Dilemma: to stay or to sell up and go?

MrWillyWonka

walletmoths wrote: »

Does anyone have any experiences of renting? We've been treated really badly by rental agents so far, and any houses we see that look right are normally let before we've even had chance to view them. I think it's the struggle to find a rented place alongside all the stress and tiredness that makes me want to give in and stay put..

The better properties will be let out within days or hours. We are lucky to have a nice house in a very nice area at an excellent price. It was a matter of keep looking for properties online, phone up for an appointment immediately after finding it and viewing it at their next available slot.

We did that and whilst viewing there was a queue of two other couples outside waiting to have a look. We decided on the property on the spot and paid a holding deposit via bank transfer on my phone whilst still in the house.

Point is, you have to be extremely quick and be ready to pay a deposit on the spot to secure it because good properties naturally go first. Even an extra hour wait gives someone else the opportunity to grab it.

cavework

How much equity do you have in your property?
Your life insurance seems very expensive ..
As someone has said , it would be better for one person to work full time than try to fit 2 jobs around child care.
What employment is your OH looking for?
Could you list the credit cards , debt on each and the interest rate?
Don't worry if you would rather not
xx

dancingfairy

I'm not sure rentals will come up too far in advance. Normally people give 1 month or the landlord would give 2 so you are looking at a 4- 6 week window.
When you get to that time it will be a case of checking daily. As you are in the area for work (assuming that's where you will relocate) then you can work mornings and do viewings in the afternoon (Assuming your husband can get to them or is happy for you to do an initial viewing or is happy for you to make the decision).
It sounds like you are in limbo at the moment, which is a hard place to be.
Personally I'd be inclined to set some sort of deadline/ultimatum with this buyer and if they can't progress/start showing they are serious then you will back out and remarket.
It sounds like there are many pluses to moving (nearer to work, away from noisy pub, near family/friends, pay off debt etc) but you're struggling to see the wood for the trees. Do you have any family/friends you can chat things over with?
df

walletmoths

Hi everyone,

Thank you so much for all of your comments over the last couple of days. I really am overwhelmed at how helpful you've been, seriously.

I didn't realise I was being ripped off with the life assurance, and I'll certainly look into it.

As far as working is concerned, I think it has taken some 'straight talking' to make me realise that moving closer to where I work - with less tiredness and fewer childcare problems - it might just be possible to return to full time work. I'm the one with the highest income and more job-security (if there is such a thing). Hubby is now in the frame of mind of being our 'stay at home parent' and wants to look for work once the kids are at school in September.

I guess I've been a bit selfish really, as I've been striving to see my kids as much as I can, and burying my head in the sand where traditional working values are concerned - trying to force my husband to become the main earner, as family tradition dictates. But after a few years of it not working out, we really do need to think a bit differently about our future family setup.

Something else I wanted to share with you all too - I found a great course that I attended last night and I'd urge anyone to give it a go. It was free and its called the CAP Course. It's full name is Christians Against Poverty - but don't let that scare you. It was a proper professional training course all about budgeting, thinking of what you want from your income and what you can do without, and I really do feel (with your help too), empowered to make some tough decisions to move on with my life

It also turns out, that yesterday my buyer finally got their act together and we might be moving by the end of the month. It's been a hellish process is just a chain of 1 person and the most difficult thing we've ever done.

I'm now looking forward to becoming debt free and working my way back to saving up for a new mortgage deposit - but living our lives too, rather than staying home being bored and tired and stuck in a rut. :j