Cazmanian_minx's MFi3 diary

baffcat

Caz

In the light of your internet and ebay income, does the new residence oop there in bonny wee Scotland have or have access to broadband, and is there a good, local PO who'll accept your bags of packages?

We're hoping to move into deepest Suffolk next year, and at present, top of the list of requirements we've got for any potential new property, is that it needs to be near a PO with a great postmaster/mistress, as my livelihood depends on them.

Baff

cazmanian_minx

Yes and yes 2MB broadband is available, which is astonishing for tiny village in the middle of nowhere, and there's a post office 10 doors down the road - it's not open every day, but it's in the community shop, so I'm hoping that I can ask them to order sheets of stamps for me and I can stamp my own packages and leave them for the postie when he comes through on the Post Bus run at about 3pm. If not, there's a bigger one in the next village which is open 9 - 5.30 every day.

Caz

Kaz2904

Cool- you've thought it through very well then.
Now get list making and packing!

cazmanian_minx

The interview CDs dropped through the door this morning and there's just over 6 hours' worth, so that's another £240 in the moving fund

OH has had to fly up to meet his new boss and his new team. He rang this evening to say that he'd spoken to the HR department and because we'd already agreed to buy the house before he was offered the job, they're not going to give him the full relocation package, but they are going to pay for the removal men, so that's just over £2k we'll be getting back :j He still doesn't know what his salary will be (they're number crunching and will put the offer in the post tomorrow), but his position is only one off the top salary grade in the company and he's been told that the average salary for that grade is the same as he's on now and the top earner in that grade gets £10k more - plus there's a really good bonus scheme based on both team and personal performance. So he wants to buy a Range Rover now :rolleyes:, but I've persuaded him to hold off at least until we get a garage built - no point in spending stupid amounts of money on a car if you're going to leave it outside to rust in the sea spray in winter.

Ebay and website sales still ticking over nicely - I'm looking forward to being able to make some nice lumpy overpayments once we've moved

Caz

abouttimetoo

Hi Cazmanian Minx

I just wanted to say I've read your thread over the last few days (yes, from start to finish!) and what a great inspirational read it was:T . It was just amazing to read where you are now in your life compared to what your original plans were about your move to Scotland, it just goes to show that with hard work and planning dreams can come true. You certainly have many strings to your bow and quite put me shame with all the things you manage to accomplish on a day to day basis - well done you :T :T

cazmanian_minx

Hooray - logged on to my email this morning to find a query from a potential new transcription client :j She has 8-10 hours of interviews she wants transcribing and wondered if I'd be able to do it. Have emailed back with a YES and my rates, so fingers crossed...

In the meantime, I have these 6 hours of interviews to get through, ideally before the end of next week, so if you see me on here in the next 7 days and it's not to say 'Phew, finished', shoot me, OK?

Caz

setmefree2

:rotfl: Good luck with all that work:D

cazmanian_minx

I'm not here really, but just wanted to say that the 8-10 hours are winging their way to me on a CD and I've got another tape coming from a magazine I work for.

Back to the headphones....

Caz

cazmanian_minx

Update:

90 minutes of interviews left from the first lot, another 2 hours received on top of all the other work outstanding previously mentioned.

The reason I'm here (hold fire!) is because of this, which I'm cross-posting to the Housing board to see if anyone has some words of good advice...

I've just had confirmation that my flat sale has fallen through for the second time, thanks to the credit crunch.

My problems are as follows:

1. We've concluded missives on the house in Scotland and cannot pull out without tens of thousands of pounds-worth of penalties.

2. We are moving up there on 2nd June and OH starts work up there shortly after.

3. The current mortgage and the new mortgage are both with the same lender, who will only allow us to keep both for a maximum of 3 months, so the current one must be redeemed by 2nd September.

4. My flat has been back on the market since Tuesday and unlike when it went on for the first time in February, there's not been a flicker of interest.

My options, as far as I can see, are as follows:

1. Keep on with the estate agent and cross my fingers for completion by 2nd September (not keen on this one).

2. Use one of those 'We buy your house quick' companies (really not keen on this one).

3. Send it to Barnard Marcus or Allsop's next auction (quite like the idea of this one).

4. Convert the outstanding £27k to a buy-to-let mortgage with a different lender, borrow some extra to pay my ex-husband off and tart the place up and rent it out (not sure about getting a mortgage in the current climate, but do quite fancy being a landlord).

The joy of option 3 is that 28 days after the hammer falls, I either have the money or I have the 10% deposit and still have the flat, so I'm leaning towards that at the moment, but would appreciate any thoughts you lot might have.

Caz (currently looking like this: :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:)

gallygirl

Things happen for a reason, but what a blow :mad:

I'd go for Option 4. You have a lot of equity so a BTL mortgage would be much more than covered, meaning you could use the extra towards your new mortgage.

I'd use a management co though, as you're too far away to sort out repairs etc.

It will give you stress at times, but also provide a pension if you keep long term. You can always sell in a few years when the economy has stabilised, as long as you can take the risk of prices dropping by an unknown amount .

If you do go down this route take out as large a mortgage as possible on BTL, as interest can be offset against profits for tax, & pay as much off your own mortgage. There is a max you can do though, possibly 75% of original purchase price - can anyone advise??????

Also, if you can, take out an interest only mortgage. Pay the difference between this & repayment off your own mortgage - no point reducing capital as that will decrease interest you can offset.

(All this is assuming both mortgages are at similar interest rates of course)

Nil desperandum :T