Frustrated - can't find anywhere to buy. Other areas?

hazyjo

I'm not sure if I'm being mega-fussy or if my budget's too low. I just can't find anything to buy!

I have a buyer (since 27 Dec), the sale seems to be progressing okay (albeit slowly), I'm lucky in that I can stay elsewhere once it's sold so don't need to find a house to complete the chain, but I'm just getting obsessed with RM - checking it at least every hour, despite having alerts set up.

There have been some nice houses up over the last 6 months or so - most I lost out on as didn't have a buyer so couldn't offer. Some had compromises like a tiny bathroom.

There are lots coming onto the market, but in roads I wouldn't consider.

Can anyone suggest other areas I'm maybe missing? Nice pockets of somewhere. I am currently looking in/near North Chingford or Highams Park, within a mile walking distance to the station. I want a house - preferably 3 beds, but would consider 2. Parking (rules a few roads out). Upstairs bathroom (not just a shower, need a bath). Max zone 5. Hate the underground so would rather stick to overheads. Max £300k (could stretch to £305-310k at a push if it falls after April when I've had my next payrise!). No main roads (in any shape or form). Garden (paved would suffice, but preferably a bit of grass). Nothing too dark. No major works needed - there are two on the market which are overpriced IMO which need major updating. No estates (counts out most of the right of the railway track in E4). Don't really want a bungalow. Don't want to be to the left of (or too near) Chingford Mount Road. Nothing too near North Circular. Not keen on Ainslie Wood Road (couple up in and around there). No shared drives. There are roads I won't consider despite them being in the right location (Beech Hall Rd and the roads off it).

Am finding a lot are saying 1 mile to station under the maps on RM, but when you actually clock it, or check out the walking option on google maps, it's more like 2 miles, or at least 1.4m.

Upminster, Woodford (all parts - a compromise anyway cos of tubes) and Wanstead are all too pricey. Not hugely keen on Walthamstow apart from the village which is WAY over my budget. Have heard mixed reviews on Enfield (told EN2 is okay which is usually over my budget, plus I'd prefer E4).

Had ruled out south of the river, but am wondering if I should reinclude it. ALL my friends and family I see locally are north. I lived south for 15 years and found nobody ever wanted to set foot that side of the river, plus it would often take me over an hour to do a 20 min journey when there was roadworks/tunnel closures. Hmmm... think I'm just grasping at straws cos I'm feeling impatient.

Am I just being impatient? Do I just sit tight? I don't want to rush-buy! I suppose Easter's just round the corner and things might come on the market then/in spring... I suppose deep down, I know that's the right thing to do It's just frustrating...

Maybe I am just fussier than I realised! Never had a problem in finding a house before! I feel like people could show me something online, and I'd find a reason why not to buy. But they are genuine... I'm not putting off buying, I'm bordering on desperate lol!

Jx

ognum

I don't actually know the areas you are looking so can't give specific advice but you list of requirements does not look too extensive.

I do think you can become Rightmove obsessed easily just waiting for the absolutely perfect property and actually what you do need to do is go and look at almost perfect properties, in the last house I bought to live in myself I was very keen to have a garage (city centre, very hard to find) in the end we bought a house with a decent drive and a basement for all the garage type stuff.

Go out and look at the actual properties rather than just at Rightmove.

hazyjo

Ta - yep, have been actually looking at them too. One was a 2 bed, but pricey at £315k and I didn't think it was worth buying a 2 bed for that money. It had 2 garages and was detached - which is what the price represented - but I wasn't that fussed on either so felt like I was paying for something I wasn't bothered about.

Would love off street parking, but realise it's something I'm unlikely to get. Will buy with street parking, but certain roads are a no-go (road I used to live in in Highams Park and the three roads off it).

