Anyone live in a log home?

[Sleddingfarmer]

Im looking at one but he's looking to get close to 200 which is about 90g more than its assessed value. Its only 1800sqft and 13 acres(half woods, half ok farm ground) He' done a variety of custom work inside and its a gorgeous house but 200k for a house in this area is very rare and is usually contains quite a bit more sq footage...
This certainly varies house to house and one area to another but any of you bought recently or had yours appraised.. Care to share that price/the sq footage??
Pictures always welcomed!

 

[wickman]

Assessed value or appraised value. My house appraised for 176K but the assesment was for 92K

 

[H2SNOW]

hows the septic system ...is it haul the water or a well system ...fenced or open ......what kind of heat and is it certified ..just a few thoughts from the guy in the woods

H2

 

[Blu Du]

hows the septic system ...is it haul the water or a well system ...fenced or open ......what kind of heat and is it certified ..just a few thoughts from the guy in the woods

H2

dude he is from new york. he doesn't live up in the middle of nothing. down here we all have wells and septics if you can believe it

 

[snow_knight]

hows the septic system ...is it haul the water or a well system ...fenced or open ......what kind of heat and is it certified ..just a few thoughts from the guy in the woods

H2

We dont have to chit in a bucket... .. hahah sorry had too..

 

[MARCUSO]

Depends where you live.
No where in western Canada will you get that for less than 300g's.

 

[H2SNOW]

Depends where you live.
No where in western Canada will you get that for less than 300g's.

I have a sweet azz log joint off of public utilities 35 minutes away from the city with a 155 foot well pulling 55 gallons a minute ..a septic field that I paid $15 grand for last summer that will last 25 years ......my own pond and river.....completely log 4 bedroom home on 15 acres with neve a chance of anyone coming within 20 on all four sides

5 minutes to the steep and deep ....can sled right out of garage....saddle the horses for endless adventure ....monster garden ...fully fenced and self contained with wind power, solar power ,still connected to the main frame but can unplug at any moment ...

appraised at 1.5M

 

[Wade]

Log homes are usually a little more, per square foot. My insurance agent said that they may quit insuring logs that don't have tongue and groove and spring loaded rods from foundation to top, or charge you double more. Something to think about, get the insurance agent to quote you. Logs are very expensive to fix, if a fire strikes, but don't burn that well. That's what I was told anyways. Problem is, the walls will mostly char, and the insurance company want to come in and just pressure spray it.

The big thing to consider is, log cabins are a pain in the azz. You constantly have to paint them, and if it isn't chinked, you have bugs coming through the walls, as well as wind. Next house I buy will be die'ed concrete walls outside.

 

[Momma]

Log homes are usually a little more, per square foot. My insurance agent said that they may quit insuring logs that don't have tongue and groove and spring loaded rods from foundation to top, or charge you double more. Something to think about, get the insurance agent to quote you. Logs are very expensive to fix, if a fire strikes, but don't burn that well. That's what I was told anyways. Problem is, the walls will mostly char, and the insurance company want to come in and just pressure spray it.

The big thing to consider is, log cabins are a pain in the azz. You constantly have to paint them, and if it isn't chinked, you have bugs coming through the walls, as well as wind. Next house I buy will be die'ed concrete walls outside.

Holey Moley!!! Bugs out the wazoo in my first one. It wasn't chinked and there was no vapour barrier. I ended up with a Larder beetle/worm infestation! OH and the cluster flies! It was horrible. Creepiest thing ever when you have a newborn baby.
The second one wasn't bad but after having 4 kids I hated, and I mean HATED dusting the logs, which were left round on the inside.

 

[Wolfrun]

Log homes are wonderful, I built a 2600 sq ft house and an 800 sq ft cabin using using logs and 1 by 8 tongue and groove pine paneling and studs inside, vapor barrier and all but could not keep the moths, flies and bugs out in fall when they are looking for a place to winter. I finally built one with 2 by 8 studs, sheeted on the outside with logs as siding and rocked and taped inside with pine paneling inside that. We love it.

