house v location , is it really the location that matters?

zzzLazyDaisy

I have moved several times, often on a shoe string, but would not touch an ex-council house with a barge pole. They are always harder to sell, and generally the prices don't keep pace with the housing market as a whole.

Just my opinion. If you do go for it, make sure the price is very realistic.

MJMum

Ok there is no such thing as a cathment area for a school its a myth.

B*llocks. Why do councils publish maps of them then. Complete rubbish.

bargainquest

Thanks for the advice re ex council - my main concern is that the house is reaching a ceiling in terms of price - there are others on the same street up for comparable prices and there has been a huge increase in their value over the last few years. I have other properties to view on Saturday so we will see...

bs0u0128

i saw a lovely house the other day, and i mean LOVELY. brand new kitted out, 4 double sized rooms, quality kitchen, the full works, you could walk in and have your breath taken away, by far the best 'property developed' house ive ever seen......

at the side of a bypass, under the bridge, and next door to a pub, with syringes on the other side of the fence and a den where kids clearly hung around to smoke and do other things at, all cleverly hidden behind hedging but there nonetheless!

such a big shame, but no good sitting in your immaculate lounge worrying about if you are going to be ok!

ExpertBargainHunter_2

ds1980 wrote:

ok your a surveyor but £2k for damp!!!!! and £20k for kitchen and bathroom!!!!!!! yeh maybe in a 6 bed £2 million pound house but not as a general rule.

Don't discount anything just do your homework.

Haha oh if only that were the case! I frequently see quotes of £2k for rising damp - and I'm talking in 3 bedroom flats, not even houses! That would be for rising damp throughout the ground floor - removing the plaster, injecting damp proof membrane, and replastering. It easily mounts up. £20k for kitchen and bathroom easily! You don't state where you live but in central London believe me you do end up paying these types of costs. £5000 for a bathroom is easy here. Don't forget, as well as the suite you've got the plumber, electrician, joiner, etc at London rates, plus most properties are Victorian conversions so usually need new pipework/electrical connections etc etc.

All I can say to you is never move to London, you'd get the shock of your life!

ds1980

MJMum wrote:

B*llocks. Why do councils publish maps of them then. Complete rubbish.

do you work within schools then? You have no idea. They publish maps in order to satisfy the likes of you. THere are loads more other criteria before cathment area takes effect and 90% of the time the spaces are filled via these before catchment area is used. do some more research or speak to people that know.

ds1980

ExpertBargainHunter wrote:

Haha oh if only that were the case! I frequently see quotes of £2k for rising damp - and I'm talking in 3 bedroom flats, not even houses! That would be for rising damp throughout the ground floor - removing the plaster, injecting damp proof membrane, and replastering. It easily mounts up. £20k for kitchen and bathroom easily! You don't state where you live but in central London believe me you do end up paying these types of costs. £5000 for a bathroom is easy here. Don't forget, as well as the suite you've got the plumber, electrician, joiner, etc at London rates, plus most properties are Victorian conversions so usually need new pipework/electrical connections etc etc.

All I can say to you is never move to London, you'd get the shock of your life!

i live in london!!! buying and selling many properties and have never paid £2k for rising damp!!! maybe £500 at most. injecting membranes is nonsense and £5k for a bathroom is ridiculous but of course know you can spend a fortune. saw a set of taps for £800 yesterday and some limestone flooring whilst on business in bath at weekend it was amazing but about £3k a room..... and a small one at that! £20k for a kitchen is easily done but you can get the same effect and quality for a quarter of that maximum. People who aren't prepared to shop around or use there heads deserve to get stung anyway though.

Out of interest i am using a surveyor on a new project and am being charged £390 for a full building survey. (3 bed semi) Please forgive me if im wrong but i would imagine you would charge twice this and i wouldn't get anything more for my money. Surveyor is 25 years experience and rics approved. If you are prepared to look you will always be able to do things a cheaper.

ds1980

zzzLazyDaisy wrote:

I have moved several times, often on a shoe string, but would not touch an ex-council house with a barge pole. They are always harder to sell, and generally the prices don't keep pace with the housing market as a whole.

Just my opinion. If you do go for it, make sure the price is very realistic.

I would totally disagree. Generally better built with larger rooms and huge roof spaces to do conversions, ex-council so makes no difference. Council estates fine and living in a street where you are the only owner occupier wouldn't interest me. I have never had problems with buying and selling and renting out these types of property. Each house has to be judged on its merits. They are certainly not harder to sell in my opinion and i have 1 on the market at about £10 k over what it has been valued at and will get that easily. I think that my target markets are obviously not aimed at the higher end and yes if you have the money you would look elsewhere but i will continue making money from them hopefully so i would have to disagree

thesaint

ds1980 wrote:

do you work within schools then? You have no idea. They publish maps in order to satisfy the likes of you. THere are loads more other criteria before cathment area takes effect and 90% of the time the spaces are filled via these before catchment area is used. do some more research or speak to people that know.

You are contradicting yourself, you said this earlier.

Ok there is no such thing as a cathment area for a school its a myth. Our lass works for a very well regarded school in nw london and the house prices are ridiculous near the school and she has turned the majority away as they don't fit the criteria so please beware!!!

MJMum

speak to people that know.

:rotfl: Having just moved to a new area, 200 miles away, I have spent the last few weeks (a) speaking with school admissions (b) visiting primary schools (for immediate places) (c) visiting secondary schools (for future reference). I am well aware of the various admission criteria in different areas of the County. However, I'm sure that the combined advice from the school admissions team at the County Council, and all the headteachers means nothing. They must all be wrong, and you must be right, because "you have a friend who works at a school". :rotfl: :rotfl:

We probably don't live in the same part of the country anyway - there are heaps of differences in school systems (although MOST systems DO have catchment areas!)