Affordable Housing

treliac

PasturesNew wrote: »

People can't just move randomly around the country, perchance to hope to get a job, so they can buy a house.

We're all where we are for all kinds of reasons .... and sane people don't go randomly unrooting themselves to give a new area a whirl. It's too expensive and risky.

Plenty of people do. Sometimes you need to take a risk.

wageslave

Exocet wrote: »

That's the sort of place I had in mind. Dopester you are a fabulous researcher.

The thing about Good Food shops is the food is anything but.

It's overpriced and nothing special.

Possibly we should factor the cost of eating anything that tastes of anything into the necessary wage to live down sarf?

PasturesNew

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Well I've lived all over the world, and always got the job first, then moved. Novel concept, I know.....

How did you afford to keep travelling to interviews?

It can cost £50 each interview just for petrol and limiting it to 200 miles or so.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

But seriously, this whole "houses are too expensive" thing really does seem to be a London/SE problem.

And any place reasonably commutable from a job. I had a job just 50 miles away, it'd take me 3-4 hours/day to drive there/back. Cost of doing that today would be £230/month just for petrol... and I'd need a new car every 3-4 years, then there's servicing/replacements - and if you break down you can't get to the job any more. Overall, to keep a car on the road, to travel 50 miles, can cost £500/month.... which is unaffordable if you're only taking home £1000 or so.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

The other 80% of the country has reasonably affordable housing within a reasonable distance of major employment hubs.

But we don't live there....

I think my nearest major employment hub is 175 miles away. Bristol.

Exocet

wageslave wrote: »

The thing about Good Food shops is the food is anything but.

It's overpriced and nothing special.

Possibly we should factor the cost of eating anything that tastes of anything into the necessary wage to live down sarf?

Yes I guessed that. The way they've attached a shed to the side of their bungalow made me suspicious of wanting to actually visit there, let alone purchase anything. I should point out, I am not a gourmet, just prefer not to find anything living in stuff I buy to eat.

But on the subject of Aberdeen - I think Hamish has sold it to me. It sounds great.

wageslave

Exocet wrote: »

But on the subject of Aberdeen - I think Hamish has sold it to me. It sounds great.

My bit of Scotland is better.

Warmer, more affordable and every bit as beautiful. Not that I am prejudiced or anything;)

http://www.gla.ac.uk/medicalgenetics/scotsolway.htm

jamespmg44

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Well I've lived all over the world, and always got the job first, then moved. Novel concept, I know.....

Anyhow, Aberdeen has 3% unemployment (1% before the recession) and the highest wages in Scotland, with cheap living nearby and stunning scenery all around. Actually, forget I said that. It's awful up here, none of you would like it.:D

But seriously, this whole "houses are too expensive" thing really does seem to be a London/SE problem.

The other 80% of the country has reasonably affordable housing within a reasonable distance of major employment hubs.

Aye, but aberdeen is absolutely freezing about 11 months of the year with that wind howling in off the North Sea.

Good if you have a penchant for sheep though.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

PasturesNew wrote: »

How did you afford to keep travelling to interviews?

It can cost £50 each interview just for petrol and limiting it to 200 miles or so.

Most interviews for international work are conducted in the UK. Usually a phone interview first to narrow down a shortlist, then they'll generally cover expenses for travel to the final interview.

By the time you get to a three person shortlist, it's of course about a one in three chance you'll get the job. So no more than three or four interviews to get hired.

And any place reasonably commutable from a job. I had a job just 50 miles away, it'd take me 3-4 hours/day to drive there/back. Cost of doing that today would be £230/month just for petrol... and I'd need a new car every 3-4 years, then there's servicing/replacements - and if you break down you can't get to the job any more. Overall, to keep a car on the road, to travel 50 miles, can cost £500/month.... which is unaffordable if you're only taking home £1000 or so.

Your time and cost estimates are way on the high side for a 50 mile commute. But yes, I take your point.

I think my nearest major employment hub is 175 miles away. Bristol.

Stay with friends while job hunting. Rent a room for a week or a month somewhere and job hunt all day every day. USe £1 mega-bus fares then set up interviews, etc etc etc.....

I'm not saying it's easy, but I am saying it's possible, for anyone that works at it.

Prudent

Laurencekirk :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I am sorry Hamish, but you are really getting desperate here. Or at least, anyone who bought that property to communte into Aberdeen would be desperate. Reasonable commutes into Aberdeen mean expensive housing. A friend's daughter has started teaching in the city and is looking to be a FTB. She is willing to travel a little (not silly amounts). She doesn't have a car (although can drive), so I suggested Dyce/ Inveruruie because of the good train and bus service. She wanted a small two bed terrace house or similar. The prices seemed to be £170 -220K. Not do-able on a teaching salary.

Exocet

Prudent wrote: »

Laurencekirk :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I am sorry Hamish, but you are really getting desperate here.

Oh Hamish, have you spun me a line? My dreams are shattered.

PasturesNew

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Most interviews for international work are conducted in the UK. Usually a phone interview first to narrow down a shortlist, then they'll generally cover expenses for travel to the final interview.

By the time you get to a three person shortlist, it's of course about a one in three chance you'll get the job. So no more than three or four interviews to get hired.

Never known that. Most jobs just set the interview time/date and you have to turn up.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Your time and cost estimates are way on the high side for a 50 mile commute. But yes, I take your point.

50 miles each way = 100 miles/day
20 working days/month = 2000 miles/month
2000 miles/month = a good service every couple of months
24000 miles/year = a new car every 3-4 years

If you count in exhausts, tyres, wiper blades, odd fixes/repairs, etc it all soon adds up.

Even 2000 miles/month is £200-250 in fuel alone for most cars.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

Stay with friends while job hunting. Rent a room for a week or a month somewhere and job hunt all day every day. USe £1 mega-bus fares then set up interviews, etc etc etc.....

I'm not saying it's easy, but I am saying it's possible, for anyone that works at it.

Well, that's making the assumptions:
- somebody has friends, friends with space
- renting a room really means a hotel (so £140 for 4 nights)
- megabus isn't everywhere, and you'd need your car anyway to get to interviews from where you're staying.

Also, interviews/getting to interview stage, from spotting a job, can take 3-5 weeks.

Nothing's instant.

How old are you by the way .... life was oh so easy when I was younger, finish a job on Friday and have a new one by Monday ... it all starts to change after 40, after 45, after 50 ....