Saw another house which looked good on paper (apart from the price HERE) but it was dark as hell. I can see past the clutter (that's why there's barely any pics of upstairs - everything's rammed in), and I can see (smell) past the smell of dog/pets which absolutely reeked (I have cats and have viewed houses with pets before which have never smelt so bad). The main thing with this one though was it was just dark. Daylight when I viewed, buy you would need lights on in every room. Plus one of the bedroom ceilings had collapsed in part - I asked about the roof and she said they'd had a problem and the tiles had been lifted and relaid under insurance - hmmm).

There's ONE I want (see other threads - I'm boring myself even thinking about it), but the I]INSERT EXPLETIVE[/I agents are driving me INSANE and won't let me view with a builder yet.

Jx

abankerbutnotafatcat

Some food for thought as you reconsider south of the river:

Zone 6 but within budget and looks nice albeit with a dark looking dining room and a very small third bedroom.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36787636.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36372322.html?premiumA=true

Small third bedroom again.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39521375.html

A bit more but a very nice house and closer to Purley station.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40484438.html

Mr_Moo_2

Can't comment on the specific areas, no knowledge, but can share your pain. We are renting, ready to buy and there is a complete dearth of stuff we like in out specific chosen area. It's very easy to get RM obsessive and end up holding on hoping that something new will come up.... but at some stage you've got to make a call. We had a long hard think about compromises we are willing to make on location, and are subsequently looking at other areas where, all of a sudden (and this may or may not be conicidence) there are at least 3 decent properties we've viewed and will view again with a view to offering on one.

Now have the classic house/location dilemma, the best house is in the worst location. Think we will probably go with the best location/OK house combo - but getting that decision/balance right is the toughie.

Good luck !

hazyjo

It usually works the other way for me. It's when I change areas, then I get a buyer. This time, I'm really set on area, and have a buyer! I just can't think of anywhere else I want to move to.

I've kind of exhausted areas. I love some further out, but it's the travelling that puts me off. Last time, I moved quite a bit out. But the travel over the last few months has been horrendous - and I'm paying £225pm for the pleasure! I do like Stansted Mountfitchet, but it's the distance from work... might do a bit more research into how reliable that line is!

It's horrible, isn't it Very frustrating! Hope you get sorted soon!

Jx

hazyjo

abankerbutnotafatcat wrote: »

Some food for thought as you reconsider south of the river:

Zone 6 but within budget and looks nice albeit with a dark looking dining room and a very small third bedroom.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36787636.html

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36372322.html?premiumA=true

Small third bedroom again.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-39521375.html

A bit more but a very nice house and closer to Purley station.
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40484438.html

Thanks for taking the time to look.

LOVE the quirky third one, and the last one's really nice... BUT that side of London/Surrey is alien to me! I would be worried I'd cut myself off from just about everyone. IF (big if) I went south again, it would probably be somewhere like Bexley. Really can't see it happening though. Surrey is just way too scary lol! Have got one friend in Surbiton, and did have one in Sutton (now in Reading), but I wouldn't want to be that far from my family (never thought I'd say that! and friends. It's not so much the distance but the time it takes to get there. If my cats ever needed to stay at my mum's, it'd be a nightmare journey!

I was looking in Tunbridge Wells for ages once. It was only when I changed my location to Highams Park that I found a buyer for my house. Once I moved in, within a month, my dad was extremely ill (died 6 years later) and I don't think I could have been so far away during those years. I know it's not a million miles away, but I just don't think I'd want to be so far. I believe fate holds a hand in many house moves - I'm just waiting for some sort of divine intervention I think lol!

Cheers,

Jx

hazyjo

PS Plus I work near Liverpool Street, so any location would have to take that into account. Could maybe cope with London Bridge and a bus, or a walk from Moorgate/Cannon St/Fenchurch St.

Love Leigh on Sea, but, again, the travel's pricey (so are the houses!). Ruled Billericay out cos of travel prices/distance too.

Jx

Conrad

jx - personally I really dislike the areas you mention, for various reasons.

