Dream home or just good enough?

downshifted

We are renting in North Devon with a view to buying a house we want to stay in until well after retirement. Trouble is, after 2 months looking we have not found it! Do we carry on renting or settle for something that's not quite what we want but will do for now? (not found that one yet either!)

The money is in the bank but only earning about 3% because we need easy access accounts just in case

All advice welcome!

Doozergirl

It's taken me longer than 2 months to find the right dog. Keep going, widen your criteria, go and look at something you were umming over; you might be surprised.

G_M

Do we carry on renting or settle for something that's not quite what we want but will do for now?

How on earth can you expect anyone here to answer ? It's entirely up to you, your personal circumstances, your temperement/personality, your dreams, your age and about 100 other factors, all of which you know the answers to, but no one here does!

downshifted

Oh excuse me for breathing! I just thought some people might have helpful comments on the risks of being out of the housing market for a while in these difficult times, or stories of how they have compromised and that they might highlight something I had not considered

stanleyunwin

As Doozergirl suggests, consider widening your citeria.

When we were initially looking, we told the EAs that we wouldn't consider bungalows. After looking at a lot of houses and not finding the right one, we started looking at bungalows and are now living in our perfect home that ticks all of our boxes.

2 months really isn't a long time, we were looking for the best part of 18 months. Don't compromise too much if your planning to stay there a while

knithryn

First of all I'd say you're doing the right thing by renting. It gives you a chance to get to know the area, and from experience I know that north Devon would not suit everyone.
We are currently entering a traditionally slack time anyway, so you will have looked at the most promising houses currently on the market.
I started househunting in Feb of this year. I've seen many thousands online, and only viewed 5 in total. I still haven't found the right house, and I am looking for a house to 'do' us for 5 years max, so I imagine your search is going to be even more interesting.
What about considering just into North Cornwall? (maybe you already are).....
Are you considering property that needs renovation? What about further down into Cornwall - Truro perhaps?
Where are you searching? Online? Through websites etc? Newspapers? Just wondering if you have covered all the bases...
Best of luck - it's a beautiful location and I would dearly love to be able to move back there again. I get homesick for the Atlantic Roar.

Gwhiz

I've been renting for 16 months - you Sir, are but an amateur

I have finally found a plot to build on and hope to begin building in 2 months. I could have bought other stuff BUT knew if I did I'd be back to looking for land before long.

Therefore I say do what you want to do/ follow your dream and stop looking at the market. If you have a goal and keep turning away from it you'll never achieve it and only end up disappointed.

hamblettamaud

sorry, i'm completely disillusioned with the propery market. i can't comment.

Bufger

hamblettamaud wrote: »

sorry, i'm completely disillusioned with the propery market. i can't comment.

useful, thanks for that.

To the OP. My other half had picked a couple of houses to view and just because one of them didnt have a drive i immediately veto'd it. I looked at all the others which just didnt seem right for us so i eventually agreed to visit this one. Its perfect! also i managed to get a good price which easily covers the cost of having the kerb dropped and the drive done.

Dont discount any properties within your price range. Viewings can be boring after a while but it gives you a great idea on value for money and brings you 1 step closer to that home thats waiting for you :T

Hailstorm

Is it a case of their not being many properties that tick your boxes or that the properties that tick your boxes are over your budget?

If it is the former then it is just a case of waiting until something comes onto the market. If you have seen houses you like the look of from the outside you could try putting leaflets through the letterbox and see if anyone is interested in selling.

If it is the latter then you will have to compromise on something.

sunshinetours

2 months is really not a long time at all. I would suggest keeping looking. There seems in certain areas to be a general lack of choice of decent properties at the moment so you may have to wait and get lucky.

Also make sure you visit properties in the flesh as online can be deceptive and certainly can never give you a real feel for the house that you get by being there.

You probably have more chance at the moment of being imaginative and "creating" your own dream house by maybe buying something the right location and then making it how you want it - after all you can change the house but not the location

good luck