misscousinitt's MF Diary

Alchemilla

If anyone in the Guinness factory mentions birthdays, say its yours *wink*.

Radish72

Any recommendation for restaurants in Dublin - breakfast, lunch or dinner

I have booked the steakhouse for the first night as that can be the expensive treat for the week

Also booked the Dublin pass for 3 days to we can go round most of the attractions

And guess BF will be wearing his 40th birthday badge at the Guinness factory and every other day we are there

gallygirl

Radish72 wrote: »

Any recommendation for restaurants in Dublin - breakfast, lunch or dinner

If you like Asian food try

http://www.sabadublin.com/



They do lunchtime and early evening menus (not sure if every evening) - gorgeous food :T.

misscousinitt

Hi everyone

While I've been away, I might have just set the ball rolling for buying a house :eek:

Offer has been accepted.

Been in for pre-qualification checks this morning and now need to get the mortgage sorted.

Looks like I well may be back into officially being a MFW once more in the not too distant future. Fingers crossed.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.

MCI

edinburgher

Well done MCI

Goldiegirl

Exciting news, hopefully all will go smoothly

gallygirl

How exciting, tell us more

misscousinitt

Goldiegirl wrote: »

Exciting news, hopefully all will go smoothly

I hope so too - 18 years since I did anything like this and DHs first time :eek:

gallygirl wrote: »

How exciting, tell us more

So, the house is showing 'sold stc' on the estate agents web-site - a good start I hope.

The house itself has more than enough room for us and I hope that we will be able to make a real home in it.

It has 3 bedrooms, with an attic conversion (so 4 really) which was completely unexpected. It mainly needs nothing doing to it for now - there are things we want to change, but they are not all necessary immediately (and especially as we are digging deep with the deposit and won't have that much money for doing it up right away).

The kitchen is more than double to size of what I've got now. The lounge space is sort of split into 3 - cosy TV/Fire space, laminate floored area (which is like a stage as it's a step up) and then a conservatory. It has a dining room too. A large porch area - all tiled - it's a great space and with all the coats and boots DH has - it's going to be a good storage area. the garden is a good size, but not un-manageable.

The house is quirky - which fits us ideally; and has enough space to get fit the furniture I have stored at MILs that I inherited a couple of years ago.

We are going to be renting out our current house and this will really help - though we can (at a stretch) afford the new house without renting out - but from a financial point of view letting out will be needed as soon as possible (and especially as far as overpayments to the new mortgage will be concerned).

Next appointment about a mortgage is Wednesday evening.

We have so much to do at our current property with getting rid of rubbish, sorting stuff to sell and packing stuff up - I think I need a van load just for stuff out of the garden! At least we have access to a free van (the charity van) and DH has a friend who can get cheap hire vans, so moving will be relatively cheap (it's just all the other costs (and hassle)).

We are both feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment with the enormity of what we have done and the safety net we will be dragged from beneath us. But I have done my sums and I feel that our standard of living will not suffer too much from what it is now - we just have to a little more careful. (Well DH will have to be anyway :rotfl:)

It is now still business as usual on the savings front, so keen to get my deposits in this month.

MCI

misscousinitt

Pension statements have been sent to the mortgage advisor ahead of tomorrow's meeting...just inc ase we have to have a mortgage beyond retirement age (can't really tell them that I am a member of MFW can I?)

DH has got his bank statements he needs. So all set now for tomorrow evening.

Few things have been put away in their boxes - some of DHs larger cars and my cat collection. We also went through some boxes ontop of the wardrobe - all hats, scarves and bags we are keeping have been put into a single box. Fair few items sorted for car boot. Gone though 2 boxes of cuddly toys - some have gone for prize every time for my charity a few TY toys to go on flea bay and about half a dozen to go on the car boot. A few things done - just feels odd!

This weekend I must put my first few items on flea bay - no idea what I'm doing, but I am sure I will get the hang of it. Planning on a car boot end of May and then maybe a couple of weeks after depending on what we get rid of. The sci-fi fair is on May the 4th (hehe) and DH has found a die-cast forum on FB. Also got a few items for FB selling.

Emotions are still very up and down and I am sure that will get worse tomorrow when we go and see the advisor again and REALLY get the process moving.

Hope everyone is well. Really need to catch up again.

MCI

misscousinitt

Can I just say a little about us letting our current house out? I have read a couple of posts that have alarmed me about the feelings towards people who buy 'buy to lets'.

I know that the socially responsible thing to do would be to sell (and we might well do in a few years time); but we need this income to get our new house and we both like the idea of having the security of knowing that if it all goes pear shaped we have a paid for house to go back to. Our financial security is our first concern.

As a compromise, we will be probably be letting though DHs work which looks after all the council housing stock for the area and also do a private landlord scheme. This means that the people who will rent our house are desperate for somewhere to live and are (in all probability) not in the position to buy their home at this point in time. (There is an extensive waiting list and a shortage of properties).

Our current house has been my home for 18 years and I certainly did not buy it with a view to renting it out - it's just worked out that way. I have been very happy there. Why shouldn't I take the opportunity to secure mine and DHs futures by hanging on to my first home and reaping the financial benefits? If I was to sell it, it might well go to someone who is specifically buying to let because of where it is and the type of property it is. Our way means that people who are need of housing are given the opportunity to have a roof over their heads.

Enough said!

MCI