Houses

Cleaver

We've been on another house looking expedition this afternoon. Looked round two, but popped in to a few agents and looked around areas.

I've decided to become a bear. I agree, house prices are too f**king expensive. Madness. Who can buy these things? We have a budget of £200,000 which should get us a damn nice house thank you very much. I just want a drive for the car, a bit of space, somewhere unusual and with charater and, if possible, I don't want to have to rip out awful corner baths and built in wardrobes (were these two things invented in Manchester? They're everywhere up here). Is that too much to ask? Macaque, is it too late to join your 70% club?

An agent in Heaton Moor today: "We have a three bed terrace on sale for £240,000. I say three bed, the third bedroom is only accessible through the second bedroom, but it's a great house."

Well, I'd only be spending quarter of a million pounds and who expects direct access to all of their rooms for that small amount of money? We all know you need to spend a third of a million to have access to all of your bedrooms. Ye gods.

The two houses we looked around today were on sale for prices that if they went for, they would then be the most expensive house on their streets. Madness. They were okay, fine houses, but both needed work and weren't exceptional places. Both been in the market for ages but the only ones for sale on their streets. Have they not heard of the 15% drop we've had? Maybe the rises we've seen lately are just idiots buying the only houses on the market which are stupidly expensive.

Houses then: they're too expensive. I'm becoming a bear. Someone get me some salmon to catch. Brit, I'm with you, 50% off by Christmas. Inflation is theft. You're all debt-junkies.

Sorry, another random, waffly thread today. Doesn't really matter, I think there's only 7 people reading anyway.

lostinrates

Have a google Cleaver. see wat you money could get you in other areas...just for curiosity. I want to move north .

We were chatting with my parents about stuff we saw this morning an yesterday and my parents did what they always did: sucked their teeth about the cost of places these days.

FWiw, they think we should wait to buy.

Cleaver

Again, at the risk of sounding bearish, old or whatever you want to call it...

I'm sure he won't mind me saying it, but it was Dopester who advised we have a look at the Heatons area of Manchester (he's advised that in a few public threads on here too). And we're really glad we did today as it's a really, lovely, lovely area. Deli's, bars, restuarants and shops, great transport links, lovely tree lined streets, areas of great housing stock: unusual terraces, 1930s semis etc. But £200,000 does not get you a nice pad, down a nice street, right by all the nice stuff. You're looking at closer to £350k - £500k for that. There's plenty of 1930s stock for £160k+, but you're talking half a mile away from the really nice bits.

I dunno, it's just a bit, well, depressing. Just so expensive. Nice area though Dopester, so thanks for the advice. Going back for a load of viewings next weekend in and around those parts.

Heyman_2

Cleaver, maybe you should get yourself on Location, Location, Location with Kirsty and Phil?

I reckon they'd sort you out - plus you could bring down the Property !!!!!! machine from the inside!

Heyman_2

lostinrates wrote: »

Have a google Cleaver. see wat you money could get you in other areas...just for curiosity. I want to move north .

We were chatting with my parents about stuff we saw this morning an yesterday and my parents did what they always did: sucked their teeth about the cost of places these days.

Had the same conversation with our old landlord and his wife when we were thinking of buying (we would drink with them regularly!). They were an older couple and couldn't believe the money we were talking about for some places.

lostinrates wrote: »

FWiw, they think we should wait to buy.

Wait for what, specifically?

Cleaver

Okay, so take this place as an example of what we're seeing all over Manchester:

3-bed Semi in Prestwich. It's on for £200,000.

It last sold right at the peak in August 2007 for £195,000 and then before that in March 2005 for £160,000.

This is a traditional, semi / detached type road in a pretty traditional area. Nothing much changes, so you'd imagine that it's a good yardstick to judge prices. And I'm not dumb, I know some prices will be higher for certain houses for certain reasons. But this house is simply expensive, which is presumably why it's been on the market for £200,000 for over 6 months now.

Aren't we still down 13.5% from peak, which is when this house sold last? Which would make this house worth about £168,000, in my opinion.

We might join the bear club, prey for a crash, shout timber a lot and wait until next year to buy.

lostinrates

Heyman wrote: »

Wait for what, specifically?

specifically, for DH's salary to rise in March and/or to see what offers are the table here and further afield when his contract ends (and indeed to check he does remain employed!). Also, for ...other circumstances, but primarily for that.

Cleaver

Heyman wrote: »

Cleaver, maybe you should get yourself on Location, Location, Location with Kirsty and Phil?

Unfortunately me and the Mrs have quite an equal partnership, with each of our opinions meaning a lot to each other. We listen to each other and would only buy a house that both of us loved.

I think to get on that programme I would need to have my balls chopped off and become a snivelling wuss with no opinion. Mrs C would need to become a lot more horsey and dominating. We'd also need to make sure we get pregnant during filming or imediately afterwards, and that isn't in our plans.

Having said that, I'd love to have a good look at some guttering with Phil.

lostinrates

Cleaver wrote: »

We might join the bear club, prey for a crash, shout timber a lot and wait until next year to buy.

Certinly an option. Better still, stay in the ''Cleaver club'' finding the plan best for you two. but you'd do that anyway I think.

Heyman_2

lostinrates wrote: »

specifically, for DH's salary to rise in March and/or to see what offers are the table here and further afield when his contract ends (and indeed to check he does remain employed!). Also, for ...other circumstances, but primarily for that.

The only thing I'd say about that is if you are getting a mortgage on, say, a standard 25-year term, your circumstances WILL fluctuate over that time period and so it's better to try and factor that in from the beginning. I didn't really appreciate that when we signed up for ours, but am wishing we had considered it a bit more now!

But totally understand that it's best to wait and see where you'll be in the first instance!!

Heyman_2

Cleaver wrote: »

Unfortunately me and the Mrs have quite an equal partnership, with each of our opinions meaning a lot to each other. We listen to each other and would only buy a house that both of us loved.

I think to get on that programme I would need to have my balls chopped off and become a snivelling wuss with no opinion. Mrs C would need to become a lot more horsey and dominating. We'd also need to make sure we get pregnant during filming or imediately afterwards, and that isn't in our plans.

Having said that, I'd love to have a good look at some guttering with Phil.

LOL, fair enough. Yes you'd definitely have to become a bit more, shall we say, 'TV friendly'

Why don't you find out what road that house in Prestwich is on, and go and knock on their door and flat out ask them if they'd be willing to negotiate? It'd certainly cut out the EAs and all the usual negotiating lies that they tell you. We had some good experiences just getting a viewing and a chat on the off-chance like this.