 

[Sleddingfarmer]

Assessed value or appraised value. My house appraised for 176K but the assesment was for 92K

It is the assessed value that I had. They hadnt listed it for sale since they didnt want to, but after I made my offer splitting the difference on assessed value and what he wanted, he said they were going to get it appraised and most likly on the market. I have no doubt itll appraise higher, but I dont think itll be near his number or that a realtor will find his asking number to be realistic for our area.. He had it looked at by realtor friend of both of us back when I first showed interest who said at most maybe 165-170. He also made a good pt, that he thinks his number might be due to the guy wanting to in a way be paid for all the personal custom work he did interior wise...
He's going to call me back when he gets the appraisal...

hows the septic system ...is it haul the water or a well system ...fenced or open ......what kind of heat and is it certified ..just a few thoughts from the guy in the woods

H2

Yea, The house isnt quite 10yrs old.Very good well, septic, heated by coal pellets about 1 50lb bag a day I think he said ( I think it was 1000-1200 dollars/season) I think there was secondary heat, but I cant remember.

I have a sweet azz log joint off of public utilities 35 minutes away from the city with a 155 foot well pulling 55 gallons a minute ..a septic field that I paid $15 grand for last summer that will last 25 years ......my own pond and river.....completely log 4 bedroom home on 15 acres with neve a chance of anyone coming within 20 on all four sides

5 minutes to the steep and deep ....can sled right out of garage....saddle the horses for endless adventure ....monster garden ...fully fenced and self contained with wind power, solar power ,still connected to the main frame but can unplug at any moment ...

appraised at 1.5M

Sounds nice and im jealous...What's the sq footage...Pics?

Log homes are wonderful, I built a 2600 sq ft house and an 800 sq ft cabin using using logs and 1 by 8 tongue and groove pine paneling and studs inside, vapor barrier and all but could not keep the moths, flies and bugs out in fall when they are looking for a place to winter. I finally built one with 2 by 8 studs, sheeted on the outside with logs as siding and rocked and taped inside with pine paneling inside that. We love it.

The house from what I could tell appears to be incredibly tight... He's very attentive to detai. He said on hot days at night, as the wood cools it'll "talk" it creeks a bit...He showed me how the south side they already pulled out I think an 1" worth of shims from settling.
He popped out a couple different windows out to show how easy they came out. That shows how level and tight everything is he says..MAkes sense...

 

[Sleddingfarmer]

Well, they called me last night but I didnt get it just a VM...
Little backstory--When I first apporached them back in the spring, they werent set on moving for the next 1-2yrs roughly... But he recently found a house up near where he works and his wife finally got up there this weekend to check it out and w/in the VM it seems they are very much interested in moving there after her visit up there...
He said they discussed it and really want me to be the one who buys it (always a +) since I really appreciate the setting and just the log home feel and were going to to drop the price down to 190 now... But...

That's still way to far up in price for this area.. It's not anywhere's near a prime location, it sets back in the woods, 10-15mins from even our little nothing towns. Basically not a prime location for 97% of the population. I mean Hey, I want this work out as much as they do now, but got to keep it reasonable...
Ive been trying to break down his numbers but its not adding up...Claims the house alone cost him 125....Ok that seems a bit high but believeable.
Then he says to add on:
septic system- most have told me a few g's, ill say 6-7g just to be safe...
Well- again few g's at most?? 3g's
Coal pellet furnace- same as above, its not that big... 2g's
Water system-Dont remember it being too fancy-Say 5g's again to be safe
hot tub- I dont know much about them, but 3-5g should cover it, right?
They also planned on leaving appliances too.. Most were new w/the house in 01, nothing special just average..The washer/dryer I was told were 15yrs so their sure to die after I'd move in... So another 2-3g's
Which when added up, give's me a number around 150.... Where's the other 40??
The other dilema, is he's told me they dont want to have to deal w/another mortgage and want to sell this one, turn around and use the money to buy this other one and make it liveable. Its only a summer house attm and needs to be made winterable.. Great idea, but kinda left me feeling i'd partly be paying for their new place...

Im wondering if I should talk to them about getting it appraised and seeing what that number comes in at??
Ive also got some papers that show other log home sales in the past 2 yrs or so and theres 2 w/6-700 more sq ft that sold in and around 200g, and was well in line w/their assessed value...Should I bring this up too?