Your old house. Your new house.

Davesnave

ali-t wrote: »

wow, alpacas are on my next house list. Old house on a housing scheme, current house is living the rural dream but not quite enough land for alpacas.

I'm not going to tell others how to acieve their rural idyll, but our experience is that everything takes longer than initially imagined, so the earlier it can be done, the better. We're really a bit on the old and decepit side!

remembermee

Wow so many people here have bought their rural idyll dream! I feel like we are behind lol and we probably will be for some time unless hubby falls into some money and then can give up work so that we can move and he can work on the land.... I'm thinking this is unlikely so it'll remain a dream for us for a while longer

ManuelG

remembermee wrote: »

Wow so many people here have bought their rural idyll dream! I feel like we are behind lol and we probably will be for some time unless hubby falls into some money and then can give up work so that we can move and he can work on the land.... I'm thinking this is unlikely so it'll remain a dream for us for a while longer

Nothing wrong with living the surburban dream either

ali-t

Davesnave wrote: »

I'm not going to tell others how to acieve their rural idyll, but our experience is that everything takes longer than initially imagined, so the earlier it can be done, the better. We're really a bit on the old and decepit side!

I have managed it as a result of a 30 year mortgage, a very kind relative leaving me money in their will and buying and selling at fortunate times. I have the dog, chickens and enough land - just not enough for a field of alpacas. The other reason I have managed it is down to living in Scotland where life is cheap. I often watch property shows thinking - HOW MUCH?

Davesnave

ManuelG wrote: »

Nothing wrong with living the surburban dream either

Of course not. It's where most people have to be, and probably where I'll end up again, if I'm lucky enough to survive into old age.

ali-t wrote: »

The other reason I have managed it is down to living in Scotland where life is cheap.....

I hope you mean property and living costs, rather than life itself!

Yes, many people move west and/or north to escape the prices in the South East. It doesn't always work out, though.
People say "I didn't realise it would rain so much!" or "We don't see enough of the grandchildren now."

Despite that, in my neck of the woods, besides hearing "Ello' m'dear" etc, you'll hear plenty of estuary English.

Old_Git

my old house (I now rent it out ) .A three bed semi with a 75ft front garden . My new house ,a 4 bed chalet bungalow .
Its only 1/4 mile from the last house and I can walk from one to the other in 4 minutes .

Kinski

Old house six bed three bath, living room, dining room, small kitchen and utility room Victorian townhouse with a bit of concrete for a garden. New house three might be four in the future bed, one bathroom tiny tiny kitchen, living room/dining room but I have a good sized garden and we're mortgage free. There is only the two of us so our old place was far to big but nine weeks down the line I still miss it.

Sammydog

Old house 3 bed mid-terrace in the South East - close to everything but takes ages to get anywhere.

New house 3 bed detached bungalow in the south west - local shop and pub but if you need a new coat be prepared to make a day of it!

cloo

Old house - 2 bed ground floor flat on lovely road (with bad parking) near tube, very spacious, lovely garden, we put in new kitchen and bathroom and extended second bedroom from box to small double, which was just as well as we had two kids while there, and due to husband and I both being out of work for periods (not at the same time fortunately, but in both cases just when we were about to househunt), we were there for about 3 years longer than planned!


Incidentally the buyer (a developer) has left it just as it was, got planning permission to extend to 3 beds and has just slapped it back on the market 5 months after he bought it, for a decent markup. That's London for you.


New house - 4 beds, on the same road! Double the space (but only about 12% higher mortgage repayments), slightly shorter garden as it's a deeper house. Needs lots of decorative and other modernisation work, but will be fantastic once done. Certainly fulfils my mum's suggestion of 'buy as much space as you can afford'. But basically it was only this house and the other, that fell through, that gave us the space we were looking for.

bouicca21

Old house 4 bed detached in suburban wilderness. 2 rented flats on the way to new place, 3 bed ground floor flat with small private gardens and massive communal one. Still suburbia but no longer wilderness - coffee shops, supermarkets, restaurants all in walking distance, fast connection into central London. Reason for moving, cheating husband.

You can keep your rural idylls and dreams of alpacas. I'm a city person for whom the rural idyll seems like far too much hard work.