Moms who know better than you

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2002
Moms who know better than you
1270
Sun, 10-20-2013 - 8:02am

Kind of joking there.  But the other day I met a mom who was certain she knew which area schools were the best.  I told her my children are happily in public school, but upon entering middle school and/or upon entering 8th grade, if any of mine wants, then we'll take a tour of all of the schools in the area ~ private, several Catholic.  Not a Catholic, lol, she told me unequivocally that, yes, I needed to take my children on a tour of the local Catholic schools NOW because they are the best schools in the area.  Because of course her kids went there.   Her children graduated from high school long ago, but I never quite got my answer on what they were all doing now.  Wink

Anyway, the "conversation" (monologue?) continued until my friend saw me cornered.  Has this kind of thing happened to you ~ older mom telling you how to do it better?  How do you handle moms with children older than yours who are a little too liberal and pushy with their advices?  ....Have you ever been that mom?

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Avatar for savcal2011
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-06-2010
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:18pm
I love the look of the poured concrete countertops ... but it wouldn't fit with the rest of the house. And would be too modern for the neighborhood too. Personally I love the look of tile countertops. But I know they don't add much value. And wood would really go well with the house, but again, wouldn't help resale a lot. So, we'll probably go quartz or granite.

"I don’t mind a banshee, that’s fine. 2 banshees? I HATE you. I actually wish bad things upon you." -- Day[9] Daily #459 P1

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2002
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:20pm

bordwithyou wrote:
"I'm still leaning towards poured concrete and a mix of mediums, perhaps stainless or soapstone?" That is my issue with granite. It's OK, but everybody and her sister has granite. I want something less generic. That's why I am thinking copper.

Ick.  Poured concrete countertops probably just mean support beams would be needed in the floor below.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:21pm

bordwithyou wrote:
"I'm still leaning towards poured concrete and a mix of mediums, perhaps stainless or soapstone?" That is my issue with granite. It's OK, but everybody and her sister has granite. I want something less generic. That's why I am thinking copper.

Yep, that's why I don't want granite...way too mainstream, I want something different than what is in the majority of subdivision houses and I want something respective of the house and its age.  Unlike thardy, I wouldn't rip out my century old hard wood floors and replace them with new, yikes!    I like copper, I just don't think I could commit to the upkeep of copper.  

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2009
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:23pm

How is getting a degree for fun more selfish than going on cruises, which is something you recommended that I do for fun, Thardy?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:23pm

jamblessedthree wrote:
<p>Well, you know what they say about mortgage brokers...  But I hear you, you are in the drivers seat with cash - my sister about gave her house away when the seller offered her cash for it, and she had done an incredible amount of updates to it in the almost 20 years they lvied there.  Likewise, our house in Texas that we sold to a buyer that offerd us 250K in cash several years ago..  You shoppers scare me, Lol but I hand it to you in saving and spending wisely.     </p><p> </p>

No...what do they say about mortgage brokers?  

PumpkinAngel

Avatar for jamblessedthree
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2001
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:25pm

bordwithyou wrote:
"I'm still leaning towards poured concrete and a mix of mediums, perhaps stainless or soapstone?" That is my issue with granite. It's OK, but everybody and her sister has granite. I want something less generic. That's why I am thinking copper.

That's the first I've ever heard granite referred to as "generic", Lol.  There are more expensive rock patterns over others but generic sounds stale to me, like laminate. 

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:26pm

savcal2011 wrote:
I love the look of the poured concrete countertops ... but it wouldn't fit with the rest of the house. And would be too modern for the neighborhood too. Personally I love the look of tile countertops. But I know they don't add much value. And wood would really go well with the house, but again, wouldn't help resale a lot. So, we'll probably go quartz or granite.

I love the look, just not sure that it would fit in the house properly, I'm still thinking about what I want to do.  Heck it took me a year with the downstair bath and I'm still not sure I love it.  Old houses have funky colors, shapes and sizes sometimes and unlike thardy pulling out her century old wood floors, I'm really trying to maintain the look of the house.  Tile wouldn't bother me, but I don't want to deal with the grout, a pia to clean.  

My parents have a wood countertop in their kitchen and I love it!  

PumpkinAngel

Avatar for jamblessedthree
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-23-2001
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:28pm
Given that we've grown up in the house my dad still owns I'd hate to see it just torn down... 500K for a teardown?

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2002
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:29pm

emptynester2009 wrote:
<p><span style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size:medium">I am not seeing why if someone inherits a house it makes any difference how much it sells for.  Whatever it sells for is a profit for them. </span></p>

Not always.  A house can be a loss to an estate.  For instance, it's underwater because of the market.  Also, it's been a Buyers' market for years, there's a broker's commission, there are real estate taxes to be paid until the will is probated, a willing buyer found, negotiations, inspection, a closing held, etc.

No one here said a surviving spouse has to gift her children her house.  But we were discussing that if she does, there are ways of doing it right, without an estate taking a loss.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-08-2009
Wed, 10-30-2013 - 10:30pm
I really love wood countertops. Our house is do heavy on wood I need something else for contrast.

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