Why don't you move further out into nice middle class rural areas where schools are better, people tend to be respectful and not brash, flash and ignorant? Mate of mine is from Hertford which is infinitley more desirable than say Enfield with really good schools and so on. Enfield and similar places are holes.

Some parts of Essex are nice, out towards Jamie Oliver terrirtory - Saffron Walden / Grt Dunmow. Deffo not the rougher parts such as Rayleigh and anywhere else people have names like Kai and Chantelle.

Parts of Kent are really nice to, but again avoid those estuary parts.

hazyjo

Conrad wrote: »

jx - personally I really dislike the areas you mention, for various reasons.

Why don't you move further out into nice middle class rural areas where schools are better, people tend to be respectful and not brash, flash and ignorant? Mate of mine is from Hertford which is infinitley more desirable than say Enfield with really good schools and so on. Enfield and similar places are holes.

Some parts of Essex are nice, out towards Jamie Oliver terrirtory - Saffron Walden / Grt Dunmow. Deffo not the rougher parts such as Rayleigh and anywhere else people have names like Kai and Chantelle.

Parts of Kent are really nice to, but again avoid those estuary parts.

Looked in Hertford once before (in 2006) - found a lovely townhouse which sold the day it went on the market! Was desperate to buy there. I do really like it, but, again, it's just the fares and travel. Schools aren't an issue for me. I seem the remember the train times not being great - and one went into Moorgate and I can't remember where the other one went into. Also wasn't sure how the town had fared through the recession. Have seen Ware struggle a bit.

Know nothing about Saffron Walden - is there a station? Great Dunmow - have had friends live there. Trouble is - no station! And I really don't want to drive and pay for parking every day. The traffic coming into town is hell - and the school traffic is even worse. My friend used to drive 2 miles up the road in and around Woodford and it could take over half an hour. Plus parking can be expensive.

Am in Brentwood at the moment - and definitely don't want to stay!

Enfield has never appealed - all seems somewhat vast, spread out, and a bit 'nothing'. I do still like Highams Park and North Chingford, mainly cos of the distance/fares to London. I work 9-6 which is long enough in itself, let alone adding an hour's train journey either side and possibly a walk to the station.

Any suggestions very welcome - so long as the fares aren't crazy! Don't want to be paying over £200 a month still.

Jx

Conrad

hazyjo wrote: »

Looked in Hertford once before (in 2006) - found a lovely townhouse which sold the day it went on the market! Was desperate to buy there. I do really like it, but, again, it's just the fares and travel. Schools aren't an issue for me. I seem the remember the train times not being great - and one went into Moorgate and I can't remember where the other one went into. Also wasn't sure how the town had fared through the recession. Have seen Ware struggle a bit.

Know nothing about Saffron Walden - is there a station? Great Dunmow - have had friends live there. Trouble is - no station! And I really don't want to drive and pay for parking every day. The traffic coming into town is hell - and the school traffic is even worse. My friend used to drive 2 miles up the road in and around Woodford and it could take over half an hour. Plus parking can be expensive.

Am in Brentwood at the moment - and definitely don't want to stay!

Enfield has never appealed - all seems somewhat vast, spread out, and a bit 'nothing'. I do still like Highams Park and North Chingford, mainly cos of the distance/fares to London. I work 9-6 which is long enough in itself, let alone adding an hour's train journey either side and possibly a walk to the station.

Any suggestions very welcome - so long as the fares aren't crazy! Don't want to be paying over £200 a month still.

Jx

We have relativesd near Saffron Walden and she claims almost everyone is a London commuter. Bishops Storford is closer and again very much a commuter town - and I noticed on a quick search it seems to have some of the best schools in England (one state school shows as having best A-level results (it might have said best Oxbridge place winner - not sure) 2011).

I have clients in Highams Park and I realise it's horses for courses but I just find that whole area very depressing, busy, not great schools, dunno just everything I would not want.

Your choice and like you say fares are your prime concern.

Good luck