urban living (if she so desires) in a way she couldn’t living near Kansas City under the umbrella of stevehovah. 

I wish them dusty ceiling fans and kitchen wall tiles splattered with real oil from their stir fries!

[JermajestyDuggar]

The center island in the kitchen is most likely a later addition. I doubt a house built in 1970 had that island in such a small home. Big fancy homes in 1970 probably had islands. But small 2 bedrooms usually didn’t.

[Maggie Mae]

4 hours ago, theologygeek said:

Found it.  It's cute  https://www.compass.com/listing/401-2nd-street-union-city-ok-73090/1075144308639749953/  

Ugh, that house needs SO much work. The inside is hideous. Starting with the kitchen and an unlimited budget, I'd take out all the cabinets, replace the oven (if you are going to do an oven like that, at least get a double). If we can't afford new cabinets, I'd at least paint the existing ones a lighter color and replace those ugly af handles. I would likely remove the cabinet between the sink and the oven, and make the window bigger. I'd remove that cheap and tacky Dixie cup dispenser, and get a new sink with two built in soap dispensers and a better faucet. I prefer the kind that you can also use as a hand held spray. 

Living Room is OK but I'd replace the front door and install blinds or at least something that is better. I might change the floor out for something lighter. Remove the ugly ceiling fan and popcorn.  Its kind of an awkward shaped room, so I'd likely put the TV in the corner between the windows and set it up the other way. 

Bathroom ... ugh. Remove the paneling, paint and scrape. It might need texture but that's too much. New shower. New counter. I like the mirror. I do not want an analog clock in my bathroom. 

Master bedroom - new fan, i'm not a fan (ha!) of the metal decorations or the lights. Remove the carpet and install heated floors in a light, neutral color. New doors. New paint. remove the popcorn ceiling. The Ensuite bathroom needs new floors, new counters, panels removed, new cabinets, paint, and a new shower. Probably install a heated towel rack as well, and new lights. New sink and a better mirror. I like that they have plenty of storage in both bathrooms and outlets! 

Guest room: lose the carpet, install blinds, replace fan and fix ceiling. replace the trim. 

Backyard: install privacy fence, expand garden area, build a deck and plant more trees. 

It needs a new front deck area, that cement monstrosity looks bad and dangerous.  Add front yard landscaping and more trees. 

I kind of like the barn/shed as is, but I'm sure I *Should* have it painted. 

Why is it so cheap? Even the property taxes are cheap. Is it a bad neighborhood? 

I've never lived in a place (as an adult, anyway) with that type of heating. I don't think I would like it. 

[Maggie Mae]

50 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Yes, the house isn’t staged well.

I get the impression that the previous people are still living there. A lot of real estate listings in my area show the insides of closets (because that's a big selling point) and things like the hot water heater, the boiler, the inside of the garage. I am imagining that they crammed most of their stuff into the closets and the garage. 

Better than when my mom sold her house! She left a photo up of me from high school and it's been in the listings for like 10 years now. 

[FeministShrew]

Oh, I love that house! Basically my dream house, if it had a third bedroom. In my area similar houses are selling for 300-400,000, and not in as good shape (coastal county, so lots of historic flooding/wind damage), which is why I’m despairing of ever being able to buy another house.

[Hellothere]

The flooring is a lovely wood tone color (grey flooring is a trend that is already fading fast) that they can build on.  

House would look very clean and fresh with lighter paint on the walls and most of the cabinets.  New cabinet handles, more modern light fixtures throughout the house, lighter colored curtains and it would look quite different.  Bathrooms are very dated and could use some major work to look modern and fresh. And if Kory and Sarah are into yard work, there is lot that could be done to the patio, that odd front door porch area on side of house away from garage, and yard to make it fabulous.  But if their intent is that this is not a forever home and they'd sell and upsize in 3 or 4 years, I wonder how much money and effort they are willing to invest to improvements.  

Hope Sarah has a subscription to a  Home Decor magazine so she can expand her horizons, see what can be done with pops of color, learn about window treatment options, get a feel for how more modern fixtures and styling can look, etc.   Something tells me the house will end up being a sea of browns & beiges and rather dated decorating features and the yard will be neglected .... but one can hope!

Edited September 13, 2022 by Hellothere
spelling boo-boos

[Caroline]

My husband and I were teenagers in the 70's, so we grew up with some crazy decor.  I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.  We bought our house 23 years ago because we loved where it was on a quiet street.  We knew it would be a safe place for our daughter to play.  But the house itself  was circa 1974 and needed a LOT of updating.  Little by little we did it all, and some of it just needed paint and cleaning.

 It's been fun to spend the last few decades updating a house that had not evolved beyond 1974 when we bought it. I will admit that the first thing we did was update the kitchen and one bathroom.  Those were pricy, but the rest of it was hard work, but kind of fun too.  We transformed the place.  And a few changes made a big difference.  Sarah and Kory probably have similar plans and will enjoy working together.   

Not everyone has a big budget (we didn't) so maybe this is the most house they could manage.  We know Sarah is up for a challenge and that she has some skills, and she probably married a guy who is like her in that way.  I wish them well and hope they have fun with all of their (likely) house decorating plans.

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, Hellothere said:

The flooring is a lovely wood tone color (grey flooring is a trend that is already fading fast) that they can build on.  

House would look very clean and fresh with lighter paint on the walls and most of the cabinets.  New cabinet handles, more modern light fixtures throughout the house, lighter colored curtains and it would look quite different.  Bathrooms are very dated and could use some major work to look modern and fresh. And if Kory and Sarah are into yard work, there is lot that could be done to the patio, that odd front door porch area on side of house away from garage, and yard to make it fabulous.  But if their intent is that this is not a forever home and they'd sell and upsize in 3 or 4 years, I wonder how much money and effort they are willing to invest to improvements.  

Hope Sarah has a subscription to a  Home Decor magazine so she can expand her horizons, see what can be done with pops of color, learn about window treatment options, get a feel for how more modern fixtures and styling can look, etc.   Something tells me the house will end up being a sea of browns & beiges and rather dated decorating features and the yard will be neglected .... but one can hope!

I’m not a fan of the gray laminate flooring either. Because often the walls and trim are gray and white. So literally everything is gray and white. It looks cold and sterile. 

[fundiewatch]

Up until like 16 months ago Sarah was in a single bed next to the sisters in bunk beds. I’m THRILLED for her and believe that she and this guy are likely astounded at how they managed to find each other. 

[Bastet]

Much of what we don’t like are not expensive to fix. I’d be satisfied with pulling down the curtains and popcorn ceiling and painting the walls before moving in, then doing the rest as the budget allows. I’m betting Sarah and Kory are looking forward to this. Are either of them handy? I wish I were.